Golf teams will use new indoor facility at home course, Independence Golf Club

The University of Richmond men’s and women’s golf teams will soon be using an indoor facility built at their home course, Independence Golf Club.

This facility will enable the teams to practice year-round and continue to improve in the off-season, Ali Wright, head coach of the women’s golf team, said. 

The building has a TrackMan and a SAM Puttlab, Wright said. Both technologies will help the golf coaches better determine how to improve their players, Wright said. 

The TrackMan provides information about a player's swing, whereas the SAM Puttlab focuses on putting. 

There are different areas in the facility where golf student-athletes can use their cell phones to look at their swing, Wright said.

Construction of the facility started in July and was projected to be completed on Dec. 5, Giff Breed, the president of Independence Golf Club, said. 

Breed graduated from UR in 1981 and played on the baseball team. He is a member of the athletic board. 

Breed and his brother, Alan Breed, a trustee of UR, are owners of Independence Golf Club.

The golf teams formally started using Independence Golf Club as their home course in 2014, Giff Breed said.

“I will say the teams have won a lot of championships since they have been out here, which makes us all very, very excited,” Giff Breed said. 

All four of Alan Breed’s children attended UR, Giff Breed said. Eliza Breed, Alan’s daughter, graduated from UR in 2014 and played on the women’s golf team.

Part of the funding for the facility was donor-based, Giff Breed said. 

“Due to our love of the school, we have made some accommodations,” Giff Breed said in regard to financing the facility. 

Many of the student-athletes become part of the family at Independence Golf Club.

“A lot of our regulars are rooting for the Spiders,” he said.

Contact sports writer Victoria Davis at victoria.davis@richmond.edu