By MARK MOSCHETTI
Seattle Pacific Sports Information
SEATTLE - Maybe it's a still-summer-like Tuesday in September. Or perhaps it's a gradually-getting-warmer spring Saturday in April. Maybe it's even a cool day in January, but it's dry, the clouds have gone away, and the sun is shining.
On days like that, you'll find the Seattle Pacific Falcons out on the golf course fine-tuning their individual games.
But if it's a dreary December or frosty February day, then you'll find them just off the main gym in Brougham Pavilion, doing that same kind of fine-tuning inside the brand-new SPU Golf Center.
Under the direction of head coach Tyler Copp, who has helped get the program off the ground after coaching previously at Pacific Lutheran, what was once a 50-by-50-foot empty space has been transformed into the epicenter of Falcon women's golf.
"We wanted to incentivize these players to come in here and use the facility as much as they can," Copp said. "For days when there's frost on the course, or even between classes, they can store their clubs in here. Then if they have 30 minutes between classes, they can come in here and putt or get on the simulator really quickly.
"The convenience of this room is fantastic."
ALREADY A BUSY PLACE
The facility came fully online last September, and already, SPU players are putting it to good use.
"It's kind of cool seeing where we started and where we're at now," said sophomore Zoe Garcia, who set the SPU single-round program record with a 71 at the True North Classic in Burnaby, B.C., last September. "We had nothing, and now to have these things to get better and grow our game – it's kind of cool to see how we grew this space for ourselves."
Now that they've grown it, the Falcons are using it – a lot, both individually and as a team.
"During our season, we practice in here one day a week. But our players are in here on their own or working with me on their individual time using this," Copp said.
The marquee element of the center is the Foresight Sports GCQuad simulator tucked into the back left corner. It is considered one of the top simulators on the market. Players can select from a wide choice of specific courses, including the Coeur d'Alene Resort (with its famous floating green), home of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Golf Championships.
The simulator also has driving range features. For instance, you can hit some 7-iron shots, then try some 6-iron shots, and compare the distances.
Sara Rhodes, a junior who played previously for Copp when he coached at PLU, looks forward to every minute that she can get on it.
"I like using the sim for getting my yardage dialed in," she said. "If I go and play nine and I'm like, 'Oh, I didn't hit my driver very well,' I can come in here and work 30 minutes on my driver and get it back into shape."
But it doesn't stop there.
Across the room from the simulator is an eight-cup putting green. Measuring 20-by-30 feet, it has a certain amount of undulation built in. With its eight cups, multiple players at a time can work on short, medium, or long putts, straight putts, and putts that break left-to-right or right-to-left.
Near the green, there are two portable chipping mats with two different types of grass.
In the front left corner is a Pro 9 Series net return that can be used to warm up while waiting for a turn on the simulator. Players also have access to speed training sticks and putting aids.
When it's time to relax, there is a brand-new custom couch with the Falcon logo.
"I liked being able to ask for the couch and to ask for putting equipment to use on the putting green as well," Rhodes said. "We're a team that came together and asked for stuff that would make us better as a team. Then there's a desk in here where I can do homework, and then go work on my golf game."
EVEN THE WALLS MAKE A STATEMENT
As Copp and his current group continue to build the program, Garcia believes their tucked-away home in Brougham can be a significant selling point.
"A lot of places might have a simulator, but maybe not a full-size chipping green and stuff like we have," she said. "That's another helpful part of growing your game and getting better."
Finally, there is the artwork. Fully covering the inside of the door that leads into the center is a photo of the 18th hole at West Seattle Golf Course, the place where the Falcons practice two days a week.
On the outside of that door, it says SPU Women's Golf, with the Falcons logo. In fact, the players didn't want just 'SPU Golf' on the door.
"They wanted 'Women's' on there, and they wanted the logo on there," Copp said.
The wall adjacent to the putting green is adorned with the team slogan: "Sharing Experiences."
"That's a big thing I emphasize is making sure we're doing things together with your teammates," Copp said. "That's what we want is for this room to be is a place where they go quite a bit – playing music, hanging out, practicing.
"We kind of live by that slogan."
For Falcon golfers, that's the case whether it's a sunny day in September, a frosty one in February …
… or any day in between.
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