new practice green taking shape for men's and women's golf teams
Sept. 24, 2009
The Luther College men's and women's golf teams entered the 2009-10 campaign having some of the best practice facilities in the Midwest. The teams have had the privilege of practicing and playing on the only 18-hole golf course in the area, Oneota Golf and Country Club, located just five miles from campus, and their own driving range located on the North end of Luther's 40 acres of practice facilities. A new addition has been added to the family. A new 30' by 50' synthetic green with a bunker is in place and is ready for use. The new addition is located just North of Lindeman Pond and across the field from the driving range.
"I have been coaching for 22 years," commented eight-time Iowa Conference Coach of the Year Scott Fjelstul. "This has been a dream of mine for the last 15. I want to thank our athletic director Joe Thompson who has helped our programs see this dream come true. Traditionally, we do not play or practice at Oneota on Tuesday's and after Noon on Wednesday's, because the club has its weekly ladies and men's days. With the addition of this green, we have a facility that our players can walk to from their dorms and use everyday."
The green, which had new sod placed around it by members of both the men's and women's golf teams recently, will be used primarily for chipping and as a target green and is just across the field from Luther's on-site driving range.
"The new target green adds another great practice area for our players," stated women's head coach Dave Lester. "We spend about 90 percent of our time practicing our short game and to have a facility to do that on campus with an an artificial turf green and practice bunker is very unique. I don't know of any of our rival Division III schools that have the quality of golf practice facilities that we do. We are very fortunate and our players can just walk to the practice facilities and work on their games without leaving campus."
