The Sunnyside community approved an $88 million-dollar bond in 2011 with $10 million of that earmarked for athletic upgrades. Desert View and Sunnyside got state-of-the-art video scoreboards for their respective football fields out of the deal but Sunnyside golf coach OJ Rodriguez wondered if a tiny portion of those funds could be used to help his small program.

“Why not?” became the rallying cry.

It is estimated the district spends $60,000 to transport the boy’s and girl’s golf teams from Desert View and Sunnyside to a local golf course for daily practice. The cost of the practice facility came out to only $99,000.  It was an easy decision to move forward on the project, plus it took the kids off the highway for five hours a week.

Built on the Sunnyside campus, the practice facility has driving tees, pitching areas, a variable sand trap and several putting greens. It will be used by both high schools.

“We have a legacy of football and wrestling in our district,” Sunnyside superintendent Steve Holmes said during the Grand Opening Ceremony held on Saturday afternoon.

“We decided to take the risk in a sport that has not been part of our rich history and golf was one of those neglected sports.”

Rodriguez has been a tireless advocate for youth golf in the community on the south side of Tucson. It’s a community not known for “country club” sports such as golf but Rodriguez knows the importance of learning the lifetime sport. He also believes the facility will pay for itself if one of his golfers gets a college scholarship out of it.

Why not?