By Steve Mims
The Chronicle
SPRINGFIELD – Bushnell University president Joe Womack was bragging about the golf program’s new Player Development Center when he needed a little help clarifying just how elite it is.
“An unbelievable facility,” Womack said during the grand opening ceremony at Pine Ridge Golf Club on Aug. 12. “It is unparalleled in NAIA, there isn’t a finer golf facility in the … I always forget what the number is. Rob, ‘How many NAIA schools are there’?”
“Two hundred and fifty seven,” Cascade Collegiate Conference commissioner Robert Cashell shouted from the crowd of about 150 supporters at the event.
“Two hundred and fifty seven NAIA schools in this country, this is the finest golf facility and you all made this possible,” Womack concluded.
An idea initially created by Thurston High School golf coach Nathan Wiedenmann, a Bushnell graduate whose son, Peyton, plays golf for the Beacons, became reality in less than two years as the Beacons are now practicing at the facility.
Wiedenmann pitched the idea to Pine Ridge general manager Rory Allison and Larry Watts, Bushnell’s Director of Golf, who later approached athletic director Corey Anderson with the plan.
Bushnell renovated the original Pine Ridge Clubhouse, which was built in 1957 but has sat vacant for nearly 30 years after the course expanded to 18 holes. The Beacons are still fundraising for the estimated $700,000 project.
Located between the 14th and 16th tees, the 3,000-square foot clubhouse includes a golf simulator, indoor putting green and locker rooms for both Bushnell’s men’s and women’s teams. There is also a kitchen and front room with seating for 20 where players can hang out and do homework.
Top-flight facility
“A lot of golf teams, whether high school or college, don’t have their own space,” Anderson said. “We have our own space for the men’s and women’s teams with about 2,000 square feet in the front room. We built a simulator there for those times in Oregon where the weather is not great so now our men and women have the ability to work on their swings during the long winter months. There will be a putting center and they have their own team rooms. I dare you to ask any golfer at the NAIA level if they have their own locker room and the answer will be ‘No.’ For our kids to walk in and have their own space and name on a locker where they can leave their bag when they go back to campus, that is unlike anything at the NAIA level. This is the only inside and outside practice facility at this level.”
The outside area includes two putting greens and a short-game practice area.
“Golf is an outdoor sport so we have a 200-yard by 80-yard facility,” Anderson said. “The simulator and meeting rooms and everything inside is incredible, but in reality, the outside area is the gold mine because we have space for the men and women to go out and work on their irons and wedges. We are delighted to have this gorgeous building with space on both sides of the Player Development Center. We have had great successes in the past and will continue to move the program forward like with our other athletic programs. We have now given golf an opportunity to have their own home.”
Pine Ridge spent nearly $200,000 on the outside practice area.
“This is the culmination of a shared vision with our partners at Bushnell,” said Nic Sherman, Pine Ridge director of golf. “For years, we have prided ourselves on being a community-focused club and this partnership solidifies that commitment. This collaboration is more than a new facility, it is an investment in the future of our course and the future of golf in our area. By providing a dedicated home for Bushnell’s golf teams, we are not only supporting young student-athletes but fostering new generations of golfers at Pine Ridge. This dedicated practice facility and the competitive spirit of these athletes will elevate the entire atmosphere of our club. Their presence will inspire our junior players and provide them with role models to interact with every day.
“It creates a direct pathway for aspiring young players to see their dreams are within reach. In return, we give Bushnell’s golf teams a place to call home and train. This partnership will elevate Pine Ridge’s reputation, not just as a place to play, but as a hub for player development and excellence. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Watts said the facility made an impact on the program even before opening.
“This has immediately sparked an interest in recruits, they have seen the pictures of renditions on the website,” he said. “It will be quite a spot for them to visit and have recruiting meetings here. Those kids know how difficult it is to get on the grass, it’s a battle with public and private courses so there are always a lot of restrictions for teams so this will be an amazing experience for them.”
Bushnell recently added new baseball and softball fields in Springfield as well as a beach volleyball court in Eugene.
“For 130 years, Bushnell has existed in contrast in many ways to the rest of higher education in this country,” Womack said. “That contrast in some areas gets more and more acute over time and I think athletics is one sharp example. We are one of the few universities that still views collegiate athletics as a co-curricular program, a program meant to enhance the student experience and educational experience of our students. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to win, compete hard or support our athletic programs in the best way we can. This is a remarkable example of that kind of commitment because it is a partnership with really good people.”
