Finley Golf Course, home to the UNC men’s and women’s golf programs, is one of the country’s premier collegiate golf courses.
It rests just off NC-54 – near the Finley practice fields that Tar Heel lacrosse teams frequently hone their skills – and not too far from campus.
Carolina golfers had to play all their matches on the road last year, however, as Finley Golf Course underwent renovations to improve match-day experience.
There’s some good news coming to these Tar Heel golfers – their home course is almost complete.
On Friday, Sept. 29, longtime UNC journalist Lee Pace announced that Finley renovations were in their final stages.
While the course isn’t open for match play yet, Carolina golfers have been able to venture out there and practice their shots. They enjoy the new-look course.
“I was amazed,” UNC graduate student golfer Austin Greaser told GoHeels.com. “It’s a completely different golf course now. One of the cool parts is it’s actually pretty hard now for the top players. It can play significantly longer than before. We’re hitting more 7, 8 and 9 irons into greens now, where before we played a lot of wedges. It’s now a really good test of our game rather than being a course where you could wake up and shoot 3, 4, or 5 under no matter what.”
The coaches like the new look, too.
“The golf course is outstanding, Davis and his team did a great job,” UNC head women’s golf coach Aimee Neff told GoHeels.com. “It’s a more demanding golf course. The green complexes are much more challenging because there is so much more undulation. They’re big in size, but that can be misleading. Just being on the green doesn’t mean you have an easy two-putt. Before, the greens were pretty soft. Now approach shots and recovery shots are going to require a lot more skill.”
UNC’s women’s golf team, which is looking to grow even further in Year Three under Ness, unfortunately does not play at Finley this year. The Tar Heels host the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational on Monday, Oct. 8 and Tuesday, Oct. 9, but that will take place at the Governor’s Club on the south side of town.
The UNC men’s golf squad, which placed third at last year’s NCAA championships, will get to host match play at the brand new Finley Golf Course. Carolina will host a three-day, NCAA Regional next year from Monday, May 13 to Wednesday, May 15.
Next season, though, both the men’s and women’s programs will get to enjoys seasons full of matches at Finley.
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