UND reconsiders future of golf course land
University committed to honoring donor Ray Richards’ original gift intent
UND would like more time to re-evaluate potential uses for University-owned land known as the Ray Richards Golf Course, south of campus, to include possibly returning it to use as a 9-hole golf course once again, and continuing its use by other sports, such as cross country and drone racing.
The State Board of Higher of Education (SBHE), at its meeting this week, planned on discussing the possibility of letting UND sell the land to interested parties with proceeds applied to endow its men’s golf program and contribute to fundraising for phase two of the school’s indoor athletics practice facility.
Instead, UND officials have asked that the matter be pulled from this week’s agenda while it reconsiders a number of factors related to the potential land sale, including making sure that the original wishes of the donor of the land, UND alumnus Ray Richards, are being honored.
That could possibly open the door to allowing rounds of golf again on the once public and now-dormant course.
Last week, a SBHE committee took up the matter again and voted unanimously to approve it. The recommendation then was forwarded to the full board for its consideration this week.
But now any talk of selling the land is on hold as the University explores the possibilities. More details will be released as plans develop.
Men’s golf
In 2016, UND closed the golf course after state-mandated budget cuts impacted every program and unit on campus and beyond. Men’s golf, which has long played at the King’s Walk Golf Course, was one of several athletics programs affected by the cuts. But under an agreement with Interim President UND Ed Schafer, men’s golf was allowed to continue on the condition it was funded from private donations.
Men’s golf has been privately funded the past two years.
UND will continue to work closely with supporters of the men’s golf program to explore their interest in continuing such funding.
Drone racing
Though the golf course technically has been closed since fall 2016, the land has been appropriately maintained and has hosted UND Athletics events, such as the annual Ron Pynn Classic Open Cross Country meet. It should also be noted that the UND Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Radio Control (RC) club team and the local Red River Rotocross drone racing club also have conducted several drone racing activities at the course, including the inaugural UND UAS/RC championship in August.
Drone racing on college campuses is taking off. In fact, UND’s UAS/RC club has competed in the Collegiate Drone Racing National Championship at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., in 2017 and 2018. UND’s Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development supported the UND team’s travel expenses to the event.
Other local drone racing organizations include the Red River RC Flyers club.
UND already has a top-notch flying team and world-class aerobatics team, both of which compete annually for national championships in their respective sports. It would only make sense for UND to extend its expertise to the world of drone racing, and the spaces provided by the Ray Richards Golf Course are proving to be a perfect setting.
Scheduled properly, use of the Ray Richards Golf Course property for golf, cross country and drone activities would be mutually compatible, according to University leaders.
Lasting gift
Land donated to the University 56 years ago by the late Ray Richards, a Tulsa, Okla., petroleum engineer, formed the nucleus of what would become the Ray Richards Golf Course. He worked with UND to turn the land around his family homestead into the 9-hole course, a longtime place of recreation for UND students and the community.
The idea for the new course next to campus was born in the early 1960s when former UND President George Starcher occasionally joined Richards for golf during the latter years of the benefactor’s visits to Grand Forks. Richards, at the time, was in the process of liquidating his family’s farm, which was located across the railroad tracks just south of campus.
In addition to land donated by Richards in 1962, the UND eventually purchased additional land and raised construction funds for the golf course project.
Ray Richards Golf Course first opened on April 30, 1968, and entertained some 60,000 rounds of golf over its years of operation.
