Golf: Cajun Golf, Oakbourne partner for full-scale facility

Dan McDonald, The Advertiser, Oct. 5, 2016

UL Lafayette golf coach Theo Sliman speaks during a a press conference announcing the planned construction of an $800,000 facility for the golf team at Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette Oct. 4, 2016. Seated at right are athletics director Scott Farmer, and Oakbourne president Joe Giglio. (Photo: LEE CELANO/THE ADVERTISER)

“The efforts, vision and desire of Brad and his family, their love of Oakbourne and of the UL golf team, that’s what made this possible,” Giglio said. “The Vermilion Links put together a large part of the funds to make this happen.”

The facility will include two separate 2,500-square-foot buildings connected by a porch and breezeway, and will match Oakbourne’s distinctive architectural style. One building will house the team area, restrooms and a lobby, while the space will be mostly devoted to the hitting and practice areas.

“The technology that’s out there is just incredible,” said Wagner, in his 26th year on the Oakbourne staff. “The technology in golf has really exploded, and from that standpoint we’re going to have the best that we can possibly have.”

The building is a part of the athletic department’s facility “master plan” and was originally designated as a Tier 3 project. The three projects in the plan’s Tier 1 have been completed, and the major project in Tier 2 is the in-progress construction of a brand-new M. L. “Tigue” Moore Field baseball facility.

Farmer said Tier 3 projects are begun on an individual basis when funds become available.

“These generous donors allowed this to start ahead of schedule and be moved up on the project list,” Farmer said. “This helps with our primary goal of providing our student-athletes with the tools necessary to compete at the highest levels of NCAA competition.”

Sliman, in his ninth year as Cajun golf coach, said that he, Brad Mosing, Wagner and Vermilion Links and Oakbourne board member Jeff D’Amico sat in the Oakbourne grill 15 months ago and began planning the project.

“Our Cajun culture embodies a sense of community and generosity,” Sliman said. “The Vermilion Links members stepped up to make sure that Mr. Mosing’s generosity would come to fruition. And Oakbourne opening its doors to us is beyond generosity and shows what community is about.

“The Ryder Cup had a task force, and that was the reason the U.S. team brought home the Ryder Cup last weekend. I see Oakbourne and the Vermilion Links as our task force, and I’m excited about seeing where this task force can take us.”

UL golf finally has a home.

It may have taken more than a year from when the original idea was hatched during a lunch meeting at Oakbourne Country Club, but that course and the university are finally and officially partners in giving the Ragin’ Cajun program its first full-scale facility.

Those entities announced Tuesday the planned construction of an $800,000 facility on the Oakbourne property that will include offices, locker and equipment rooms and state-of-the art all-weather hitting bays for the Cajun players.

“It’s an exciting day for Oakbourne and it’s an exciting day for UL golf,” said Oakbourne president Joe Giglio III. “We are the home of UL golf and we’re very proud to be that.”

The facility will be located adjacent to the club’s driving range and will have three technology-loaded hitting bays — two for use of Cajun coach Theo Sliman and his team, and one for use by long-time Oakbourne head professional Cliff Wagner.

“This building shows the support and respect that people have for Theo and Cliff,” said UL athletics director Scott Farmer. “It took time to work out the details, but it’s happening because of those two. We’re excited about what it’s going to do in our golf program.”

UL and Oakbourne have had a long-standing partnership, with the Cajun program using the course as one of its practice venues for decades and with Oakbourne hosting the springtime Louisiana Classics collegiate tournament for more than a quarter-century, including next spring’s Feb. 27-28 event. But Giglio said the announcement of the facility and an accompanying 40-year agreement between the parties adds to that association.

“This isn’t new … they’ve been here for 30 years now,” Giglio said. “But now, we have a commitment, and we have the backing of our board and our members. We’ve supported the program in the past and that’s not going to change. This is a win-win for all of us.”

Along with the facility, the club has begun a new classification of membership that includes 10 spots dedicated to UL golf team members, as well as Sliman and Farmer. Team members will have access to all club facilities.

Sliman, a former Cajun player and UL alumnus, lived across Simcoe Street from Oakbourne’s entrance for two years while in school.

“I lived in an apartment outside the gates, and I used to sneak over and Cliff would have to throw me out,” Sliman joked during Tuesday’s announcement at the club. “So this is a tremendous honor for me to be a part of this. It’s not just helping make our players better golfers, but it’s helping us get our program to a whole new level.”

Groundbreaking for the facility is set for Oct. 24, and Giglio said construction will take approximately six months. Blueprints and architect renderings were on display Tuesday.

Funding for the project included a generous lead gift from long-time local golf figure and UL supporter Brad Mosing, one matched by his father Don Mosing. Most of the funding’s balance was provided by the Vermilion Links Club, the UL golf booster club organized last spring with 56 founding members each pledging $5,000 over a five-year period.

The Vermilion Links group includes many former Cajun golfers. Long-time local professional David Church is the president of the group.

Farmer said Tier 3 projects are begun on an individual basis when funds become available.