University of Minnesota Athletics
Mooty Foundation Makes Leadership Gift to Gopher Golf
1/30/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Jan. 30, 2017 The University of Minnesota today announced a leadership gift of $1 million from the John W. Mooty Foundation to help construct a new indoor golf training facility for the Gopher women's and men's golf teams. To recognize the generosity of the Mooty Foundation, the new facility will be named the John W. Mooty Golf Training Center, honoring the patriarch of the Mooty family and creator of the Foundation, who passed away in 2015.
"Our father, individually and through his Foundation, was a strong supporter of academics and athletics at the University of Minnesota. His sons - Bruce, Chuck and I - all have strong ties to the University as well and wish to carry on his tradition," said David Mooty, speaking on behalf of the Foundation. "We are excited to be a part of the construction of the new golf training center and the positive impact it will have both academically and athletically on the men's and women's teams. We played a lot of golf with Dad growing up and came to love the game through his passion. He had one of the most unorthodox swings ever seen, so it is somewhat ironic that this center will bear his name. I'm sure he is chuckling about that."
The Mooty Foundation's gift is an essential piece to starting construction of the new facility, bringing the fundraising efforts to within $1 million of its $3.5 million goal. The Foundation's leadership gift is essential to the fundraising campaign, providing momentum that may inspire other donor gifts to match the leadership pledge to complete the project. It also brings positive attention to the project and the critical need it fills for the Gopher golf programs and the students who are a part of them.
"It's been a pleasure getting to know the Mooty family and I am so grateful to them for their generosity and support of both Gopher golf programs," said head women's golf coach Michele Redman. "This facility will help us recruit and develop outstanding golfers, but it will also have a positive impact on so many of Minnesota's junior golfers. This facility isn't just about what's best for Gopher golf, it's about what's best for Minnesota golf."
The John W. Mooty Golf Training Center will provide the first dedicated indoor training space in the history of the Gopher golf programs, something other programs across the Big Ten and the nation have enjoyed for decades. Despite being the northern-most school in the conference, Minnesota is one of only a few Big Ten programs without a facility for year-round, full swing and short game training.
"I have the same appreciation for the Mooty family as Michele, I can't thank them enough for stepping up to help make this new facility a reality," said head men's golf coach John Carlson. "With this facility, Gopher golf will finally have a home of its own. It's more than a practice space - though the recruiting and development benefits are huge to our programs and our state. This facility will be a place to display our history, celebrate our traditions, host alumni and so much more. We have needed this for so long. It's exciting to see it taking shape."
The new center will feature heated indoor hitting bays for golfers to practice full swings in all weather conditions, as well as two indoor practice greens (one for putting and one for chipping). It will also include locker rooms for both teams, offices for the coaching staffs of both teams, a lounge for students to relax, study, and bond as a team, and a Hall of Fame area to celebrate the achievements of both programs.
The new facility will be on the University's St. Paul campus, immediately adjacent to the historic Les Bolstad Golf Course.
If you or someone you know is interested in supporting Gopher golf and the fundraising campaign to build its new training center, please reach out to Deb Noll with the Golden Gopher Fund at djn@umn.edu.
"Our father, individually and through his Foundation, was a strong supporter of academics and athletics at the University of Minnesota. His sons - Bruce, Chuck and I - all have strong ties to the University as well and wish to carry on his tradition," said David Mooty, speaking on behalf of the Foundation. "We are excited to be a part of the construction of the new golf training center and the positive impact it will have both academically and athletically on the men's and women's teams. We played a lot of golf with Dad growing up and came to love the game through his passion. He had one of the most unorthodox swings ever seen, so it is somewhat ironic that this center will bear his name. I'm sure he is chuckling about that."
The Mooty Foundation's gift is an essential piece to starting construction of the new facility, bringing the fundraising efforts to within $1 million of its $3.5 million goal. The Foundation's leadership gift is essential to the fundraising campaign, providing momentum that may inspire other donor gifts to match the leadership pledge to complete the project. It also brings positive attention to the project and the critical need it fills for the Gopher golf programs and the students who are a part of them.
"It's been a pleasure getting to know the Mooty family and I am so grateful to them for their generosity and support of both Gopher golf programs," said head women's golf coach Michele Redman. "This facility will help us recruit and develop outstanding golfers, but it will also have a positive impact on so many of Minnesota's junior golfers. This facility isn't just about what's best for Gopher golf, it's about what's best for Minnesota golf."
The John W. Mooty Golf Training Center will provide the first dedicated indoor training space in the history of the Gopher golf programs, something other programs across the Big Ten and the nation have enjoyed for decades. Despite being the northern-most school in the conference, Minnesota is one of only a few Big Ten programs without a facility for year-round, full swing and short game training.
"I have the same appreciation for the Mooty family as Michele, I can't thank them enough for stepping up to help make this new facility a reality," said head men's golf coach John Carlson. "With this facility, Gopher golf will finally have a home of its own. It's more than a practice space - though the recruiting and development benefits are huge to our programs and our state. This facility will be a place to display our history, celebrate our traditions, host alumni and so much more. We have needed this for so long. It's exciting to see it taking shape."
The new center will feature heated indoor hitting bays for golfers to practice full swings in all weather conditions, as well as two indoor practice greens (one for putting and one for chipping). It will also include locker rooms for both teams, offices for the coaching staffs of both teams, a lounge for students to relax, study, and bond as a team, and a Hall of Fame area to celebrate the achievements of both programs.
The new facility will be on the University's St. Paul campus, immediately adjacent to the historic Les Bolstad Golf Course.
If you or someone you know is interested in supporting Gopher golf and the fundraising campaign to build its new training center, please reach out to Deb Noll with the Golden Gopher Fund at djn@umn.edu.
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