University of North Texas Athletics
Construction to Begin on Donor Funded Golf Practice Facility
5/15/2020 9:00:00 AM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf
DENTON -- The Mean Green men and women's golf team will have a new on-campus practice facility, as construction is set to begin in the next few weeks, Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker announced today.
The project, which will cover 16.5 acres on the east side of the former Eagle Point Golf Course, pays homage to the historically successful UNT golf programs. It will include a 5,000 square-foot building housing coaches' offices, men and women's locker rooms, virtual putting green, a study area, nutrition station and a student-athlete lounge. The exterior will feature two hitting bays with the latest TrackMan technology, a driving range, putting green, and a chipping area.
"The construction of a state-of-the-art practice facility has been a dream we've been working on for several years at North Texas and I'm grateful for the support of Bruzzy Westheimer and other key donors who've made the dream a reality for student-athletes," Baker said. "For our student-athletes to have an on-campus facility and not have to travel daily for practice will be a tremendous advantage for us. This is truly a tremendous investment in the future of both our men and women's golf programs and our mission to build champions and prepare leaders."
The facility was donor funded, with Jerome "Bruzzy" Westheimer being the largest contributor. It will bear the name "Bruzzy's" to recognize the generous gift from Westheimer.
"I have dreamed of building a golf practice facility on-campus for the golf programs for many years," Westheimer said. "To have this type of facility so close for our student-athletes to hone their games is everything a young golfer wishes for. This is a dream come true for all present and former golfers to call home. I am proud to see my ultimate dream come true."
Construction will take approximately 10 months, making the facility available for a portion of the 2021 season. Additional naming opportunities are still available throughout the complex and anyone interested in being a part of the project is encouraged to reach out to the Mean Green Scholarship Fund office at 940-369-7284 or mgsf@unt.edu.
The North Texas men's golf program has been one of the most successful athletic programs in school history. It is the only program to win a national championship, winning four straight from 1949-52. It has also won 83 tournament titles and 30 conference championships and currently has three former players having successful professional careers on the PGA Tour.
Westheimer has made numerous contributions to UNT and Mean Green Athletics. He is a life member of the UNT Alumni Association, a member of the McConnell Society, an Emerald lifetime member of the UNT Kuehne Speaker Series Board of Directors and a member of the President's Leadership Board. He was awarded with the Presidential Wings of Eagles Award last fall and also received the Fred McCain Award from the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. At UNT and other intuitions, Westheimer's support has enabled more than 1,500 students across the country to attend college and earn their degrees, with his gifts making undeniable impacts across the UNT campus.
"Bruzzy Westheimer is one of our best supporters," said UNT President Neal Smatresk. "His gifts to academic programming and our athletic programs has touched numerous lives at UNT. His latest gift will allow us to provide our golf programs with facilities that support their athletic and academic endeavors without putting any strain on University resources during a difficult time. We are grateful for his support."
