Ole Miss Golf Complex set to begin renovation in an effort to 'keep up with the times'

Capital projects and facility renovations are common for Ole Miss and its athletic departments. This year the golf program will be getting its turn for a facelift.

Later this year the Ole Miss golf complex will begin a $5 million dollar project with the expectation it could be completed in 18 months once started.

For men’s golf head coach Chris Malloy it is a project that has been a long time coming and a needed project as the Rebels try to keep up with the rest of the nation when it comes to top facilities and to recruiting classes.

“Listen, it’s an arms race in what we do,” Malloy said on Monday when talking to local reporters. “The building we’re sitting in right now, which is our home, it was built in 2002. Kind of like having the ‘Tad Pad.’ It was great at the time but we need to keep up with the times. We didn’t want to make it too quick of a process. We want to make sure that when we get this building it’s done the right way. So, we’re working through the final details of it and to make sure that it’s not just a home, but the best home that we could possibly provide for both of our teams.”

The project will include completely renovating the locker rooms for both the men’s and women’s golf teams along with lounges for each team. There will be new locker rooms strictly for the coaching staffs as well as new training and rehabilitation areas.

Malloy is the reigning SEC Coach of the Year in men’s golf after Ole Miss made its run to the program’s first SEC title since 1984 last month. The team is set to compete in next week’s Bermuda Run Regional as they work to make another run at a national title, coming off last year’s semifinal appearance.

Both programs have secured top signing and transfer classes over the years, but the golf complex needed more than a fresh coat of paint when it comes to competing with other top SEC and national golf programs for recruits.

“It’s huge. We all have the same stuff and especially going throughout the SEC, so many things are similar,” Malloy added. “Anything you can do, like the Tosh Family Short Course, there are just little details like lights and speakers. Everyone’s got a short-game facility but they may not have that. So any little bit you can throw into the recruiting process. Again, this is where we talk to them. This is going to be their home. This is going to be where they spend a lot of their time. So, for them to see that, it just shows the commitment to the program.”