University of Idaho Golf Course

The University of Idaho Golf Course is an 18-hole public facility in the northwest United States, on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.

University of Idaho Golf Course
Club information
Coordinates46.723°N 117.017°W / 46.723; -117.017
Location1215 Nez Perce Drive
Moscow, Idaho
Elevation2,650 feet (808 m)
Established1937 (9 holes)[1]
1970 (18 holes)[2]
TypePublic
Owned byUniversity of Idaho
Operated byUniversity of Idaho
Total holes18
Websitewww.uidaho.edu/finance/auxiliary-services/departments/golf
Designed byFrancis L. James - 1936
Bob E. Baldock - 1968[2][3]
Par72 - (37 out, 35 in)
Length6,637 yd (6,069 m)[4]
Course rating72.3 [5]
Slope rating128 [5]

Set in the rolling hills of the Palouse of north central Idaho, a mile (1.6 km) east of the border with Washington, the par-72 course is at an average elevation of 2,650 feet (810 m) above sea level. The back tees measure a moderate 6,602 yards (6,037 m), but the significant elevation changes, terraced fairways, and often breezy conditions contribute to make it a challenging track. The slope rating is 128, with a course rating of 72.3; the men's tees (gold) are at 6,106 yards (5,583 m), with a slope of 122 and a course rating of 69.5.[5]

The course is open eight months per year, March through October, and is located on the western end of Nez Perce Drive, directly south of the Kibbie Dome stadium and the century-old Shattuck Arboretum. The newer UI Arboretum borders on the east, along and below the 17th & 18th holes. The President's House (now Executive Residence) is across the street, northeast of the 18th green.

History

The first nine holes were opened 83 years ago in 1937,[1] on the southwest edge of campus, designed by Englishman Francis L. "Frank" James (1877-1952).[6][7] At the time a Portland resident, he had designed over a hundred courses,[1] including the other two 9-hole courses in the area: the Moscow Elks course east of town in the late 1920s,[8] and the reconstruction of the original WSC course in nearby Pullman, Washington in 1934.[9][10] James became the course manager, resident professional, and UI golf coach.[11] Following his death in 1952, the recently completed clubhouse was named for him.[12][13]

The original order of play, using the current hole numbers, was 1, 2, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 9 for par 35 at 3,185 yards (2,912 m). Before the second nine was constructed, there was also a pitch-and-putt course north of the original nine holes.[14]

The second nine holes (four east (# 10, 16-18) and five north & west (# 3-7) of the original nine) were constructed from 1968 to 1970, designed by golf course architect Bob E. Baldock, and the current clubhouse was built in 1969.[15] A former professional golfer from Newport Beach, California, Baldock designed hundreds of courses in the West,[16] including Hangman Valley south of Spokane, Sun Willows in Pasco,[17][18] Crane Creek C.C. in Boise, Meadow Creek in New Meadows, and the Lewiston Country Club.[19]

All 18 holes at the UI course opened for play 50 years ago in August 1970 with some minor modifications to the original nine.[2] The front and back nines were switched in the 1990s, and both nines contain original holes and newer ones. The course was formerly par 71, as the 7th hole (formerly #16), currently a downhill par-5, was a par-4 prior to the addition of new tee boxes and the greenside pond.[20] The greenside ponds on the current 1st and 7th holes were added in the mid-1990s.[21][22][23] The lowest part of the course is in the southwest corner at the twelfth green; at approximately 2,560 feet (780 m), it is 170 vertical feet (52 m) below the clubhouse.

The par-5 fourth hole was part of the grade of the old road to Pullman.[24][25] The massive water tank behind its green (west) was added in 1980 to satisfy insurance requirements for campus firefighting;[26] the tank north of the tee box was completed in 2010, for chilled water storage for campus air conditioning.

The course was originally owned and operated by the Associated Students of the University of Idaho (ASUI), the student government. The university took control of the course in 1986,[27] and the lounge was remodeled in 1990.[28]

The UI course became the senior 18-hole venue on the Palouse twelve years ago in 2008, when Washington State University in Pullman opened its long-anticipated Palouse Ridge Golf Club in late August.

Vandal Golf & Professional Golf Management

The UI Golf Course is the home of the Vandal golf teams, which compete in the Big Sky Conference of the NCAA. Idaho was formerly a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) (2005–14), Big West (1996–2005), Big Sky (1963–96), and Pacific Coast (1922–59) conferences.

The university offers a bachelor's degree in Professional Golf Management, a five-year program in the College of Business and Economics. Launched in 2002, it is the only PGA-accredited college program in the Northwest and one of 20 in the nation.[29][30]

Scorecard
University of Idaho Golf Course
Tee Rating/Slope 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Black 72.3 / 128 3861563905561714914913752933309 37540640050422735138323241532936602
Gold 69.5 / 122 3551393765261474734783342763104 30239137748420229536520438230026106
Silver 72.5 / 125 3231233254361184594593272582828 29337535346519228134917737228575685
Par 43453554437 4445344343572
Handicap 1115911753713 18101428161246
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References
  1. "Vandal course ready in spring". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. July 6, 1936. p. 12.
  2. Missildine, Harry (August 23, 1970). "New Idaho course is handsome". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1-Sports.
  3. UI Golf Course - architecture - accessed 2010-03-21
  4. "UI Golf Course". GoVandals.com. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  5. "Course Rating and Slope Database: UI GC". USGA. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  6. "Frank James, 74, called by death". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. April 10, 1952. p. 33.
  7. "Frank James taken by death". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 11, 1952. p. 2.
  8. "Approves golf course plans". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. July 10, 1927. p. 3-sports.
  9. "Washington State College will spend $9000 in reconstructing its golf course". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. March 2, 1934. p. 12.
  10. "Cougar golf links near completion". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. June 30, 1934. p. 12.
  11. "Golf Course history". University of Idaho. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  12. "James Memorial Clubhouse". University of Idaho Library. Digital Initiatives. 1951. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  13. "Clubhouse in winter". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1950. p. 18.
  14. James, Frank L. (January 26, 1950). "UI Golf Course drawing". University of Idaho Library. Digital Initiatives. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  15. lib.uidaho.edu - UI buildings - ASUI Golf Clubhouse - accessed 2010-03-21
  16. Manders, Jim (December 12, 1971). "Building courses from barren land gives him a thrill". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 15.
  17. Missildine, Harry (July 17, 1968). "University of Idaho's new golf course shapes". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 12.
  18. spokanecounty.org - Hangman Valley Golf Course - accessed 2011-11-16
  19. "Architects - Bob E. Baldock". WorldGolf.com. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  20. ASUI Golf Course scorecard - June 1982 - par 71 - 6810 yd (blue), 6385 (white), par-76 6015 (red)
  21. msrmaps.com - aerial photo - May 1992 - no greenside ponds - accessed 2010-07-23
  22. UI Golf Course scorecard - Oct 1994 - now par-72 for all tees - nines switched
  23. "Idaho golf course prices set". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). February 4, 1995. p. 1D.
  24. "University of Idaho campus, aerial view. [3-47]". University of Idaho Library. 1939. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  25. "University of Idaho campus, oblique aerial view. [3-9]". University of Idaho Library. 1960. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  26. "Water tank paint job plans finalized". Argonaut. (Moscow, Idaho). (University of Idaho). August 26, 1980. p. 33.
  27. Smith, Christopher (May 31, 1988). "ASUI: Patrol for links Gibb's doing". Idahonian. Moscow. p. 1A.
  28. Harriman, Peter (July 25, 1990). "UI golf course lounge gets an upscale remodeling". Idahonian. Moscow. p. 5A.
  29. UI College of Business & Economics - Professional Golf Management program - accessed 2010-03-27
  30. PGAlinks.com - accredited collegiate programs - accessed 2010-05-25
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