|
A graduate of
Mississippi State University's prestigious Professional Golf
Management program, Nathan has been making plans in his head for
improving the MSU Golf Course practice facility since his freshman
year at the university. The driving range has always been
undersized (even before the advent of longer balls and drivers) and
the short game practice area was severely lacking for recruiting
players for the men's and women's golf teams. However, the
biggest obstacle to overcome was that the course was landlocked
between private property to the west, a large lake to the east, and
Highway 182 to the south. All of that began to change in 2009
when private donations to the golf teams enabled Nathan the
opportunity to develop a plan that would meet the needs of all
parties involved.
Working closely with
representatives from the golf course staff, the athletic department,
the University, and the Bulldog Club (alumni association), Nathan
created a plan that altered parts of the existing course to make all
of the pieces fit. The end result is a driving range nearly
four times the size of the existing range with separate tees for
the public and the golf teams, a short game facility and private
putting green for the golf teams, and changes to the 10th and 18th
holes. The 10th is now a demanding short par 3 and the
18th--although slightly shorter--is a much better finishing par 5
hole that is reachable for longer hitters willing to risk the second
shot that culminates at a large green fronted by four bunkers that
some say resembles a giant Bulldog paw print from the sky.....
Construction began in the summer of
2010 and should be complete in the summer of 2011. A
color-rendered copy of the plan is below showing the changes and the
existing course. Project photos are posted below.
|
