The state-of-the-art Lasch Family Golf Center provides the Michigan State golf teams one of the finest, well-appointed facilities in the nation. The $6 million, 15,000-square-foot building completed in March 2016 includes a 5,000-square-foot indoor practice area; student-athlete lounge with multiple couches, high-top tables and televisions; men's and women's locker rooms; coaches' offices; video room; weight room; and a kitchen area featuring nutrition/hydration stations.
The facility is named for Richard W. (Rick) and Suzanne Lasch who made a $2 million gift toward the building. Bob and Julie Skandalaris gave the first leadership gift to the golf center with $3 million, but at their request, the naming opportunity for the facility remained open in their hope to honor and motivate other donors.
Outside the Lasch Family Golf Center is the recently updated 20,000-square-foot Fox Family Putting Green.
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Michigan State University's Forest Akers Golf Courses offers two 18-hole championship layouts, a state of the art practice facility referred to as the Golf Center, two full-service Golf shops, and a full compliment of services.
Forest Akers Golf Courses are recognized as two of the best public golf courses in Michigan.
Located on the picturesque campus of Michigan State University, Forest Akers West Golf Course is one of the premier golf courses in the region and ranks as one of the best collegiate facilities in the country. With its unique setting as an arboretum and challenging layout, the West Course earned a four-star rating from Golf Digest in 1999. In addition, The Detroit News selected Forest Akers as the No. 6 spot in the rankings of public golf courses in the state of Michigan and the past two years, the Lansing State Journal selected it as the "Best of the Best."
The land for the par-72 (36-36) course was donated by Michigan State alumnus Forest Akers of Detroit, with the provision that the course also serves as an arboretum. Most of Michigan's native trees and a wide variety of shrubs are grown throughout the course and are arranged to create a unique setting for the game of golf. Forest Akers may be the only course in the country recognized as an arboretum. Grand Rapids architect W. Bruce Matthews designed the original layout for Forest Akers West Course. The course underwent a $1-million renovation in 1992 by former Spartan golfer Arthur Hills of Arthur Hills and Associates.
Forest Akers West has hosted the 1998 and 2008 Big Ten Men's Golf Championship, the 2002 NCAA Women's Central Regional, the 1994 NCAA Women's East Regional, and the 1997 and 2007 Women's Big Ten Championships. As home to the annual Bruce Fossum/Spartan Invitational in the spring and the Mary Fossum Invitational in the fall, Forest Akers West provides a first-class environment for college golf. Owned and operated solely by Michigan State University, Forest Akers West and its sister course, Forest Akers East, offer the finest facilities for the collegiate golfer.
The East Course was redesigned in 1997 in changing from par 71 to par 72. Numerous trees and bunkers were also added. The most extensive improvement was the addition of the new Golf Center.
The Michigan State men's and women's cross country teams host the annual Spartan Invitational every September on the East Course.
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