The Carol Johnson Poole Clubhouse, located on the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State, is now open to the public after a year of construction.
The two-story clubhouse, located at 1509 Main Campus Drive on NC State’s Centennial Campus, offers breathtaking views of the Raleigh skyline and first-class service to golfers, diners, varsity golf teams and students studying professional golf management and turf management.
Before the clubhouse was constructed, NC State golf programs were housed in a series of trailers originally designed to hold machinery. Robert Wade, director of the N.C. State PGA Golf Management Program, told the Technician in January that though the structure was refurbished, it did not compare to having a real clubhouse.
“It was kind of like trying to teach physics without a physics lab,” Wade said. “There’s lots of theory, but until you have a place like that, you can’t really enhance the learning.”
Chip Watson, the clubhouse general manager and an assistant coach for the men’s golf team, likened it to “living out of our cars.”
“But now we have a place that’s right there where we practice,” Watson said.
In addition to the golf management program, the Clubhouse benefits several groups, including the PGA program of the College of Natural Resources, the turfgrass program and the N.C. State women’s and men’s golf teams.
“We needed a place that brought all the user groups together for the golf course,” Watson said. “And it’s exciting to have this facility with all of the different groups here.”
Also featured at the clubhouse are a full-service restaurant, bar and catering, golf shop, public and Charter Partner locker rooms, meeting rooms, golf cart storage, and many other amenities. The $6 million clubhouse was built over the course of one year with private donations, the lead donation provided by Lonnie Poole and his wife, Carol Johnson Poole.
The Players Retreat:
The Players Retreat, dining operator for the Carol Johnson Poole Clubhouse, is now serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m daily and for catered events throughout the week. The full-service bar is also open from 11 a.m.to 6 p.m. daily.
No membership is needed to use the facility, as dining and golf are available to the public.
To book your event in the clubhouse, call 919.390.7802.