By Mike May
Thanks to a very generous gift, the golf program at Indiana University has received a huge ‘shot in the arm.’ The championship golf course at Indiana University, which first opened in 1955, has re-opened after a complete re-design by highly acclaimed golf course architect Steve Smyers.
“We built a brand new golf course that has nothing in common with the original,” Smyers said. “Indiana University gave me a free hand. We built the golf course to match and complement the patterns of the existing landscape. It’s a beautiful piece of property.”
The course was renamed The Pfau Course at Indiana University to honor the generous financial gift from Ned and Sue Pfau.
Construction began in May 2018 and the re-open date was delayed until June 15, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Weather permitting, the golf course will be open all year. Additional improvements were made to the practice area with target greens on the driving range, 36 mat-teeing stations, and 20 grass tees. The lighted range, plus a nine-hole executive course are also attractive additions.
The new championship course can be stretched to 8,000 yards and is the envy of the Big Ten Conference, if not all of collegiate golf.
Indiana University men’s golf coach Mike Mayer is thrilled about this new golf course.
“At the beginning of the process, my expectations were high and they have been exceeded,” admitted Mayer. “This course has the potential to not only be one of the best collegiate golf courses in the country, but one of the best golf courses in the country, as a whole. Every time I visit this golf course, it takes my breath away.”
One of the featured holes on this course is the 14th, which can play anywhere from 268 to 459 yards and was the brainchild of Smyers. The sharp dogleg right has 10 deep bunkers that guard the right side of the fairway. From the forward tees, this hole can play as a risk-reward drivable hole. From the back tees, it’s a strong par four and there is no shame in recording a bogey five.
Since this course re-opened, everyone seems to love it and can’t wait to return for another round.
“The course is exceeding every expectation,” reports Mayer. “The reviews from nearly everyone, including some major golf magazines, have been fantastic.
Mayer is optimistic that having a true championship caliber golf course will make Indiana University an attractive destination for the best high school golf prospects in the country.
Does this mean that Indiana University will be the next powerhouse in men’s and women’s collegiate golf?
Only time will tell. Go Hoosiers!
