Arnold Palmer is a Deacon at heart, but he was happy to be a member of the Wolfpack for a day. The golf legend graduated from Wake Forest when the school was in Wake County, the current home of North Carolina State, but he hit a ceremonial tee shot Monday to kick off construction of N.C. State's Lonnie Poole Golf Course. "Building a golf course in North Carolina is always something I look forward to," Palmer said. The 18-hole, 7,025-yard, par-71 public course will be the first university course designed by The Palmer Course Design Company. It will cost $11.6 million, funded entirely by private donations, and is scheduled to open in spring 2009. "This is a long-standing project," Chancellor James Oblinger said. "North Carolina State's been talking about a golf course for over 20 years." Before the ceremonial tee shot, N.C. State officials presented Palmer with a red golf shirt and a plaque making him a lifetime member of the school's alumni association. While Palmer said he was "very proud" to receive the gifts, he couldn't resist at least one playful dig in front of the crowd of Wolfpack supporters. "I had some remarks about (the rivalry), like football last year," Palmer said, referring to the Deacons' ACC championship. The course was designed by two N.C. State alumni, Erik Larsen and Brandon Johnson. "They do a fantastic job, and what they do here will startle you," Palmer said. Along with being a home course for the Wolfpack men's and women's golf teams, the course will be a "living laboratory" for the university's nationally recognized turfgrass program and home to its professional golf management program.
Information from: Associated Press
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