Any word on the new NC State course?

[Tanner25]

any word on the new NC State course ( Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh )coming this April? Prices? might it be junior friendly, 9 hole rates etc?

[NPVWhiz]

I'll be interested to see how it turns out as well. We've put the UNC course on our annual NC course rota. It's a fabulous facility, especially for a public access course.

[wolfpackblack]

It's opening in two weeks! The practice area is open as well, so come on by!

 

Here's all the green fee and tee time information:

 

http://www.lonniepoolegolfcourse.com/golf-course-rates.asp

[Tanner25]

It's opening in two weeks! The practice area is open as well, so come on by!

 

Here's all the green fee and tee time information:

 

http://www.lonniepoolegolfcourse.com/golf-course-rates.asp

 

Cool, Adtucker. I live in Cary. Looking forward to it ! There are plenty people

from the Triangle lurking here. Keep the news and any promos coming!

[idrive400yards]

How deep is the driving range, practice facility? What type of practice balls are used?

[Bucken77]

How much for buckets? Is there a yearly pass for range?

[wolfpackblack]

Great questions! I'll give them a call tomorrow and find out exact answers for sure (I'm in out of Raleigh with the family for the holiday), but I'm pretty sure the range is about 320 deep, buckets are $8 (not completely sure though), and they are top flite range balls. I hope there is a range membership, if not I will bring it up! I was on the athletic council last year, so we worked a lot with the administration in regards to input for the course and what people want, and monthly or yearly range memberships is definitely something that the community and students could both appreciate.

[Tanner25]

Great questions! I'll give them a call tomorrow and find out exact answers for sure (I'm in out of Raleigh with the family for the holiday), but I'm pretty sure the range is about 320 deep, buckets are $8 (not completely sure though), and they are top flite range balls. I hope there is a range membership, if not I will bring it up! I was on the athletic council last year, so we worked a lot with the administration in regards to input for the course and what people want, and monthly or yearly range memberships is definitely something that the community and students could both appreciate.

 

 

I hope it is junior friendly with appropriate tee lengths and pricing. Not sure why, most

courses discourage junior play. Had I played as a jr I would have put more dollars into

this great game.

[wolfpackblack]

Great questions! I'll give them a call tomorrow and find out exact answers for sure (I'm in out of Raleigh with the family for the holiday), but I'm pretty sure the range is about 320 deep, buckets are $8 (not completely sure though), and they are top flite range balls. I hope there is a range membership, if not I will bring it up! I was on the athletic council last year, so we worked a lot with the administration in regards to input for the course and what people want, and monthly or yearly range memberships is definitely something that the community and students could both appreciate.

 

 

I hope it is junior friendly with appropriate tee lengths and pricing. Not sure why, most

courses discourage junior play. Had I played as a jr I would have put more dollars into

this great game.

 

The tips are brutal, but they have a great mix of tees to make sure everyone can play appropriately. I haven't heard anything solid about junior rates, but the original discussion was that they would be $35, same as students, not sure if that changed though. I absolutely cannot wait for it to open! Next week is the week.

[Bucken77]

We should get a group together and play. Of course I'm pretty bad right now so that might not be fun for you guys.

[wolfpackblack]

Definitely! I'm going to try and make a time for the first week for a foursome, if I can get I'll post and offer the other two spots up to anyone interested.

[Mike_C]

Looks nice, but priced not that much from Duke and UNC..... But the positive is, its not Duke or UNC...... :D

[amatuerfisher]

I went up the driving range and putting green Thursday. They use pinnacle practice balls. I believe it is about 320 yds. for the range and its slightly uphill. I was talking to one of the guys that works there and they said the 13th (A monday) would be the first day its open to the public, but a few holes are open right now to shareholders or whatever they are called there. I saw Tom Suiter out there at the range hitting a few (The WRAL sports anchor). I am looking forward to the course opening up.

 

Andrew let me know which day you are planning on playing out there and I will take off from work.

 

 

Edit- It is 5 dollars for a small bucket and 8 dollars for a large bucket. The putting green is really nice too, pretty fast. Perfect place to test out my new Odyssey Black #2

[wolfpackblack]

I went up the driving range and putting green Thursday. They use pinnacle practice balls. I believe it is about 320 yds. for the range and its slightly uphill. I was talking to one of the guys that works there and they said the 13th (A monday) would be the first day its open to the public, but a few holes are open right now to shareholders or whatever they are called there. I saw Tom Suiter out there at the range hitting a few (The WRAL sports anchor). I am looking forward to the course opening up.

 

Andrew let me know which day you are planning on playing out there and I will take off from work.

 

 

Edit- It is 5 dollars for a small bucket and 8 dollars for a large bucket. The putting green is really nice too, pretty fast. Perfect place to test out my new Odyssey Black #2

 

Sounds good man, we'll do it!

[wolfpackblack]

Looks nice, but priced not that much from Duke and UNC..... But the positive is, its not Duke or UNC...... :D

 

haha, that's the truth! :clapping: I love those courses, but it's going to be nice to have home territory to tee it up, that's for sure.

[Mike_C]

Looks nice, but priced not that much from Duke and UNC..... But the positive is, its not Duke or UNC...... :D

 

haha, that's the truth! :clapping: I love those courses, but it's going to be nice to have home territory to tee it up, that's for sure.

 

 

I only moved here last fall. My sister has lived down here since about 1980, she went to UNC, her husband to NC State. I work in Durham, and when I was looking for a place to live and asked her where I should look she told me I shouldn't live in Durham. I asked why, she said "that is where Duke is"...... I did end up moving to Durham, but down by the Mall, I'm only maybe 10 mintues from Finley, and work about 5 minutes from Duke's course, but have only been to each once. After living around here for a short while, I understand the feelings about Duke, but UNC people can be just as obnoxious.........

[wolfpackblack]

Looks nice, but priced not that much from Duke and UNC..... But the positive is, its not Duke or UNC...... :D

 

haha, that's the truth! :clapping: I love those courses, but it's going to be nice to have home territory to tee it up, that's for sure.

 

 

I only moved here last fall. My sister has lived down here since about 1980, she went to UNC, her husband to NC State. I work in Durham, and when I was looking for a place to live and asked her where I should look she told me I shouldn't live in Durham. I asked why, she said "that is where Duke is"...... I did end up moving to Durham, but down by the Mall, I'm only maybe 10 mintues from Finley, and work about 5 minutes from Duke's course, but have only been to each once. After living around here for a short while, I understand the feelings about Duke, but UNC people can be just as obnoxious.........

 

haha, MikeC, I'm pretty sure you just became my new best friend with that :friends:

 

I usually end up pulling for Duke when they are playing UNC...After all, the enemy of your enemy is your friend, right?

 

I expect Lonnie Poole to be a very down to earth, community friendly course. We do a lot to connect with the community and try and serve the people who are responsible for the University being funded, and I don't doubt that will carry over into the course as well!

[idrive400yards]

It was mentioned the range being about 320 yards long. Is it wide also? Is there a net behind the range to stop balls? Can one hit from one side of the range to the other to make it longer? Hours of operation for the range? Does it have lighting?

[Bucken77]

So lets bump this up to see who has played it and what they think of it.

[dixiethunder]

I've played it a few times, or I should say, I've played the first 12 holes a few times, the first time we tee'd off at 2:15 on a Sunday (this was earlier this summer when there was actually sunlight) and almost 5 hours later we made it to 12 and then decided to bag it because it was starting to get dark. I tired playing it again last week, tee'd off at 2:30 but had to leave at 6 because it was clear that we wouldn't be finishing. The holes I have played were pretty nice, with the exception being the third hole which is a par 4 that is almost impossible to reach in two, even from the men's tee's. At least they give you a drivable par four on the next hole. Anyway, I think in a year when everything has gorwn in, this will be a nice course, and this area needs as many good public courses as it can get.

[Tanner25]

haven't played it yet. I heard it's a ball eater and a tough track. I am not sure why most modern golf architects designs a course with only players in mind. I myself prefer mature tracks, where you don't have to drive it 160 yards on the fly to reach a fairway. The old Hyland Hills course and the CC of Whispering Pines in the Pinehurst area come to mind as mature and fun to play tracks.

[Poser]

[quote name='aslan' post='2004416' date='Oct 13 2009, 06:09 PM']haven't played it yet. I heard it's a ball eater and a tough track. I am not sure why most modern golf architects designs a course with only players in mind. I myself prefer mature tracks, where you don't have to drive it 160 yards on the fly to reach a fairway. The old Hyland Hills course and the CC of Whispering Pines in the Pinehurst area come to mind as mature and fun to play tracks.[/quote]


The east course at whispering pines is a tough track from the tips. Glad to see hyland hills back open I have never played it I need to give it a try.

[Tanner25]

[quote name='ABFU' post='2004429' date='Oct 13 2009, 06:14 PM'][quote name='aslan' post='2004416' date='Oct 13 2009, 06:09 PM']haven't played it yet. I heard it's a ball eater and a tough track. I am not sure why most modern golf architects designs a course with only players in mind. I myself prefer mature tracks, where you don't have to drive it 160 yards on the fly to reach a fairway. The old Hyland Hills course and the CC of Whispering Pines in the Pinehurst area come to mind as mature and fun to play tracks.[/quote]


The east course at whispering pines is a tough track from the tips. Glad to see hyland hills back open I have never played it I need to give it a try.
[/quote]

I never know which course is which at CCWP, I love the one that after you pay your green fee it is straigh ahead. I believe it was renamed the Pines course. Nothing can be finer!

I can't wait to get back to HH. I would assume they put more money into it. It saw so much play, it got really beat up. Being a high capper, it was a god send. Except for the water holes, it is pretty hard to lose a ball. So, you are always advancing it. I typically shoot 98 on a normal, track. But, at HH, I would on occasion hit 86. LOVE IT!

[alholley]

[quote name='aslan' post='2004416' date='Oct 13 2009, 05:09 PM']haven't played it yet. I heard it's a ball eater and a tough track. I am not sure why most modern golf architects designs a course with only players in mind. I myself prefer mature tracks, where you don't have to drive it 160 yards on the fly to reach a fairway. The old Hyland Hills course and the CC of Whispering Pines in the Pinehurst area come to mind as mature and fun to play tracks.[/quote]


I played the course this past Friday 11/06/09. I typically shoot in the low 90s. Felt the course was tough, but not impossible. Plenty of sandtraps and placed in tough places for average golfers. The greens were punishing, undulating, protected by sandtraps and a couple dropped off at the end. In other words, dont overshot the greens.

Overall, good course and will get better as it matures. Definitely, designed for good golfers (hint for NC State's golf team). But a good challenge for everyone. And a great public option.

[jp11]

Best course in the area by far. Best in the area are Chapel Ridge (Couples), Heritage, Finley, Mill Creek, Brier Creek and Eagle Ridge (Kite - best last 4 holes anywhere ). Pretty good practice areas.
It's a Palmer course. Fairly wide open, tons of fairway bunkers (horizontal to fairway). Played about 8 rounds there so far. Plays out to 7300+ yards. I sit on the white (6300+), that's tough enough. Course is in great shape, greens started fading but came back. There's a number of blind shots, so drive up and take a look where you're hitting to or you'll regret it.
I'm a short hitter (driver carry about 245), normally shoot 80 - 82 from 6500 yards. I've shot 82 - 92 here. You will need a rangefinder or GPS on this course.
If you have trouble with bunkers this is probably not a course for you to play. Pay attention to the type of sand in the bunkers as well. It runs from fine beach sand - half buried lies (take a bucket full swing) to very course, dense, heavy sand requiring easy, soft shots (easy using woods/hybrids/lond iron).

I'd suggest getting there a bit early as it is on NC State's campus and the I've found a number of school activities messing up traffic and the police redirect traffic to 'nowhere'.
$75 weekends with some small discounts on their website but comparing it to other area courses it's well worth it. Also, teeing off between 10:30 - noon it does not appear too busy.

[Poser]

Played it today. Great course I really enjoyed the back nine alot. The sand is stupid soft though it was like standing in quick sand in some places maybe because of all the rain. This thing played really long with wet fairways too. Think it ended up we walked close to 8 miles. My favorite hole was the 11 665 yards long par 5. The view is amazing and I would love to see someone reach this thing in two. I hit a bomb and still had along ways left. My least favorite was the 3rd par 4 552 yards. I don't know wtf you are suppose to do on that hole. Ended up in the left fairway bunker and with the ball 3 feet above my feet. If you hit it straight you have like 230+ left.

[Bucken77]

Wow a 550 yard par 4. I hope it is downhill at least. I'm going to be playing a lot more golf next year and this course will be one of the first I play. Can't wait.

[bermuda]

I played it yesterday from the whites and echo what jp11 said. I hit into a couple of greenside bunkers and had one plugged lie but no problem getting out. I can see when the fairways are dry and hard if you hit your tee shot little offline, it could catch a slope, then a cartpath and then be gone. The greens were tough -- fast with a lot of break with cups cut on ridges -- a couple of them a little too tough.

That third hole (~500-yard par 4, uphill approach shot) is one to play for a short iron third shot then try to make the putt for par. It's an easy hole to make a 5 on, and probably even easier to make an 8. And I did drive almost pin-high on the next hole (~280-yard downhill par 4).

With the bunkers and greens, I can see it getting backed up when it's crowded. But for $25 all you can play after 3, it was a great deal. I recommend it, but play the tees that suit your game.

[Bucken77]

Bermuda were you able to get 18 in starting after 3?

[bermuda]

Yes, I started as a single on No. 10 and a guy joined me on about the 14th hole. He stopped after the 18th, and I went on to the front nine. Altogether, it took about 3:10 to play 18 holes with a cart. The cart was included in the $25. I prefer walking, but that course could wear you out walking.

Regarding the driving range, I came up to the 11th tee to find people teeing off from a teebox across from the 11th tee onto the back of the driving range. It was a little odd, but they stopped and I managed to rope one about 270, which made me happy. They might have been with the NCSU golf teams. The cartpath was covered with divots.

Another thing: Many of the wooded areas were red-staked, so that didn't cost you time, stroke and distance if you hit in there. A plus.