IOWA CITY, Iowa ? The University of Iowa Department of Athletics announced recently a $500,000 gift to the University of Iowa men?s and women?s golf programs from Iowa letterman Brad Heinrichs. ?Iowa helped prepare me to become a successful businessman,? said Heinrichs. ?Whether the team was winning tournaments or not, I was treated as a valuable member of the team. It is a privilege and I am excited to give back to Iowa. I hope this gift inspires other letterwinners to give back to support the Hawkeyes. The $500,000 gift will be used to renovate the varsity golf outdoor practice area at the Hoak Family Golf Complex. The redesigned space will provide two large, multipurpose greens that are large enough for both men?s and women?s teams to use at one time, and it present student-athletes with a variety of short-game situations. The outdoor practice space will be named the Mike and Mary McCarty Outdoor Golf Practice Area. Mike and Mary McCarty are the late parents of former Hawkeyes Chad (1994-96) and Sean (1992-95). ?This gift is also a way for me to honor Mike and Mary McCarty, who were big supporters of Iowa Golf,? says Heinrichs. Heinrichs, a native of Warrensburg, Missouri, was on the Iowa men?s golf team for four years (1992-96) and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. ?We are extremely thankful for the generous gift from Brad Heinrichs,? said Gary Barta, the Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. ?As a former Hawkeye student-athlete, Brad understands the importance of having elite training facilities in which to train and from which to recruit. This gift provides another key component to our golf practice facility and is very much appreciated by me, coaches Tyler Stith and Megan Menzel, and our student-athletes.?