The Meadows celebrates its 25th year of operation in 2019.
In the early 1990s, President Emeritus Arend D. Lubbers, at right, saw an opportunity to heighten Grand Valley’s athletic facilities. He led an advisory committee through the process of building a brand-new golf course on campus. Because it was important to enhance the Allendale Campus’ wetlands, the committee, which included biology and geology faculty, chose environmentally conscious Michael Hurdzan as course architect.
The Meadows opened in 1994. The complex includes a practice facility and clubhouse.
The Long and Short of it
Course Yardage: Longest is 7,060 from black tees, shortest is 4,777 from red tees. Course has five sets of tees.
Par is 72 for men, 73 for women
Hardest Hole
The No. 1 handicap hole is #18, but Don Underwood, director of golf, said holes 12 and 15 are challenging and critical to a successful round. Hole 18 is a 311-yard par 4, with a challenging tee shot and a long carry to the green over a hazard of deep tall grass.
World-class course at a NCAA Division II university
Rated 4.5 stars out of 5 by Golf Digest. The course has hosted nine NCAA national championships and the MHSAA boys and girls state championships since 2003.
Course size
180 acres, with five acres of practice facility on south side of West Campus Drive. The longest hole on the course is #14, a whopping 601 yards from the black, or longest, tees. The shortest hole on the course is #17, measuring just 70 yards when played from the red, or shortest, tees.
“The course is difficult but rewards good golf shots. ... There are opportunities to score well on many holes where approach shots are good, but golfers who struggle with accuracy may find trouble in the hazards.”
Don Underwood, director of golf
