July 23, 2004
Photos by Martrel Brown -
Opening next month when the NC State men's and women's golf teams return to campus is the Wolfpack's new short game practice facility. Located on campus and open only to the NC State varsity golf teams, the Pack now has a place of its own to practice.
The NC State practice facility is a state of the art facility designed for virtually any type of short game practice. Three separate greens, constructed to USGA specifications, are the focal points of the facility, planted with a blend of A-1 and A-4 bent grass providing a turf that is unsurpassed for putting surface quality in the southeastern states. The 6,800 square foot putting green is characterized by diverse movement with a wide variety of slopes and breaks.
 Strandberg and Richardson on the putting green
The chipping green is designed for sand, lob wedge and bump and run play. This green is surrounded by bunkers of varying depths, hollows mowed at both fairway and rough heights, level run-up areas and elevated ridges for downhill shots to the putting surface. Imagination is the only limit to shot variety in this area.
 Strandberg and Richardson hit some sand shots |
The third green is designed as three distinct areas. It is protected by bunkers and hollows and will accommodate shots up to 100 yards. Mowing patterns surrounding this green allow play from both fairway and rough cuts.
"This facility is a one of a kind," said the designer, Bob Moore of JMP Golf Design, who graduated from NC State and has built award-winning golf courses all over the world, including the Heritage Golf Club in Wake Forest, N.C., which earned the Best New Course Award in 2002. "It will provide the NC State golf teams with an unrivaled short game practice area."
 Strandberg and Richardson test the new facility
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