Men's Golf Notes

• Purdue was one of the first schools in the country to have its own golf course. The Ackerman Hills Course (formerly the South Course), which was built in the early 1930’s in conjunction with an experimental housing development, is on the edge of campus. The Kampen Course (formerly the North Course), longer and flatter than the tight, hilly Ackerman Hills, was acquired in the mid-1930’s and is across Cherry Lane from the Ackerman Hills Course. The fact that there were two courses adjoining the campus gave Purdue a distinct advantage over other schools in the country.

• Sam Voinoff coached the Boilermakers in 1945 and from 1951 to ‘74 compiling a 229-58-6 record in duals and a 748-234-4 record in invitationals. Voinoff led Purdue to the 1961 NCAA team championship and 10 Big Ten titles (1953, ‘55, ‘56, ‘58, ‘59, ‘60, ‘64, ‘65, ‘67 and ‘71.) Alongside the several team championships, Voinoff coached one NCAA individual champion, five All-Americans and six individual Big Ten champions.

• Purdue is third in the Big Ten for number of individual Big Ten champions (13) and tied for second with Michigan for Big Ten team titles (12). The Old Gold and Black won 11 of its 12 team titles after Michigan’s latest conference championship in 1952.

• In 1950, Fred Wampler (1948-50) won the NCAA individual championship, was selected as Purdue’s first All-American and won his third-straight Big Ten individual title. Wampler shares the Big Ten record for lowest individual round with a 64 on the fourth round at the 1950 Big Ten Championships.

• Purdue has hosted two NCAA Championships, 1952 and ‘61. Purdue won 1961 NCAA team championship with a score of 584, 11 strokes ahead of runner-up Arizona State. The Boilermakers have been the runners-up on five occassions: 1949, ‘50, ‘56, ‘59 and ‘60. The 1956 second-place finish may have been the toughest to swallow as Purdue tied for second with a 602 and the University of Houston carded a 601 to capture the NCAA title.

• Until 1965, match play determined the NCAA’s individual champion, from ‘65 on the champion has been decided by score. There have been two Boilermakers to win the NCAA Tournament. Don Alobert in 1954 and Gene Francis in 1960. These golfers are not recognized as an NCAA champion, but rather as an NCAA tournament medalist.