McConnell Golf, The Magazine - Summer 2016 by McConnell Golf

McConnell Golf The Magazine SUMMER 2016

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Contents WELCOME LETTER Remembering Sam Ruby and Tom Butters #MCGDREAM18 The next round of holes in the lineup

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MEMBERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CORNER A longtime member and a recap MAP

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CLUB COMMUNITY Latest happenings FOOTPRINTS ON THE GREEN A charitable delight for the senses CULINARY The healthy side of beef DRINK Beat the heat with berries

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ALONG THE TRAIL The perfect daytrip

TENNIS By the numbers FITNESS Swim team roundup

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KIDS Junior tennis standouts THE BACK NINE William McGirt MEMBER BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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Features THE FABLED FINISH

EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES A TALE OF TWO HISTORIC COURSES BEHIND-THE-SCENES www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

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Thanks for joining McConnell Golf at the 2015 Wyndham Championship. If you were unable to attend, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on the fun this year: Entertainment and activities for all ages await at Sedgefield Country Club on August 15-21. Contact your club for discounted member tickets.

2015 Wyndham PHOTO CREDIT TK

Championship

Scenes from the Make-a-Wish gala at Sedgefield Country Club. Photos by Mike Micciche.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

CULINARY By James “J.P.” Patterson III, Executive Chef Sedgefield Country Club

2015 Wyndham

Championship

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO CREDIT TK

From left to right, Tournament Director Mark Brazil, McConnell Golf President and CEO John McConnell, professional golfer Tiger Woods, Wyndham Vacation Ownership President and CEO Franz Hanning, professional basketball player Chris Paul, and Wyndham Worldwide Chairman and CEO Stephen Holmes.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

Sam Ruby

Tom Butters (center)

Life Mottos I LOVE SUMMER. IT IS REFRESHING to hear the echoes of kids’ constant exuberance, splashing and diving in our pools. Parents seem less stressed at our clubs knowing that homework is not an issue today, and memory-making abounds from summer vacation season. Warmer weather is perfect for outdoor activities; life takes on a slower pace. And then we end summer with the Wyndham Championship in mid-August at our historic Sedgefield Country Club — a time that I look forward to each year. This June, William McGirt won his first PGA tournament at The Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, which is Jack Nicklaus’s invitational tournament. William is a local hero in the Spartanburg area and played golf at Wofford. I first

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

met him at the Wyndham and have been a fan of his ever since. He is a fierce competitor, and persisted through many tough years to finally win his first tournament. Without a doubt, many people will be watching and cheering for him in next year’s Masters. (Incidentally, another of our members, Carl Pettersson, also won this prestigious event a few years ago.) Just like William McGirt, who kept plugging away for that first victory, I have goals remaining in life as well. Seeing Virginia Tech win a national championship in football would be awesome — I have been a diehard Hokie fan for over 50 years. I also want to make a double eagle in my golf game, something that has continually escaped me. Lastly, I want to catch a member or guest playing with range balls on our golf courses. Often, I’m thankful for meeting the so many wonderful people who are members at our clubs. Two of these individuals have moved on to their next season: Sam Ruby and Tom Butters. Mr. Ruby was a longtime member at Raleigh Country Club and played golf until he was almost 100 years old. You could see him riding all over the golf course searching for open holes, which he preferred to play solo in his later years. I’ll never forget the day I sat down to lunch with Mr. Ruby and asked him for

his secrets to such a long and healthy life. He looked at me with those steady big blue eyes he had and said, “Mr. McConnell, I have three things that worked for me. I inherited good genes, as my mother lived to be 107. I had a great business career along with a wonderful girlfriend (he never married). But that little shot of Grey Goose at lunch each day goes a long way.” Tom Butters, on the other hand, enjoyed being married to his beautiful wife, Lynn, and had children and grandchildren who were the apples of his eye. Tom was a great athlete and played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he is most noted for being the respected longtime athletic director at Duke. (He liked to remind you that he hired Coach K!) After his retirement, he always held court in the same chair at the 19th hole at Treyburn, where passersby could always look forward to a lively banter-filled chat. While he will be missed, he left a great legacy for a life well lived. We can all use his motto for living: “Forget the past, it is over and done, but learn from it. Live for today, as tomorrow is never promised.” I miss you guys.

John McConnell CEO & Founder

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SOCIAL By Brad King

#MCGDREAM18

OF THE 12 MCCONNELL GOLF PROPERTIES AND 225 HOLES, we’ve selected the best combination of holes for a par-72 Dream 18 (with help from member votes via the members-only website). Post your progress by playing the holes and tagging #MCGDREAM18. Here are the next eight … RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB McConnell Golf Director of Golf Brian “Boomer” Kittler has been operating out of Raleigh Country Club for the past 12 years; so few golfers know the intricacies of the venerable Donald Ross layout better than him.

RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB No. 13 – Par 4 From the tee, this hole looks like a slight dogleg left; but it’s best played from the right side of the fairway to provide the best angle to attack on your second shot. Bunkers on both the front left and right protect the green. Playing this hole late in the afternoon with the shadows on the green will make you think you are playing Augusta National.

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RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB No. 5 – Par 4 Make sure your tee shot finds the fairway on this dogleg right, as the approach shot to the green must carry the creek. Any errant shot will hit the bank short of the green and roll back in the hazard.

RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB No. 9 – Par 4 You have numerous options off the tee; avoid the deep fairway bunkers on the right side. If played correctly, this hole is a good birdie opportunity and a nice way to finish the outward nine.

RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB No. 18 – Par 4 Par is a good score on this tremendous finishing hole. The second shot plays slightly uphill — often hitting off a downhill lie — with the green protected by bunkers on both sides.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

7/13/16 6:46 PM

MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB From longtime Musgrove Mill member Tom Williamsen (read more about Williamsen on page 10):

mcconnellgolf.com CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER

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MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB No. 7 – Par 3 It almost seems as though the land was created to house this golf hole. The Enoree River bends at just the right place; the two-tiered green falls off dramatically front, right, and back. Many an elegy consisting of four letter words has been uttered on the walk to the next tee. MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB No. 2 – Par 3 The second hole is a drop-shot par 3 with an elevation change of about 40 feet. Standing on the tee, you think birdie, but there is so much that can go wrong on the trip down the hill — the hole has an elevation change of about 40 feet — that three makes you happy.

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MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB No. 18 – Par 4 A great finisher. If you hit a long tee shot you can crest the hill and tumble some 35 yards down to the 150-yard marker. Fail and you are left with 175-200 yard shot over perdition.

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MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB No. 9 – Par 5 This is a true three-shot par 5. It is relatively easy to find this wide fairway, but hit it too far down the left side and all of a sudden you’re reaching into the water for your ball. The green sits 20 feet above the fairway and features three plateaus; it is imperative to control the distance of the third shot to avoid a three-putt green.

PRODUCTION MANAGER

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7/13/16 6:46 PM

MEMBER’S CORNER By Jessie Ammons

Tom Williamsen Longtime Musgrove Mill-ian When Tom Williamsen joined Musgrove Mill two decades ago, it was a secluded haven for mostly local golfers. Twice a year, Williamsen and his wife, Faye, would make the six-and-a-half-hour drive from their northwestern Virginia home, bags packed for a weeklong stay. Williamsen says they looked forward to the quiet escape: “When you play the golf course, you don’t see any houses and you don’t see a road. The only thing you see out there are turkey and deer. Because they have cottages and rooms in the clubhouse, when we go, we park the car and don’t ever leave the property.” Now the couple have raised their grown children, Erik and Kaaren, and Williamsen has retired from his position as a Lutheran pastor. Always an avid golfer, the game is now his full-time focus. He serves on the Golf Digest rating panel, a group of about 1,000 golfers nationwide who visit courses year-round to rate them for the magazine’s annual Top 100 list of best places to play. With dozens of courses under his belt, Williamsen says Musgrove Mill is still his favorite. “The golf course is unique,” he says. “You don’t play it and think, ‘Oh, this is great, and it sort of reminds me of this golf course or that golf course.’ It stands alone.” Now, the couple have traded in their weeklong biannual vacations for more frequent weekend jaunts. If Faye is unable to join, Tom plugs into the “close-knit community” of members, specifically a group of “golf nuts” he’s gotten to know well over the years. And he’s sure to spend time with the Musgrove Mill staff, whom he now considers friends. “I’ve known Jeff Tallman for 30 years now and he’s the best golf pro I’ve ever had,” Williamsen says. “I always go down and talk to Deborah in the kitchen. The employees down there are just phenomenal.” As Musgrove Mill continues to garner acclaim, Williamsen reports that it has maintained every bit of secluded local charm. “You’re out in this pristine wilderness. A retreat is exactly what it is. It’s just a ball.”

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

August 15 - 21

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Visit wyndhamchampionship.com for tickets and information.

MEMBER’S CORNER By Josh Points

Rex Hospital Open A recap from TPC Wakefield Plantation’s director of golf I ONCE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO spend time around Jackie Burke, Masters champion and owner of Champions Golf Club in Houston. He described an analogy about tournament golf that has stuck with me: “Battlefields are special places because something historically significant happened on that soil. Similarly, that’s why tournament golf matters to courses.” In that spirit, Wakefield Plantation hosted its 16th Rex Hospital Open in May. Trey Mullinax — a Birmingham native who played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama — was the champion of the event with a 14-under-par

total. Wakefield’s own Web.com Tour players, Cameron Percy and Grayson Murray, each posted top-10 finishes. During the final round, there were only 14 total scores under par. We will have to see how the rest of the year plays out, but the 73.65 final round scoring average (par 71) might be the highest on the Web.com this year. This annual golf tournament is about much more than the game. Rex Hospital has a longstanding commitment to PGA Tour golf in the Raleigh community, and this was the 29th professional golf tournament the health care system has

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sponsored. This year’s event proceeds will go to a new Heart and Vascular Center. Over 450 volunteers helped make the event a success. Wakefield Plantation’s head starter Bob Bidwell was named the 2015 Web.com volunteer of the year and hit the ceremonial tee shot. Bidwell, a beloved part of the Wakefield community, also announced his 60th tournament this year. Overall, it was another opportunity for us at Wakefield to witness history being made on our battlefield. We’re already looking forward to next year.

From left to right: Superintendent Todd Lawrence, Director of Golf Josh Points, Assistant Pro Erica Gonzalez, Rex Open Winner Trey Mullinax, Assistant Pro Mason Gregg, Head Pro Matt Stewart, and Membership Director Michael Thomas.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2015

WYNDHAM By Irwin Smallwood

The Fabled Finish A reflection on the 2013 Wyndham Championship playoff

As the August twilight was about to descend on the lush fairways of Sedgefield Country Club on a soggy Sunday afternoon in 2013, little did the faithful who had remained for the Wyndham Championship playoff realize: They were about to witness the writing of the first draft of history. That Sunday conjured snapshots from the first four years of the golf tournament’s forebear, the Greater Greensboro Open, when then-fledgling professionals Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Byron Nelson jump-started their illustrious careers on the very same soil. No one then dreamed that the trio would later rule the PGA Tour and wind up as hall-offamers, just as precious few in the late summer of 2013 realized that they were seeing authentic stardom in the making. One of the contenders in the 2013 sudden-death playoff was still a teenager; the other had just turned 23. Both had been two-time participants in Greensboro’s American Junior Golf Association tournament, recently renamed the Haas Family Invitational. But what they produced was a finish that is bound to earn legendary status as the years speed by. Barely three years later, the then-teenager, Jordan Spieth, has been ranked No. 1 in the world and has won both the Masters and the U.S. Open. The man who beat him, Patrick Reed, is closing in on a top-10 world ranking. So what else was so great about that playoff? The shot. The shot.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

LOOKING BACK But that’s getting a little ahead of the story of the Wyndham Championship playoffs. Most of the 15 earlier ones had their moments to remember. Two of Snead’s eight GGO victories came in playoffs, and he let another slip away when Earl Stewart beat him and Art Wall; and Doug Ford did the same in one that lasted 19 holes. In 1972, George Archer had already packed his clubs in his car for the trip to the Masters when Arnold Palmer triple-bogeyed away a two-shot lead with three holes to play, plopping Archer and Tommy Aaron into an unexpected overtime that Archer won with a par. Along the way there were also such notable playoff winners as Julius Boros, Gene Littler, Sandy Lyle, Ryan Moore, and Rocco Mediate, and such not-so-notable winners as Bud Allin, Trevor Dodd, and Frank Nobilo, the latter now a Golf Channel analyst. But the shot is what they will still be writing about when the tournament turns 100 or so — that and the two young lions who appear destined to become hall-of-famers. Turns out there was more than a little drama before Reed and Spieth got to the decisive second hole of the playoff in 2013. The final round of regulation had pretty much belonged to them as Spieth bested Reed by a stroke, 65 to 66, in the wake of overnight rains and an early morning storm that delayed play for three hours. And then came the real stuff.

Jordan Speith now has Masters and U.S. Open wins under his belt. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so lucky at the 2013 Wyndham Championship.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

WYNDHAM GOLF

In His Words No story of The Shot would be complete without hearing how it came about from the young man himself. Here is Reed’s version of how he managed to pull off the minor miracle, edited for clarity: “Where my ball landed there was a little bit of dirt, a couple pieces of grass, twigs, a couple spiders, basically anything you’d find in a wilderness ... Actually, there was a wire next to my ball but I was able to move it. The lie was fine, but I felt like I was back playing T-ball. The ball was so far above my feet that it almost felt like I was taking a baseball swing. I had trees, I had a tree overhanging, I couldn’t see the flag. I saw two blue towers behind the green and I knew that the green was on the right edge of the tower. That line literally was two yards left of the tree trunk. ‘Just do what my swing coach has told me to do,’ I said to myself. Work on timing; get in a good pattern. It’s so hard for me to do that because I play draws ... I hit a three-quarter 7-iron. It was a full 8-iron distance but if I tried to hit something hard, that thing would have gone left. We just clubbed up one and I pulled it off.” Pulled it off, indeed!

PLAY-BY-PLAY On the first extra hole, Sedgefield’s parfour 18th, Spieth drove into the woods on the left and had to play a safety shot back into the fairway. Meantime, Reed split the middle with a textbook tee ball, and after Spieth put his third on the green, a good 26 feet from the pin, Reed hit another perfect one, leaving him maybe seven feet for a possible winning birdie. But not so fast. Spieth, whose heroics with the putter have since become legendary around the world, curled in the putt with a good two-foot break. Par. Reed, perhaps a bit shaken, missed his birdie try and off they went to the 10th tee.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

This time it was Spieth who hit the perfect tee shot, right down the middle of the uphill par four, and Reed found the trouble. Big trouble, it first appeared. Out of bounds in the trees to the right, someone signaled. As Reed later recounted, he was in shock. “My heart sank,” he says, but then came a turn of events that in the end saved the day. “All of a sudden,” he says, “three or four other people started running out on the fairway and gave me the safe signal.” Cut to the chase. Though just 150 yards or so from the green and inbounds, his ball was, as they often say, in jail. There was no way he could

reach the green, right? Wrong. With Spieth already on the green in two and within good (10 feet) birdie range, Reed smacked a three-quarter 7-iron under an overhanging tree limb, straight as a string, and it stopped seven feet below the hole. The shot. Of a lifetime for Reed, as it turned out. Spieth was the one a bit spooked this time, and his birdie attempt lipped out. Reed’s was dead center for a shot that earned him his first PGA Tour victory, and a certain place for him and Spieth in the storied history of the venerable old tournament a hearty band of young businessmen dreamed up eight decades ago.

CLUB COMMUNITY

Club Happenings THE RESERVE GOLF CLUB TITLEHOLDER Ashley Sloup won the 90th Carolinas women’s Amateur Championship, the longest running women’s amateur golf championship in the Carolinas.

PROVIDENCE COUNTRY CLUB FOOD FOR THOUGHT On May 17th at the new menu preview night, Executive Chef Jason Neal showcased his expertise by serving a selection of his soonto-be-featured dishes.

OLD NORTH STATE CLUB AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY The 4th of July celebration included live music, rock wall climbing, extreme board surfing, balloon tosses, face painting, cornhole, a contest for the best-decorated golf cart, and — of course — fireworks.

TPC WAKEFIELD PLANTATION YOUNG FUN Play-Well TEKnologies brought over 20,000 Legos to The Sports Club for a Minecraft-themed Kids’ Night Out. Children made their own motorized Lego vehicles and enjoyed dinner and snacks. BROOK VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE From the red carpet entrance to the tiaras and jewelry gift boxes, each one of the girls left feeling like a princess from this classic club favorite event.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

MUSGROVE MILL GOLF CLUB GUYS’ TRIP The Wakefield Senior Men’s Golf Association had a great time staying on-site for an entire weekend at their sister property, Musgrove Mill.

TREYBURN COUNTRY CLUB MEMORIAL DAY Despite gloomy weather, grilled burgers and hotdogs, a fish taco station, and ice cream floats helped kick off the pool season with a bang.

HOLSTON HILLS COUNTRY CLUB ANNUAL INVITATIONAL 144 players from across the country turned out for the 2016 Holston Hills Invitational. The Level II Player of the Year event for the Tennessee Golf Association remains both popular and competitive.

RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB EGG HUNT The annual Easter Egg hunt is always a member favorite. The children show up in their Easter best for the egg hunt, enjoy a magic show, and leave with their faces painted.

SEDGEFIELD COUNTRY CLUB CHEF’S TABLE The culinary staff has introduced Chef’s Table, a unique event where members dine in the kitchen and learn how flavors are combined to create a mouthwatering menu.

GRANDE DUNES SIP AND SWING In April, ladies played a 9-hole practice round of golf — with wine and hors d’oeuvre stations along the way. The ladies’ night ended at the clubhouse with a final wine tasting.

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF ASHEVILLE KENTUCKY DERBY VIEWING PARTY Ladies wore their most extravagant hats and men showcased seersucker suits for festive dishes such as Kentucky Derby Pie and mint juleps. Prizes were awarded to the best dressed male and female members.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

FOOTPRINTS ON THE GREEN By Jessie Ammons

Art and Soul An annual festival delights the senses and engages the community all year long BENEATH A TENT STUDDED WITH STRING LIGHTS, guests mill about enjoying hors d’oeuvres and wine. The air is full of the gentle whir of friendly chatter, and friends scope out a table of trips and prizes available to win in a silent auction. This is the Pawley’s Island Wine and Food Gala at The Reserve Golf Club — and it’s only one event in the Pawley’s Island Festival of Music and Art lineup. The annual fall festival is one of the few times The Reserve prepares its grounds for an event other than golf, and it’s a welcomed change of pace. “People come from all over,” says Club Manager Donald Clement. “Folks come and stay from out of town to attend.” Over three consecutive weekends, there are concerts, a fresh-air painting class, the wine-andfood experience, and a seated dinner; 90 percent of the events happen at The Reserve. “This is our fifth year of hosting,” Clement says. “It’s a big three weeks, to say the least.” To say more, the nonprofit celebration has existed in some capacity for more than two decades. “We believe in the value of the arts as an essential part of civilization,” states the organization’s website, “and in its role of preserving accomplishments of humanity.” The musical-performance-heavy yearly roster enhances cultural awareness, and the events raise money for both the festival itself and its outreach efforts. Festival-goers don’t just enjoy themselves — and they do — they support local art education, too. When it’s not festival time, the organizing board of directors is busy coordinating band and chorus workshops and dance classes with nearby public schools. Program funding is entirely dependent on proceeds from the festival. This year’s celebration takes place on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of each weekend from September 24 – October 15. McConnell Golf is happy to contribute discounted venue space throughout the festival: Events at The Reserve begin September 29.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO CREDIT TK

Scenes from the Make-a-Wish gala at Sedgefield Country Club. Photos by Mike Micciche.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

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GOLF

Experience of a Lifetime Holston Hills Country Club golf shop manager Tom “Tee-time” Seymour recounts a memorable Masters

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Jordan Spieth at the No. 8 tee on Sunday, April 10, at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 80th Masters Golf Tournament.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

GOLF

Australia’s Jason Day plays a shot on No. 16 during Round 1 of the Masters.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

“All I wanted was to hear that roar of a crowd on a Sunday at the Masters, and I got to hear it three times. It was incredible.” Holmes. I almost missed the holein-one because after Oosthuizen hit Holmes, I looked over at Jordan to get his reaction. He screamed at me to look back at Oosthuizen and I saw the last six inches of the ball go into the hole. The crowd was going absolutely crazy. All I wanted was to hear that roar of a crowd on a Sunday at the Masters, and I got to hear it three times. It was incredible. What are the odds on this? They’ve got to be in the billions and trillions that there are three hole-in-ones, on the same hole, and I get to see them all because I’m at the Masters on a Sunday. It was almost a religious experience. The next day at work in Knoxville, it was all Jordan and I could talk about. I’ve probably told the story to every member at the club. I’ve been there 17 years now, and the people at Holston Hills have become my family: It felt like coming home to tell all my brothers and sisters what had happened.

The only thing that would be better than this is if I actually get to play the course one day, which I know is never going to happen. Although, I never thought I’d get to be at a Sunday round, either — never say never in golf. But I don’t think it’s going to happen. I will definitely try to get down to Augusta again. If I don’t, it’s all good. I just wanted to be there one time for that final round. It was amazing.” —J.A.

MCCONNELL GOLF ONLINE FROM THE PROS Helping McConnell Golf members improve their game is one of the most rewarding aspects for our team of golf professionals. Visit YouTube.com/McConnellGolf for our first instructional video and follow along as we build a digital library of know-how.

PHOTO PAGE 24: KOHJIRO KINNO /SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES; PHOTO THIS PAGE: SHANNON MCGEE

“ONE OF MY BUCKET LIST ITEMS was to be at a Sunday round in Augusta. I didn’t know I was going until the Tuesday before the Masters — tickets fell into my hands. Our head golf pro, Chris Dibble, encouraged me and assistant golf pro Jordan Fairbank to go. We stayed about two hours away the night before and drove in on Sunday morning. I didn’t sleep at all the night before, not a wink. I was so excited. I’m 55 years old and I’ve played golf since I was five. It’s always been my passion. I grew up watching Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer at Augusta. On Sunday, we had been following the crowds all day; but right as Jason Day teed off, I decided to go over to hole 16. I got there five minutes before Shane Lowry knocked his hole-in-one in. He hit it exactly where you need to hit it on Sunday in Augusta. At the time, there were probably only 300-400 people around the hole. It wasn’t super crowded. Of course, by the time Louis Oosthuizen came later, people were going insane. But first Davis Love came up. When he hit his hole-in-one, he hit it behind the hole. Everybody thought it was going to be 10-15 feet away, but the ball stopped for a second and made a U-turn by the water. Nothing can compare to Louis Oosthuizen hitting his ball off of J.B.

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Walking the course at the 2015 Wyndham Championship.

I’ll Never Forget … Members share their cherished tournament memories “AT THE WYNDHAM PRACTICE round last year, Tiger was on [Sedgefield Country Club] property but it was raining all afternoon. Word was spreading around the grounds that he was going to play a quick 9 with Davis Love: My son heard that they were going out at 6 p.m. I raced over from my house and caught up with them on the first green. We watched the 9 holes and then Tiger signed autographs until it got dark. It was great to see him be so appreciative towards the fans, especially the kids. I was standing up by the Pro Shop when my son and a couple of his buddies went screaming by us … they said

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

they were going to get a picture with Tiger Woods. I said good luck while thinking to myself, ‘Yeah right.’ Anyway, they got a picture that Tuesday night around 9 p.m. That’s Jack Boyer, Jace Harriss, and Jay Stiefel — with Tiger Woods (see photo below left). It’s a moment they will remember forever.” —David Boyer, Sedgefield Country Club “FOR ME THE GREAT MOMENT AT Wyndham each year is standing with our grandsons at the 18th green and watching them get golf balls, gloves, and hats from the players. Then they run to the scorer’s trailer, waiting for these players to come out and sign the gloves, hats, and other items. I remember that [Arnold Palmer’s grandson] Sam Saunders gave my grandson his hat, then autographed it. Ernie Els signed a golf glove. And many more players have been so very accommodating to the children. Our grandson came on Saturday and could not wait to get back on Sunday. It’s a great weekend and great time for families.” —Jim Barnes, Raleigh Country Club

“RICK AND I WERE USGA marshals at the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club (pictured above). At that time, tournament marshals walked inside the ropes, and it was a thrill for both of us. Since then, Rick became a USGA Rules Official and Competition Committee member. Golf is the cornerstone of our philanthropy and we both serve on the Executive Committee of the SCGA and SCJGA, respectively. Play Golf America!” —Ellen (and Rick) Miller, The Reserve Golf Club

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CULINARY By Jessie Ammons

Beef It Up IT’S HARD TO BEAT A JUICY STEAK grilled outside in the summertime — and you don’t have to. Often considered a special-occasion indulgence, a quality cut of beef can actually be part of a fresh and healthy everyday menu. McConnell Golf Corporate Executive Chef Mike Marques says the most common mistake with steak is overdoing it. “People try to go crazy. Salt and pepper: That’s all you really need.” Rather than the classic rib-eye or filet, Chef Marques recommends exploring more affordable and less fatty cuts of beef for your steak: Look for flank (also called London broil), flat iron (also called coulotte and shoulder tender), and chuck tenders. Instead of gussying up meat with butter and oil, pay attention to temperature and preparation. “A room temperature steak cooks better than a cold one,” Marques advises. “Leave it out for 20 minutes before cooking.” When the meat is close to room

Try topping your steak with a reduced balsamic or pomegranate molasses, both available at the grocery store. Or, make a gastrique by combining equal parts of vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it reduces by half. All three garnishes “add a little bit of acidity to balance the full-bodied steak flavor,” says Chef Marques. TK

temperature, generously add salt and let it rest for five minutes, then add pepper. Put the seasoned beef on a grill — charcoal, gas, or whatever you prefer — and cook it slightly below the temperature you’re comfortable eating (so if you prefer medium, cook it to a medium-rare). The key to getting the desired result is to let the steak rest off the grill for ten minutes. “The resting period is important because all of the steak’s juices rush into the center.” Finally, cut the steak across the grain with a smooth chef’s knife, not a serrated one. “Once your juices have rested and flavored the meat, cutting it releases some of those juices to tenderize the steak.” Attention to detail will season a good steak better than any sauce. “You don’t need a lot of fat to have a flavorful steak,” Marques says. “As long as you follow the procedure of cooking it, letting it rest, and slicing it across the grain, you will enjoy a really great steak without breaking the bank.” Or your waistline. What’s not to love?

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Position Play Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an inventive way to prepare a whole beef tenderloin this summer. Pork drippings combine with charcoal to create a complex smoky flavor that infuses the beef simply by grilling it. Ingredients - Beef tenderloin - 3-5 slices of bacon fat back or lardons (skewered) - salt and pepper (to taste) - natural charcoal Place all charcoal on one side only of grill. Light charcoal and allow to burn. While charcoal heats, season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Place skewered pork on charcoal edge of grill so that as it heats, fat drips on coals. Place beef on charcoal-less side of grill to cook. Turn as needed and cook to desire doneness. Remove from grill and let rest ten minutes.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

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DRINK

Berry Bliss WHETHER YOU’RE IN THE mountains, the Lowcountry, or the rolling hills in between, Southern summers mean heat and humidity. Cool off from a day on the course with this refreshing concoction by mixologist Monica Walker at The Reserve Golf Club. Citrus liqueur balances blueberry-infused vodka, and cranberry juice adds a bit of tartness. The result is a thirst-quenching cocktail meant for enjoying on a patio with friends.

Berry Bliss Ingredients 1 ½ oz. Smirnoff blueberry vodka ½ oz. blue Curacao liqueur 4 oz. cranberry juice Sugar, for garnish Fresh blueberries, for garnish Instructions Combine vodka, liqueur, and juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with sugar. Garnish with skewered fresh blueberries. The Reserve Country Club

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

ALONG THE TRAIL By Matt McConnell

The Perfect Daytrip Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for a jaunt to Treyburn

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

ON ANY BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY, I LOVE TRAVELING TO TREYBURN COUNTRY CLUB. From Raleigh, the 45-minute drive takes you through historic Bull City — also known as Durham, N.C. — and into the quiet scenery of Northern Durham. The meandering, bucolic drive is relaxing after you pass the city, and the end destination is one of the most visited McConnell Golf properties. Here are a few high points to hit for a perfect day there.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

ALONG THE TRAIL

Hole No. 17 reflects the wilderness surrounding the entire course.

THE FACE OF THE CLUB After dropping off your golf bag with the cart attendants, spend time catching up with Director of Golf Tag Wylie. Wylie has been with the club for 16 years and is possibly the most welcoming and accommodating golf pro in McConnell Golf. Besides providing you personalized service, his next goal is to give you a good laugh; so be sure to get as much time with the face of the club as you can. “Basically, we’re the course in the countryside for the members of Wakefield and Raleigh, who have bigger, busier memberships,” Wylie will tell you. He notes that Treyburn only logged a modest 14,000 rounds in 2015, which means there is always a tee time waiting for you. Wylie can’t wait to meet any visiting member, but especially appeals to outgoing on-the-go golfers. “The most positive thing is that we try to bring the

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Hole No. 18 is known as one of North Carolina’s best finishing holes.

fun every day for all McConnell Golf members. We have that ‘rustic, I’m out in the country’ feeling, and we’re away from the busy, jamming places and all the construction. If you are regularly entertain clients, McConnell Golf has golf courses in every major city in North Carolina. Everyone feels comfortable and welcomed, always, because they are. The McConnell Golf experience for corporate people is a layup if you ask me.” ‘A JEWEL OF A GOLF COURSE’ I will never forget the late Tom Butters (read more about him on page 6) once declaring, “Treyburn is a jewel of a golf course.” Considering that this man was an avid golfer who played some of the best courses in the world, that’s quite the statement. Truly, there’s no better way to describe this Tom Fazio golf tract. Every hole is unique, flanked by wil-

derness and wildlife. One of my favorite holes — one I consider a bit of an unsung hero at Treyburn — is No. 3. Every time I am there, I stand in the fairway (if my drive makes it there) to just enjoy the moment, realizing, “This is it, I’ve made it to my sanctuary.” But tranquil moments like this continue as you have 15 more golf holes to go. The No. 8 tee box is possibly the best tee box to hit off of in North Carolina. Elevated way above the fairway, you are as close to heaven as you are going to get for miles. Not only that, you typically hit your golf ball 20 yards farther. If you wind up at Treyburn on a hot day, I’ll let you in on a secret: The coolest area to stop your golf cart is between the No. 14 tee box and your next shot. The cart path wraps around to the right at probably the lowest elevation on the course and lies under the shade of a thick wooded area. Not only is it a great

You won’t soon forget one of executive chef Pedro Villasana’s meals.

spot to cool down, but most of the time you will find deer wandering right by you. Amazingly, the deer are so used to the golfers, they don’t even flinch. You’ll finish, of course, at No. 18, which is an incredible but intimidating par-four. Depending on your drive, you likely need to lay up short of the green. Surrounded by a creek and some bunkers, 18 is known as one of North Carolina’s best finishing holes. Getting on that green in two strokes is definitely considered a successful day, regardless of your overall score. A LOCKER ROOM OF LEGENDS Following play, walking through the 19th hole to the men’s locker room is a must — sorry, ladies. As you clean up before dinner, check out the lockers of legends such as Grammy Awardwinning saxophonist Branford Marsalis and basketball hero and five-time MVP of the NBA Michael Jordan. If you

“You are as close to heaven here as you are going to get for miles.”

don’t have the time to get a guest locker next to these guys, then you at least need to stop by just to lay eyes on these legendary lockers. FOODIE FINISH Assuming you’ve worked up an appetite, trust Treyburn’s executive chef Pedro Villasana to finish the day with an exquisite meal. His culinary work is raved about throughout McConnell Golf, not to mention the welcoming dining room atmosphere. During the

cooler winter months, enjoy a cozy, private fireside dinner in the Sanford Library. Any season is a good time for a casual bite to eat in the Fazio Grille. And warm summer evenings call for a meal al fresco on the spacious veranda overlooking the signature 18th hole. No matter how busy your schedule, find time for a daytrip to Treyburn. No need to wait for a Sunday like me — a visit on any day of the week is sure to be personalized, pastoral, and memorable.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

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Crowds gather to watch an exhibition match on September 25, 1966 celebrating the opening of Brook Valley Country Club.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

HISTORY By Brad King

A Tale of Two Courses Sedgefield and Brook Valley Country Clubs have great reasons to celebrate

THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES OF THE PAST DECADE have not been kind to many sporting or leisure businesses. And that includes private country clubs. In that regard, the ability not only to survive but also to thrive is exactly what McConnell Golf celebrates with its member clubsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; major anniversaries. Such is the case with two of the clubs in the McConnell Golf stable: Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, and Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, N.C., which turns the big five-o.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

HISTORY

Sam Snead and Mike Souchak face off against Ben Hogan and Charlie Smith at Brook Valley Country Club.

A LEGACY RICH IN TOURNAMENTS McConnell Golf made its stamp on The PGA Tour with its February 2011 acquisition of Sedgefield Country Club. The Greensboro institution had been a member-owned, private club since its founding in 1926 — renowned especially for its Donald Ross design that annually hosts the world’s best during The Wyndham Championship, the Piedmont Triad’s annual PGA Tour event, which began in 1938 as the Greater Greensboro Open (GGO). Sam Snead won the inaugural tournament and would go on to capture the GGO eight times. From1938 to1961, Sedgefield was the alternate site of the GGO with Starmount Forest Country Club, and Sedgefield hosted the GGO for 16 consecutive years through 1976. The tournament moved to Forest Oaks Country Club in 1977, but in 2008 moved back to Sedgefield for good. Arnold Palmer once said that out of all the tournaments he didn’t win, he regretted most never having won the PGA Championship — and the GGO, Palmer said, because the Champions’ Board at Sedgefield comprised a veritable who’s-who of golf’s glory years — including names like Hogan, Snead, Nelson, Casper, Goalby, and Player.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Perhaps no other non-major championship has ever accumulated such a stately list of champions. In 2006, Sedgefield spent more than $3 million to restore the course to its original specifications with tweaks to accommodate modern golf technology. Noted Donald Ross course restoration architect Kris Spence led the effort. Using drawings by Ross from the late 1940s, as well as a few aerial photographs from different eras, Spence restored the putting surfaces to their original sizes and rebuilt all the bunkers in their approximate positions to reflect the Ross style, while also adding around 400 yards of length to the course. In 2012, with an eye to having Sedgefield’s golf course ranked among the state’s top 10 — and preventing the club’s maintenance staff from having to worry about hot weather and its effects on bent grass greens every summer — McConnell Golf decided to convert Sedgefield’s green complexes to the more heat-resistant Champion Bermuda. All the improvements reached a pinnacle during the 2015 Wyndham Championship, which was one for the ages. First the “Tiger Woods Effect,” which became a tsunami: record numbers

across the board and daily viewership off the charts. The second-round telecast was the most-watched Friday on the Golf Channel since Woods’ last win at the 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Ratings that day were up 234 percent from last year’s second round at the Wyndham. The weekend was even better as Saturday’s 3.2 rating on CBS matched what the network drew during the third round of the year’s final major, the PGA Championship. Sunday’s final round was the best rating for a non-major on any network since May 2013 for Woods’ win at The Players Championship. The rating was also the highest for a non-major on CBS since Woods’ win at the AT&T National in July 2012. The 2015 Wyndham featured a Sunday shootout leaderboard with some of the world’s most talented up-and-comers battling several of the game’s legendary elder statesmen for not only a nearly million-dollar prize, but also the right to continue their playing seasons. This year’s Ryder Cup captain and local favorite Davis Love III gave the 2015 Wyndham a champion few might have imagined — and yet a perfect champion. The immense history, the Wyndham’s place on the tour schedule, the move

Travel through time on Sedgefield Country Club’s northeast staircase where historical moments from the club’s long and eventful past surround your every step.

back to Sedgefield’s Ross Course, and the club’s purchase by McConnell Golf, all have been major factors in the tournament’s — and Sedgefield’s — exciting resurrection. SUBLIME COURSE ARCHITECTURE In 1760, a tract of land in Greenville, N.C., now occupied by Brook Valley Country Club, became part of a royal grant bestowed by King Charles to a family who later sold the property to another family, the Brooks. They maintained the land for centuries before selling the large tract for development. Brook Valley reflects the family name, and today a copy of the royal charter adorns the club’s front walls. Ellis Maples, who worked under and learned from Donald Ross, designed the Brook Valley golf course. Brook Valley’s rich history includes an exhibition match between legends Sam Snead and Ben Hogan. Reynolds May — one of the development’s original investors and a promoter — was friendly with many of the world’s best golfers at the time. After helping develop the golf course, he established the Reynolds May Tournament that featured many top professionals. The trophy from that event still resides at the club, bearing

names of many great champions — including a young Curtis Strange, who captured the inaugural event at Brook Valley, as well as 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson. Today, Brook Valley’s future appears bright following the club’s 2015 purchase by McConnell Golf. The purchase immediately jump-started numerous improvements to the facilities, with the goal of transforming Brook Valley into one of the finest clubs in eastern North Carolina — and added real estate value for the 600 houses in the neighborhood. In 2015, Brook Valley’s golf course and practice area were renovated under the tutelage of renowned Greensboro-based golf course architect Kris Spence — a move expected to garner acclaim. Spence is known for restoring Rossand Maples-designed golf courses. Like Ross and Maples, Spence designs from the perspective of a golf course superintendent. Spence’s work at Brook Valley included bunkering and one green modification (No. 2), along with significant tree removal and the relocation of a number of cart paths. Spence called Brook Valley an “out of the box” design for Maples, mostly due to its intricate cross bunkering. “We have brought the Ellis Maples bunkering back, as well as adding a few

bunkers to modernize the golf course,” Spence says. “Brook Valley is a very nice mix of golf holes with a lot of variety. The par-5s, in particular, are some of the best three-shooters I’ve seen. It’s not long, but it is a great membership golf course.” The difference is noticeable. PGA Tour professional Will MacKenzie grew up in Greenville and regularly played Brook Valley. “Everyone always said Brook Valley was the best layout in Greenville” says MacKenzie. “It’s definitely got some of the best rolling terrain we have in Greenville. Brook Valley’s golf course was always a step above the others (in the area) in shot quality and feel, how the golf course was routed. But it needed to be restored. McConnell Golf came just in time.”

WATCH HISTORY UNFOLD Don’t leave it to your imagination, catch a smile and wave from Sam Snead and Ben Hogan at YouTube.com/McConnellGolf.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

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McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

TENNIS

Keeping Score

Providence Country Club’s tennis program by the numbers 100+ KIDS were at this summer’s annual tennis camp (see inset photo)

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are hosted annually The adult tournament won the North Carolina tournament of the year in 2014!

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An average player burns around 500 CALORIES in a onehour tennis clinic

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There are 3 USPTA CERTIFIED tennis professionals on staff … they spend 500+ HOURS each month teaching on the court

Join us for McConnell Day at the Winston-Salem Open the week of August 21. Members across all properties will enjoy a pre-event gathering and watch the action together. Save the date for the Ladies Tennis Trip to Old North State Club November 4 - 6. Contact your club’s tennis pro for details! www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

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MAINTENANCE/AGRONOMY By Jessie Ammons

Behind the Scenes Getting Wyndham-ready takes all hands on deck As the days get longer and winter gets the last few frosts out of her system, Michael Shoun can be found scribbling strategies into a notebook, envisioning summer. He’s not wistfully daydreaming, though: McConnell Golf’s director of agronomy is preparing for the Wyndham Championship, an undertaking that begins in February. Alongside routine tournament maintenance — which is thorough, constant, and extensive — an event of Wyndham’s caliber includes a few extra steps, too. AHEAD OF THE GAME “Planning is tremendous,” Shoun says of preparing for the annual tournament held at Sedgefield Country Club, this year August 15-21. The late winter and early spring months are spent considering procedural agronomic needs so that Shoun and his colleagues can order the appropriate fertilizers and properly prepare Sedgefield’s soils. Come March and April, meetings with the Wyndham organizers begin. It’s then that the championship’s layout is set — where private boxes will go, what course fences will be removed to make room for crowds. “The infrastructure is incredible,” says Shoun, “and getting all of that on-property without damaging the golf course is very much a challenge.”

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Luckily, Shoun says there’s a team of experts more than up to the task. “We work with so many other entities to get it done.” And by tournament time, the logistics are a well-oiled machine. Shoun brings two maintenance employees from every property with him to Greensboro, alongside a troupe of volunteers. (All in total, a group of 60 workers goes out at both morning and nighttime shifts; Shoun reserves a block of 25 hotel rooms to house the entire team.) They arrive a day or two before the tournament begins to undergo training and for an extensive tour of Sedgefield’s grounds. An extensive tour may seem like an unnecessary task, until Shoun explains: “Our morning shift starts early. A golf course looks a lot different at two in the afternoon than at three-thirty in the morning.” It’s all in the name of the game. MAINTENANCE MAGIC The Wyndham is a big deal, and Shoun and his team take the event seriously. Extra flower beds are planted. An 8-10-person crew keeps parking lots clean, pine straw refreshed, and flower beds weeded at all times. Annuals are watered by hand. Since it’s a televised PGA tour, a bit of maintenance magic happens: “We dye the pond black to reflect blimps that fly

overhead,” Shoun explains. “We begin dyeing on Monday, add dye throughout the week, and CBS starts broadcasting on Thursday.” For the maintenance crew, it’s a week of little sleep and a lot of attention to detail. “It’s challenging on day four or five, when you’ve slept maybe three hours a night,” Shoun says. To thank them, volunteers and industry partners provide home-cooked midday feasts: ribs, fried chicken, and other hearty fare. Early-morning shifts begin with coffee and donuts, and then a full Southern breakfast is served a few hours later. “They eat good when they’re here,” Shoun says. For afternoon pick-me-ups, there’s a crew tent stocked with coffee, energy drinks, ice cream bars — and cots. “In the maintenance facility at about 12 noon, you’ll see 15 or 20 guys trying to get a nap in,” Shoun says with a chuckle. “It’s good to get a power nap, as long as you keep your radio next to you.” The net result of this well-coordinated effort is that if the crew does its job well, all of the intensive detail work is part of the perfect presentation for the Wyndham event. It’s quietly gratifying work. “I think it’s well worth it, and I know any of the guys who do it think so, too. You’re proud of what you accomplished. It all looks great.”

PHOTO CREDIT TK

Round-the-clock prep work covers all the elements for Wyndham Championship play. Clockwise: Water is dyed to be reflective; soils are prepped and greens fertilized.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

FITNESS By Jessie Ammons

Making a Splash

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

A round of applause for our member swim teams

Swim Teams clockwise from top: Providence Country Club Piranhas, Holston Hills Country Club Hurricanes, Raleigh Country Club Stingrays

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

FITNESS

Swim teams clockwise from top left: The Country Club of Asheville Fins, Sedgefield Country Club Fins, TPC Wakefield Plantation Tsuanamis, Treyburn Country Club Tides, Brook Valley Barracudas

BROOK VALLEY BARRACUDAS

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF ASHEVILLE The Fins’ season concluded with a championship meet on July 23.

HOLSTON HILLS COUNTRY CLUB The Hurricanes had the chance to swim in the Smoky Mountain invitational on July 16.

PROVIDENCE COUNTRY CLUB The Piranhas — more than 200 members strong — wrapped up a successful first season with McConnell Golf.

SEDGEFIELD COUNTRY CLUB The Fins competed in the City Meet at Greensboro from July 7 – 9.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

THE FINS

TPC WAKEFIELD PLANTATION The Tsuanamis ended with a bang at the RACCLS Championship on June 26. BROOK VALLEY The Barracudas enjoyed hosting a mini meet for ages 8 and under on July 23.

RALEIGH COUNTRY CLUB The Stingrays’ season included a pep rally on June 24. TREYBURN COUNTRY CLUB The Tide’s season finale was on July 10, with a championship meet at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

KIDS

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

Job Well Done These junior tennis players are off to great things

DAVE MAYO

WITH OUTSTANDING FACILITIES and under the tutelage of Director of Tennis Bill Barber, The Country Club of Asheville’s junior tennis program is thriving and noteworthy. Barber works hard to foster an encouraging atmosphere for young players of every age. Tennis proficiency, not competitive success, is the goal — but of course, talent is nurtured, too. “We don’t expect every junior to be a top state tennis player,” Barber says. “But we want to provide them with the tools to get them there if that’s what they desire.” A handful of CCA junior tennis grads have achieved top state honors. Here’s an update on where they are today. HIGH RANKS Appalachian State University senior Mackenzie LaSure was a top-five North Carolina junior player for most of her high school career, which culminated in making it to the list of top 30 players in the South in 2010 and a 3A singles state championship in 2011. She earned a full scholarship to play women’s tennis

at App State. There, she maintains the No. 2 spot in singles and No. 1 spot in doubles, where she’s played for most of her college career. DYNAMIC DUO Matt Evans and Eli Abernethy were a force to reckon with at The Asheville School: Evans was a four-time AllConference player and two-year team captain, and Abernethy was on the All-Conference and All-State teams all four years. Together, they were an undefeated doubles team. Today, Evans is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill where he plays club tennis and made it to the final rounds of the national college club tennis championships. Abernethy is a freshman at Davidson College, where he walked onto the men’s tennis team. They’re not slowing down. RECORD BREAKER At CCA, Benjamin Kelley became the No. 1 junior tennis player in the state and ranked among the top ten in the South. He went to Presbyterian College

on an athletic scholarship for men’s tennis, where he plays as high as the No. 3 spot in singles and No. 2 spot in doubles. For the first time ever, the team won the Big South Conference championship last year, and Kelley won All Big South Conference in both singles and doubles. He has had some of the best tournament results in the school’s history, which is why he’ll be the team’s captain next year as a college senior. HOMETOWN HERO Once the Citizen Times’ WNC player of the year, Alix Theodossiou headed from the mountains to the coast on a scholarship to play women’s tennis at UNC-Wilmington. Her high school All-Conference, All-Regional, and AllState nods boded well for her collegiate performance: She led the team to a Colonial Conference Championship win. This year, the team qualified for the NCAA tournament. If history is an indicator, Theodossiou’s final year next season will be a good one. — J.A.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Summer 2016

By Brad King

Winning Big The region’s top collegiate talent competed at McConnell Golf courses during two consecutive weeks this April for the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. Virginia took home the women’s title at Sedgefield Country Club on April 17 and Clemson won the men’s championship on April 24 at Old North State Club.

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP The Virginia women held off Wake Forest in the final round to repeat as ACC Women’s Golf Champion. With three of its golfers finishing in the top five of the individual leaderboard, Virginia posted a team score of 855, 11 strokes better than the second-place Wake Forest. Leading the Cavaliers was tournament medalist Lauren Coughlin, who finished with a 9-under 207. Walking to the 18th green tied with Wake Forest freshman Jennifer Kupcho for the individual lead, Coughlin birdied the final hole to become the second Cavalier to capture the ACC individual crown. The Clemson men shot a 25-under 839 on the weekend to claim the ACC Men’s Golf Championship. The Tigers posted rounds of 273, 284, and 282 to win the 10th title in Clemson program history and first since 2004. The victory came one year after matching the best team score in the field before falling to Georgia Tech in two playoff holes. Every Tiger posted at least one round below 70 on the weekend, a first for Clemson in ACC Championship history, and all five finished at par or better. Austin Langdale and Bryson Nimmer led the way, tying for fourth at 7-under 209. Louisville’s Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who tied for individual medalist honors last year, posted a 10-under 206 to claim the title. The junior from Rueil-Malmaison, France, entered the final round tied for sixth at 3-under, four strokes behind the leader, but shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday. Sciot-Siegrist is the fourth in league history to win back-to-back individual titles. theacc.com @ACCMGolf @ACCWGolf

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

RECOGNIZES ITS THREE FORMER GOLFERS THAT HAVE WON THE WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP

AT SEDGEFIELD COUNTRY CLUB.

2015 DAVIS LOVE III NORTH CAROLINA

2011 WEBB SIMPSON WAKE FOREST

2008 CARL PETTERSSON NC STATE

FOUNDED AT SEDGEFIELD IN 1953, THE ACC IS PROUD TO CALL GREENSBORO HOME. @ t h e ACC | t h e ACC. Co m | @ACC m g o l f

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THE BACK NINE

Countdown to Wyndham

HAS THE WIN SUNKEN IN YET? It really started to sink in at the US Open. I played three practice rounds and everyone stopped to congratulate me — not just other players but caddies, media, officials. I guess it will really hit me when the trophy arrives. They sent it somewhere to be engraved. I already have a space for it and I am ready for it to be here. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WALKING OFF THE 18TH GREEN AND SHAKING JACK NICKLAUS’ HAND? It all happened so fast. It’s one of the coolest feelings in the world. A win is pretty darn special to start with, but to win his golf tournament in front of him and get to shake his hand walking off. It’s hard to beat. WHAT WAS MR. NICKLAUS LIKE WITH YOU AS HIS NEW CHAMPION? He was very gracious, both in that moment and later at the awards ceremony

McConnell Golf THE MAGAZINE

and in the media center. I will remember those moments for the rest of my life. He was awesome. That is the only way to describe it. He was great with my kids. He was great with my wife Sarah and he was great with me. WERE YOU AWARE THAT WINNING THE MEMORIAL (OR BAY HILL) CAME WITH A THREE YEAR EXEMPTION, AS OPPOSED TO TWO FOR A REGULAR PGA TOUR EVENT? I had no idea until someone mentioned it in the media center. Once I heard it I remembered that at those two events the exemptions were extended an extra year. But during the tournament it never even crossed my mind. That is a huge bonus for us. HOW MUCH HAS THE WIN CHANGED YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? Well, I was supposed to take five weeks off this summer, but with winning that tournament and getting into the US Open, that all changed. HAVE YOUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR CHANGED, TOO? Everything has changed. My goal leading into the Memorial was to get enough points through the rest of the season to make sure that I got into three playoff events, and then try to make a push to make the Tour Championship. Basically what I am trying to do now is make sure that I am going to the Tour Champion-

ship before we even start the playoffs. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU MAKE IT TO THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP OR NOT, YOU’RE GOING TO DRIVE DOWN MAGNOLIA LANE NEXT APRIL. HOW DOES THAT STRIKE YOU? That’s a big one isn’t it? They asked me after the Memorial about playing my first Masters. And for me it’s not so much about me playing in the golf tournament; it’s getting to play in the Par 3 on Wednesday and watching my two little kids run around out there and have a grand old time. That’s the thing, for me: getting the opportunity with my family. Obviously it’s awesome to play my first Masters. I’m looking forward to heading down as soon as they open in the fall. WITH THE OLYMPICS AND THE CONDENSED SCHEDULE THIS SUMMER, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR? I really don’t think it’s going to look much different. You know, after I won, Wyndham Tournament Director Mark Brazil was one of the first to call me. It took me a little while to get back to him, but I told him that I would be at the Wyndham. For me it’s a local event, and I will always support it. Aside from that, I love the golf course. The whole thing is great. Something really drastic would have to happen for me to miss the Wyndham.

CHRIS CONDON / CONTRIBUTOR /GETTY IMAGES

JOHN MAGINNES, HOST OF THE popular Katrek and Maginnes on Tap broadcast on the PGA Tour Satellite Radio Network, sat down with Memorial Tournament champion William McGirt. McGirt was mere weeks removed from his early June PGA Tour victory, recovering by spending time at home with his young son and daughter. He talked about major victories and schedule flexibility, and why he’ll never miss a Wyndham Tournament.

NEW CHAMP William McGirt poses with the tournament trophy after winning the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 5, 2016 in Dublin, Ohio.

www.mcconnellgolf.com | Spring 2016

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