N.C. State features so many facilities that it can be hard to keep track of them all. There are the woodworking shop, theaters and cinemas, D.H. Hill Library and an Olympic sized swimming pool — and an 18-hole golf course.
Yes, the University has a golf course. Located just south of Centennial campus, Lonnie Poole Golf Course is a fully functional 18-hole course and practice facility designed by golfing legend Arnold Palmer. Opened in 2009, it is open to the public and has played host to events ranging from collegiate tournaments to alumni center functions.
With the recent cuts to the University’s budget, many question whether a golf course is a proper use of money. According to the Lonnie Poole website, the construction of the course and clubhouse cost $11.2 million.
According to Nick Dillman, a PGA assistant golf professional employed by Lonnie Poole Golf Course, the golf course received no funding from the University.
“It is all privately donated, all privately funded,” Dillman said.
The golf course is funded by a combination of fees from users and recurring donations from charter partners — no money comes from the University.
“The way the charter partners are approached, they can make a one-time donation and we will put it toward a good cause, but most give over a number of years,” Dillman said. “Our charter partners really help out in our times of need.”
The golf course serves many functions. It is the home of the men’s and women’s golf teams; a venue for alumni, college and private events and a “living laboratory” for the Department of Agriculture.
According to Dillman, the course can average as many as 150 rounds golfed a day in the summer and typically has about 115 rounds golfed per day in the fall.
Before the construction of the course, the University’s golf teams were without a permanent home.
“We used to joke that we [the golf team] were nomads,” Page Marsh, head coach of the woman’s golf team.
In years past, the team needed to travel a good distance to practice, and was unable to host tournaments.
“It helps with having much less drive time,” Marsh said. “Less drive time means more study time for the players.”
The Arnold Palmer Design Company designed the course.
“It is really a championship course,” Marsh said. “It prepares us to play wherever we go… If you can play Lonnie Poole, you can play anywhere.”
Chip Watson, general manager of golf course and men’s golf team assistant coach holds a similar view.
“The golf course is awesome and top quality,” Watson said. “It gives us a championship place to play and practice and helps in recruiting.”
In the short time the University has had the course, the golf teams have been doing very well.
“We’ve hosted two events: every April and every October. This past October was the Wolfpack Intercollegiate Tournament,” Dillman said. “About 12 schools came here and the Wolfpack placed first as a team and our own Albin Choi [placed first] individually. It was a good showing for us. The men’s golf team has won a couple events already, as well as the women’s golf team. We’re ranked pretty high as far as Golfweek puts us.”
The golf course is also used by the Department of Agriculture.
“We have one of the best turfgrass management programs in the nation,” Dillman said. “To have a golf course where they can study makes it a living laboratory where they can just come out here a lot.”
“They kind of head our greens keeping operation. They come out here all the time to run studies and get the place looking as good as possible. They do a really good job,” Dillman said. “It’s cool to see the science we’re teaching the student come alive out here.”
Many groups and organizations on campus have used Lonnie Poole golf course as a venue for their events.
“We work with the Alumni Association and the State Club a lot,” Dillman said. According to Dillman, a popular event for alumni is a tournament, followed by food and wine at the alumni center.
