In Memory Of...

Brad Heyka Memorial Chipping Green being constructed
Courtesy: Kansas State University
Release: 08/18/2005









Courtesy: Kansas State University
The Brad Heyka Memorial putting green will give the men's and women's a state of the art area to work on their short games.

MANHATTAN, Kan. - With help from the Brad Heyka family, the Kansas State men's and women's golf teams will soon be receiving a state of the art putting/chipping green north of the driving range at Colbert Hills. The green will be refurbished to more accurately resemble the conditions that the team will be seeing at their tournaments throughout the year.



Larry Heyka, father of Brad Heyka who was tragically murdered in Wichita, is proud to have donated to the university and the golf course.



"It's an inspiration in what we could do in Brad's memory," Larry Heyka said. “Brad would have been very proud of it. Itss an asset to Colbert Hills, the K-State men's and women's golf teams and everyone else who plays Colbert Hills."



Head men's golf coach Tim Norris was very gracious in speaking of the donation made by the Heyka family.



"This new green will be a huge benefit to the team and to other golfers at Colbert Hills. We will be spending quite a bit of time practicing on the green," Norris said. "The objective is the use the green to practice our short game, and hopefully it will help us move up the ladder in the rankings.”



In addition to the new practice green, this will be the fifth year of the Brad Heyka Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament at Colbert Hills. Last year, the tournament brought in $19,000 to help fund three different scholarships: K-State Golf, Business and Finance, and Fraternity.



"It's great to have all of Brad's friends and people who knew him come back into town for the tournament," Larry Heyka said. "It's also great to have the turn out we've had in recent years."



Last year, the there were 192 players in the tournament, with the Heyka family and the university expecting another full house this year.



The Heyka Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 7, with a 10 a.m. tee time. The cost is $150 per player, or $600 per team. Questions regarding the tournament should be directed to Associate Athletics Director Kurt McGuffin at (785) 532-7952 or by e-mail at kmcguff1@k-state.edu.