Tag: facilities

College golf facilities: Vanderbilt opens renovated $11 million Vanderbilt Golf House

The Legends Club got a big upgrade.

One of the best facilities in college golf recently finished a major upgrade.

The Vanderbilt Golf House recently opened after an $11 million renovation that also included work to other facilities at Vanderbilt Legends Club, where the men’s and women’s teams call home.

The new Vanderbilt Golf House increased the building’s size by nearly two-thirds. It includes a new lobby, hall of fame, team lounge, locker rooms, meeting rooms, fitness area, outdoor terraces and offices.

Additionally, there were renovations to the Cleo and Lewis Conner, Sr. Short Game Practice Facility and driving range tee boxes. The putting greens were enhanced with different types of grasses to better mirror playing conditions on competition courses.

The upgrades came thanks to seed gifts from alums Brandt Snedeker, Toby Wilt and Lew Conner and their families. The Golf House, Training Center and Conner Family Hitting Bays at Vanderbilt Legends Club were dedicated in 2013, and now the Golf House has taken the facility to another level.

Here’s a look at more college golf practice facilities.

Photos: Vanderbilt Golf House

San Diego State announces plans for $3 million golf performance center

The news comes on the heels of an anonymous $1.5 million donation.

San Diego State on Thursday announced plans to construct a $3 million golf performance center at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

The news comes on the heels of an anonymous $1.5 million donation. In addition, two golf simulators will be housed on campus.

The performance center will feature indoor hitting bays, team rooms, locker rooms for both men and women, a hospitality station and more.

“We are excited for this partnership with The Farms Golf Club,” San Diego State men’s golf head coach Ryan Donovan said in a release. “This is an opportunity to continue to build a national championship team as we develop and graduate our student athletes. This is made possible with the support of our university, donors, and alumni. Our university has elevated and expanded to the Pac-12 Conference, and the time is now.”

College golf: Check out practice facilities from across the country

The project now has $2.1 million in commitments. San Diego State is looking to raise an additional $900,000 to complete the project.

“This new practice facility will be a game changer for our program, allowing us to compete at the highest level in an ever-evolving landscape,” San Diego State women’s golf head coach Lauren Dobashi said in a release. “Having a dedicated home not only enhances the training experience for our current student-athletes but also strengthens our recruiting efforts. This facility embodies our commitment to excellence and provides our athletes with the resources they need to thrive both on and off the course. We are incredibly thankful to our donors, the unwavering support of our school, and the athletics department, whose collective efforts have made this vision a reality.”

College golf facilities: Northwestern Wildcats and Gleacher Golf Center

Take a look at the Gleacher Golf Center.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/bh3HsJIBE3sNAappK98D/1729542756372_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLmFueWNsaXAuY29tL2FueWNsaXAtd2lkZ2V0L2xyZS13aWRnZXQvcHJvZC92MS9zcmMvbHJlLmpzIiBkYXRhLWFyPSIxNjo5IiBkYXRhLXBsaWQ9Im1qdWRnc2R0ampldWVyanRvbmhlY3lscW9iZnRzb2NlIiBwdWJuYW1lPSIxOTk4IiB3aWRnZXRuYW1lPSIwMDE2TTAwMDAyVTBCMWtRQUZfTTgzMjciPgo8L3NjcmlwdD4=”][/anyclip-media]

Northwestern men’s and women’s golf teams have facilities that are among the best in the country.

The Luke Donald Outdoor Practice Facility has been open since 2006, but when conditions call for it, the Wildcats can move inside and still get better at the Gleacher Golf Center.

The facility has a 5,400 square-foot short-game and putting area with raised ceilings, and the putting green is nearly 3,000-square-feet. There are three bays with Swing Catalyst Force Plates and a TrackMan.

Another cool feature is the 19-foot by 8-foot digitally adjustable putting platform, which includes a 3D-modeled green that can be tilted at any angle and an overhead projector that utilizes augmented reality to display putting paths and drills

And for when practice is over, there’s a 1,200-square-foot student-athlete lounge.

Here’s a look at more college golf practice facilities.

Photos: Gleacher Golf Center

College golf facilities: Michigan Wolverines and Weisfeld Family Golf Center

Take a look at the Weisfield Family Golf Center.

Playing golf in the northern parts of the United States can be challenging for most during the winter months.

For college golfers at Michigan, they don’t struggle with that because of the Weisfeld Family Golf Center. The facility opened in 2011 at a cost of $2.5 million, and it has only gotten better since then.

The on-campus facility is at the University of Michigan Golf Course, which is across the street from the Big House. The Weisfeld features two Trackman stations, a pair of GF Quad stations and the SAM Putt Lab.

The outdoor short game area, the Cilluffo Family Short Game Practice Area, was renovated recently. The five-acre area is at the northwest corner of the driving range at the Weisfeld Family Golf Center and features two large greens, several bunkers and subtle undulating fairways and rough areas.

And when Mother Nature turns the cooler on, players head inside to the Connie & Tony Ridder Short Game Practice Area.

Here’s a look at more college golf practice facilities.

Photos: Weisfeld Family Golf Center

College golf facilities: North Texas Mean Green and Bruzzy’s UNT Golf Practice Facility

Take a look at the Bruzzy’s UNT Golf Practice Facility.

They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and the North Texas golf practice facility is big enough to have a little bit of everything.

Opened on Sept. 18, 2021, Bruzzy’s UNT Golf Practice Facility is located on the east side of Apogee Stadium, where the football team plays. The cost was $3 million, and it’s near the former site of Eagle Point Golf Course.

Bruzzy’s hosts both the men’s and women’s Mean Green teams. It’s 5,047 square feet in size. There are two hitting bays that feature swing analysis technology, a virtual putting green with chipping and putting areas along with locker rooms, lounges, a kitchen, coaches offices and study areas.

The facility gave the North Texas golf teams an on-campus facility for the first time since Eagle Point closed in 2003.

Here’s a look at more college golf practice facilities.

Photos: Bruzzy’s UNT Golf Practice Facility

Where the North Carolina football program ranks in facilities across the nation

Find out where the University of North Carolina stacks up against the rest of the field for football facilities rankings.

One of the biggest selling points a football program can offer a recruit or transfer portal prospect is how their facilities look, which the University of North Carolina ranks top 30 in that field according to 247Sports.

The publication delivered its 2024 top 30 for nicest football facilities, which saw UNC placed 23rd. Ironically, placed at the number Tar Heel [autotag]Michael Jordan[/autotag] made famous speaks volumes to the detailed work the program has put into their facility. 

Only three teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), cracked the list, unless you want to count Notre Dame as one. Surprisingly Wake Forest made the list, but no signs of NC State or Duke. 

To no surprise, Clemson claimed the highest spot for ACC schools, coming in at No. 5 on the list, pointing out the Tiger’s weight room being a big reason as to why.

Listed below are 247Sports reasons for putting UNC at 23rd: 

“Designed to modernize Kenan Stadium and North Carolinain the Mack Brown era, the Tar Heels have pumped millions of dollars into becoming a championship contender in the ACC over the past several years with facility enhancements including an indoor practice facility and a new locker room — among other additions. Prior to the 2020 season, the Tar Heels revealed updated digs and the players loved them.”

 

UNC will need to make some significant improvements to catch up, but seeing where the Tar Heels rank, it could always be worse…cough cough Duke.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Wisconsin misses 247Sports’ ranking of ‘college football’s most impressive facilities’

Wisconsin misses 247Sports’ ranking of ‘college football’s most impressive facilities’

Wisconsin was not included in 247Sports’ Brad Crawford’s updated ranking of college football’s most impressive facilities on Monday.

The list includes 30 programs, including the Big Ten’s Penn State (No. 30), USC (No. 29), Illinois (No. 22), Michigan (No. 18), Maryland (No. 16), Northwestern (No. 13), Nebraska (No. 8), Ohio State (No. 7) and Oregon (No. 1).

Related: Post-spring Big Ten football 2024 power rankings, starting quarterback rankings

The Badgers have seemingly fallen behind in college football’s never-ending facilities arm race. That said, the program was recently approved for a new $285 million indoor practice facility.

The project is set to replace the Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center — commonly known as The Shell — and the 80-yard football practice field in the McClain Center with a new state-of-the-art facility. It is still reportedly being designed, with construction set to start in 2025.

The state of college football, and college athletics as a whole, is currently in flux. Right now, athletic departments have record revenue and minimal operating expenses due to the players not being directly paid. That money funds each schools’ other sports in most cases, or is funneled into facilities like seen in Crawford’s ranking.

Wisconsin is a ‘have’ when it comes to revenue. The Big Ten pays out record money each year thanks to its new television deal. The hope is the program’s new practice facility brings it up to the level of the other top contenders in the country.

All of these things matter when discussing how programs differentiate themselves in the eyes of recruits. While money may mean more to recruits now than it once did, facilities still play into that decision. The good news for Badgers fans: there is action being taken to ensure this ranking isn’t the same in the future.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

[lawrence-related id=76521,76580,76455,76146,76150]

College golf facilities: Arizona State Sun Devils and Thunderbirds Golf Complex

Take a look at the Thunderbirds Golf Complex.

When talking about the best facilities in college golf, Arizona State’s Thunderbirds Golf Complex is on that list.

Located about five miles away from ASU’s campus, the 7,000 square-foot facility resides at Papago Golf Course, a City of Phoenix municipal course which became the home of Arizona State’s men’s and women’s golf programs on Nov. 1, 2018. It features a grand entry lobby, national championship displays, a gym, locker rooms for both men’s and women’s teams, a fueling station, study lounge, team lounge, indoor hitting bays and more.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, an ASU alum, had a hand in the design. It includes a four-acre practice area consisting of five practice greens, four practice bunkers and a three-acre fairway and rough designed to practice every possible golf shot.

Originally built in 1963, Papago Golf Course has become a prominent feature in the college golf world, thanks to “The Bird.”

Here’s a look at more college golf practice facilities.

Photos: Thunderbirds Golf Complex

College golf facilities: Findlay Oilers

Take a look at the new Beall Oilers Golf Center.

A good number of NCAA Div. I schools will be jealous of this new Div. II facility in northwest Ohio.

The University of Findlay recently unveiled the Beall Oilers Golf Center, the new $400,000 on-campus home of both the men’s and women’s golf teams. Lead donors John and Pam Beall committed to the project in the winter of 2021 and the rest was funded privately by alumni, friends, family, and other supporters of the programs.

“First and foremost I want to offer a big thank you to all of the donors who made this building possible, with a special thank you to John and Pam (Beall) and Brant Rhoad and family who believed in this project from it’s inception,” said Director of Golf Dominic Guarnieri. “The Beall Oilers Golf Center will be a vital tool in the improvement and preparation of our players during the winter months and on bad weather days. The completion of this project is a dream come true for myself and our players and we are excited to call the Beall Oilers Golf Center home now and for years to come.”

Highlights include a 1,100 square foot putting green, the Brant Rhoad and Family Short Game Area and two hitting bays with Foresight GCQuad launch monitors. The facility also includes a lounge with flat screen TVs, couches and a place for players to study. The school also unveiled a new logo for the golf program, “Swingin’ Derrick.”

Photos: Beall Oilers Golf Center

247Sports ranks Notre Dame’s facilities as one of the best in the country

This is a good list to be on

In the ever lasting recruiting race, schools across the country continually try to one-up each other when it comes to their facilities. Athletes spend most of their time there, so having one of the best around the country is a big selling point for many schools.

Recently, 247Sports Brad Crawford ranked the Top-25 schools based on facilities and Notre Dame came in thirteenth, in front of schools like Michigan, Tennessee and Florida.

Notre Dame’s simplistic look had quite a dazzling facelift prior to the 2017 season with a new-look locker room for players… Notre Dame’s new 111,400-square-foot Irish Indoor Athletics center, which will serve as an indoor practice facility for the football and men’s and women’s soccer programs, opened in July 2019.

The Irish aren’t too flashy with their facilities, using a simplistic look that is classic and timeless. Glad to see that it still ranks among the best in the country.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen