A $3.5 million indoor training center is closer to becoming a reality at the University of Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course, as the school announced Monday a $1 million gift from the John W. Mooty Foundation.
The school is hoping construction on the facility, which will feature heated indoor hitting bays for all-weather practice and two indoor practice greens, can begin soon.
The training center on the St. Paul campus will be the first indoor facility for the Gophers teams, and it will include locker rooms for the men's and women's teams, offices for the coaching staffs, a lounge for students and a U golf Hall of Fame. The facility will be named the John W. Mooty Golf Training Center, honoring the patriarch of the Mooty family and creator of the Foundation, who passed away in 2015.
"Our father, individually and through his Foundation, was a strong supporter of academics and athletics at the University of Minnesota. His sons — Bruce, Chuck and I — all have strong ties to the University as well and wish to carry on his tradition," said David Mooty, speaking on behalf of the Foundation. "We are excited to be a part of the construction of the new golf training center and the positive impact it will have both academically and athletically on the men's and women's teams. We played a lot of golf with Dad growing up and came to love the game through his passion. He had one of the most unorthodox swings ever seen, so it is somewhat ironic that this center will bear his name. I'm sure he is chuckling about that."
A university spokesman said the school hopes to begin construction "as soon as possible," now that the fundraising efforts are within $1 million of its $3.5 million goal.
"This facility will help us recruit and develop outstanding golfers, but it will also have a positive impact on so many of Minnesota's junior golfers," women's golf coach Michele Redman wrote in the statement. "This facility isn't just about what's best for Gopher golf, it's about what's best for Minnesota golf."
"With this facility, Gopher golf will finally have a home of its own," men's coach John Carlson added. "... We have needed this for so long. It's exciting to see it taking shape."
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