May 13, 2016
New Era of Golf Coming to San Jose State
There’s a new era of golf coming to San Jose State University.
On Friday, university officials and other dignitaries held a groundbreaking ceremony on what will be the future home of the Spartan Golf Complex. The $10.2 million project, which is funded by private-giving and led by SJSU alumni Cindy and Rich Thawley, will be the first-ever on-campus training facility for the men and women’s SJSU golf programs.
The complex is expected to be completed in December.
“The Spartan Golf Complex will provide the campus, our community and San Jose State’s teams with a world-class practice facility,” SJSU Athletics Director Gene Bleymaier said. “The complex will help our student-athletes prepare for competition at the very highest level while supporting our efforts to recruit the best and brightest. In addition, the facility will serve students enrolled in physical education courses and strengthen our ties with alumni and neighbors through memberships and learning opportunities.”
Along with offering services to the public, including lessons, the complex will also be available for youth golf groups including the NCGA Foundation’s highly successful Youth on Course program.
Located on South 10th Street, the complex will span from East Humboldt St. in the north to East Alma Ave. in the south. Two grass tee areas will provide hitting positions for 80 golfers. In addition, the complex will offer over 25,000 square feet of tour-quality putting surfaces and two chipping greens. Three target greens will be positioned in a 400-yard long driving range for distance hitting practice.
Phase 2 of the project will involve the construction of a clubhouse featuring a fitness center, locker room and coaches’ offices. The complex, which will also feature lights, is expected to have operating hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“It’s a dream come true,” said longtime SJSU men’s golf coach John Kennaday. “It’s going to put us in a competitive landscape again.”
The SJSU golf program has the most NCAA titles of any Spartans sports teams. SJSU is one of only nine programs to have won both an NCAA Division I Men’s Championship (1948) and NCAA Division I Women’s Championship (1987, 1989 and 1992). The Spartans were the first school to win three NCAA Women’s titles.
Professionally, San Jose State alumni including Ken Venturi, Juli Inkster, Pat Hurst, Patty Sheehan and Aaron Oberholser, have combined for 131 victories on the PGA, LPGA, Champions, Web.com and PGA-Tour Canada tours.
Two San Jose-based companies, Blach Construction and Gensler, have been selected to serve as general contractor and architect, respectively, for the project.
-Jerry Stewart
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