With a recent $3 million gift, construction on Centennial Campus’s golf course could begin as early as summer 2007.

“We hope to get into construction in June of this year,” Bob Fraser, associate vice chancellor for Centennial Campus development, said. “We will grow grass next year between July 15 and October 15.”

Fraser said once the grass has grown, there will be a “soft opening” of the course in December 2008 and a full opening in the spring of 2009.

He said the course will be located across Main Campus Drive from the Alumni Center.

Approximately 200 acres of land on the campus are designated for the golf course, Fraser said. Upon completion, it will be open to the public.

But, he said students in professional golf management, students studying turfgrass science and the varsity men’s and women’s golf teams will be among those to use the greens.

Michael Kanters, associate professor and director of the professional golf management program, said the addition of a golf course to the campus will be a “tremendous improvement” to the accessibility of students in the program.

According to Kanters, students in the PGM program travel weekly to Raleigh area courses, such as the University Club and Prestonwood Country Club to practice their games. The program has, in these cases, arranged for students to play at the privately owned courses.

“The fact remains, if you don’t have [a course] right there on campus, it makes it more difficult for students,” he said.

While there is a required skills test for all students in the program, Kanters said the course will be beneficial in many capacities.

“It’s not only for students to play and practice their own skills, but [serves] also as a laboratory to help us teach students how to manage golf courses,” he said.

A requirement of the PGM program is a 16-hour co-op. Kanters said though students are expected to attain a variety of experiences, he hopes many will spend time working at the University’s course.

“We expect our students will play a key role in the operation of the course,” he said.

According to Kanters, although N.C. State is the only public school in North Carolina with a PGM program, recruitment has been a challenge without the presence of a golf course on campus.

“Without question, I really think [the course is] going to help us with recruiting — not only more students, but also better quality students,” he said.

Kanters said the course will allow PGM to “move into a new era.”

Wesley Crompton, a senior in turfgrass science, said although there is an existing turfgrass research center near Lake Wheeler, the new golf course will be beneficial to students in his field.

“It would provide students a place to get hands-on experience,” he said.

He said the research facility is strictly for research, and does not show the same wear as a golf course with golfers on it each day.

Plans for the golf course have been in the works for over two decades, according to Michael Harwood, University architect.

“The golf course was in the very first master plans the University had for Centennial Campus,” he said.

He said since the creation of the plans for Centennial in the 1980s, the northern part of the campus has been designated for “denser construction.”

The planners set aside the southern part of the campus for the golf course and an alumni center, Harwood said, because the land was not as suitable for heavy construction.

According to Fraser, the University has not yet chosen a contractor for the project, but will choose from a list of approved contractors which the firm that designed the course will provide.

He said private donors will fund the course and students will not pay for the construction with tuition or fees.

The $3 million gift, donated by Lonnie and Carol Lynne Poole, was announced on February 16, according to Paul Eberle, associate vice chancellor for advancement services.

“Students should feel proud we have found a way to create a top-notch golf course without using student fees,” Harwood said.