Wolfpack Golf Course Description

NC State University has been planning for about 20 years to build a golf course on the University's Centennial Campus. You can read more about that effort in NC Golfer by going to NCSU Tries to Build a Golf Course. It's the posting immediately after this one.

However, here's a description of the proposed golf course. For guidance, take a look at the scorecard and the most recent course layout. You may want to print the scorecard and the layout.

The front side, par 35, has three par 3s, two par 5s and four par 4s and is a mix of short and long holes. The par 5s—the 1st and 7th holes—are 555 and 585 yards. The par 3s—holes 2, 6 and 8—are 170, 180 and 220 yards from the tips. (Architect Erik Larsen would like to move the tees for the 2nd and 8th holes back and extend the yardages, but that would call for a shot across a stream and the cutting down of a handful of trees, both not allowed.)

Though a tributary of Walnut Creek which is fed by Lake Raleigh runs through the front side, water only comes into play on the short 3rd hole, a 380-yard, dogleg left that will have a small pond in front of the green. The other par fours are the 395-yard 4th, the 450-yard 5th, and the 455-yard 9th. Just imaging finishing the front nine with these: 450-yard par 4, 180-yard par 3, 585-yard par 5, 220-yard par 3 and 455-yard par four.

It gets no easier on the back which is shown on the scorecard as a typical par 36 nine with two par 3s, two par 5s and five par 4s. But the 11th hole, which is a 610-yard par 5, can and will be played as a 410-yard par 4. This hole is located at the end of the driving range (also a problem for Larsen) which sits between the 10th and 18th holes. The teeing area on the 11th hole is designed to be 200-yards long and will be where the NC State golf teams will practice. So, when the team is there, the tees for the 11th hole will be moved forward, converting the hole from a 610-yard, par 5 to a 410-yard par 4, reducing the inward nine to a par 35.

Larsen, the architect, says the driving range, even with the use of the 11th tee, is too short. “Those college golfers will hit it over the clubhouse from there. It’s just too short for today’s young golfers. We’re giving them a place to practice but it’s just not going to be long enough,” said Larsen.

The back nine is also a mix of short and long holes with the two par 3s—the 14th and 17th holes—measuring 140 and 205 yards. In addition to the 610-yard, 11th hole, the other par 5, the 18th hole, is 585 yards. The par 4s are projected to be 355 yards (10th), 395 yards (12th), 405 yards (13th), 445 yards (15th) and 385 yards (16th). Sort of like finishing the front nine, the back’s final four holes include: 445-yard par 4, 385-yard par 4, 205-yard par 3, and 585-yard par 5.

You comments about the layout and description are welcome.