By Jacob Halbesma, Guest Writer

This week, the golf simulator on the 2^nd floor of the Health United Building (HUB) will be open to all students for use. This marks the culmination of a project led by members of Xavier’s Student Government Association (SGA) and Xavier Club Golf. 

The Xavier SGA Instagram announced in early December that the installation of a VirtualTee golf simulator would be completed in the spring semester, which will begin operation soon. The idea, attributed to the partnership of sophomore SGA Senator Graham Sprague and Xavier club golf President David Fulcher, has become a reality.

This week, Sprague said the $38,000 simulator will be open for student reservations starting Feb 23. Reservations can be made by calling the HUB front desk or in-person, with no additional payment required. Reservations are available for a maximum of two hours, with a suggested group size of four, but there is no limit.
“Having something on campus that not many other schools have for their general student body is a great way to grow the game,” Fulcher said.

“I think it will help our club guys with their skills and staying ready to compete throughout the cold and brutal winter,” Fulcher said. In his role as president, he looks to utilize the simulator for practices and competitive rounds with the team.

Universities like The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati have similar simulators, but they are inaccessible to their regular student body, being reserved for collegiate athletes and specific programs. This freedom will allow interested students to work on their swings and compete with friends on virtual courses year-round, without having to incur the high costs of private lessons or outdoor course play.

Last September, Sprague, looking to boost student morale after a disappointing start to the fall semester, pitched the idea to SGA with the hope of sharing the sport with Xavier students. 

“Over the summer, I would go to the simulator close to my house, and I thought this would be something awesome and free that my peers could use and have something fun to do with their buddies,” Sprague said.

However, the project did not come without its obstacles. 

 “We wanted to ensure that we got a quality simulator that would be built to last for current and future students, so it wasn’t cheap,” Sprague said. He went to great lengths to find ways to raise funds, even reaching out to the owner of Dana Gardens, who currently sponsors Xavier Club Lacrosse. Eventually, Sprague found investors in Xavier Club Golf, SGA, Xavier Rec Sports and the Xavier Project Fund were able to make Sprague’s dream into a permanent fixture on campus.

Some students have expressed concerns about safety and open space, saying the simulator takes up an important area of the HUB, which caused workout machines and weights to be relocated. With the simulator being close to the entrance of the widely popular basketball courts, students wondered if this addition will clog traffic or interfere with other nearby activities. So far the simulator has shown no signs of interfering with regular workout activities.

Soon, students can look forward to the newest addition to campus recreation culture, a free-of-charge, competitive way to have fun and potentially try something new when using the state-of-the-art simulator.