(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Sun Devil Athletics unveiled its new state-of-the-art practice facility for both ASU men’s and women’s golf programs.
The new home is thanks in part to the Thunderbirds organization that donated the funds for the facility which is named The Thunderbirds Golf Complex in their appreciation.
It is a 7000-square foot facility that features a team gym and locker room for both men’s and women’s teams, a fueling station, study lounge, indoor hitting bays, and much more.
The 4-acre practice area was designed by Sun Devil great and five-time PGA Major Champion Phil Mickelson. It consists of five practice greens, four practice bunkers, a three-acre fairway, rough designed for every possible golf shot, Mickelson’s unique wedge control target design, and much more.
“In every way, we’ve tested them and created a facility where there’s no skill that they won’t be able to develop out here,” men’s head coach Matt Thurmond said. “This is not your typical throw a bunch of greens and tees out on a piece of grass and go at it. Every square foot was thought about on what skill will it specifically train, and how to most efficiently have a team practice.”
“In my opinion, it’s the best practice facility in the country,” women’s golf senior Madison Kerley said. “All the details that everyone came together and put together, all of Phil Nicholson’s work, if we’re not getting better, something’s wrong. We have the potential to put everything together. We’ve just have to put in the work and win another national championship.”
The new facility was built at Papago Golf Course, an already well established and reputable course in the Valley. It is located just a few miles from campus and is adjacent to Phoenix Municipal Stadium, home of Sun Devil Baseball.
The location is ideal from not only the students but the community, and ASU had that in mind when building the facility.
“This community is part of why we’re so successful because it is so important to get to play so many different golf courses, from a desert to a standard country club with a lot of trees,” women’s head coach Missy Farr-Kaye. “We try to mimic all the different places that we’ve played every kind of golf course you can imagine in our schedule during the year to be successful.”
Current and incoming Sun Devil golfers are set up for success with the quality of the facility, and there is no doubt that it will attract many.
“Any recruit that comes and walks around this place will be blown away, and they will want to be here,” Thurmond said. “The biggest thing about it is that it’s going to make our players better, and that ultimately is what recruiting is all about.
“The kind of players we want, they want one thing, and that is to grow and develop and become better, become champion players. When they see the detail out here, that’s going to drive recruits to come here.”
Both Sun Devil golf programs are eager to get into the facility to try to perfect their game in hopes of bringing another championship back to ASU.
“For a golf junkie like me, this is like a utopia,” men’s golf sophomore Mason Andersen said. “This is where I want to spend my time, and there’s just so many different shots and possibilities, really, that have come to me in a tournament or have come to me in my golfing career that I can practice out here and be prepared for next time they come.”
The Thunderbird Golf Complex was made in partnership with The Thunderbirds, Arizona Golf Community Foundation, the City of Phoenix and Phil Mickelson Design.
