Sports played an integral part in the success of Milton Coggins’ professional career. Being a multi-sport athlete at the University of Redlands in California, he knew he wanted a career that was sports-oriented. Coggins had a talent for golf. He purchased his first set of golf clubs in 1927 and won the Arizona State Amateur in 1931 and 1933. After different types of jobs in the sports industry, he received an opportunity to enter the golf architecture world. He designed his first course in 1956 while he was a golf professional at Encanto Municipal Golf Course. He would then practice from 1961 until his retirement in the mid-1970’s.

Coggins was elected into ASGCA as a Regular member in 1970 and moved to Fellow status in 1973. Coggins served with ASGCA for 24 years until his death in 1994.