Regents Approve Naming of Golf Facility

Oct. 25, 2012

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Board of Regents, State of Iowa has approved the University of Iowa’s request to name its new training facility for its men’s and women’s golf programs the “James M. Hoak Family Golf Complex” in recognition of the support of the project and the UI by James and Jane Hoak and their family.

Jim Hoak was a three-year letterwinner in men’s golf from 1938-40 and roomed with UI football legend Nile Kinnick. Hoak attended the M.B.A. program at Harvard University in the early 1940’s and after service in the Navy during World War II, joined the family business, the Wheeler Lumber Company, headquartered in Des Moines.

Jim’s wife, Jane, also was a graduate of the UI. One of the Hoak’s children and three of their grandchildren also hold degrees from the UI. The Hoak’s are also long-time members of the UI Foundation’s Presidents Club, the UI Alumni Association’s Old Capital, and the National I-Club. Jim served on the national committee for the Iowa Endowment 2000 campaign and was the chair of the College of Business Class of 1940 gift committee. Jane served on the College of Liberal Arts Class of 1941 gift committee.

In honor of Jim’s accomplishments and leadership, members of the Hoak family and friends combined their efforts to make a $500,000 gift in support of the $2 million project. Members of the Hoak family and long-time friend, Clark A. Johnson, previously had made gift commitments to the UI Foundation to establish the James M. Hoak Scholarship which is provided annually to a member of the UI golf men’s golf team.

“The new James M. Hoak Family Golf Complex is a giant step forward in our ability to recruit and train elite student-athlete,” said Mark Hankins, head coach of the UI’s men’s golf program. “We are extremely grateful for the leadership commitment made by family and friends of Iowa graduate and golf letterwinner, Jim Hoak.

“Jim is a tremendous role model for our Hawkeye student-athletes. He is a former campus leader, letterwinner and continues today to be a generous philanthropist to the University. It is an honor to name this complex, the cornerstone to our future success, after Jim and his family.”

The James M. Hoak Family Golf Complex, which overlooks the sixth hole at the UI’s award-winning Finkbine Golf Course, will be available to the members of the UI men’s and women’s golf teams this winter. The state-of-the-art training facility includes the following features:

• A 4,200 square foot performance studio includes an indoor putting and chipping green, indoor hitting, two large heated practice bays opening to the outside and a club repair room.
• The performance studio includes a 3,100-square foot in-filled artificial putting and chipping surface that can be modified much like a natural grass green, effectively creating an outdoor practice environment.
• Two heated indoor-to-outdoor practice bays that enable full ball flight onto Finkbine driving range. The space will allow up to five student-athletes at the same time to work on swing mechanics using state-of-the-art V1 Video Analysis and Trackman technology 12 months a year.
• Locker rooms with custom lockers for the UI’s men’s and women’s golf teams, offices for the coaching staffs and a team lounge featuring meeting space and the history of Hawkeye Golf.

“The Hoak family has been so generous to the University of Iowa,” UI head women’s golf coach Megan Menzel said. “The new facility will be an outstanding addition to the resources available to our student-athletes. The James M. Hoak Family Golf Complex will help our players better prepare for competition 12 months out of the year and, most importantly, during the winter months.

“It will also impact our program from a recruiting standpoint and already has caught the eye of some top prospects. This state-of-the-art facility ensures that golfers can work on their game whenever they need to, and that is a huge win for the future success of our program.”

“Naming the new golf practice facility in honor of Jim Hoak feels right on so many levels,” UI director of athletics Gary Barta said. “Jim is one of our legendary golf student-athletes and he’s dedicated his life to the sport. He and his family were passionate about helping us get the project completed. It’s truly a win-win relationship.”