Golfweek's Best Campus Courses For 2016

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman University Golf Club has been ranked 17th nationally among Golfweek's Best Campus Courses for 2016, as announced this week by the publication. The Furman course dropped one spot from last year's ranking of 16th nationally.

"This is quite an honor for our course because there are some terrific courses on the list, and to be associated with courses of this caliber is always a privilege," said Paladin men's golf coach Todd Satterfield. "I've always said that the Furman Golf Course does a good job of preparing our players, and it's great that the panel recognized this."

"The Furman Golf Course is an excellent test of golf and vital to the preparation of our teams for tournament play," said Furman women's coach Jeff Hull. "The layout is easy to walk and provides a large variety of shots. We are fortunate to call it home."

Designed by Richard K. Webel of Long Island, N.Y., and Walter Cosby, superintendent of grounds and greens at the Greenbrier Hotel and Golf Resort, the course was built in the late 1950s when few colleges had a course on campus.

Measuring approximately 6,994 yards from the championship tees and 6,400 from the women's tees, the course features Champion Bermuda greens and Bermuda fairways and is fully irrigated. With Greenville's temperate climate, the Furman course is open for play year-round.

Since the 1970s, the course has been the site of two outstanding college tournaments, the Furman Intercollegiate and the Lady Paladin Invitational. In addition, the Furman Pro-Am, has welcomed back many former Furman standouts and LPGA superstars.

Through the years, some of golf's top talents have played at Furman. In 1967, Arnold Palmer, who was one of the top draws on the PGA circuit, played an 18-hole exhibition match with local golfers. Gary Player and Patty Berg have also played exhibition matches on the Furman course. Many former Furman greats like Brad Faxon, Betsy King, Beth Daniel, Dottie Pepper and Sherri Turner have also returned to play the course that they sharpened their skills on during their collegiate years as Paladin standouts.

Now a semi-private facility, the Furman golf course has approximately 300 members. The course hosts the annual AAAA South Carolina State High School Championship and sponsors several tournaments for club members and their guests. The Furman golf course is also home to several top national junior golf tournaments, including AJGA, SJGT, PKBT, and Hurricane Tour.

The Furman Golf Club was renovated by Kris Spence in 2008. This most recent renovation encompassed redesigning all of the green complexes and changing from bent grass to Champion Bermuda, repositioning each of the fairway bunkers to bring them into play for the modern era, and adding approximately 200 yards to the championship layout. Spence, who has renovated several Donald Ross designs in the Carolinas, added many Ross characteristics to the Furman course.

In March of 2012 an extensive renovation of the REK practice area began. Four new Champion Bermuda grass greens were added and the existing bent grass was reconditioned, as well. The approximately seven-acre area, which was designed by Scot Sherman, provides players with multiple short game practice possibilities and an opportunity to play multi-directional par-3 holes.

The Complete 2016 list of Best Campus Courses can be found Here.

Julie Paré, Furman Sports Information