MOUNT PLEASANT — Central Michigan University’s men’s and women’s golf programs are one step closer to having a new home: a 40-acre, on-campus, year-round golf facility.
On Thursday, the CMU Board of Trustees approved funding for the project’s design and pre-construction services. The complete design is contingent on final fundraising results.
“This project will ensure our golf programs have practice facilities that will significantly enhance our student-athlete experience and athlete recruitment efforts,” said Amy Folan, CMU Zyzelewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics. “We are sure this facility will be among the best in the Mid-American Conference.”
The initial plans for the state-of-the-art facility, planned for the open area west of Theunissen Stadium, would provide indoor and outdoor practice facilities. Indoors, golfers will have access to a putting and short-range practice area, multiple hitting bays with golf simulators, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and a fitness area.
During the warmer months, CMU golfers will have access to an outdoor practice facility, which would include a driving range and short-game practice area for putting, chipping and bunker work. The outdoor footprint would also allow for the construction of multiple reversible holes, which would allow student-athletes a complete experience.
The indoor hitting bays would be able to be opened to use the driving range, with radiant tube heaters located in canopies on each side of the driving range.
Central Michigan women’s golf coach Ryan Williams said building an on-campus home for the CMU golf programs will increase training and practice opportunities while positively impacting recruitment and engagement with the campus community.
“Having indoor and outdoor practice spaces for players to access at any time is very exciting,” Williams said. “Moving our home onto campus connects us more closely with other athletic programs and the campus community, is more time efficient for players, and allows us to customize the spaces to what players need.”
Central Michigan men’s golf coach Kevin Jennings agreed, saying this project will take CMU’s golf programs to a much higher level.
“This opportunity, brought forth by the thoughtfulness of generous alumni and forethought of the CMU Athletics leadership, will elevate CMU golf and the skill sets of our student-athletes,” he said.
Jennings said that the men’s and women’s programs have been hosting and participating in high-visibility competitions, which are helping to establish CMU’s leadership in the collegiate golf landscape nationally and internationally.
“These opportunities, in conjunction with the new facility, will help to position us as a leader in the MAC and beyond,” he said. “Many things are trending in a great direction for us right now, and CMU golf is seeing beautiful growth on the horizon.”
The CMU women’s golf program was shut down in 1982 and returned in 2014. The men’s program was shuttered after the 1984-85 season and relaunched in 2022.
CMU’s programs have practiced at the Mount Pleasant Country Club since 2014.
“We thank Mount Pleasant Country Club members for their incredible partnership. It is because of their commitment and dedication that we’ve had a local course to call home for many years,” Folan said.
Funding the project
Fundraising is underway for the target goal of an $11 million facility. More than half has already been received from generous donors, including a lead gift of $5 million, the largest one-time cash gift from individual donors in university history.
Chris Walker, Deputy Director of Athletics, said fundraising efforts will continue to help bring the project to life.
“We are thankful for the support we’ve had from generous alumni and donors to date and continue to connect with prospective donors who want to make a lasting impact for our student-athletes,” Walker said.