&c; 2009 Student Media
After numerous delays in construction, N.C. State finally has a golf course to call its own. The Lonnie Poole Golf course, located on Centennial Campus, finally opened this past Monday. The course, which has had numerous delays since the start of construction in the summer of 2007, is now open and available to the public, and not even the rain could keep people away.
“We opened Monday to the public, and even in the rain we were pretty crowded,” Chip Watson, the general manger of the course and assistant men’s golf coach, said. “It was kind of neat to see people there for the first time. It was pouring rain in the morning so we had to write about 150 rain checks but later in the day we still had about 120 or so golfers come and play. It was a slow start but it didn’t scare a lot of people away.”
With the construction complete, the men’s and women’s golf teams now have a home course on campus. In addition, the students and others affiliated with N.C. State who will have the opportunity to play on the course at discount rates.
The course is offering four different rates including a public rate, which is $49 on the weekdays and $75 on the weekends, an affiliated rate, a faculty rate and a student rate, all of which offer cheaper prices from the public rates.
“If you are a member of the Wolfpack Club, the Alumni Association, the University Club and others, and as long as you have a valid ID card, you will get a discount off of the normal rate,” Watson said. “We also have a facility rate and a student rate. The student rate is $35 during the week and $54 for the weekend. Both of those rates are a 30-35% discount off of what the regular rates are and are in line with Carolina and Duke’s rates for each of their courses.”
The opening to the public is just one of three huge events for the golf course this month. The course is hosting two other major events, including a media day which is being held in conjunction with the Jimmy V Foundation July 29 and a grand opening July 31, which includes a visit from the course designer and golf legend Arnold Palmer.
“The media day is in conjunction with the Jimmy V Foundation. They always do the media day but it was so close to our opening we decided to do it together with them,” Watson said. “It just gives us our chance to get the media out to see the course for the first time and it helps to get the word out.”
The grand opening is in invitation-only event put on for the charter partners to thank them for their donations and funding for the course, and will include an exhibition by Palmer himself.
“Arnold will be there to get his picture made and then he will do a little exhibition on the driving range,” Watson said. “After that he will have a press conference and that’s about it. That afternoon and on Saturday morning we will have a charter partner golf tournament for the donors. It’s our big kick-off event.”
The opening of the golf course has not come as quickly as anticipated, however. The course experienced multiple delays in the construction, which caused the course opening to be pushed back from April to May and then to July. Watson credits the rains for most problems the golf course has experienced. Heavy rain washed away the seed and grass, which kept the fairway turf from growing.
“We originally were shooting for a March or April time frame but we were pushed back from last summer due to the hurricanes and tropical storms that came through,” Watson said. “Then a May opening was what we were hoping for but it was a little cooler spring and so we had about four or five holes that dragged behind. We ended up opening nine holes to the charter partners and now we finally have everything opened.”
Even after such a long construction process, the course, which was built on private funds, is still under construction even as it opens, as it is operating in a temporary clubhouse and is building offices for the golf coaches and golf management teachers. The naming rights for several course buildings and features are also still available.
“Fundraising is still ongoing. We are in a temporary club house so we are still raising money for a permanent one,” Watson said. “We have a research and training building, where the golf coach’s offices will be and also the golf management offices will be there. Even though the course is open the fundraising still goes on.”