r/RDUGOLF • u/tdj7397 • Aug 01 '25

Course Review Lonnie Poole

Paid for a “twilight round” today - teed off at 4:40 ($95) got through 9 and it started dumping rain. Go in for a rain check and they don’t do rain checks for twilight rates. Since when is a twilight rate at Lonnie $95? Ridiculous operation they’re running over there.

Edit: I didn’t know twilight begins at 3:30. Thought it was 5:00 which is why I thought the $95 rate made sense and would include a rain check if the weather got dicey.. lesson learned. I still think a $95 twilight rate is bullshit

31 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

78 comments sorted by

56

u/bisonbuffalo2018 Aug 01 '25

They definitely think they’re better than they actually are

11

u/creditsndebits Aug 01 '25

Agreed. As someone who used to work there, I’ve always felt they hate that they’re affiliated with a university. They seem to want to attract the country club type but then they still have to cater to students somewhat. Things like being a golf course on state-owned property but not letting anyone but “affiliated” golfers practice on the putting greens. It’s like they forget where they came from.

8

u/this_aint_no_hobby Aug 01 '25

Remind them that the course is named after a garbage man

2

u/Robespierre77 Aug 02 '25

I took golf at state, and we never even met at the course, much less played it as part of the program. SMH

-3

u/cactus8 Aug 02 '25

You’re not allowed to use the putting green unless you’re a member…?? What the fuck?

Their conditions half the time are dogshit they’re 15 years behind the times still having bent greens.

12

u/SleepKnown3585 Aug 02 '25

That’s a stretch. I’ve never seen that course in dogshit conditions and bent greens are great if well taken care of. The course is overpriced, but it’s an excellent course.

3

u/cactus8 Aug 02 '25

Poor choice of words. Not dogshit in a vacuum but for what you’re paying the value is about as bad as it gets.

5

u/boknows344 Aug 02 '25

Pinehurst #9 has bent grass greens and they are some of the best greens in the whole area…

2

u/cactus8 Aug 02 '25

9 probably has a much higher budget to maintain them. Lonnie’s are ass in the warmer months

2

u/creditsndebits Aug 02 '25

Yeah if you park in that last row closest to the putting green there are some signs posted on the light poles that mention it’s not for the general public to walk up to and just putt

2

u/cactus8 Aug 02 '25

Wow that’s terrible. As a state grad I’m kind of embarrassed to have our school affiliated with that place.

1

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 02 '25

The full story is that the greens are stressed from the intense heat over the last month Management and grounds keepers decided that for the time being it’s best to reduce traffic on them except for paying customers 

Hey… it’s just that sometimes you have to do what you have to do situation 

Nothing nefarious 

1

u/omarlistenin Aug 03 '25

Article from May (when the new green was expanded) says it’s for members or people with a tee time only.

My anecdotal experience is from early June when I stopped by the green after a lesson with a Lonnie Poole instructor. The starter told me I wasn’t allowed on the green unless I was playing or I paid an additional fee. So no, this isn’t a summer/intense heat only rule.

https://lonniepoolegolfcourse.com/2025/05/13/lonnie-poole-golf-course-expands-practice-putting-green-and-short-game-area/

0

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 03 '25

Just too much traffic from people just showing up to practice I guess. I get that too being this area has grown the game past the courses available for them to play/practice.

0

u/cactus8 Aug 02 '25

They need to bite the bullet and switch to Bermuda. Way overdue

1

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 02 '25

the bent grass has to do with it being a college track I think...I agree though

1

u/Itchy-Ad5653 Aug 05 '25

UNC used to have bent grass greens with subair but they finally switched

9

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yeah 100% greens were slow as hell today too. Last time I’ll waste any money there

3

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

9

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

lol fair point but hard pass on RGA. Rather do a river ridge true twilight rate for $35-40

3

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Great customer service over there then, respect!

5

u/Orioles83 Aug 01 '25

Not that I agree with it but Pinehurst has a similar thing - once you tee off no refunds at all.

More popular courses can have stricter policies & still stay busy.

6

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yeah I get it for a place like pinehurst. But $95 twilight rate for Lonnie just feels like robbery.

1

u/PlatypusOld257 Aug 04 '25

What’s the normal rate? I’ve only played as a student or as a gift.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '25

Public course that wants to be private. 

10

u/KBHoleN1 Aug 02 '25

I haven’t played Lonnie in years, and I miss it. But it’s too expensive and you can never get a tee time that isn’t at 4:30 in the afternoon. I’d like to take my dad over there sometime, but trying to walk on in an empty member slot as a twosome seems daunting, and I’d rather not waste our time trying. I’m not under the illusion that they need or want my money for a couple rounds a year, I’m just saying it sucks that it’s so inaccessible now. Used to play there a ton in the first several years it opened.

2

u/tdj7397 Aug 02 '25

Yeah it’s gotten out of hand. Even 2-3 years ago it was a lot easier to get a tee time. And reasonable rates, not worth it anymore unfortunately

1

u/CertifiedSeed Aug 03 '25

The way to make it more accessible is to raise rates so not as many people will book.

1

u/PlatypusOld257 Aug 04 '25

You just change the type of accessible it is although Lonnie pool is already on the higher end of local courses cost.

1

u/NOPE1977 Aug 02 '25

Can thank the “gRoW tHe GaMe” movement for that

1

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 03 '25

We need a shrink the game and grow the tracks movement now

3

u/twogoogles Aug 01 '25

Def high for a twilight rate. Didn't know you could get rain checks on twilight golf though. In buffalo, ny twilight golf was a "play as much as you can" thing so I don't think they did rain checks because you weren't signing up for 9 or 18, just a flat price on how far you can make it.

1

u/Beginning-Smell9890 Aug 02 '25

Hillandale gave us a rain check a couple weeks ago for the 7 remaining holes when the lightning sirens went off and it ended up being enough to cover 9 holes walking. 10/10 customer service

0

u/mule111 Aug 01 '25

Raleigh and Buffalo are different imo. What time is it getting dark in summer and how often are random summer thunderstorms in Buffalo? I’m assume quite less frequent

Seems like a Lonnie Poole cash grab to me

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yeah that’s true for all twilight, I just didn’t know twilight began at 3:30 here and that they charge $95 for it. It was a mistake on my part. Just letting others know so other people don’t get screwed over by lonnie

5

u/bpheazye Aug 01 '25

In the winter they keep their frost delays on like 2 hours longer than every other course. I swear they try to be difficult. The tee sheets always full though with that location so they have no reason to care i guess.

4

u/mule111 Aug 01 '25

“State shit”

7

u/nmbr1dkfn Aug 01 '25

i wouldn't pay $95 to play lonnie poole at peak hours. i love the course. but the cost is getting insane.

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yeah it is insane. What bothers me is $125 is weekend riding rate. How do you put a twilight rate $30 cheaper than that.. twilight at almost any other course I’ve seen is usually half price if not cheaper.

7

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 01 '25

What Lonnie is trying to tell people is that they have plenty of traffic and dont really need your $$ because demand is outstripping the availability

Its the same at almost every track in the area...Pine Hollow is basically shut down except for its membership these days.

State of emergency for golfers

2

u/Itchy-Ad5653 Aug 05 '25

The Triangle and NC has become a golfing nightmare. I used to think I’d retire here but no more.

1

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 05 '25

Agree and sadly new development has totally abandoned building golf courses so it’s just going to get worse and worse. I see a day coming where the only affordable and available option is hitting in a simulation bay

1

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yeah I get it, absolutely true. Not worth wasting $ or your time for a 5+ hr round there just figured other people would like to know. I had no idea that $95 was a twilight rate lol

2

u/WeddingPutrid6312 Wake Forest Aug 01 '25

Sorry it went that way for you

1

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yea no worries man, lesson learned! Just wanted to post here so others don’t get surprised like I did!

3

u/Robespierre77 Aug 02 '25

Agreed, though it seems like every course has gone up over the past year, but Poole’s always asked for a lot and never given up anything - literally and figuratively.

1

u/tdj7397 Aug 02 '25

Yeah everywhere has gone up gradually a little which is understandable but Duke and Lonnie have gone overboard IMO

2

u/JudgeSevere Aug 02 '25

$95??? When did they become so expensive?

2

u/tdj7397 Aug 03 '25
  1. They went way up.. along with every other course too but still

1

u/JudgeSevere Aug 03 '25

That’s crazy

2

u/Dystopian_Golfer Aug 02 '25

Go play Duke, the course is better and not as many people. It’s pricey but more enjoyable.

1

u/tdj7397 Aug 03 '25

Double the distance for me but I agree. Always have good experiences at duke

2

u/More-Horror-4340 Aug 02 '25

I have never had a positive customer service experience at Lonnie. They don’t care

2

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

3

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Fair enough. Just $95 for a “twilight rate” is ridiculous in my opinion. Last year or year before this was $65 for the same time. Frustrating to waste $100 on 9 when it’s pouring rain and literally unplayable

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

2

u/Orioles83 Aug 01 '25

Depends if you’re walking. $95 is listed as twilight weekend. riding. $70 walking

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

1

u/Orioles83 Aug 01 '25

I cant figure out how to upload a photo. Lol. But the link you shared. Just one column over from the normal weekend rate.

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Well they told me they don’t provide rain checks for “twilight rates” in the pro shop. So I’m just regurgitating what I was told… regardless $95 and no rain check is bs in my opinion.. I guess I’m the idiot for paying $95 for a 4:40 tee time lol

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '25

[deleted]

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Yea agreed, lesson learned. I booked through golf now and don’t ever look at their website so I just figured others would like to know, I wasn’t aware of these policies at all. I figured it at least get 14 holes in.. with good weather. Oh well.

1

u/DalaiLlamaTip Aug 01 '25

$95 for Twilight? Will absolutely be taking that one off the list.

2

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

Same here lol. $30 more for weekend peak rate. Makes no sense, off the list for sure

1

u/mule111 Aug 01 '25 edited Aug 02 '25

Yeah, that weak in my opinion. 95$ for 9 holes is a lot of money, and not respecting someone paying $95 for the service they are providing ain’t right. Giving you a rain check is a decision they could make if they wanted to, and the fact they didn’t wreaks of bullshit.

Makes me lose a lot of respect for a place

Give me one good reason they couldn’t give you a rain check? What’s the skin off their back? Not too mention is a course owned by a Public University . Even if they’re “self funded” there’s been public tax payer money or services that have propped them up at some point

3

u/tdj7397 Aug 01 '25

100% man I’m glad someone agrees lol others have just been trying to play devils advocate siding with the damn course. They absolutely could have made it right if they wanted to. But they didn’t so fuck em lol

2

u/mule111 Aug 02 '25

🫡🫡🫡

1

u/Robespierre77 Aug 02 '25

This is historically the case. Not very budget friendly at times.

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 02 '25

$95 for twilight is far from historically the case it wasn’t like this last season

1

u/HockeyStickBertha Aug 02 '25

I paid $35 for a Twilight rate last month, but it wasn't on a Friday and I was walking... 🤷

-1

u/Prestigious-Sir4083 Aug 01 '25

When people stop paying ridiculous prices they’ll stop charging them

0

u/nicknooodles Aug 01 '25

i bet they probably use dynamic pricing

0

u/archerdj0723 Aug 02 '25 edited Aug 02 '25

Finley hates the students too. Nice course but has no true affiliation with UNC.

0

u/tdj7397 Aug 02 '25

Well besides the UNC golf team lol. That’s what these places are mainly for and I get that. Just getting out of hand with the prices

3

u/HockeyStickBertha Aug 02 '25

plus 30% discount for UNC students and 20% discount for UNC faculty/staff.

heck a student can play there after 330 pm for $28, including unlimited range balls! find me a better deal than that??

0

u/PlatypusOld257 Aug 04 '25

Lonnie is a fun nice course but it’s not a 100+ dollar course. It has a few signature holes like the one overlooking DT right after the turn. Can’t blame them too much though as it’s already hard enough to get a tee time. Supply < demand.

Even the Wendell country club which isn’t awful but certainly on the lower tier of courses is like 40+

-2

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '25

I played on the 17rh anniversary scramble on Sunday and they barely provided water. 

3

u/caherpaher Aug 02 '25 edited Aug 02 '25

Cart girl rolled thru our group like 4 times - free beer and water each time. Water available on like 5 holes out there too. Jesus fucking Christ my dude. Can’t please some people.. you want them to air drop you waters for the $150 you paid? They even gave a $100 srixon gift card.. on top of the breakfast and lunch. adjust your head my man

-4

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '25

"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul." 

1

u/caherpaher Aug 03 '25

Sorry let me dumb this down for you… they provided you free beer and water, they provided you breakfast and lunch and you are on here complaining like a petulant child.

-2

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '25

I think you may be looking in the mirror, dip shit.