CREDIT: FANSHAWE ATHLETICS
The Foresight Sports GCHawk golf simulator offers more than 50 golf courses to choose from.

This past summer, Fanshawe Athletics completed installment of a new GCHawk golf simulator, accessible to all full time students, located in the J Building athletics hallway.

The decision to add the simulator to the list of activities available for student enjoyment was made after years of consideration for what to do with the vacant space, once occupied by squash courts, garnering little attention for their intended use.

“A golf simulator, in that location, would be a really great addition. It’s one of the busiest hallways in the school,” said Rob Hannivan, Fanshawe athletics facilities and events officer.

The simulator has various features, including 50 genuine golf courses from around the globe, including the ever popular Pebble Beach golf course in California, regarded as one of the most beautiful golf courses on the planet. It also provides options for a more carefree experience with their carnival mode that allows users to engage in a round of zombie golf.

The simulator also has the capacity, in the future, to be converted into a baseball simulator in which participants can take on the role of pitcher or batter. With the possibility of this upgrade the future potential is endless as the technology improves and advances. The versatility of the equipment, coupled with the reputation and industry standing of Foresight Sports, the creator of the GCHawk golf simulator, makes it clear why it was chosen as Fanshawe’s newest student recreational activity.

Besides the obvious technical features of the simulator, Fanshawe organizers were mainly driven by the desire to provide students with a unique experience that users will enjoy.

“The bigger piece of the pie is the other students in the school, who will never have a chance to see or play on a golf simulator. I have never seen a golf simulator until it was in our facility. So I imagine a lot of students are in the same boat. These simulators are usually in super high end golf clubs or really specialized facilities. So the regular student and myself…we may never have had the chance to do that,” said Hannivan.

All student’s enrolled in full-time programs are able to partake in the activity, regardless of their golfing experience.

“If a student has never golfed before, no problem, we have clubs for them. We do a bit of an orientation to make sure they know how to work the program, swing a club and then we let them at it. So there’s really nothing more to it than interest and taking part,” said Hannivan.

With proof of enrollment, with their student cards, students are able to participate by checking in at the front desk of the Wellness Centre. With the success of Fanshawe’s varsity golf teams last year, the hope is that the pedigree of the program as well as the addition of the simulator as an offseason training tool, will entice more promising talent to the campus in the future.

“It helps our golf team and the performance of our golf team and that goes hand in hand. Hopefully, because of our success we’ll draw in more athletes and then they’ll be able to train on the simulator,” Hannivan said.

Although not the driving motivation behind the Athletic Department’s decision to bring the simulator on campus, the obvious benefit and potential ‘cherry on top’ deciding factor of it, cannot go unrecognized.

The only one of its kind on any Canadian college campus right now, it’s inclusion on Fanshawe’s long list of recreational options is just another thing to help separate the college from other institutions nationwide.