About Us

Arnold Palmer walks on a green at NC State's Lonnie Poole Golf Course.

The Lonnie Poole Golf Course is a dream come true for NC State University.

The stunning layout was designed by Arnold Palmer and the design team at Arnold Palmer Design Company (including Erik Larsen and Brandon Johnson, both NC State graduates).

The purpose of the facility is to provide a public golf course on the Centennial Campus of NC State University that serves as a venue for the men’s and women’s golf teams. It also facilitates turfgrass and stormwater research associated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). Likewise, the golf course serves as a teaching and training facility for the Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program in the College of Natural Resources. The course is playable for all skill levels and a challenge to low handicap players.

With breathtaking views of the Raleigh skyline and the world-renowned Centennial Campus, the course has become a favorite in the golf community.  After a round of golf, you will surely find it as one of the finest in the area, one of the best university facilities, and worthy of one of the premier universities in the nation.

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Accolades

We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let others do it for us. The Lonnie Poole Golf Course is consistently ranked as one of the best places to play golf, improve your game, and host a tournament.

  • 2009-17 Ranked Top 30 among College Campus Courses – Golfweek Magazine
  • 2016-2019 Best Golf Course in Raleigh – Midtown Magazine
  • 2016-2018 #1 Public Golf Course in Raleigh – NC Golf Panel
  • 2017 US Open Championship Qualifier
  • 2017 Director of Golf Maintenance Brian Green named to TurfNet’s Top Six Superintendents of the Year
  • 2018 Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Championship
  • 2018 Top 25 Rated in North Carolina – Golf Advisor
  • 2018 Top 10 Arnold Palmer Designed Golf Courses in the World – Golf Digest
  • 2019 Best Golf Course in Raleigh – WRAL.com Voter’s Choice
  • 2019 Top 25 Elite Clubfitter in the United States (One of two at an 18-hole golf facility) – Golf Magazine
  • 2019 CGA North Carolina Junior Championship
  • 2019 Carolinas PGA Junior League Regional Qualifier
  • 2021 Ranked 12th among College Campus Courses – Golfers Choice
More accolades

Our Namesake: Lonnie C. Poole, Jr.

Lonnie and Carol Poole

Lonnie C. Poole, Jr. is the former chairman of Waste Industries, a solid waste services company serving more than 700,000 customers across five states that he founded in 1970.

A 1969 graduate of NC State, Poole has served as director of the NC State University Foundation and the Endowment Board, as well as several college-based foundations.  Along with his wife, Carol Lynn Poole, he provided a naming gift in 2007 for the Lonnie Poole Golf Course as well as the lead gift for the Carol Johnson Poole Clubhouse.

The Pooles have been joined by scores of generous donors from the NC State community to fulfill the vision for the golf course, clubhouse and practice facilities, which was built solely on private donations. It is only through ongoing support that we can continue to maintain the facility as one of the top public golf courses in the region.


Close-up of a hole at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.

Course Details

Hole Viewer

View each hole at LPGC in detail, with video commentary.


Scorecard, Ratings and Slope

View the course scorecard and course ratings provided by the Carolinas Golf Association.


A shaded pond, with a golf fairway and the clubhouse in the distance.

Course Design

LPGC has received much recognition from the golf community. Players of all skill levels marvel at the beauty and challenge the course offers.

Learn More About Design Features

Design Team

Our course was designed by the Palmer Course Design Company, including NC State alumni Erik Larsen and Brandon Johnson.

Learn More About the Design Team

Audubon Signature Sanctuary

LPGC is a certified Audubon International Signature Golf Sanctuary, passing strict sustainability standards and hosting wildlife conservation programs.

Learn More About Our Audubon Certification