To borrow a phrase, the reports of ASU Karsten Golf Course’s death are greatly exaggerated. The facility has been unwittingly swept up in the ever-churning rumor mill surrounding future development on campus, but the fact is, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Instead, under the steady management of OB Sports, the golf course is in prime condition and continues to host everybody from weekend warriors to the best golfers on the planet – past and present.

For more than two decades this Valley favorite has been incubating players such as Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Billy Mayfair, Alejandro Canizares, Pat Perez, Matt Jones, Jeff Quinney and Chez Reavie – all of which went on to make the cut at the professional level. No surprise given what they accomplished while still at ASU: 12 Pac-12 titles, more than any other team in the conference; two NCAA DI Championships and three U.S. Amateur titles.

The story remained much the same when they turned pro with more than 60 PGA TOUR victories worth over $150,000,000 in earnings. Most recently, ASU junior Jon Rahm showed he could hang with the world’s best at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open by posting a T5 finish. It was the best finish by a current Sun Devil at the Open, supplanting Mickelson who finished T32 in 1991.

On the girl’s side, players such as Heather Farr, Anna Nordqvist, Tina Tombs, Danielle Ammaccapane, Grace Park, Wendy Ward and Azahara Muñoz honed their games at ASU Karsten Golf Course. Collectively, they amassed seven NCAA DI Team Championships and nine Individual Championships. Muñoz, among other distinctions, made an immediate splash on the LPGA Tour by earning 2010 LPGA Rookie of the Year honors.

“Arizona State golf has such a long history and tradition of success competing at the highest level,” said Tim Mickelson, former member and current head coach of the ASU Men’s Golf Team.  “We have the weather, we have the facility, we have the golf course, we obviously have a major university and great academic support. In my opinion we really have everything we need to succeed at the highest level.”

As Arizona State University continues to swell like a balloon at a birthday party, it’s probably inevitable that the very handy property where the golf course sits will someday be swallowed up for other purposes. But until then, the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of champions is an alluring reality for any golfer willing to take on this Pete Dye classic.