By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Two years ago, the Billy W. Williams Golf Practice Facility was nothing more than a dream and a vision of what could be.

Saturday afternoon, the dream was realized when the Baylor men's and women's golf teams took their first shots from the 16 ½-acre green oasis of the on-campus practice facility off University Parks Drive, next to the Willis Family Equestrian Center.

"When you have a dream - until you're actually there - it's not really reality," men's golf coach Mike McGraw said. "Today is the reality of what Billy (Williams) and I talked about two years ago. We're really excited, and I know Coach (Jay) Goble and I are going to be able to do a lot more with this facility than we would have without it, for sure."

Possible because of the lead gift from the family of the late Billy Williams, a former football letterman, the facility includes a short-game and two putting greens, seven target greens and four separate tee areas.

"You can practice on any golf shot you want from any wind direction," McGraw said. "And when we get a few other things worked out, you're going to have wind breaks out here. On a cool day like today, you can get behind something and practice with the sun shining on you. And it's really quite amazing. It's a dream come true out here."

The last of Baylor's 19 varsity sports with an on-campus facility, the men's and women's golf programs will benefit greatly from the latest addition to an impressive set of new facilities that include McLane Stadium, the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium, the Williams Family Soccer and Olympic Center and Beauchamp Athletics Nutrition Center.

"To the life of a student-athlete and the day-to-day deal they go through - they have school and practice and lunch and family life and friends," women's coach Jay Goble said, "to be able to where literally they can come a minute down the road and able to work on the game whenever they have time, is unbelievable. There's not another opportunity in the Big 12 that has their practice facility not only this nice but this close to campus."

The facilities, planning and construction team included golf course architect Chet Williams and Associate Director of Athletic Facilities and Operations Joe Todaro, who are both Baylor graduates.

With the designs finished about a year ago, Todaro and his crews started moving dirt and clearing out trees to get the process started. A golf course architect, Williams has worked with Jack Nicklaus on several projects and designed the No. 1 course in Texas, Whispering Pines, that has hosted the Big 12 Championships.

"That's what is cool about it is that it wasn't just some grounds that we took and mowed it like golf. This is created and constructed as a golf property," Todaro said. "Just to see it progress like this, it's why we do what we do in my profession, especially as a Baylor Bear. Just to see this is so rewarding."

Pretty much isolated for the last couple months in putting the final touches on the facility, Todaro said, "To see golfers out here doing what they're supposed to do is pretty cool."

McGraw called Saturday a "big day in Baylor golf history."

Goble said he didn't realize how much the programs needed the facility until right now. "I've been able to get the best players in Texas to come on visits now, where I've had issues with that in the past."

There are also plans for an adjoining team clubhouse with locker rooms, offices and meeting space for both teams, with fundraising underway.