Athletics director Ron Wellman said: "The name of Arnold Palmer and Wake Forest golf are synonymous. He was the person who started the great golf tradition at Wake Forest. Naming the facility that he designed the Arnold Palmer Golf Complex is the perfect way to honor him and all that he has done for our golf program, athletic department and university."
Palmer attended old Wake Forest in the late 1940s and early 1950s and was the first ACC individual champion, winning the 1954 title at Old Town Club. He also is a former member of the school's board of trustees.
The golf complex will be named for Palmer the weekend of Oct. 15 — homecoming weekend at the school. Also, there are still spots available in the Oct. 17 Wake Forest Pro-Am at Old Town. The entry fee is $2,500, and includes two tickets to the Saturday football game against Virginia Tech, a clinic with putting guru Stan Utley, two tickets to a Sunday night reception to honor Palmer and the Monday pro-am.
The Sunday reception also is open to the public, at a cost of $250 a ticket. All proceeds from the reception and pro-am will go to the men's and women's golf programs.
Palmer, who will arrive in town Oct. 16, said through his spokesman, Doc Giffin, that he is excited about coming back to Wake Forest. He was here in 2009, and had the honor of opening the gate before the Maryland-Wake Forest football game at BB&T Field.
"It's going to be great to get back to Wake Forest for the pro-am," said Palmer, who will be involved in the tournament in some capacity. "I always have enjoyed participating in the past, and I'm glad that the pro-am is back this year. It means a lot to the golf programs and the university."
Several current and past PGA Tour stars who played at Wake Forest are scheduled to play in the pro-am, including Bill Haas and Webb Simpson and Champions Tour regulars Jay Haas, Jay Sigel and Gary Hallberg. Kyle Reifers, who is on the Nationwide Tour this season but will be back on the PGA Tour in 2012, also is expected to play, as is television analyst Billy Andrade.
John Buczek, the director of instruction at the facility and a former Deacons golfer under Haddock, said he likes the idea of naming the entire facility for Palmer.
"I think it's great," Buczek said. "He's kind of like the godfather of the Wake program so hearing that is good news for everybody who is a Wake Forest fan or alumni."
Anyone interested in more information on the pro-am can call 758-5626 or visit www.deaconclub.com.