SWU dedicates golf practice range
SWU dedicated the P.B. Wood Driving Range, in honor of P.B. Wood, longtime member of the university’s staff and faculty emeritus of psychology. Pictured from left are Phillip Mishoe, Central city administrator; Wood, Sam and Jondi Cole; Chris Williams, SWU director of athletics; and Dr. Charles Joiner, chairman of SWU’s board of trustees.
Also, a sign was unveiled dedicating the M.L. Atcheson Putting Green, named for Marty Atcheson, the university’s senior vice president for finance. Pictured from left are Dr. Todd Voss, Southern Wesleyan University president; Dr. Joe Atcheson; Dr. John Atcheson; Marty Atcheson; and Dr. Charles Joiner, chairman of SWU’s board of trustees.
Standing in front of the Mary Faith Jennings Picnic Pavilion is Dr. Todd Voss, Southern Wesleyan University President; Janene Bryson and David Jennings, Mary Faith’s children; Dr. Charles Joiner, chairman of SWU’s board of trustees; and Chris Williams, SWU director of athletics.
Facilities for university golf teams will also benefit local golfing community
On Oct. 30, Southern Wesleyan University dedicated the P.B. Wood Golf Practice Range, in honor of Paul Baker Wood, a longtime member of the university’s staff and faculty emeritus of psychology.
“It was a surprise. I deeply appreciate it,” said Wood, who brought golf to Southern Wesleyan, starting at the club level, then was instrumental in raising the funds for the range. Wood was instrumental in gaining support for the facility from alumni – including many of his former students – and friends in the golfing community.
The university also dedicated a putting green located beside the range, naming it for Marty Atcheson, the university’s senior vice president for finance and also an avid golfer. This was made possible through a donation from his sons, John and Joe Atcheson, who are SWU graduates and local dentists. Also dedicated was the Mary Faith Jennings Picnic Pavilion, constructed adjacent to the putting green and practice range.
SWU President Todd Voss thanked the cities of Central and Clemson for their support of the facility, as well as the support of alumni and friends who provided financial support. He also praised Wood for his diligent work, which was instrumental in making the golf facility a reality.
“P.B. worked hard and diligently to find donors among alumni and area golfers,” Voss said.
Recognized also was Sam Cole, a SWU graduate and one of Wood’s former students, along with his wife Jondi, who gave a major gift for the range for the naming. Doug Wilkinson, SWU’s golf coach and David Brown, a member of the university’s men’s golf team, joined donors, SWU officials and others from the community for the dedication of the golf facilities.
Chris Williams, SWU’s director of athletics, said the new facility “adds to the forward momentum of the growth of our university and the NCAA Division II transition.”
Wilkinson commented that the new facility gives SWU a home for the golf teams, something not found on the campuses of many larger institutions. He thanked the university’s board of trustees, administration and donors who made the facility possible. Wilkinson also shared fundraising plans for a clubhouse that will contain locker rooms for men’s and women’s golf programs and house equipment used at the facility.
“While setting new school records and finishing third nationally are great achievements, the golf facility on campus is going to allow the golf program to achieve even greater accomplishments,” said Brown, a senior at SWU. “As a student athlete, we have to balance our time between our faith, the classroom, work, friends and practice. The golf range will allow us to maximize our practice time.”