By Nick Rhodes

The middle of campus does not seem like the most logical place for a driving range, but on Tuesday, Stoll Field was just that.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Collegiate Golf Alliance and the Professional Golf Association worked with the UK Intramurals department to host a golf expo for students featuring professional instruction, a driving range, chipping contests, equipment samples and a putting area.

“It’s pretty cool, I got to go to a mini driving range in between classes,” said Jason Turner, a mechanical engineering sophomore.

Rain, wind and cool temperatures were not ideal weather conditions, but golf fans came anyway.

Monique Fosado, a CGA event manager, said as of 1 p.m., about 60 students had stopped by Stoll Field to practice their golf skills and learn from PGA pro Tennye Ohr.

“It started off slow, but once people saw golf balls flying they stopped in,” Fosado said.

Nick DeMarchi, a graduate assistant in UK Intramurals, was in charge of bringing the event to campus.

“It is part of a program J.B. Holmes is sponsoring to grow golf with college-aged students at UK, whether it’s business or recreational,” DeMarchi said.

When Holmes, a Ky. native and former UK golfer, was on the Ryder Cup team, he donated $45,000 of his winnings to bring golf to UK, Ohr said. The money helped bring the event and establish a kinesiology and health promotion class last spring that Ohr teaches at the Man O’ War Golf Learning Center.

The event is part of the CGA’s attempt to spread to the Midwest, Fosado said.  The CGA partners with schools to set up tournaments for alumni, students and general public. The proceeds from the tournaments are given back to the school to help fund scholarships, Fosado said.

The CGA is also sponsoring an intramural doubles tournament on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Picadome Golf Course. The winners receive a trip to Las Vegas to compete in a national CGA tournament. The entrance fee is $25 a person.