NEW YORK—Columbia University and Columbia Athletics announced the completion of a new world-class indoor training center for its men's and women's golf programs, Director of Golf Rich Mueller and Head Women's Coach Amy Weeks released on Thursday afternoon. The training center will officially be unveiled this evening prior to the program's annual Senior Dinner.
 
Located on the third floor of Dodge Fitness Center on Columbia's Morningside Heights campus, the new space offers multiple student-athletes year-round simultaneous practice opportunities for short game, putting and full swings. The facility is tailored to foster camaraderie and competitive practice among student-athletes from both teams. The emphasis for the facility is on technology, arming Columbia's coaches and student-athletes with industry-leading tools to analyze and improve all aspects of a golfers' game.
 
The Golf Training Center at Columbia has now tripled in size from the previous existing facility, creating a state-of-the-art venue on par with the best indoor collegiate facilities in the country and setting the standard for Ivy League golf programs.
 
"Golf at Columbia is different for many reasons and our needs are unique because of our location in New York City," Mueller said. "This new center allows our student-athletes an even greater opportunity to work year-round on their game. With this new facility, it will truly allow our program to keep our technology current as well as provide the room and space to meet the need of our current and future student-athletes for years to come. We thank all of those who contributed and helped to make this center a reality."
 
"The new indoor practice facility at Columbia University is an important building block in the daily development and growth of our golfers at Columbia," Weeks said. "Golf in New York City is a unique experience and this opportunity allows our players to come together and grow their games together on a daily basis. Additionally, this training facility can help grow future generations of golfers with camps and clinics. We are grateful for the support and commitment to our programs and the game of golf."
 
The newly acquired space of almost 2,000-square feet was made possible through a $100,000 capital gift and the establishment of a $100,000 endowment fund. It was made possible through a gift from The R.N.G.S. Foundation, whose principal is a member of the Overseers Committee at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute Brain Trust.
 
After raising the initial funds to build out the new space, Mueller and Weeks raised additional funds to completely renovate the existing facility. In total, the Golf Training Center at Columbia University will encompass approximately 3000-square feet of indoor practice space on the Morningside campus.
 
"Endowment and capital gifts like these are crucial to providing Columbia student-athletes with the best possible experience," Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics & Physical Education Peter Pilling said. "These new and renovated facilities will help our golf programs attract elite recruits, offer year-round practice opportunities and allow our coaches and student-athletes access to the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art technology."
 
Mueller is in his 14^th season as Columbia's head men's golf coach and 19^th season as an NCAA Division I head coach. While serving as Columbia's Director of Golf for the past 13 years, Mueller has shaped the Columbia program into a perennial power in the Ivy League. He has guided the Lions to five Ivy League Team Championships (four men's titles and one women's), his student-athletes have captured three individual Ivy League championship medals, qualified for four NCAA postseason team appearances and earned 26 total All-Ivy League honors (23 men's).
 
Weeks is in her fifth year leading the Columbia women's golf program. Weeks has coached eight All-Ivy League selections, one Ivy League Player of the Year and one Ivy League Rookie of the Year honoree.
 
FEATURES OF COLUMBIA'S NEW GOLF TRAINING CENTER
 
Opened in 2001 and recently renovated and expanded in 2019, Columbia Golf takes full advantage of having a state-of-the-art indoor facility on campus. Located on the third floor of Dodge Fitness Center, Columbia's golf center boasts two rooms - the larger space offers 2,000 square feet of chipping and putting space and the other 1,000 square feet of hitting space with state-of-the-art technology including:
 

• Two Foresight GC Quads
• Foresight GC2 HMT
• V1 Software
• BodiTrak
• Perfection Putting Platform
• PuttView
• Blast Motion
• Eyeline Golf Training Aides
• Titleist ProV1 Practice Balls
• Mitchell Club Grip, Loft/Lie Machines
• The Golf Channel
• WiFi
• Locker area

 
The Columbia men's and women's teams have full exclusive access to the facility whenever the Fitness Center is open.