GCU TODAY • 1 1
15
It’s a win for the
GCU golf teams.
No longer will they have to trek long
distances to practice — now they will have
their own course with a private practice
area three miles from campus. There will
be coaches’ offices in the clubhouse plus a
players’ lounge where they can relax and do
homework.
“This is going to be a huge asset to us.
I believe it’s going to be one of the best
courses in Phoenix,” women’s golf coach
Lauren Giesecke said. “That’s going to be
pretty much where our players live.”
16
It’s a win for
organizations
looking for good
tournament venues.
The course already is attracting top events,
such as the Arizona College Football
Championship Golf Classic in January. There
also will be a nine-hole tournament Feb. 20
for GCU alumni in town for homecoming
weekend. Brian Mueller said his goal is to
someday attract one of the NCAA national
tournaments.
17
It’s a win for golfers
who appreciate the
way a course is laid out.
Purists will be pleased that the routing of
the historic course was not altered despite
the temptation to reverse the nines and turn
the ninth green into an amphitheater-like
setting with the clubhouse directly behind it.
That’s still an option for tournaments, but the
planners all expressed their affinity for Nos. 16
through 18, which are classic finishing holes
with a good mix of water and bunkers.
A recent trend in golf courses has been to
have an occasional short par-4 that creates
risk-reward shots, and GCU Golf Course has
two of them, Nos. 5 and 13. “Not every hole
was lengthened,” Fought said. “Having a golf
course with all long holes is not fun.”
18
It’s a win for
golf, period.
The game often is criticized for being too
expensive and taking too long, but it’s still one
of the only sports that can be played by people
of all ages and fitness levels. And the benefits
don’t stop there.
“I think it’s a great game for a lot of reasons,”
BrianMueller said. “It requires a tremendous
amount of discipline. You’ve got to work really hard
at it to play it well. It’s one of the only games that’s
self-regulated from a rules perspective—people
call penalties on themselves. It’s a competitive
game, but it emphasizes respect for your opponent
and civility in the midst of competition.
“It’s a great way to spend time together. My
kids and I still play golf together frequently.
It’s a four-hour walk, so you get a chance to
talk about everything. It’s a great relationship-
building game.”
The golfers who have built relationships at
Maryvale Golf Course are ready for their new
home.
“This is going to be great,” Navratil said.
“Everyone in the men’s club is jazzed.”
This is one time when winning
is
everything…
and everybody wins.
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VIDEO
This could be No. 19: The golf course even is a win
for its adopted dog (above), who wandered in during
construction and has found a home. His name? Tiger.
Another attractive feature for golfers
is the driving range (left), conveniently
located close to the clubhouse. It has
plenty of well-manicured grass tees and a
half-dozen greens to use as targets.
