PGA golfer Jay Haas buys Greenville’s Eagle Zone

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PGA golfer Jay Haas and his two sons are among a group of investors who have purchased the Eagle Zone driving range in Greenville with plans to invest more than $250,000 and turn it into a golf instructional center.

Haas and the investor group recently closed the sale of the 24-acre facility at 8000 Pelham Road for an undisclosed sum. They are planning to rebrand the facility with a new name in the coming months, according to a news release.

“I see the bones of a great facility with a comfortable, homey golf shop, driving range and clinic space that appeals to golfers of all ages,” said Haas, in the release.

Haas said he’s always been intrigued by driving ranges as the place most golfers develop their love for the game and first learn how to hit golf balls, the release said. Haas, who frequently drove past Eagle Zone and lives nearby, said he often took sons Jay Jr. and Bill to Eagle Zone, then known as Pelham Tees, when they were small boys.

The investor group includes Jay Haas Jr., who teaches at Greenville Country Club; Bill Haas, who competes on the PGA Tour, and Dillard Pruitt, who played on the PGA Tour and is now a PGA Tour rules official. The group also includes John Gerring, who manages Eagle Zone and has more than 50 years’ experience as a head golf professional at a variety of country clubs, the release said.

Haas said their plans call for using the group’s connections to bring in some of the country’s most experienced and notable golf coaches to conduct clinics along with himself and his sons.

In addition, Jay Jr. will offer one-on-one instructing, along with the facility’s six current instructors.

Haas said the group’s immediate plans include new mats, new balls and enhanced lighting, as well as retaining the instructors, club fitting, club repair and retail business. Renovations of the building could include displaying a variety of golf memorabilia that he and his sons have collected over the years, including Ryder Cup and President’s Cup gear, according to the release.

“Golf has been great to the Haas family and this is another way to give back to the game with instruction and an avenue for some to further enjoy the game while getting younger players to discover it,” Haas said.