WELCOME to the 38th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship
at Charlotte Country Club and thank you for joining in the excitement of the 2018 USGA championship season. Watching the best golfers in the world as they compete on the game’s grandest stages for an esteemed USGA trophy is an experience of a lifetime. We’re grateful you have chosen to spend your time with us this week as a new chapter in golf history unfolds. We could not bring these ultimate tests of golf to communities across America without the tireless dedication of our volunteers and the herculean efforts of our outstanding hosts at Charlotte Country Club. We hope you’ll join us in thanking them for their hospitality and dedication to the game. Our 2018 season has been a memorable one. Shinnecock Hills, the only course to host a U.S. Open in three different centuries, welcomed us back for the 118th edition this June. This was also the inaugural year of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, contested at Chicago Golf Club, one of the USGA’s five founding clubs. The 40th Curtis Cup Match, the prestigious biennial team event for female amateurs, was played at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in the week between the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open. The 118th U.S. Amateur took place at one of the most iconic courses in the world: Pebble Beach, a year before our return trip next June for the 119th U.S. Open. Our 14 championships encompass all regions of the country and we are excited to contest four championships at first-time host sites. We wish the best of luck to the players in the U.S. Mid-Amateur field. They have worked hard to earn the opportunity to compete in a USGA championship. Whether they have played in several USGA championships or are making their debut, their journey to a USGA championship inspires us all. We hope you, too, create lasting memories among friends and family this week. Thank you for your support and your love of the game. Sincerely,
Mike Davis CEO, USGA
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CONTENTS 8
A RICH HISTORY
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Hole by hole through the Charlotte Country Club vintage layout.
Charlotte Country Club hosts its fourth USGA championship.
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THE MID-AMATEUR CREDO
50
20
A consummate club pro such as Andrew Shuck wields many talents.
CAROLINA GOLF CLUB
Co-host for Mid-Amateur qualifying rounds another stout Donald Ross classic.
Elite golfers juggle business, family and golf to vie for a national title.
JACK OF ALL TRADES
A DONALD ROSS CLASSIC
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AGRONOMIC ABCs Mid-Amateur host venue leaves nothing to chance in course maintenance.
U.S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 2018
CONDITIONS OF PLAY
Entries
Open to amateur golfers who will have reached their 25th birthday by Sept. 22, 2018, and who have a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4. Entries close Aug. 1, 2018.
Starting Field 264 players
Schedule of Play • Saturday, Sept. 22 — First round, stroke play(18 holes) • Sunday, Sept. 23 — Second round, stroke play (18 holes) After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers, who will advance to match play. • Monday, Sept. 24 — First round, match play (18 holes) • Tuesday, Sept. 25 — Second round, match play (18 holes); Third round, match play (18 holes) • Wednesday, Sept. 26 — Quarterfinals, match play (18 holes); Semifinals, match play (18 holes) • Thursday, Sept. 27 — Final, match play (36 holes)
Sectional Qualifying 18 holes stroke play, scheduled at 64 sites, between Aug. 6-27.
Exemptions from Sectional Qualifying • Winners of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship the last 10 years • Runners-up of the U.S. Mid Amateur Championship the last three years • Semifinalists of the U.S. Mid Amateur Championship the last two years • Quarterfinalists from the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship • Any player who qualified for the 2018 U.S. Open Championship • From the 2017 U.S. Open Championship, those returning scores for 72 holes • From the 2018 U.S. Senior Open Championship, the amateur returning the lowest 72-hole score • Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship the last 10 years • Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship since 1992, 10 years from the time the player becomes age eligible • Winners of the U.S. Amateur Championship prior to 1992, 15 years from the time the player becomes age eligible • Runners-up of the U.S. Amateur Championship the last three years • Quarterfinalists from the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship
• From the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, the winners in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and the runner-up in 2018 • Playing members of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Teams, four-year exemption once appointed to team • Playing members of the 2016 and 2018 United States World Amateur Teams • The low eight finishers and ties of the 2018 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship • Winners of The Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A, the last five years • Winners of the most current Asia-Pacific Amateur, Mexican Amateur, Canadian Men’s Amateur, European Amateur and Latin America Amateur championships • From the current Men’s World Amateur Golf Rankings, the top 400 point leaders and anyone trying for 400th place as of Aug. 1, 2018 • Special exemptions as selected by the USGA
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LOVE GAME
For the
of the
Charlotte Country Club’s commitment to amateur golf takes another step with the 2018 Mid-Amateur Championship. By Ron Green Jr.
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T
he true measure of Charlotte Country Club can’t be found in the square footage of its sprawling white clubhouse or in the yardage listed on the scorecard.
The dining rooms are handsome, the men’s locker room is a dream brought to life, and there is a gardenlike feel to the grounds that sit tucked beneath the tops of Charlotte’s tallest buildings, which seem to peek over the oaks keeping an eye on the place.
What is difficult to measure but impossible to An extended portion of the club’s history is ignore is the feeling that runs through Charlotte written in its association with the USGA. Vinny Country Club, an almost pulsating sense of passion, Giles III, one of the best amateurs of a talent-rich place and people. They have been drawn together by generation, won the U.S. Amateur at Charlotte golf, by opportunity and by an almost magnetic charm Country Club, beating Ben Crenshaw. that gives the club its lifeforce. The story continued twentyIt is not unique to Charlotte eight years later with Bill Shean Jr. Country Club, but it is what winning the U.S. Senior Amateur defines and separates the best Championship. In 2010, Danielle places. Whether it’s staring at the Kang defeated Jessica Korda to uphill second shot on the eighth capture the U.S. Women’s Amahole, sipping a “transfusion” with teur title, foretelling their profesfriends on a warm afternoon or sional success. getting splashed at a swim meet, Now comes the Mid-Amateur, Charlotte Country Club is built on featuring 264 of the best men’s a camaraderie and a conviction to players age 25 and older. Most of casual elegance that elevates it. them are working men with careers, Part of the club’s bloodline families and the unrelenting tug to is a connection to the United see just how good they can be at Charlotte Country Club’s first USGA States Golf Association, a link that event was the 1972 U.S. Amateur, the unconquerable game. began 46 years ago with the 1972 won by Vinny Giles III (above) over It feels like a perfect marriage Ben Crenshaw. U.S. Amateur championship and of event and venue. continues this year with the club hosting the U.S. “We’re interested in amateur golf first and Mid-Amateur Championship. foremost for the love of the game. The amateur level, “The commitment to the amateur game and to it’s all about building relationships,” said Ayer. the USGA has been incredibly important to our club “To the members, this is an opportunity to give for years,” said Frank Edwards, co-chair along with something back to the community. We’re going to Rand Ayer of the Mid-Amateur Championship. make a pretty substantial donation to The First Tee
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
“It took a lot of hard work by this club to get back in the cycle of hosting USGA events here and it required a big contribution from the membership. We are a founding member of the CGA and we host the Carolinas Amateur every 10 years. It’s who we are.” –Andrew Shuck, CCC Head Golf Pro
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CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
History abounds at the club that first opened as Mecklenburg Country Club in 1910 and evolved into Charlotte Country Club in 1917. Fred Laxton was a moving force in the club’s early days and is pictured (opposite top left) with sons Erwin and Fred Jr. Two of the club’s early golf pros pose (opposite top right) outside the golf shop, on the left assistant pro Gene Sarazen and on the right head pro Bill Goebel. A group of golfers and caddies are captured (opposite bottom) during the club’s early days. Donald Ross of Pinehurst was hired to redesign the original rudimentary layout; his 1923 plan is shown above.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Danielle Kang holds her championship trophy aloft after capturing the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur title (top), and Bill Shean Jr. blasts from a bunker en route to victory in the 2000 U.S. Senior Amateur.
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of Greater Charlotte. We’re going to open our gates and hope a lot of folks will come out and watch. It’s always special when the winner can play in the U.S. Open, the Masters and the U.S. Amateur.” This has been years in the making and if the championship unfolds as expected, it won’t be the last time the USGA brings one of its national championships to Charlotte Country Club. It’s the club’s intention to host a USGA championship every eight to 10 years. It’s why the club sends representatives to the Association’s Annual Meeting, reinforcing the willingness and desire to be part of a long-term relationship. “We are committed to the amateur game. It’s a part of the DNA of this club and we want to give back to the game,” head professional Andrew Shuck
38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
“We want to host an amateur event on a fairly regular basis," says championship co-chairman Rand Ayer. He cites Charlotte's fundraising and volunteer acumen among the elements that will make the 2018 Mid-Amateur a successful championship.
said. “It took a lot of hard work by this club to get back in the cycle of hosting USGA events here and it required a big contribution from the membership. We are a founding member of the CGA and we host the Carolinas Amateur every 10 years. It’s who we are.” The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship is young by USGA standards, having first been played in 1981 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, where the PGA Championship was played this summer. The idea of creating the championship began at a dinner during Masters week the previous year and the event has continued to grow in stature, granting the winner exemptions into the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur, as well as a likely invitation to the Masters. The final two days of the Mid-Amateur are nationally televised by Fox Sports. “It’s about guys that really care about the game and played it predominately for enjoyment,” said Tom O’Toole, a former USGA president who was instrumental in helping Charlotte Country Club secure the event. “It’s about bringing guys that work for a living and were going to be predominately career
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amateurs and people that are past the collegiate experience and maybe teetering on whether to go professional, to have a championship for that group.” Edwards hosted O’Toole at the club several years ago and it was quickly evident to O’Toole that the club fit the model for hosting the event. It’s not a simple process. The club launched an aggressive and successful fundraising campaign. More than 600 volunteers have been recruited from Charlotte Country Club and Carolina Golf Club to make sure every angle—from housing to transportation to hospitality—is covered. A weeklong event is months in the making. “The members have stepped up. The Carolinas Golf Association has brought some people to us. It’s part of the fabric of the club,” Ayer said. “We want to host an amateur event on a fairly regular basis. That’s the goal of the staff and the membership. They do take a lot of effort and we want to make sure we keep that in mind. It’s a lot on the staff and the membership works hard. But it’s a joy. We enjoy doing it.”
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
Caddie Factor the
with CCC as a teenager in
Twice, Clayton was the
1952, with a brief two-year
runner-up in the U.S. Open
hiatus to serve his country in
and also played on two Ryder
the Army. To put his tenure
Cup teams. Locally, he won
in perspective, Mack has
two Carolinas Opens and a
been an employee at the
Carolinas PGA Championship.
club since Queen Elizabeth II took the throne in England. In his 64 years, he has seen members grow up to have children, and their children have children. He’s also one
T
of the only employees who has worked all three USGA
he caddies and golf
championships at the club:
staff at Charlotte
the 1972 U.S. Amateur, the
Country Club are
2000 Senior Amateur, and
known not only for their
the 2010 Women’s Amateur.
knowledge of the historic
When asked about his fav-
Donald Ross course, but
orite part of working at the
also for their longevity at the
club, his answer is always the
club—making them a beloved
members and his beautiful
tradition at the course.
“office space.”
Nobody encapsulates this
Long before the era of
as much as Mack Ferguson.
Mack Ferguson, CCC had
An institution at the club,
another notable employee on
Mack has been with Charlotte
the course. A young Clayton
for nearly 64 years. Entire
Heafner caddied for the club
generations of members have
in the late 1920s. Clayton
never known the golf course
grew up to become a touring
without Mack.
golf professional and went on
to win four PGA Tour events.
Mack began his career
Mack Ferguson (top left) has been on staff at Charlotte Country Club since 1952; a young Clayton Heafner (above) caddied at the club in the 1920s before moving onto to the PGA Tour.
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HARD WORKERS Mid-Amateur players are no amateurs when it comes to juggling their lives: full-time jobs, families and responsibilities compete for every single swing.
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CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
A
year ago, Matt Parziale won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and all that comes with it at the Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course just outside Atlanta.
It was the biggest victory of Parziale’s career, playing mini-tours has arrived. To fully enjoy his bringing with it invitations to the Masters, the U.S. victory, Parziale took a leave of absence from the Open and the U.S. Amateur. The win made Parziale a fire department last November. That allowed him to star of sorts in the amateur game, a national champion. play in the Masters and U.S. Open—he made the What did Parziale do to celebrate his victory? cut and finished as low amateur at Shinnecock Hills, He drove to the Atlanta airport, got caught in receiving a medal in a ceremony alongside champion the city’s infamous traffic, missed his original flight Brooks Koepka—and plan for his August wedding back to Boston, managed to get a seat on a 10 p.m. without having to fit it into his work schedule. flight and finally arrived back home around 2 a.m. As a fireman, Parziale said, there’s always the Five hours later, Parziale was risk of injury when fighting a fire back at work at the Brockton Fire and he didn’t want to miss the Department, subbing for anothopportunities that came with his er fireman who had worked ParMid-Amateur win. ziale’s shift so he could play in the “I love my career,” Parziale Mid-Amateur. said at the U.S. Open. “I was trying to get a day off And he loves playing combut it couldn’t happen,” Parziale petitive golf. Parziale is among said. the favorites in the Mid-Amateur That’s what makes the Midat Charlotte Country Club, Amateur different. It’s made where he will attempt to join Jim up of working men, guys who Matt Parziale is all smiles with the U.S. Stuart and Nathan Smith as the Mid-Amateur Trophy following his victory have regular jobs and families only back-to-back winners of in 2017 at the Capital City Club in Atlanta. and responsibilities beyond their the championship. golf games. The U.S. Amateur has largely become a “We have one chance a year with the Mid-Am,” playground for college players and elite juniors while Parziale said. “So it's a difficult tournament to win, the Mid-Amateur caters to players 25 years and older. obviously. It's a hard week. It's seven, eight days, and Some, like Parziale, are former pros who regained you have to play well every day because it's match their amateur status when their career goals changed. play. But you've always wanted to play golf at the Others are businessmen or entrepreneurs who have highest level possible, and that's just kind of what's kept their games sharp through the years and who kept me going, preparing. And even when I've been see the Mid-Amateur as the biggest event on their playing bad, I've never stopped enjoying it.” golf calendar. Scott Harvey won the 2014 Mid-Amateur at For the winners, it’s an achievement that lasts Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania, a lifetime. fulfilling a life’s dream in the process. In Parziale’s case, the success he never found “For me, it’s the ultimate goal—the Mid-Am
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
dream, to win the national title,” said Harvey, a North Carolina-based real estate executive. “That’s what we play for. For the most part, nine out of 10 are people with jobs and families. It’s a different dynamic. It’s a much more fun environment. Being a USGA champion is a lofty goal and one I cherish.” Harvey beat Brad Nurski, 6 and 5 in the 2014 championship match and nearly won two years later, losing to Stewart Hagestad on the 37th hole in the 2016 championship at Stonewall Pennsylvania. The Mid-Amateur is a grind, demanding 36 holes of stroke play to be among the 64 qualifiers for match play. Despite what Harvey called the thickest rough he’s ever played from at Saucon Valley, he emerged with the most meaningful victory in his career. “I had a mindset that week of knowing I could do it,” he said. “That didn’t mean I would do it. In my experience, I’d had run-ins with people who shouldn’t have beat me but they did. “But I knew winning was possible so I told myself to just do it. The first match, I played horribly. Just a real struggle. I was putting too much pressure on myself but I fought it out. I did an interview afterward and said it really lifted my confidence knowing I could persevere and grind it out not having my best. It wouldn’t be any tougher than that going forward. “When I first started playing major events around 30, winning the Mid-Am seemed farfetched. But through the years of playing, I really learned I was good enough to win it. Not to sound arrogant, but I knew I was capable and that was my mindset. I felt a sense of relief that I had reached one of my ultimate goals.” John “Spider” Miller won the 1996 and 1998 Mid-Amateur Championships and it changed the arc of his amateur career. “I can remember the first time I did well in the Mid-Amateur was in Detroit. My friend Danny Yates won that year. I made it to the quarterfinals and I was beaten, 1 up, on the last hole by Jerry Courville. I told myself I can win this. I can do it,” Miller said. “I happened to win ’96 and I won again in ’98.
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North Carolina native Scott Harvey visited Charlotte in July and talked about his Mid-Amateur title in 2014 and second-place finish in 2016. “Being a USGA champion is a lofty goal and one I cherish,” he says.
It opened doors for me to meet guys and meet the great players. I was so fortunate and benefited in every aspect of my life. Playing in the Walker Cup and being Walker Cup captain, all those things are the result of winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur.” For Mike McCoy, winning the 2013 MidAmateur at the Country Club of Birmingham came after decades of playing in various USGA events. McCoy said he has played in 55 USGA events and tried to qualify for another 50 or so. “Winning a USGA championship is the pinnacle of my career,” McCoy said. McCoy hired a local caddie at the Country Club of Birmingham and it made a difference, he said. As the week wore on, McCoy noticed how empty the tournament began to feel because so many players had been eliminated. A close friend flew in to watch McCoy roll to an 8-and-6 victory over Bill Williamson in the championship match, a small gesture that touched McCoy. “It validated a long career of working hard, of trying to improve and trying to play competitive golf. It was a personal reward for all of the time and effort to feel like you fulfilled a life goal,” McCoy said.
SHUCK’S
SHINE Andrew Shuck, Charlotte Country Club’s golf pro, combines Southern charm and golf expertise to make everyone’s day a little brighter.
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CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
O
n a breezy, spring morning at Charlotte Country Club, head pro Andrew Shuck has found a seat in the club’s turn room to grab a quick sandwich.
It’s an active Thursday with a steady stream of golfers passing through, on their way to the golf course or the practice tee, and Shuck makes a point of speaking to every person, calling them by name and asking about their game or their families. It’s a small thing, just saying hello, but it goes to the essence of what has made Shuck an exemplary club pro. His job is not a job, but a way of life. Whether it’s greeting players on the first tee, giving a lesson or overseeing his 25-person staff, Shuck’s friendly personality is contagious. The lessons Shuck has learned along the way, particularly from the legendary Bob Ford at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and Seminole Golf Club in Florida, form the foundation of his personal and professional life. “Arnold Palmer told me that Bob Ford was the greatest club pro that ever lived and I believe that,” Shuck said. Shuck sees the 2018 Mid-Amateur as a personal milestone—his first USGA championship as a head pro—while building on the club’s legacy that includes hosting the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Senior Amateur. Shuck has been around the game his entire life. Growing up in Roanoke, Va., he saw his mother, Nancy, build a successful amateur career that included being a member of the Canadian junior girls team. Nancy taught her son the game and he still calls her his coach. Splitting his time between basketball and golf, Shuck surrendered hoops when he enrolled at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., in 1991
and became a member of the golf team. There were no golf scholarships and Shuck had to earn one of 12 spots on the team in tryouts that included more than 200 prospects. “I didn’t think I would make it but I did,” said Shuck, who is now a trustee at Methodist. He and his Monarchs teammates went on to win three NCAA Division III national championships while Shuck was earning a degree in the school’s PGA Golf Management program. After college, Shuck got his first job working for the legendary Bill Strausbaugh at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md., giving him an up-close glimpse at how successful club professionals operate. Shuck then landed a job as an assistant pro at Seminole Golf Club on Jerry Pittman’s staff. Pittman had been preceded at Seminole by Claude Harmon and Henry Picard. “Getting to work at Seminole was the biggest break of my career,” Shuck said. He saw club golf at the highest level and learned from the best. “Working with the membership at Oakmont and Seminole, you have so much confidence when you leave because you are trained around the most successful business people,” Shuck said. “You learn what proper decisions are and decision-making becomes a part of your DNA.” When he was just 27 years old, Shuck was hired by Nick Price to be the head pro at McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla., where he worked from 2001 to 2006. “Andrew is a true professional who I knew
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Andrew Shuck at Pebble Beach on a vacation with wife Kara and daughter Ava and sons Ames, Haven and Banks.
from the very first time I met him, had the poise, patience and manners that would take him places. He is a huge asset to any club and I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent with him over the years,” Price said. Shuck hadn’t planned to move, but when Bill Jones asked him to become head pro at Ocean Forest at Sea Island, it was a simple yes. “There was really no interview,” Shuck said. “Bill Jones just said, ‘We want you to be our pro.’ I had never even been there until then. “I went with it. I called Bob Ford and told him I had never seen a more beautiful place.” When the Charlotte Country Club opportunity came in 2011, Shuck was able to get closer to some of his family while landing in a place rich in history with an outstanding course originally designed by Donald Ross. It’s a club where Southern charm blends with casual elegance, not unlike Shuck himself. With members and guests playing nearly 25,000 rounds a year, Shuck calls Charlotte Country Club
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“the smallest big club I’ve ever been around.” He loves having more than 400 youngsters involved in the club’s golf program. Married with four children ages seven to 14, Shuck has relied on the lessons he learned from Ford and others to create a thriving culture at Charlotte Country Club. “Bob’s motto with us was to try to hire people who are better than you and more talented than you because that makes the operation better,” Shuck said. “You learned from Bob to think about the family aspect and to treat your staff like your family. “I get my satisfaction from seeing the members and greeting them and their children. My other satisfaction is seeing members of my staff leave for better opportunities. I learned that from Bob. It’s my passion to help them get great jobs.” It starts with a simple hello. This story by Ron Green Jr. originally appeared in “Global Golf Post.”
Charlotte Country Club Hole Par Yards 1 4 354 2 4 392 3 3 186 4 4 491 5 4 373 6 4 419 7 5 567 8 4 497 9 4 445 36 3724 10 4 442 11 3 207 12 5 592 13 4 518 14 4 354 15 4 436 16 4 445 17 4 173 18 4 505 35 3672 Total 71 7396
BY
HOLE HOLE
24
M
ore than a century ago, Donald Ross created the golf course at Charlotte Country Club, a work he began in 1915 and continued to refine through the 1940s, producing a layout that has stood the test of time. It has been tweaked through the years, most recently by Ron Prichard in 2007, while retaining its original charm and challenge. Charlotte Country Club features 13 par 4s laid across the rolling, tree-lined property situated in the shadow of Charlotte’s uptown business district.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
1 26
354 yards, Par 4: Charlotte Country Club’s starting hole is a par 4 that is shorter in length with an ample but well-guarded fairway. The grass-faced fairway bunkers are located strategically both left and right and require an accurate tee shot. The green is moderately elevated and sloped back to front with three deep-faced bunkers.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
2
392 yards, Par 4: This par 4 requires a tee shot favoring the right side of the fairway in order to stay away from the bunkers, which guard this slight dogleg left. For the longer hitter, two approach bunkers not only frame the second shot but could come into play off of the tee as well. An approach shot that finds the correct area of this tri-sectioned green and avoids the greenside bunkers is essential.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
3
186 yards, Par 3: This memorable par 3 plays half a club longer than it reads due to the subtle elevation change from tee to green. A cross bunker catches the golfer’s eye from the tee, and bunkers flank both the left and right sides of this generous green. A well-struck shot could find the large depression in the middle-right side of the green, and a shot struck too firmly will feed down a steep embankment just beyond the green.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
4 30
491 yards, Par 4: The fourth hole is a long straightaway par 4 with a fairway that slopes noticeably from left to right and leads to a deep, undulating green. This green is protected on the front-left by a long, greenside bunker that extends into the fairway and an equally challenging yet smaller bunker on the front-right. The green itself is narrow and features a prominent swale that separates the back portion from the front. The entrance to the green is wrapped with bunkers on both sides.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
5
373 yards, Par 4:
On this par 4, a tee shot that carries the stacked-stone wall along Briar Creek and avoids the numerous fairway bunkers down the left side will leave an approach to an uphill, two-tiered green. The large green slopes gradually back to front and has two distinct levels. Finding the correct level and avoiding the deep grass-faced bunkers that border this green is important to carding a good score.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
6 32
419 yards, Par 4: This par 4 slopes down from the tee to a stream that meanders from left to right across the fairway. Most players choose to lay up short of the trouble and are left with a challenging uphill shot to a green protected in the frontright by two cavernous bunkers. The back-right of this tricky green steeply slopes away to a collection area, and a small bunker guards long and left. Missing this green anywhere other than left will leave the player with a difficult recovery shot.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
7
567 yards, Par 5: This long par 5 requires a solid tee shot that avoids the small, but punitive, left fairway bunker. A lay-up, which stays away from the bunkers that guard this slight dogleg right and finishes down the left side, will allow for the best approach into this green. This green runs away from the player diagonally from left to right. It is protected by both subtle and sharp undulations as well as three wellplaced bunkers.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Rodgers congratulates the players competing in the 2018 USGA’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship hosted by Charlotte Country Club & Carolina Golf Club.
“ I’ve never played a round when I didn’ t learn something new about the game .”
- Ben Hogan
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
8
497 yards, Par 4: This lengthy par 4 presents a fairly open tee shot to a generous downhill sloping fairway. The player is faced with an uphill approach over Briar Creek. This difficult hole requires concentration as the green is surrounded on all sides by bunkers, leaving a narrow approach. Be cautious of the deep, grass-faced bunkers 50 yards short of the green. Once on the putting surface, two spines tri-sect this large green.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
9 36
445 yards, Par 4: A precise tee shot down the left side of this par 4 will leave the player with the best angle into the green. There is an abundance of bunkering along the right side of the fairway and around the green, although the ninth green is one of the easier greens on the course.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
10
442 yards, Par 4: This par 4 is a substantial dogleg left. A precise tee shot down the left side carrying the fairway bunker but finishing short of the water that angles across the dogleg will put the player in the best position for his next shot. There is a safer route available by hitting a drive down the right side to a more generous landing area, leaving the player with a longer second shot into the elevated, well-bunkered green.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
38
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
11
Hole 11 / 207 yards, Par 3: An intimidating par 3 where short is not an option. The hole has a pond that guards the front and a portion of each side. There are greenside bunkers right, left and back-left that protect the putting surface. The only areas to miss slightly and not be in a bunker are center-long and the backright. The golfer should pay attention to the wind on this hole as it will influence the shot.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
12 40
592 yards, Par 5: The twelfth hole is an uphill par 5 that presents the player with a straightaway tee shot. A small but penal bunker located in the center of the fairway may come into play for some. It is very important where the second shot is positioned because the player must deal with three swales that run though the fairway. Favoring the left side of this hole will put the player in the best position for the third shot to the green. There is plenty of room to miss right, but the further right the player goes, the bunkers that guard the green come into play.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
13
518 yards, Par 4: This long, downhill par 4 places great emphasis on length. A well-struck tee shot that finds this generous fairway is a prerequisite for attempting to clear Briar Creek on the second shot. This is the only hole on the course without any bunkers. The back-left of the green slopes away from the center of the green. The runoff area creates choices for the player who misses the green. Overall, the green slopes from back to front.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
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354 yards, Par 4: This short, straightaway par 4 has ample fairway area, but two small bunkers are ready to claim an errant shot left or right. A successful tee shot must finish beyond the first left-side fairway bunker or find the right side of the fairway. The hole has a natural gulley that bisects the fairway just before the second leftside fairway bunker. The green has subtle undulations, and the back left portion is elevated. It has three bunkers, two that guard the front and one on the middle-left.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
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Hole 15 / 436 yards, Par 4: Architect Ron Prichard, who supervised a course restoration in 2007, describes fifteen as “the hardest driving hole on the course.� There are nine fairway bunkers and three greenside bunkers to avoid on this dogleg left. Tee shot length and accuracy are crucial on this challenging par 4. The green has three sections that feed to the center.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
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445 yards, Par 4: Number sixteen is a dogleg-right par 4 where long hitters will be tempted to challenge the fairway bunker that guards the corner. If successful, this will reward the player with a significantly shorter approach shot. The green complex has four bunkers and several closely mown collection areas for recovery shots. The green itself consists of two tiers and is larger than it appears from the fairway.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
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173 yards, Par 3: This par 3 places an emphasis on accuracy as the green consists of two distinct sides. A shot that finds the opposite portion from the hole will face an extremely challenging two-putt. The green is wider than it is long and is guarded by two deep bunkers in front. Both tee shots and putts can find these front bunkers due to the severe slope of the forward portion of the green. There is also one bunker behind the green, center-left, and collection areas on both sides.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
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Hole 18 / 505 yards, Par 4: The finishing hole at Charlotte Country Club demands both an accurate tee shot and a well-placed approach shot. The clubhouse creates an impressive backdrop for the player’s second shot. This par 4 bends to the right, but golfers should take care on cutting off too much of the corner as that brings a water hazard into play. There is a cross-bunker sixty yards from the green and two greenside bunkers. The unique green features an isthmus on the right side that if you miss the green, it will require all of your short game skills to save par.
U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONS (1981-Present) 1981: 1982: 1983: 1984: 1985: 1986: 1987: 1988: 1989: 1990: 1991: 1992: 1993: 1994: 1995: 1996: 1997: 1998: 1999:
Jim Holtgrieve d. Bob Lewis Jr., 2 up. William Hoffer d. Jeffrey Ellis, 3 and 2. Jay Sigel d. Randy Sonnier, 1 up. Michael Podolak d. Bob Lewis Jr., 5 and 4. Jay Sigel d. O. Gordon Brewer Jr., 3 and 2. Bill Loeffler d. Charles Pinkard, 4 and 3. Jay Sigel d. David Lind, 20 holes. David Eger d. Scott Mayne, 2 and 1. James Taylor d. Bill Hadden, 4 and 3. Jim Stuart d. Mark Sollenberger, 1 up. Jim Stuart d. Bert Atkinson, 1 up. Danny Yates d. David Lind, 1 up. Jeff Thomas d. Joey Ferrari, 1 up. Tim Jackson d. Tommy Brennan, 1 up. Jerry Courville Jr. d. Warren Sye, 1 upd. John “Spider” Miller d. Randy Lewis, 3 and 2. Ken Bakst d. Rick Stimmel, 1 up. John “Spider” Miller d. Chip Holcombe, 1 up. Danny Green d. Jerry Courville Jr., 2 and 1.
2000: 2001: 2002: 2003: 2004: 2005: 2006: 2007: 2008: 2009: 2010: 2011: 2012: 2013: 2014: 2015: 2016: 2017:
Greg Puga d. Wayne Raath, 3 and 1. Tim Jackson d. George Zahringer, 1 up. George Zahringer d. Jerry Courville Jr., 3 and 2. Nathan Smith d. Bryan Norton, match conceded due to injury. Austin Eaton III d. Josh Dennis, 1 up. Kevin Marsh d. Carlton Forrester, 10 and 9. Dave Womack d. Ryan Hybl, 1 up. Trip Kuehne d. Dan Whitaker, 9 and 7. Steve Wilson d. Todd Mitchell, 5 and 4. Nathan Smith d. Tim Spitz, 7 and 6. Nathan Smith d. Tim Hogarth, 7 and 5. Randal Lewis d. Kenny Cook, 3 and 2s. Nathan Smith d. Garrett Rank, 1 up. Michael McCoy d. Bill Williamson, 8 and 6. Scott Harvey d. Brad Nurski, 6 and 5. Sammy Schmitz d. Marc Dull, 3 and 2. Stewart Hagestad d. Scott Harvey, 37 holes. Matt Parziale d. Josh Nichols, 8 and 6.
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CAROLINA GOLF CLUB
UP TO
PAR The championship companion course is another Donald Ross design with an old-world flavor and demanding shot values.
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CAROLINA GOLF CLUB
T
he stroke play co-host for the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship is Carolina Golf Club, a vintage Donald Ross design located six miles from Charlotte Country Club on the west side of town. The course plays to a par of 71 from the championship tees at 7,068 yards and boasts a 73.8 Course Rating™ and 140 Slope Rating®, making it a formidable test for this year’s competitors.
Situated on a former dairy farm, Carolina Golf Club was the vision of Mrs. H. J. Dunavant. Shortly after the passing of her husband in 1929, Mrs. Dunavant was inspired to transform the rolling terrain of the family farm into a championship golf course. She hired Ross, the famed Golden Age golf architect, to design what became the first 18-hole public course in the greater Charlotte metro area. Carolina Golf Club became a private club in 1958 when a group of regular patrons acquired
the ownership rights and began management of the club. The group replaced the original log cabin clubhouse located near what is now the 14th green with a mid-century modern design on the hilltop overlooking today’s 18th green. After operating for nearly 50 years as a private facility with minimal design changes or alterations to the course, the club acquired 43 acres of adjoining property in 2004 and embarked on an ambitious four-phase renovation and restoration master plan.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Over the years, Carolina Golf Club has been home to many outstanding competitive amateur golfers who have won a variety of events in the Carolinas and the Southeast. The course was closed for 11 months in 2008 while the fourth and final phase of architect Kris Spence’s master plan was implemented. Over a thousand trees were removed to make way for rebuilt greens, tees and bunkers. New fairway grasses were planted, and a new irrigation system and pump station helped transform Carolina Golf Club from its original 6,228-yard, par-70 layout to the formidable test of golf enjoyed by its members today. Since reopening, the course has hosted five PGA Tour qualifying tournaments for the Wells Fargo Championship, several City Amateur
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Championships, the 2011 Carolinas Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2014 North Carolina Amateur Championship. The club also plays host to the Carolina Invitational, an annual four-ball event held the first weekend each November that attracts a field of fine amateurs from throughout the Southeast. Past participants include former state amateur and state open winners, U.S. Amateur and U. S. Mid-Amateur competitors, as well as former Masters participants. Over the years, Carolina Golf Club has been home to many outstanding competitive amateur golfers who have won a variety of events in the
CAROLINA GOLF CLUB
Carolinas and the Southeast. In 1973, member David Strawn finished as runner-up in the U.S. Amateur Championship at Inverness Club, losing in the final to Craig Stadler. In 1988, David Eger, who had grown up at CGC and today is still an honorary member, won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club. Carolina Golf Club is located near the heart of Charlotte’s financial district and boasts a vibrant, golf-loving membership. In recent years, the club has embarked on a series of clubhouse improvements, including a new covered patio and fire pit overlooking the uptown skyline, updates to the dining room and bar, and a recent renovation to the men’s and women’s locker rooms. Carolina Golf Club is a true golfer’s club and we welcome the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship competitors to our course and facility. Good luck!
CAROLINA GOLF CLUB Hole Par Yards 1 5 540 2 4 395 3 3 201 4 4 427 5 4 420 6 4 404 7 4 446 8 5 550 9 3 230 36 3613 10 4 460 11 4 402 12 3 136 13 5 510 14 4 355 15 5 432 16 3 160 17 4 431 18 4 438 35 3324 Total 71 6937
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
SCRATCH the
SURFACES
Inside the Agronomic Setup fo r t h e 2 01 8 U. S . M i d -A m ate u r
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CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
By Kevin Paganetti, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent
A
little less than four miles from uptown Charlotte, Charlotte Country Club is rich in history and no stranger to national championships, having hosted three prior USGA championships. The course is a Donald Ross original design that was restored by architect Ron Prichard in 2007 and was recognized as “The Best Remodel of the Year” by Golf Digest. With the hard work and dedication of employees, numerous members and volunteers, the club has strived to provide a demanding and exciting golf course that will challenge the best midamateurs in the country.
Overcoming Natural Challenges
Notable Course Changes
With several local meteorologists describing the 2017-18 winter as one of the harshest in over a decade, the agronomy team at CCC has worked relentlessly to provide championship conditions for the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Our agronomy staff has worked meticulously to assure that the golf course will be both challenging and enjoyable for all players during the championship. With a little help from Mother Nature, the agronomy staff will be able to sufficiently control the soil moisture and firmness of the golf course, providing players with firm and fast conditions.
There have been a number of changes made to the golf course that will impact the way players navigate the 7,335-yard championship course. Fairways have been narrowed an average of 12 feet, making landing zones smaller and club selection off the tee a tough choice on some holes. Short-cut rollout areas around several of the greens have been extended, requiring players to be extremely accurate with approach shots. An intermediate cut of rough has been added to each hole, demanding precise tee and fairway shots.
Golf Course Grass Analysis Charlotte Country Club is comprised of Tifway 419 bermudagrass tees, fairways and rough, with a few select zoysiagrass tee boxes. The putting surfaces contain A1-A4 bentgrass. Sloping and rolling fairways allow for a number of shot choices, while undulating bentgrass greens create difficult putting conditions, depending on hole locations.
The 216-acre property boasts numerous areas of fine fescue native grass that are very appealing to the eye but can also pose problems when attempting to play a ball out of the tall grass. Because the MidAmateur is being contested in the later portion of the growing season, bermudagrass rough will be maintained at a 2.25inch height, allowing the ball to either “settle” or “sit up,” depending on the shot.
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38TH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
A maintenance staff led by superintendent John Szklinski keeps the Charlotte Country Club course in pristine condition.
The Agronomy Team The management staff in the agronomy department at Charlotte Country Club brings a wide range of experience and knowledge from some of the top private clubs in the country, including Cliffs at Walnut Cove, Desert Forest Golf Club, Merion Golf Club, Providence Country Club, Quail Hollow Club and Southern Hills Country Club.
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The team is highly experienced in managing both cool- and warm-season grasses at the highest level across the country, including the “transition zone,� where the climate can be extremely challenging throughout the year for both warm- and cool-season grasses. With the years of experience and resources available, the
agronomy team will combine knowledge with motivation, drive and dedication to push the golf course to its maximum potential in providing championship conditions on a daily basis. The entire staff at Charlotte Country Club is honored and excited to be able to provide these conditions for the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
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2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Committee Thank you to our members who served on the Mid-Amateur Committee. Without your help and many hours of assistance, this championship would not be possible! Championship Co-Chairmen
Rand Ayer, Frank Edwards, Keith Kepley, Ben Maffitt III Clubhouse Operations Chairs
John Porter, Paul Spadafora, Mark Thigpen Finance Chairs
Tommy Hunter IV, William Smith Golf Course Operations Chairs
Rob Campbell, Bill Hyder, Ed Oden Marketing Chairs
Jamie Doyle, Richard Lee Medical Chair
Hayes Woollen, M.D. Player Services Chairs
Jenny Porter, Susan Tome Scoring Chairs
Will Barr, Paige James, Tom James Transportation Chairs
Bob Cordle, Vic Mitchener, Paul Thomason Volunteer Services Chairs
Marilyn Craig, Jonathan Ishee, Dan Quigley
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Charlotte Country Club Thanks Its Championship Sponsors Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc. King & Spaulding LLP Novant Health StitchÂŽ Barings LLC Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Club Car LLC Crescent Communities KPMG LLC LendingTree, Inc. Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates, PA Rodgers Builders, Inc.
Thank You to Charlotte Country Club & Carolina Golf Club Championship Supporters Davis Love Society Rand Ayer Ken Beuley Carolinas Golf Association Rhyne Davis Jamie Doyle Frank Edwards Jay Faison Fern Exposition Services Bill Fuller Todd Hollerman Tommy Hunter IV Bill Hyder Jonathan Ishee Charlie Izard Scott Perper Walker Poole Art Roselle Mike Rupe John Shimp Jim Sigman Wellford Tabor Mark Thigpen Keith Townsend Spence Whitman Bill Williamson III
Walker Cup Society Adams Beverages, Inc. Jeff Amling Kelvin Anderson Bill Bowen Phil Brosseau Fred Buckman Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates
Joe Dan Downey Steve Dunker John Hines Jr. Allen Hobbs Rick Hopkins Watts Humphrey Ted Gardner Icelandic Glacial TM Paige James Jeff Kane Lee Keesler Kendrick Mattox John McCoy Vic Mitchener Neal Morrison Tom Nelson Bailey Patrick Brandon Perry John Porter III Bob Reid Robert Schleusner Thad Sharrett Trey Sheridan Glenn Sherrill South State Bank Chip Stanley Verner Stanley Jr. Keith Stoneman Sysco Corporation Bill Tome Andrew Tucker Shane Wagner TJ Wagner
Donald Ross Society Keith Bell Brett Boner Sam Bowles
Peiffer Brandt Elliott Broadfoot Shippen Browne Buckhead Beef Company Michael Catanese Jr. Rob Christenson Clark Allen Events De Cordell Oliver Cross Bryan Crutcher DEX Imaging Tom Dixon Dana DuBose Jimmy Dudley Jay Daniel Eich Chris Elliott Jamie Ervin Bryan Estes FreshPoint Inc. Robert Gefaell Jr. Tyler Gibson Paisley Gordon Jr. Garland Greenway William Hadley Edwin C. Ham Justin Hamilton David Harker Sheldon Hilaire Justin Holofchak Chris Hughes Jackson Hughes Rolfe Hughes Inland Seafood Page Jacobson Mike Jones Mike Kemmet Jason Kenna Keith G. Kepley Jr. Key Signature Entertainment
Vernon Knight III Tom Korona Patrick Leatherwood Will Mackey Ben Maffitt III P.J. Martin Wes Martin Eric Mauntel Nolan Mills Jay Murphy Rob Newman Mike O’Neill Bobby Pifer Bobby Pittenger Sean Preston Royal Cup, Inc. Will Runkle Mark Ryan Peter Ryan Rush Shull IV Drew Simmons Lans Slack Michael Smith Carter Sorrell Bo South Paul Spadafora Will Summerville Sun Mountain Sports Charles Thrift IV Tommy Truman John Turner Drew Vigor Daniel Wall Jimmy Warren Stephen Woodard
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2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Charlotte Country Club Jamie Doyle, Marketing Committee Chairman Laurie Montanus, Communications Director Program Designed & Published by PACE ENTERPRISES, INC. Chapel Hill, NC 27516 • 919/619-4443 Lee Pace, Editor • Sue Pace, Designer Thanks to Ron Green Jr. of “Global Golf Post” for editorial contributions.
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