University of Tulsa chops golf team as state 

oil crisis filters down to college sport

By Lance Ringler

GOLFWEEK.COM

For college golf fans, it is never fun to hear of a program being eliminated. But the news seems to have a bigger impact when it happens to a school that seems to be a good fit for golf.
Tulsa University announced Thursday that men’s golf will be eliminated effective July 1, 2016. 
In a news release, the school said a decision had been made after careful consideration by university administration with input from trustees and stakeholders. With the elimination of men’s golf, Tulsa will offer 17 sports: 10 women’s teams and seven men’s teams.

Dale McNamara, who chairs the parks and recreation board for the city of Tulsa, was the university's long-time women’s golf coach. In the mid-1970s, when threats of men’s program being cut to comply with Title IX gender-equity regulations, McNamara stepped in and coached the men’s team. Well-known instructor Hank Haney was on that team.
“It breaks my heart," McNamara said. "I was surprised as anyone else. It hurts. It’s a blue day in Tulsa. The whole state is hurting because of the oil crush. I don’t think people understand how that affects everything. Everyone is pulling in their belt a little bit."

 Comment from Tulsa sophomore golf team member

By Francisco Yanez

My team-mates and I were informed Thursday of the termination of the University of Tulsa men's golf program. This program has been one of the most successful programs at Tulsa University, with 10 NCAA national appearances, 23 NCAA regional appearances and 10 conference titles. 
In addition, it has created numerous student-athletes who have turned out to have successful careers and become important contributors to the city of Tulsa. 
It is a program that gave pride to this city, which is extremely supportive of golf. The support this program had received from TU alumni, country clubs and the city in general surprised me since the first day I arrived to Tulsa.
In a moment when the whole city is being affected by dropping oil prices, it is understandable that certain financial adjustments need to be made.
 However, our athletic director, Derrick Gragg, and our board of trustees – the same who have increased salary expenses by more than a million dollars for our football and basketball program and spent millions of dollars in improvements in basketball locker-room facility – did not take into consideration what the golf programs give back to the school and to the city."