Unique On-Campus Facility Lies Ahead For TKA Golfers

If practice makes perfect, then making it easier to practice should help the King's Academy boys and girls golf teams.

That's what school officials hope as they oversee the construction of a golf practice facility on their West Palm Beach campus.

The facility - a rarity for high school golf teams in Palm Beach County and in the state - will include three pitching greens, a chipping target area, and 12 hitting cages.

"This is a dream come true for me," said Lions boys golf coach Bruce Stutzman. "For us to get to a course is a challenge in terms of distance and oftentimes we don't get enough practice time.

"It will give our golfers an advantage, and as a school, we are serious about our sports."

Construction on the first of two phases at the facility began about two months ago. Phase one will cover one-half to three-quarters of an acre and should be completed by Aug. 9.

Stutzman said he only knows one other school in the state that has its own practice facility - IMG Academies' Leadbetter Golf in Bradenton.

While the King's Academy boys team will continue to use The Links at Madison Green as its primary course and the girls will continue to use Atlantis, Stutzman said the practice facility will be a boon for the teams, which must compete against such strong area competitors such as Benjamin, St. Andrew's and Cardinal Newman.

The facility allows the players to spend more time honing their skills. The boys played in the state tournament in 2006-07 and made trips to regionals the past two years.

Stutzman said he had the idea of an on-campus practice facility about five years ago. But it was when Athletic Director Adam Winters told him to put his plan into phases eight months ago that things got underway.

Phase one will cost about $15,000 to $20,000, and contributions from golf families, sports boosters, golf parents and the school have covered most of that cost. Stutzman said the school's input was significant but "not massive," so tuition costs will not be affected.

"It (was) really a no-brainer," he said. "As soon as the idea was floated, and (the school) knew that it was feasible, there was excitement."

Construction of phase two, which will cost between $40,000 and $45,000 and include 3,000 plus square feet of artificial, synthetic green and a sand bunker, will begin in a year.

Until then, the Lions players will take advantage of the on-campus practice options that will be available in the fall, and they'll take pride in the rarity of such accomodations.

"They're anxious and excited," Stutzman said. "(They're) looking forward to the extra practice time, and they're enjoying the bragging."

Miller, Toni-ann. "Unique on-campus facility lies ahead for King's Academy golfers." Palm Beach Post ([Palm Beach, FL]). (19 July 2010. 28 July 2010)
http://pbgametime.com/news/unique-on-campus-facility-lies-ahead-for-kings-academy-golfers/94175/