CSUMB golf teams get a teaching tee at Bayonet and Blackhorse

A teaching tee for CSUMB's golf teams was officially opened earlier this month at Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Course.

The teaching tee was expanded over the course of a year from 5,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet, includes a putting green and mobile canopy, and gives CSUMB’s golf teams an exclusive space for teaching and practice.

There are Division I schools that don’t have this type of state-of-the-art teaching tee, located just minutes away from campus.

The project happened through the generous support of local community member Rob Skinner and longtime Otter Golf supporter Bayonet and Blackhorse General Manager Pat Jones.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, CSUMB Athletics Director Kirby Garry introduced women’s golf coach Jim Ragan and men’s golf coach Jason Owen, who both expressed gratitude for the upgrades and the dedicated space.

“It’s all about the student-athlete experience and welfare. Injury prevention is incredibly important in golf,” Ragan told the audience, saying that being able to hit off grass instead of artificial turf mats is a key advantage in preventing injury.

“Bayonet and Blackhorse is our [golf team’s] home,” said Owen. “They have supported the program from the start. Our relationship is incredible.”

CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones told the audience, “I am very humbled to be here. And to Pat and Rob, you guys are part of our Otter Raft. We look forward to having this new space for our student-athletes.”

She added that community partnerships and philanthropic support make a difference for students: “From scholarships to internships to enhancing athletic facilities, they provide ways for us to draw new students to the campus, keep them engaged when they arrive, and set them on a strong path after they graduate.”
 
Jack Deaner, a CSUMB junior on the men’s golf team, said, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to practice here. This lets us expand our game and understand on a deeper level how we are hitting the ball.”
 
Madison Blanc, a senior on the women’s golf team, said, "This place lets us work together on our own schedule, in private – like our own spot.”