‘Positive impact’: Durham opens new driving range, practice facilities at city’s oldest golf course

DURHAM, N.C (WNCN) — First opening more than 100 years ago, Durham’s oldest golf course is celebrating some huge upgrades.

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On Friday, the city-owned Hillandale Golf Course cut the ribbon on a brand-new driving range, putting green and short game facility.

Southern High School student Kamere Bishop is very familiar with the course. That’s because, for the last five years, it’s where Bishop’s been playing as a member of SwingPals.

The SwingPals program helps children facing adversity by teaching them character-building skills.

“I was able to really be able to connect to myself and with other people by just learning the simple fundamentals of just being able to regulate your emotions, whether you get some bad news at home or you make a really bad shot on the golf course,” Bishop said.

These new renovations give the SwingPals and many other programs more space to practice.

Until now, the driving range could only fit about 20 people. Now, it can serve almost 50 people.

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“We decided to make a decision in our business plan that we were going to create a facility that was going to have a positive impact within the Durham community,” Hillandale Golf Course Director of Golf Operations Karl Kimball said. “And the only way to do that is you have to get involved.”

Last year, Durham City Council voted to approve nearly $1 million to help bring these upgrades to life.

Amerazil Golf, which operates the course, donated hundreds of thousands to the project.

“It’s a piece of property that we don’t own, but we believe in what Hillandale does for the community of Durham,” Kimball said. “We want to make certain that that continues to happen and it has the obvious space for all the programs that we do to grow.”

For many players teeing off at the historic facility, it means much more than a chance to play the game.

“SwingPals wasn’t meant just for golf,” Bishop said. “It was really more of just a good way to be able to find yourself.”

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