An Ace in the Hole

By Kirsten Shaw

Photo by Russ Houston

As a university course, the MSU Golf Course is not only an exceptional place to play, it also stands as a first rate educational facility.

“The course serves as a living laboratory for two academic programs on campus – the PGA Golf Management Program in the College of Business and the Golf and Sports Turf Management Program in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences,” states Jeff Adkerson, PGA Master Professional and Director, PGA Golf Management and Golf Operations. “Additionally, we’ve worked to integrate the University Golf Course into other disciplines on campus to provide students with supplemental learning opportunities. The Landscape Architecture and Forestry departments, for example, have utilized the facility for study beyond the classroom as well.”

The PGA Golf Management Program prepares students for jobs in the professional golf industry. The MSU Golf Course gives them a place to develop their playing and teaching skills and to host and organize tournaments. Students and faculty from the Golf and Sports Turf Management program perform research here on grasses and other turf, while also contributing to the course’s maintenance. In 2012 and 2013, some 10,000 trees were planted throughout the course in conjunction with the College of Forest Resources, improving its beauty and playability. The course is also woven into the campus fabric as a second home for the men’s and women’s intercollegiate golf teams, as well as a recreational outlet for students, faculty and staff.

“The MSU Golf Course is an asset to both Mississippi State University and the local community,” says President Mark E. Keenum, who has been known to take in a round or two at the course. “It’s an outstanding educational resource for our students, especially those in the PGA Golf Management program and in Golf and Sports Turf Management. The course also offers all of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors who play it a fun, challenging and memorable experience.”

Designed by Brian Ault, the facility is a 6,604-yard, par 71 championship course where many alumni and community members enjoy playing.

“It’s challenging but fair,” comments Mike Hammond, PGA Head Golf Professional. “There’s something for all skill levels – some flat holes, some with changes of elevation. It’s really scenic, with all the trees and water features, and it’s one of the better conditioned courses in our area.”

A quality course is always a work in progress. Recently, a fleet of 45 technology-forward golf cars arrived, furnished with GPS to assist players with yardages. This past year, a strategic plan for ground maintenance was initiated, and within a month of the first new equipment acquisition, positive effects were seen in the course’s conditioning. An ongoing capital improvement plan outlines future goals like a new pavilion and scoring center.

The MSU facility is a dynamic golf center, offering junior camps, adult and senior clinics, lessons, family golf days and tournaments, as well as “growth of the game” activities for the community.

The MSU Golf Course is a place for all, whether a beginning player, retired alumnus or young adult preparing for a career in the sport. It is a place to play, to learn, to teach, to compete, to connect – a place that does Mississippi State proud.