Texas Tech University Athletics
The Rawls Course Named One of Country's Top 10
January 26, 2004 | Women's Golf
Jan. 26, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech University Rawls Course has been named one of the 10 best new golf courses in the nation by Golf Magazine.
The course, which opened in August 2002, is designed by Tom Doak. The course started as a dry, totally flat cotton field. Doak's crew moved 1.3 million cubic yards of earth to create an oasis that much more closely recalls Scottish golf courses than the semi-arid south plains of Texas.
"This is an incredible honor for the Rawls Course and for Texas Tech," said Jack North, managing director. "When you look at the other nine courses and their beautiful mountain or water-side settings and their beautiful trees, it's even more amazing what Tom Doak did with a flat piece of land that had cotton plants and no trees or natural water. It's an unbelievable honor to be included with these other golf courses."
At its lowest point at a 4.5-acre man-made lake in its center, the Rawls' Course drops 38 feet below ground level. The course is named for Texas Tech alumnus Jerry Rawls, who donated $8.6 million dollars for the project. North credits Rawls for luring Doak into the project. "Tom Doak is one of the best, most innovative golf course architects in the world. Jerry's only requirement was that we make this course the best in the country. If it's not, we now know it's in a very select club."
As good as it is now, the Rawls course is still a work in progress. The 3,212 trees are years away from being full grown and the club house is not yet built. A temporary facility is currently serving as restaurant and pro shop. "When you stand on the 12th, 13th or 14th tees, there's no way you'd know you were in Lubbock. The feel is that of the great courses in Scotland," said North.
One of the elements that provide that out of the city feeling is 15-foot tall berms that surround the course. The berms were created by all the earth that was moved to create a 7,207 yard, par 72 course of wide and very long fairways, fast greens and sand traps that can reach a depth of 21 feet. "The course is meant tough for the accomplished player, but it will also allow the average player to enjoy playing a challenging round of golf," said North.
While the Rawls course is proving popular as a public course, officials continue to work to balance its mission as the home of the Red Raider men's and women's golf teams. The course offers the teams' exclusive use of a three hole short game complex featuring diverse putting surfaces that the teams will experience at different tournaments. It also offers sheltered hitting bays featuring the latest in video technology and state-of-the-art locker room and team meeting facilities. "This course was designed with the intent of drawing Big XII NCAA golf tournaments and providing a tremendous recruiting for our golf programs," said North.
The course also features a 53-acre driving range, which North says is one of the largest turf driving ranges in the world. The greens are California-style bent greens, something unique to the Southwest and the fairways are planted with Tif Sport Bermuda grass, the newest hybrid Bermuda available.
The course is also serving as a laboratory for Texas Tech's turf grass program in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, to give the students hands-on experience in turf grass management. "Having a golf course associated with a top-flight university offers so many experiences to students who play competitively and to those who are leaning how to manage turf and golf courses," said North.
There are 10 par four holes, four par threes and four par fives, including back to back par fives on 17 and 18. "I think our 18th hole is a Tom Doak masterpiece. The 565-yard hole runs along the lake toward a small, well-trapped green. It might be one of the best and toughest finishing holes in the country," said North.
The course is open to the public and does offer memberships. Green fees range from $35 to $40. Memberships range from $2,500 for the general public to $2,250 for Texas Tech faculty and staff. A $700 student membership is available.
