Winter golf? In Ohio?
Blustery winds, freezing rain,flurries — Ohio weather can be challenging, but Mother Nature is no match for the University of Dayton golf teams.
The recently opened University of Dayton Player Development Center at the NCR Country Club Performance Center offers the Flyers access to a private putting area, indoor hitting bays — featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan 4 technology — and a dedicated UD team room.
“One of the first questions out of a recruit’s mouth is usually ‘what do you guys do when the weather is bad,’” said Adam Tschuor, senior associate athletics director. “Now we have a good response. For us, it’s a game changer.”
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
The University of Dayton golf program has called NCR Country Club home for years, but the Performance Center has propelled the relationship to a new level.
“This facility is the result of a consolidated effort between the club and the University,” said Jeff Grant, NCR Country Club chief operating officer. “The UD golf team is part of the fabric of the club, they’re like part of the family.”
That “family” includes Gip Hoagland, the UD men’s golf coach who is also a lead assistant golf professional at NCR. Hoagland — in his 14th season with the Flyers — played an integral part in both the planning of the facility layout and design as well as the fundraising effort to bring the project to fruition. He worked with a select group of individuals and families that were personally connected to the program to make the dream facility a reality at NCR Country Club.
“The University’s relationship with NCR is definitely a partnership,” Hoagland said, “one that is ongoing and evolving.”
And it’s a relationship the University doesn’t take for granted.
“Golf is a unique collegiate sport in that, more often than not, you have to rely on external relationships,” Tschuor said. “We are incredibly fortunate to have a community partner that not only has one of the best courses in the region but also a facility that will enable us to compete at the level we want to compete at.”
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Whether it’s a 400-yard drive or a precision putt, the Trackman 4 technology provides golfers with real-time data that can improve their game. All seven of the hitting bays, including the one dedicated to the UD golfers, include this technology.
“It’s a teaching tool and a visual tool,” Hoagland said. “You can simulate any condition. It’s as accurate as you can get.”
The 8,000-square-foot Performance Center also features a 1,600-square-foot putting and chipping green.
“When a recruit comes on a visit, the wow factor really punches you in the face.”
“When a recruit comes on a visit, the wow factor really punches you in the face,” Hoagland said. “With the top-of-the-line short-game area and the technology, there is really nothing else that you need.”
Tschuor has visited many similar facilities, but none compare to the Performance Center the Flyers call home.
“Some were functional but not aesthetically pleasing and others were gorgeous but didn’t serve a utility,” he said. “In terms of having both, this is as good as you can get.”
MADE POSSIBLE BY ...
Ten gifts of $5,000 or more helped make the University of Dayton Player Development Center at the NCR Country Club Performance Center a reality.
“Our ability to execute a project like this is a result of the individuals and families who choose to invest in UD philanthropically,” said Neil Sullivan, vice president/director of athletics.
In February, the Flyers finished second out of 18 teams in the Wexford Intercollegiate in Hilton Head. “The new facility had a big influence on our performance,” said head men’s golf coach Gip Hoagland, noting the team was better prepared. “Our short games were much better.”
