By John Brasier
When will the new driving range and practice green at Raleigh Golf Association be open?
Many Raleigh-area golfers have been eagerly waiting the new range (pictured above from behind the No. 1 green during construction in early September) in the heart of the city and convenient to N.C. State along Tryon Road.
On Thursday, RGA club manager Justin Sary told TriangleGolf.com that he couldn’t provide an exact date, but expects an opening in late October.
It could have been earlier. Sary told TriangleGolf.com that the wrong poles and netting needed to flank the range were delivered, causing a delay. He said once the correct equipment is received, installation would take about three days.
The opening of the range will complete the land transformation of the unique facility, which dates to 1929.
Greensboro-based architect Kris Spence completed a reconfiguring and redesign of the former 27-hole facility (9 holes were private) into an 18-hole public course with a spacious, lighted practice area, including a large practice putting green, on about 15 or 16 acres.
McConnell Golf, which manages the facility for RGA members (stockholders), reportedly invested $3.5 million in the project.
While renovating greens and bunkers, Spence put together nine holes of the old public course with the back nine of the former members’ nine to create the new routing.
The new version of the course opened on Sept. 4.
