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WorldGolf.com praises revamped NMSU Golf Course
In 1963, Southwestern golf course architect Floyd Farley added another feather to his cap with the opening of his latest creation, the 18-hole championship New Mexico State University Golf Course. Now, nearly half a century later, the links, framed by the Organ Mountains to the east and the Mesilla Valley to the west, are experiencing a revival of sorts.
Mike Bailey, senior writer for the Web site WorldGolf.com and past president of the Texas Golf Writers Association, gave the facility high marks in a September review posted on the site (to read Bailey's full review, visit http://www.worldgolf.com/course-reviews/new-mexico/new-mexico-state-university-las-cruces-10525.htm). Bailey noted that, while the course had an impressive pedigree - it has played host to three NCAA national championships along with numerous conference and USGA qualifying championships - in recent years some of the sparkle had faded as other universities upped the ante with newer courses in tune with modern golf technology.
Through the leadership and vision of NMSU Director of Golf Dan Koesters and veteran Course Superintendent Bruce Erhard, though, the course and surrounding facilities have undergone a facelift and many updates. Bailey enthusiastically noted the changes in his review.
"When I came back here 11 years ago not much had changed on the course from when I was a student here in the mid-80s," said Koesters, who was a standout Aggie golfer. "Bruce and I were determined to maximize its potential. From minute one we started on renovation projects and improvements, and that's been the case since."
Koesters and Erhard were both returning to the course after extended absences, and that familiarity with the surroundings allowed them to make big improvements. While the opening of the new clubhouse in 2004 is what most readily comes to mind when examining facility improvements, Erhard has directed restoration projects that include new bunkering, new tee boxes, improved practice facilities and concrete cart paths. The practice facilities include a large driving range, contoured putting greens and a new short game practice area that opened in 2007.
"The course ... is better than ever," Bailey wrote. "While the NMSU course might not host another men's NCAA championship event anytime soon, it's a fun test for the everyday player. It's also a walk in the park, which is [a] real bonus, especially in the fall and spring ... [T]his course ... is very walkable."
The course is short by today's standards for competitive event courses - 7,100 yards - but through the work of Koesters, Erhard and their crew, the abbreviated length of the course has been compensated with tighter, narrower fairways requiring precision playmaking. Adding trees to the roughs and increasing the amount of fairway bunkers has insured the links remain a challenge.
"We have a course challenging enough to host collegiate events, but easy enough that senior citizens can finish it, and it's a real challenge to develop that," Koesters said. "It's easy to have a hard course that only a small percentage that play can finish; it's easy to have a wide-open pasture with 18 tee boxes and 18 greens that present no challenge to a skilled golfer. The challenge is to create a facility to serve all golfers."
Perhaps most impressive is the fact that the vast majority of the work has been self-funded.
"I've played a lot of golf competitively, and been to probably thousands of courses. That helped me develop a good eye for what I was looking for, and talking to architects I was able to develop ideas," said Koesters. "It's very satisfying that we've been able to do most of this ourselves, and the best part is that we've been able to maintain our price structure, so we're still the most affordable golf facility in the area."
"Most of the time, renovations of this type would involve hiring a course construction company," said Erhard. "We probably saved between 40 and 50 percent on costs versus if we had contracted the work out. I've been a course superintendant for more than 30 years, and with that experience I thought we could do most of the work in-house."
As it turned out, only the pouring of the concrete cart paths was contracted out. The additions and renovations were challenging, but Erhard noted that the work provided invaluable experience to students in the professional golf management and turf grass programs.
The NMSU Golf Course is open to the public year-round and hosts tournaments, group outings and leagues. The course's staff of PGA professionals offers a wide variety of lesson programs as well as custom fitting of golf equipment, and the Pro Shop stocks a large selection of golf equipment, as well as NMSU logo apparel.
"There's ... a terrific golf atmosphere here," Bailey wrote.
Written by Mark Cramer.