On January 29, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved a special use permit for the development of a new training facility for the UNC men’s and women’s golf teams. The facility will be constructed at Finley Golf Club, located at 500 Finley Golf Course Road in Chapel Hill. Finley Golf Club recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and reopened the public in October of 2023.
According to the McAdams architecture firm’s project narrative submitted to the Town of Chapel Hill, the project will only disturb three acres of the 257-acre parcel of land which contains the golf club. The two-story, 13,000-square-foot team facility will include a parking lot, drop-off area and new access road from the existing clubhouse. In his presentation at the evidentiary hearing hosted by the council, UNC senior associate athletic director Rick Steinbacher noted the new building will also include upgraded locker rooms, lounges, offices, meeting spaces and study areas. The building will also include a publicly accessible lobby area featuring historical memorabilia from both teams, according to Steinbacher.
This map shows the overview of the proposed new team and training facility for the UNC golf programs at Finley Golf Club in Chapel Hill. The new team building is on the right side of the map. (Image via Town of Chapel Hill)
“I do think it’s really, really clear that this project will significantly enhance the contiguous property,” Steinbacher said. “And we think it will be a wonderful amenity added for the public.”
The recent Finley Golf Club renovations have already alleviated some problems which arose between the UNC golf programs and recreational golfers sharing the course. For example, McAdams noted a safety issue: the driving ranges used by UNC golfers and recreational golfers faced each other. A private driving range was constructed for the UNC teams during the renovation.
According to Kody Trowbridge, an engineer at McAdams, the access road to the new team facility will follow an existing golf cart path. It will be the second team building located on the golf course; the older building is located toward the southeastern end of the course.
“The current facility, it’s just not big enough,” said Steinbacher. “It’s nowhere near the size… of most varsity training programs. So it could be a wonderful golf training facility for the community, but it no longer meets the needs of the programs.”
The vote from Chapel Hill council members to approve the special use permit was unanimous.
Featured image via LS3P/McAdams/UNC.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Golf Earns No. 2 NCAA Seed, to Host Regional at Finley Golf ClubThe UNC women’s golf team will be the No. 2 seed at the NCAA’s Chapel Hill Regional at Finley Golf Club, which will be contested Monday, May 11 through Wednesday, May 13. Carolina is the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, which we host May 11-13 at UNC Finley Golf Club. https://t.co/kk0sNm3DGt […]
Ryan Gerard Flew Across 2 Oceans and 2 Seas. The Payoff was a Masters Invitation.Ryan Gerard left his home in south Florida at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 for a trip he never imagined taking this year, and one he didn’t regret.
Chansky's Notebook: Local and WorldlyCongratulations to Chapel Hill native and former UNC golfer Ben Griffin, who represented his country well at the Ryder Cup this weekend.
Parker Wolfe, Ethan Strand Among UNC's 2025 Patterson Medal WinnersUNC named the 2025 class of Patterson Medal winners Monday morning. The Patterson Medal is the school’s most prestigious individual athletics honor and has been awarded annually since 1924. Recipients must have competed in at least three seasons for UNC and have concluded their collegiate eligibility. The 2025 honorees are David Ford of the men’s […]
UNC Golfer David Ford Wins Haskins Award as National Player of the YearUNC senior golfer David Ford was named the winner of the Fred Haskins Award this week, honoring him as the national player of the year in men’s collegiate golf. Our 2025 Haskins Award presented by Stifel winner is David Ford of North Carolina!!! pic.twitter.com/CxHICtQR5A — The Haskins Award (@TheHaskinsAward) May 27, 2025 In addition, Ford […]
UNC Golf: Men No. 2 Seed, Women No. 3 Seed in NCAA RegionalsThe UNC men’s and women’s golf teams are both postseason-bound. The women’s team earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA’s Norman Regional, while the men’s team will be the No. 2 seed in the Urbana Regional. The regional appearance is the fourth in a row for the women’s team, which will be joined by […]
Chansky's Notebook: Chapel BenAt 28, UNC alum Ben Griffin has a chance to win multiple PGA events, as more and more of the media will discover his inspiring story.
David Ford Ties School Record as UNC Men's Golf Wins Tar Heel IntercollegiateThe UNC men’s golf team won on home turf during the weekend, taking first place in the Tar Heel Intercollegiate at Finley Golf Club. Carolina’s David Ford also won first place on the individual leaderboard, tying a school record with his seventh career tournament win. A one-shot win is Carolina's second of the season and […]
UNC Women's Golf Sets Program Record in Win at Yale Invitational WestThe UNC women’s golf program set a new program record for score to par in a three-round tournament with a 31-under to win the Yale Invitational West in California this week. The Tar Heels beat the previous record by seven strokes, and their 833 total team strokes are the second fewest in a single tournament […]
Permit Approved for New UNC Golf Training Facility at Finley Golf ClubOn January 29, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved a special use permit for the development of a new training facility for the UNC men’s and women’s golf teams. The facility will be constructed at Finley Golf Club, located at 500 Finley Golf Course Road in Chapel Hill. Finley Golf Club recently underwent a multimillion-dollar […]
›
