Taking Aztec Golf to the next level

For decades, San Diego State University men’s and women’s golf athletes have had to do without on-campus accommodations. Outside of chipping balls onto the football turf, practice options on campus have been nonexistent – until now.

SDSU alumnus Jerry Davee (‘58) has supported Aztec Golf for decades, maintaining strong ties with the program and its athletes, including his long-standing friendship with Aztec Men’s Golf Coach Ryan Donovan.

As a former Aztec men’s golfer from 1954 to 1958, Jerry has witnessed firsthand the longing dream of a state-of-the-art facility to bring Aztec Golf to the next level. Inspired by coach Donovan’s impact on the team, Jerry knew he wanted to finally make that dream come true.

“I’ve had such a great relationship with Coach Donovan, and I’ve admired what he’s done for the program, so that inspired us to go a step further in our support of San Diego State Athletics,” said Jerry.

Thanks to a significant gift from Jerry and his wife, fellow alumna Carolyn Davee (‘59), Aztec golfers will soon have a practice spot right on campus: the Jerry and Carolyn Davee Aztec Golf Practice Facility.

The $200,000 donation will support two on-campus swing simulator spaces and a Performance Center at The Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, marking a new era for Aztec Golf. While The Farms provides an elite off-campus training environment, Jerry’s passion was centered on ensuring SDSU golfers had the tools they needed right at home.

Read: SDSU athletics unveils plans to build golf performance center

“Not every student-athlete can leave school in the middle of the day and travel to Rancho Santa Fe, and when they do, they're going to be there for several hours,” said Jerry. “This is something they can do on campus and dedicate a period of time when they want to do it and see how their golf game can develop through the analytics that is a part of every professional's golf training.”

The two on-campus swing simulators will be located directly behind the Fowler Athletic Center on campus, allowing the men’s and women’s teams to practice their swings 24/7. The space will be named after the Davees, honoring their legacy and tribute to the university.

“The Next Level”

Creating an on-campus facility like this would have been unheard of forty years ago. But the Davee’s unwavering belief in the program never faded, even when no one else saw the vision.

For the first time, SDSU golfers will have an on-campus space equipped with cutting-edge swing simulators to train year-round, ensuring precision and growth without leaving campus. This facility represents a turning point for athletes to reach the next level, from the PGA to the Olympics.

“I think it's what's needed to take the Aztec Golf program to the next step,” said Jerry. “It's a piece of it. It's not all of it, but I'm so pleased even to be a part of a piece of it.”

Jerry and Carolyn remain actively involved with the San Diego community and enjoy attending San Diego Padres games. 

Unlocking growth opportunities for current Aztec golfers wasn’t the only vision Jerry saw with the on-campus swing simulators. He also saw the critical advantage these on-campus simulators would be for SDSU’s recruiting efforts.

Having the ability to practice without leaving campus shows prospective student-athletes that SDSU is committed to their development and investing in their future careers. These simulators will create a year-round resource for athletes, ensuring that SDSU isn’t just a place to compete but also a place to excel.

“In this day and age of recruiting, you must have good golfers. You have to have golfers with experience and who want to come to a top-notch school, and having this facility performance center on campus means that we're going to be able to compete with all of those other schools,” said Jerry.

“Always Improving”

When Jerry was 42 years old, he was involved in an accident that would change the trajectory of his life. Returning from a ski trip to Mammoth, Jerry and his son’s plane crashed. While Jerry was able to get his son out, he returned to rescue another passenger when the plane and Jerry himself were soon engulfed in flames.

“I was no longer a rescuer. I was trying to be a survivor,” said Jerry. “The passenger passed away, and what resulted within me was being immensely more grateful for my life than I had been before that time.”

Jerry spent over three months in UCSD hospital in intensive care and a burn ward for seven grafting procedures, followed by four months of post-hospital surgeries and reconstructive care before he was able to resume his activities.

Jerry’s gratitude for life and empathy for others led him to ultimately change his law practice to representing injured people versus the past work he had been doing representing insurance companies and corporations.

Jerry's unwavering compassion for others has defined his life’s work, and it’s this same deep care that he envisions the golf simulators fostering in the lives of SDSU athletes.

As a true Aztec for life, Jerry has remained involved with the university since graduating more than 60 years ago and still thinks of SDSU as that place that he can call home. Cherishing the years that were foundational for his success, Jerry’s gift is a testament to his gratitude towards the university.

“I wanted to give back to the university that gave me so much,” said Jerry. “I think that is my principal motivation for doing what we're doing now and to remain a relevant part of the San Diego State community.”

Jerry credits his time at SDSU for helping him develop strong time management skills, a great work ethic, and the motivation to be the best version of himself. Something he still tries to do at 88 years old.

“In everything that I've tried to do, and everything that I am proud of, I have always been trying to improve,” said Jerry. “I don't care if I'm the best golfer at the club. I only want to be the best version of myself at the club.”

With the newly established on-campus golf simulators, Jerry hopes to inspire current and future Aztec golfers to adopt a similar mindset – striving to become their best versions, on and off the course.