A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Nov. 27 at the future site of the golf clubhouse, which is near the on-campus practice field. Alabama State University will soon have the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) golf clubhouses in the nation.
“We will be among the first HBCUs to have a facility like this located on its campus,” said President Quinton T. Ross, Ed.D., during the 10 a.m. outdoor ceremony. “What we are unveiling here today is a collective effort put together by the university’s leadership team of a vision to help us train and teach more scholar golf athletes at ASU and strike an interest in student-golfers nationwide, so as to encourage them to attend the university and join our Hornet Nation golf team.”
Ross stated that the construction of the Hornet Golf Clubhouse is an example of why it is often said that “History is Made” at Alabama State University.
The ceremonial shoveling of the newly turned soil was preceded by fanfare and comments from Ross, Jason Cable, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Quincy Heard, golf coach, Donald Dotson, vice president of Facilities Management, and clubhouse architect, Johnny Raines.
Heard, a Professional Golfer’s Association of America professional, explained that the clubhouse was among his goals when he began working at the university four years ago.
“When I started as a coach here, I had several goals that I wanted to implement to help our school and its team of student-golfers to have one of the most relevant golf programs in the nation,” Heard said, from the construction site. “My wish list included a fine schedule of games with other quality golf teams, good transportation for our players to travel to their matches, on-campus practice availability, attracting more women golf-students to ASU and building a golf clubhouse on campus that is a comfortable state-of-the-art facility that promotes training and team togetherness. This clubhouse will help make our current players better trained, our team more visible, and attract new quality golf-students to attend ASU and play golf for us, with an emphasis on increasing the number of women golfers on the University’s team, which will be great for Alabama State.”
Cable explained why there is a need for the clubhouse.
“This is a state of the art facility that is the first of its kind in the HBCU space and is rare among all Division I programs. Our golf clubhouse and training facility will add significant value to the student-athlete experience at Alabama State,” Cable said. “This facility will not only help improve our team and its results, but it will serve as an avenue to introduce golf to our campus and local community. Golf is a global sport that is able to transcend graduation and help many in their various career fields and social interactions far beyond their time at ASU. Golf is the sport that keeps on giving as it plays an integral role as a ‘life sport’ that many continue to compete in far into their life. We are happy to provide such a momentous opportunity to our student-athletes.”
Dotson contends the new golf clubhouse involves more than just campus activities. He anticipates it will be operational in March of 2024.
“Our new Hornet Golf Clubhouse will also allow citizens off campus to come to it,” he said, utilize its training aspects and involve them with our team and with the game of golf — and that is what we call CommUniversity, which is a goal that President Ross has taught us is important in making ASU a more well rounded and better appreciated school, which serves students and the community alike.”
