All Joe Jensen was looking for was some green grass.
It was 2003 and he had just taken the head coaching job for the Cowboy golf program. His team needed green grass on which to practice, not the brown that is Wyoming in March.
He also had an idea that not only would find that grass, but generate positive exposure for his program.
Wyoming did not have an indoor practice facility at that time which made it even more important for the team to get to a warmer clime. So, Joe sought out the hotbed of golf, the Phoenix-Scottsdale area of Arizona, for the green and a place to test his idea.
He found the green grass alright, and his idea turned into one of the most prestigious early-spring collegiate golf tournaments in the country.
It's called the Wyoming Cowboy Classic, and is conducted annually at the Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Ariz., a beautiful Troon Golf and Club Management course. This weekend and into early next week the Classic will be celebrating its 18th year. An alumni fund-raising event is scheduled for Saturday followed by the tournament itself Monday and Tuesday. It boasts of a field that includes some of the top collegiate teams in the country, including five Mountain West schools and four PAC-12 programs, defending national champion Stanford among them. A total of 24 teams will be there.
Joe's idea was ahead of its time. Why not have Wyoming host a tournament in Arizona. That's right, put on a 'home' tournament away from home. It was ground-breaking. Hardly anyone in collegiate golf was doing it back in the early 2000's.
"When I became head coach back in 2003, I wanted to find a place for our kids to play while the grass was still brown in Wyoming," Joe says. "I was looking for green grass to allow them to practice and play and have a good experience. Arizona was the place, the Mecca of collegiate golf.
"It occurred to me that maybe we could host a 'home' event away from home. So I began working with John Easterbrook (a Cowboy golf letterman who was a successful part of Troon Golf at the time). A great friend to the program, John thought it was a good idea, and was excited to be a part of it. Really, no other schools were doing this at the time. I got the go-ahead from our athletics director (Lee Moon) and we moved forward. John was huge for us. I was a young coach just getting started, and he did so much to help me. He opened a lot of doors for the Wyoming program."
Not only is the Classic an important event to the collegiate game, it set the groundwork for more tournaments of its kind.
You have to get to Joe early if you want to be one of the 20 or so programs who are invited to compete in the Classic each year. A case in point: Jensen turned down Oklahoma State's request to compete in this year tournament. Those other Cowboys are currently ranked number one in the country!
"We'll get them in next year," Joe says smiling. "Believe me, it was difficult turning them down. But our field was already full when they contacted me. I think it is an example, though, of how much respect college golf has for our tournament."
"With this tournament, we have developed some great relationships in the Phoenix area which is the center of golf. The Classic is a respected event, and has established Wyoming as an important collegiate program there. We are so appreciative of the help we receive from so many people, but especially everyone at Whirlwind."
Understandably the tournament had some growing pains in the beginning. But with Joe and John pouring their collective heart and soul into the project, it began to grow.
"I think in our first year we had maybe 11 teams, and half of those were junior varsity squads from various schools," Joe says. "We hosted it at Talking Stick, also a beautiful Troon course which was instrumental in our growth. Arizona State won that first event. We knew there was a lot of room for improvement, but the important thing was we had gotten it off the ground and it was clear that it could work.
"It has continued to grow, and is now something that we are all very proud of," Joe continues. "Teams want to play in our event because it's on a great course—Whirlwind is first class—and they know they will be treated well. We have received a lot of help from a lot of people which allows us to host a great event."
Included during the weekend is a fund-raising tournament on Saturday which attracts alumni and friends of the University from all over the country. What is raised pays for the Cowboys' trip. It is very definitely a win-win for everyone. "It pays for most of our expenses to be there and to host," Joe says.
Some 120 players will play in Saturday's fund-raising event. It is being billed as a "One-Wyoming" event.
In the meantime, the tournament has done what Joe had hoped it would in the first place, give his team the opportunity to play in good weather on green grass, and host an event. "I was looking for reps for our team," he says. "I want the kids to play in a lot of events. That's how you get better. The Classic became 'our' tournament, one that we knew would be there every year."
It also did something else. Joe found that schools who played in his tourney were very willing to invite his Cowboys to play in their's. "Because of our event, we get the opportunity to play in other tournaments. That is what I was looking for. It has really worked out for us
"The quality of teams we get is phenomenal," Jensen continues. "It's been great, very rewarding. We want everyone feeling good about Wyoming. The flags and tee markers have the bucking horse and rider on them. Our kids have ownership in 'their' tournament, which is representing UW. It's been a great experience and we are very proud of it."
