New Triad Golf website coming in fall
This is our final print issue of Triad Golf Magazine in 2024, but we’re not going away. We’ll return in print next spring. In the meantime, we’ll be active on triadgolf.com.
I want to thank our advertisers for their support in making this year’s print return possible. We did our best to uphold the high standards set by founder Jay Allred and to demonstrate that the publication has returned from the pandemic healthier than ever.
Please visit our website for news about golf courses, travel destinations, area personalities, and tournaments during the late fall and winter months. We’ll also keep in touch through Facebook and Instagram.
Some good news: We’re giving our website a facelift. The changes, which should be ready before the new year, will provide an attractive, fresh new look that’s easier to navigate, with better photography and ad placement. We also plan to add information on each Triad course to the site to help local golfers and visitors to the region. We’re excited about the new website. While we know the print editions have a core of loyal readers, we also recognize that many golfers now rely on their phones for most of their information.
North Carolina is blessed with a generous array of top resort golf courses—most notably in the Pinehurst area, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and along the Atlantic coast.
But let’s not forget the Triad’s own Grandover Resort, home to premier resort golf as well, and it fills a specific niche. Developed, owned, and managed locally by Koury Corp., Grandover Resort, featured as this issue’s cover story, offers world-class golf and much, much more.
A longtime host of many sponsors and players at the annual Wyndham Championship, Grandover is the Triad’s destination golf resort. Located just minutes from Interstates 85, 40, 77, 73, and 74, Grandover is an ideal meeting space, with two meticulously maintained, outstanding golf layouts and PGA Tour-caliber practice facilities open not only to hotel guests but also to the public.
In August, the West Course debuted new TifEagle greens, replacing the bent grass surfaces. The change to state-of-the-art, heat-tolerant Ultradwarf Bermuda should ensure pristine putting conditions year-round and eliminate the need for constant hand-watering and large surrounding fans.
As a top-level resort—Grandover joined the elite ranks of Wyndham Grand hotels in 2022—the staff waited until the new putting surfaces were in mint condition before reopening the course.
Best of all, guests can experience luxury accommodations, fine dining, a spa, and comfortable watering holes, attend all types of business meetings and celebrations, and enjoy all the golf facilities—all in one spot. There’s no need to move your car until departure.
While many Triad residents stay at Grandover for special weekends, the resort is also open to non-hotel guests. Grandover’s Griffin Club loyalty programs offer an array of discounts and benefits to local golfers.
what’s
ON THE COVER Grandover West
John Brasier | Editor + Publisher | john@triadgolf.com Stacy Calfo | Graphic Design | ads@triadgolf.com
Hole
GRANDOVER WEST debuts
NEW BERMUDA ON GREENS
Grandover Resort reopened its West Course with new stateof-the-art Tif-Eagle Bermuda putting surfaces, matching those converted in 2018 on its East Course.
The Triad’s top golf resort, owned, developed, and operated by Greensboro-based Koury Corp., debuted the new greens in August.
A longtime host to many sponsors and players at the annual Wyndham Championship, the 247-room Greensboro resort serves as a convenient meeting and outing destination, located just minutes from Interstates 85, 40, 77, 73, and 74.
The East and West courses, designed by Gary Panks and U.S. Open and PGA Champion David Graham, feature rolling elevation changes and attractively contoured fairways, including dramatic dips, along with beautiful landscaping, scenic water hazards and wetlands, artistic bunkering, and pristine conditioning.
The two layouts boast luxury features such as fountains, stonelined creeks, custom-made stone and wooden bridges, stone tee signs, wide tunnels under roads, expansive concrete cart paths, and meticulously maintained tee boxes.
The East Course stretches to 7,213 yards from the back tees, with a challenging 75.7 rating and a 141 slope. It leaves a lasting impression with its 18th hole, a 570yard par-5 bordered by a lake running down the left side of the fairway and green.
Slightly shorter, the West Course plays at 6,729 yards from the tips with a 72.5 rating and a 136 slope. Its finishing hole is a long par-4 that requires a drive over a deep valley to a plateau fairway, with an approach to a green framed by the hotel.
“It’s a little more generous off the tee,” said director of golf Jonathan York.
“People really like the course.”
Both par-72 courses feature large, undulating greens and a variety of bunkers. Carts are equipped with GPS systems that provide shot distances.
The switch to highly heat-tolerant Ultradwarf Bermuda grass should ensure pristine putting conditions year-round, reducing the need for constant hand-watering and large fans.
Over the past two decades, many of North Carolina’s elite courses, including Pinehurst No. 2, Old Town Club, Quail Hollow, and Eagle Point, have converted to newer Bermuda strains. Bentgrass remains dominant only at higher-elevation, cooler mountain courses.
Grandover West
“That six-week period from July 4 through August 15, with bentgrass, you have to treat it differently,” York explained. “You keep the grass longer, and the greens slower, which makes putting less enjoyable. Now, during the prime golf season from April through October, the greens grow well, and they’re healthy and happy.”
In April, Grandover began removing the bentgrass surfaces, and the greens were sprigged on Memorial Day. Some greens were slightly altered to accommodate the faster speeds allowed by TifEagle Bermuda. Koury construction staff also softened the surfaces, which typically become firmer with Bermuda grass.
The most significant change is at No. 4, where a three-tiered green was converted into two tiers.
The grounds staff took advantage of the course closure to clear out several trees, especially those around greens, to allow more sunlight, which is beneficial for Bermuda grass.
Grandover has filled a void in the Triad since its development over the last three decades. The East Course opened in 1996, followed by the West Course in 1997. The hotel and its facilities opened in 1999.
Though the pro shop is conveniently located in the resort’s main building, and the spacious practice areas are just outside the door, the courses wind through woods, creating a secluded, tranquil atmosphere.
Grandover’s courses and practice facilities are open to both hotel guests and the public. The resort’s Griffin Club loyalty program offers discounts on golf fees, instruction, dining, and spa services.
Packages and outings can also be arranged through the 1,000room Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons and the Holiday Inn Greensboro Coliseum, both also owned by Koury.
As a premier resort — Grandover joined the elite ranks of Wyndham Grand hotels in 2022 — the staff delayed the original opening date to ensure the new putting surfaces were in perfect condition. Ø grandoverresort.com
Grandover features dramatic stone-lined creeks, and luxury touches with bridges and tunnels.
Grandover provides home to UNCG
With two championship courses and spacious practice facilities, Grandover Resort is a popular venue for high school and college golf teams.
According to Grandover’s director of golf, Jonathan York, several Triad college and high school teams use the facilities.
Leading the list is UNC Greensboro, whose men’s and women’s teams call the resort home. In addition to the expansive outdoor facilities, UNCG has its own indoor facility at the resort, complete with hitting bays, simulators, and a high-tech putting green.
UNCG men’s golf coach Terrance Stewart said Grandover offers various advantages, just a few minutes from campus.
“We have a great partnership with Grandover,” Stewart said. “Our teaching studio has more golf technology than any other spot in North Carolina.”
Grandover also offers different courses.
“The East Course is a beast, very challenging where you fight for pars,” said Stewart. “The West is fun, offering more birdie opportunities.”
In Grandover’s studio, PuttView helps players with speed and line for putts. SAM PuttLab improves their mechanics.
With TrackMan 4, players receive swing data and can play simulated rounds on top courses.
While universities like UNC, Duke, and Campbell have school courses, Stewart said UNCG benefits from Grandover’s facilities and several other public/private courses.
UNCG shares a facility with Precision Golf at Bryan Park, which has two courses.
Other college teams practicing at Grandover include N.C. A&T, Guilford, Greensboro College, High Point, and Winston-Salem State.
Stewart’s teams, dominated by Triad natives, have won three Southern Conference championships and earned seven NCAA Regional at-large bids.
“It’s great we can play different types of courses,” Stewart said. Ø
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UNCG golfers practice in their Grandover studio.
Old Town GIVES DEACONS TOP COLLEGE COURSE
There’s only one reason Old Town Club, the home course of Wake Forest University golf teams since the campus relocated to Winston-Salem almost seven decades ago, isn’t “officially” regarded as the nation’s top collegiate golf course.
Though the club has strong ties to the university, dating back to the ownership of the property, Old Town isn’t a “college course.” It’s a private club with a history intertwined with the university. Until 1968, Wake students and faculty could play the course for $1. However, several media outlets that rank college courses exclude Old Town from consideration.
No other college team has a comparable home course. A classic design by Depression-era architect Perry Maxwell, the layout has gained increasing recognition over the past decade following renovations by Bill Coore (a Wake alum) and Ben Crenshaw, making it a top 100 U.S. course in rankings by major publications.
For example, Golf Magazine ranked Old Town No. 38 in the U.S. and No. 84 worldwide in 2023. Golf Digest listed Old Town No. 54 in its U.S. rankings. No “college” course made those lists.
The 2013 renovations included tree removal, opening up stunning views of the property, and creating firmer turf conditions. Bunkers
were redesigned for a more natural look, while the greens expanded by over 30%, restoring Maxwell’s original sizes.
“It has really shot us up all the charts,” said Dunlop White, Old Town’s golf chairman.
“The changes were transformative. I can’t believe how far the bar has been raised.”
Old Town remains a crucial part of Wake Forest golf, attracting top recruits. Located near the campus, it offers easy access for both the men’s and women’s teams. The course features a strong Wake Forest presence, from alumni members to a portrait gallery of former Wake greats like Arnold Palmer in the clubhouse.
On the eve of the Wyndham Championship, PGA Tour star and former Wake golfer Will Zalatoris returned to Old Town to visit with former teammates and coach Jerry Haas.
“The whole membership has been awesome to the team,” Zalatoris said. “They treated us like members, and there was no time we couldn’t play, even on Mondays.”
The double green at Nos. 8 and 17 displayed with Wait Chapel and Pilot Mountain in the foreground. (Photo by Jon Cavalier)
While Wake Forest has a state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor practice facility, Demon Deacon golfers benefit from continuous access to Old Town’s course, praised for its classic design and challenging topography that forces players to hit from uneven lies.
Maxwell’s other famed designs include Southern Hills and Prairie Dunes. He also made improvements to Augusta National. For Old Town, Maxwell selected 165 acres from the over 1,000 acres offered by Charles and Mary Reynolds Babcock for the new Wake campus.
Old Town has a distinctive open look, with 80 acres of continuous fairway grass connecting holes and providing scenic vistas. Silas Creek is utilized on several holes.
Markers on open tee areas can be adjusted to create different attack angles. Red flags mark front-nine pins, and yellow flags identify backnine pins — important, as a sprawling double green serves holes No. 8 and 17.
The undulating greens, converted to Tif-Eagle Bermuda last year, feature Maxwell’s signature “rolls,” small rises requiring precise putting. Most surfaces include two or three of these rolls, challenging approach shots.
“Old Town is wide open, but the greens are severe,” said Zalatoris, emphasizing the importance of placing tee shots to allow favorable approach angles.
Subtle touches enhance the course experience. No cart paths line the fairways, reducing bad bounces. Pin flags are yellow on the front nine and red on the back. Pin sheets with exact yardages are provided.
Coore and Crenshaw, adhering to their minimalist design philosophy, sourced Yadkin River brown sand for the bunkers.
“Now it’s all about coordinating maintenance with design,” White said. “Most design improvements are in the rearview mirror.”
Future plans may include expanding the greens to 115,000 square feet, closer to their original sizes.
The Old Town experience is unique from arrival. The pro shop is tucked behind the brick clubhouse, requiring a short walk through a courtyard to teeing areas for holes No. 1 and 10. There are no tee times — players wait their turn and tee off when the fairway is clear.
The routing includes an opening three-hole south loop, leading back near the clubhouse to No. 4, where “The Big Reveal” offers a view of the property. On the back nine, panoramic views toward the clubhouse are visible from the volcano-shaped 16th green.
Memorable holes include No. 5, a sharp dogleg left par-4 with a blind tee shot, and No. 14, a short par-4 reachable off the tee for risk-takers, where the fairway and green slope left toward the creek.
The par-4 8th and par-5 17th are signature holes, featuring a double green along the creek with pins typically 200 feet apart.
No. 8’s blind tee shot slopes toward water on the right, with the vast double green as the target. At No. 17, the second shot should be to the lower right fairway for a flat approach over the creek to a green guarded by a small bunker.
Old Town finishes with an uphill par-4 to a green flanked by the clubhouse. Ø oldtownclub.org
Hole 16 at OTC (Photo by Billy Richards)
River Dazzles ON DYE’S
VIRGINIA TECH
COURSE
As a name, The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech pretty much says it all about the home course of the Hokies golf teams.
The course is vintage Pete Dye, featuring a diversity of holes and green complexes, including pot bunkers that have made him famous through renowned courses such as TPC Sawgrass, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, and, of course, The Cardinal by Pete Dye in Greensboro.
The course, which opened in 2006 in Radford, Virginia, about 11 miles from Virginia Tech and a 45-minute drive from Roanoke, is owned by the Virginia Tech Foundation, though managed by McConnell Golf of Raleigh. McConnell Golf’s portfolio also includes Sedgefield Country Club, The Cardinal, and Old North State Club in the Triad. The foundation bought the course, which was then home to a more modest layout, and turned it over to Dye, who altered much of the bunkering and some of the routing.
Then there’s the New River, which runs along a dozen holes, serving as a lateral hazard while providing consistently spectacular views of the roaring, wide channel and the magnificent bluffs on the other side. PGA General Manager Michael Abraham said Dye also eliminated many trees, giving the course a “links” feel and more scenic views of the river.
“I was told that Pete Dye said, ‘I envision this as a links-style course,’” Abraham said.
Though located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the River Course sits in a valley, stretching along 2.5 miles on the west bank of the twisting New River. The course is open to the public. Somewhat remote, the River Course is about 1 hour, 45 minutes from Winston-Salem and 2 hours, 15 minutes from Greensboro via U.S. 52 and Interstates 77 and 81.
Dye provided the Virginia Tech Foundation with a course long and
The New River is prominent throughout the course.
tough enough for top competition but manageable for children and high-handicappers too. Summer rates are $56 on weekdays and $71 on weekends. Memberships, some with privileges at other McConnell courses, are available.
The course is extremely walkable, with no major climbs or long treks between greens and tees.
“It is probably the flattest golf course in the Roanoke-New River Valley area,” Abraham said.
Facilities include a practice range and putting green. Preston’s on the River, a full-scale restaurant and bar, is open six days per week and features a patio overlooking the final hole, the river, and the cliffs on the other side.
From the tips, the par-72 course measures 7,685 yards with a 77.3 rating and a 145 slope, with other tees playing 7,088, 6,495, 5,903, 5,142, 4,606, and 3,881 yards. Abraham said the commonly played tees are the 6,495-yard Orange, a stiff challenge with a 71.9 rating and a 134 slope. Last year, the 4,606-yard yellow set of tees was added, quickly becoming a favorite of many women players.
An example of the course’s versatility and balance is that each of the four par-3s plays in a different direction—north, south, east, and west—an important feature considering the typically significant winds off the river. Abraham said the course offers steady winds, sometimes with gusts of 20-25 mph.
The bent grass greens are typically perched with the edges rolling down through extended, tightly mowed collars into a variety of traditional bunkers, pots, and grassy swales, requiring skilled chips and pitches. With as much as 10 yards of collar around some greens, players often have the option of putting, though this often requires a firm strike uphill to the speedy, undulating putting surfaces, which typically vary in size depending on the expected approach.
The course’s four par-5s are the top handicap holes. Often, fairway sand, pots, and natural areas encroach on fairways, forcing wellstruck shots to set up an approach.
Players get an early impression of what’s in store upon arrival in the pro shop, which looks down 75 feet from a cliff to No. 18, a long par-4 stretching along the river. Ø petedyerivercourse.com
The clubhouse sits on a bluff overlooking No. 18 and the New River.
Pearman
ENJOYS GROWTH ON DRIVE TOWARD THE TOP
Scottie Pearman reached as high as No. 2 in the Professional World Long Driving Association rankings two years ago, but he’s having more fun and feeling more comfortable now than ever — even after a disappointing defeat at the recent World Long Driving Championship.
The No. 1 seed entering the eight-player final day, Pearman lost to Sean Johnson in the semifinals, resulting in a tie for third place and a $7,500 payday.
“I felt really good,” said the 40-year-old Pearman, a Randleman native. “I wouldn’t change anything. I thought, ‘This is yours to win’ — I never felt like that before.”
However, Pearman would have preferred to put a ball into play during his loss to Johnson. Instead, he missed the landing area on each of his six drives, hitting most into a lake that pinched in from the right along a fairway at Eagles Landing Country Club. The four-day competition was taped for broadcast on Golf Channel and ESPN.
Despite the loss, Pearman said he had a new confidence in 2024 that he had lacked since turning pro in 2022. He finished the season ranked No. 7 in the WLD standings.
“I had a great year with a lot of spiritual growth,” Pearman said. “I really had fun for the first time.”
It’s been a unique journey for the 6’3”, 225-pound former baseball and basketball player. Five years ago, he met Senior driving champion Jeff Crittenden, also a Triad native, in a dugout while filling in for a church baseball team.
After talking to Crittenden and hitting a handful of drives over the screen onto Eastchester Drive at Deep River Driving Range in High Point with Crittenden watching, Pearman quickly became a long-driving specialist.
“He (Crittenden) told me, ‘Stop, you’re going to hit a car.’”
Pearman then went onto eBay, bought a 48-inch Callaway LD driver, and started practicing. He remained undefeated for two years as an amateur, winning two Amateur Player of the Year awards, before turning pro in 2021 following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His success convinced him that he was ready to turn pro and give up his 12-year job at Federal Express. His wife, Becca, became his manager, and his coach is Bobby Peterson of Newton Grove, who
also coaches several other long drivers.
Pearman’s main source of income is performing at charity fundraisers. He estimates he participates in an average of 5 to 10 events per month.
In 2024, he finished in the money in seven out of eight events — the WLD Tour hosts about a dozen events throughout North America.
Pearman also plays traditional golf using a 46-inch driver and has a 3.2 handicap index.
In driving competition, Pearman uses a 48-inch Callaway Paradym LD model with a 3.5-degree loft on the head and a Kinetixx LD 30-plus shaft.
His longest drive in competition was 475 yards in 2022. A few years ago, he was chosen to familiarize Bryson DeChambeau with long-driving rules and later beat the two-time U.S. Open champion in competition.
At Eagles Landing, Pearman went 5-0 on the first day in headto-head matches. On the second day, he struggled, needing to win the final match of a round to advance. But he bounced back to secure the top seed going into the final day. Pearman’s longest drive of the competition was 430 yards.
Although the WLD season is over, Pearman plans to compete in the Ultimate Long Driving World Championship on Sept. 25-28 in West Columbia, South Carolina.
Pearman receives support from several equipment manufacturers. His sponsors include local businesses such as Greensboro National Golf Club, Harrington Chiropractic, Be Well Organix, as well as Yamaha Golf Car and Marco’s Pizza.Ø
EXPERIENCE LEADS PERFECTION
Swing by and practice for your next Tee Time!
Z Self-service, lighted driving range
Z Range with targets and ags
Z Natural and articial turf areas
Z Lessons available with PGA instructor Chris Cramer of RemarCable Golf
Z Video swing analysis
Z Sales of new and used golf clubs and accessories
Z Club Repair
MEADOWLANDS GOLF CLUB
DOUBLE EAGLE || Charlie Vaden of Danville, July 26, Goodyear GC. No. 5, 476 yards, driver, then 4-hybrid from 210 yards. Playing partner: Jeremey Gentry. His second albatross.
PAR-3 ACES || Chris Zendgraft of Boonville, Sept. 2, Salem Glen CC. No. 17, 165 yards, 7-iron. Playing partners: Stef Hamilton, Ryan Barton. First career ace.
John W. Love Sr. of Charlotte, Aug. 28, Tanglewood Championship Course. No. 3, 130 yards, 4-hybrid. Playing partners: Allen Blackwell, Darrell Johnson, Ricky Rushing. His third ace.
Wayne Kessler of Burlington, Aug. 28, The Valley GC. No. 4, 146 yards, 8-iron. Playing partner: Wanda Kessler. His first ace.
Ricky Brown of Kerneresville, Aug. 27, Meadowlands GC. No. 3, 128 yards, 8-iron. Playing partners: Lewis Gardner, Don Weir, Carl Griggs. His second ace.
Steve Wallace of Kernersville, Aug. 25, Olde Homeplace GC. No. 7, 157 yards, hybrid. Playing partners: Donnie Ball, Chris Smith, Gene Sampson. His second.
Janice Campagna of Summerfield, Aug. 24, Iron Play Par-3 Links. No. 4, 70 yards, pitching wedge. Playing partner: Joe Campagna. Her first ace.
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RAY RAY’S
Conveniently located across from the mall, behind Kickback Jacks
Club reshafting and regripping
Carson Miller, Aug. 24, Holly Ridge GL. No. 16, 180 yards, 6-iron. Playing partners: Corey Shelton, Will Chandler, Jeremy Shelton.
Kate Pierson of Reidsville, Aug. 20, Greensboro National GC. No. 4, 125 yards, 7-iron. Playing partners: Lori Knox, Robin Davis, Arlene Welbrock. Her first ace.
Scott Miller of Stokesdale, Aug. 7, Pennrose Park CC. No. 4, 149 yards, 8-iron. His second ace.
Gary Eubanks of Greensboro, Aug. 6, Stoney Creek GC. No. 4, 167 yards, 7-iron. Playing partners: Doug Talley, Mark Ballard, Kevan Bytmar. His fourth career ace came in a CGA one-day fourball tournament.
Greg Howard of Winston-Salem, Aug. 5, Tanglewood Championship Course. No. 16, 210 yards, 3-hybrid. Playing partners: Greg Einstein, Brandon Einstein, Kent Shelton. His third ace.
Scott Bryson of Advance, Aug. 4, Salem Glen CC. No. 8, 168 yards, 6-iron.
Playing partners: Michael Tyler, Lanny Collett. His second ace.
Will Williams of Gibsonville, Aug. 4, Iron Play Par-3 Links. No. 15, 125 yards, pitching wedge. Playing partners: Seth Kennedy, Caleb Kennedy. His first ace.
Fred Bowen of Kernersville, July 31, Pine Knolls GC. No. 9, 100 yards, pitching wedge. No. 9, 100 yards, pitching wedge. Playing partners: Ed Christian, Steve Mabe, Bruce Jones. His first ace; has been playing 50 years.
Jerry Wilkins of Sandy Ridge, July 13, Dan Valley GC. No. 18, 177 yards, 6-iron. Playing partners: Randy Hopper, Jerry Rogers, Ron Hodge. His third ace.
Jack Whitley of Greensboro, July 13, Iron Play Par-3 Links. No.l 1, 100 yards, gap wedge. Playing partners: Bob Willams, Earl Waddell, Rany Ball. His fifth ace, including three at Iron Play.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
– Tuscarora Two-Man Invitational, Tuscarora CC, Danville. Medal play in flights. 434-724-4191. – 41st annual Lexington BBQ Festival 2-person teams, – Chatmoss Two-Man Invitational, Chatmoss CC, Martinsville. Medal play in flights. Also senior division. 276-638-7648. – 6th Annual First Responders, Greensboro National.
Greensboro National ENHANCES EXPERIENCES
The changes at Greensboro National Golf Club are noticeable from the moment players enter the parking lot.
Upon arrival, players are directed to the bag drop, where an attendant removes their clubs from their vehicle and places them on a cart. After their round, the clubs are cleaned and returned to the bag drop. When ready to leave, players pull up to the drop, and their clubs are placed back in their vehicle.
The new rule at the Summerfield course is that players don’t need to touch their clubs when not playing or practicing. And the service is complimentary.
While such service is common at public and resort courses in Florida, where Greensboro National General Manager Bruce Mohler spent decades, it’s not standard in the Triad. Mohler noted it’s not always the norm even at well-known regional resorts like Pinehurst.
“This area was very far behind,” Mohler said. “I don’t know why — I’m not reinventing the wheel here.”
Greensboro National has introduced a new level of service to public golf in the Triad through technology and manpower.
The technological advancements are groundbreaking. A new point-of-sale system helps the course understand its customers, knowing names, equipment, and clothing preferences. This allows the club to send push notifications for sales, demo days, tee time reminders, and birthday greetings.
“It’s set up so a public customer can feel like they’re at a private course,” Mohler said.
The GM believes upscale service begins with hiring the right staff. “I want people who genuinely want to be here,” he said.
With E-Z GO Pace Technology, the pro shop and beverage cart staff know every cart’s location and the players’ names, allowing personalized service.
When players reach the eighth tee, a QR code on the cart’s GPS message board lets them view the grill menu, order food, and pay on their phone. The food is ready for pickup near the 10th tee, avoiding long food breaks that cause backups.
The new tech also makes rounds more enjoyable by eliminating waits and keeping rounds moving smoothly. Despite a full tee sheet with 260 players on Labor Day, the average round finished in 4 hours and 16 minutes, a notable achievement on a busy holiday.
With the PACE system, Mohler said at least half a dozen staffers can pinpoint every group on the course and ensure pace of play is maintained.
“It’s gone very well,” Mohler said. “They like the high level of service.”
However, Mohler emphasized that the changes weren’t solely to increase revenue. Tee times, previously seven minutes apart, are now spaced nine or ten minutes to reduce waiting times and create a more relaxed atmosphere.
Greensboro National also provided free water bottles in carts’ mini coolers during summer months. Ø
top: The new pro shop right: The food pickup area at the 10th tee.
Rai Capitalizes
WHEN GREYSERMAN COLLAPSES AT WYNDHAM
Aaron Rai claimed an unlikely victory in a dramatic finish at the PGA Tour’s annual Wyndham Championship, which concluded as scheduled on August 11 despite heavy rains from Hurricane Debby flooding the Sedgefield Country Club course and postponing the start by more than 24 hours.
Rai, who watched a chip land short of the target and roll back off the ninth green to his feet during a marathon weekend, took advantage of the collapse of former Duke player Max Greyserman on the tournament’s final stretch.
Rai shot 64 in the final round to finish at 18-under-par 282, taking control when Greyserman made a double-bogey 8 on No. 15, relinquishing a seemingly safe four-shot lead.
FIRST RESPONDERS SET FOR OCTOBER 4
The sixth annual First Responders of the Triad Golf Tournament at Greensboro National has a few sponsorship and team spots available with three weeks remaining before the October 4 event.
In 2023, the tournament raised $60,000 for Triad area First Responders and more than $175,000 since established in 2019. The winning team and two other random drawn teams will select their designated and qualified 501(c)(3) first responder organizations as a recipient. For more information contact Bruce Mohler at 336342-1113 or bmohler@greensboronational.com
CADIEUX WINS, HEADS TO N.C. STATE
Tanner Cadieux of Greensboro, N.C., won the boys’ title at the 7th Hope Valley Junior Invitational in Durham.
Cadieux, a former Page High standout now a freshman on the N.C. State team, shot 10-under-par 200 and then beat Aidan Wilson of Winston-Salem, a sophomore at Oak Grove, in a fourhole playoff.
The 54-hole event at Hope Valley Country Club was condensed to two days with a shotgun format due to storms and inclement weather.
PRECISION’S LINVILLE, HAARLOW SHINE
Chris Haarlow of Greensboro, director/instructor with Robert Linville’s Precision Golf School, finished the summer strong with a tie for fourth at the Carolinas PGA Senior Professional at Pinewood Country Club in late August and a sixth-place finish at the CPGA North Carolina Senior Open in early September at High Point Country Club’s Willow Creek course.
Haarlow shot 2-over 145 at Willow Creek, finishing four strokes behind winner Hank Smith of Briar’s Creek near Charleston, South Carolina. Neal Lancaster of Smithfield won at Pinewood with 140, five ahead of Haarlow.
Robert Linville of Charlotte, director of instruction at Precision, tied with Haarlow at Pinewood and finished third, only two shots behind Smith at Willow Creek.
WEEKENDS Ø 18 holes w/ cart $38
SENIORS (60+) Ø Monday-Friday 18 holes w/ cart $26
JUNIORS (15 & UNDER) PLAY FOR FREE w/ 1 paying adult daily after 12:00 pm
& EVENING RATES AVAILABLE
Aaron Rai
Asa mountain golf retreat, High Meadows has it all, yet its relaxed vibe has kept it a relative secret in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Start with the setting in spectacular, yet remote Roaring Gap, a beautiful getaway accessible only via a twisting two-lane road, half an hour from an interstate. Then there’s the club’s George Cobb layout, winding through hills, valleys, pristine streams, ponds, and lakes, offering a stiff challenge without the risk of losing a dozen golf balls.
The mountain-themed clubhouse features fine dining in one formal room overlooking the course and a more casual atmosphere in another room, also with a view of the 18th hole, which finishes along a lovely troutstocked lake. Perhaps best for a post-round sandwich is a comfy downstairs grill room.
Later this year, the club will open a new indoor-outdoor facility at the practice area, allowing golfers to work on their game regardless of weather. Members will be able to hit from heated bays that can be closed and used with simulators.
High Meadows is one of the few N.C. mountain clubs to keep its golf course open year-round. The club also offers
High Meadows CREATES
PEAK VIBES
fitness, pickleball, tennis, and swimming facilities. Dining and activity amenities are essential, considering Roaring Gap consists of a historic church, three golf clubs — Roaring Gap Club and Olde Beau Resort being the others — and a large, overgrown convenience store.
Founded in 1964 at about a 3,000-foot elevation, High Meadows blends in nicely with its surrounding community, including many residents who make it their primary home.
In recent months, the club has emerged from its leafy shadows with a new vibe, creating more activity while maintaining the tranquility cherished by its members.
High Meadows aims to recruit new members to a club that is surprisingly affordable, with initiation and fees far below comparable upscale, exclusive golf clubs in the Triad, Raleigh, Durham, Asheville, Wilmington, and Charlotte. For members living 35 miles or more away, the costs are competitive with many semi-private clubs.
In 2024, High Meadows gained notice by hiring longtime Old Town Club staffer Tommy Gibson as club professional.
Gibson, the 2021 and 2022 Carolinas PGA Player of the Year, has quickly brought new energy to the club. Robin O’Neil, involved in club management in the Hilton Head Island market for several years, began as general manager during the summer.
Superintendent Jordan Harris, a former assistant at Sedgefield and Primland, is lauded by O’Neil for maintaining pristine course conditions.
“We’re trying to create a new vibe and enthusiasm at the course,” said Gibson. “We want to create a private club feel where you don’t want to leave.”
Gibson quickly upgraded the pro shop, added new merchandise and equipment, and designed a new hummingbird club logo.
“We’ve revamped the entire golf shop,” Gibson said. “It’s been well received.”
The new pro quickly signed up more than three dozen teams for a new “Hummdinger” pro-am. He has also planned a new ninehole event with players hitting from small artificial mats from short par-3 distances to the club’s greens.
O’Neil is overseeing membership and marketing, facility maintenance and property enhancements, as well as revitalizing the entire food and beverage operation.
Still, the course remains the showpiece, beginning with the fun, creative design by Cobb, whose portfolio includes Quail Hollow and the par-3 course at Augusta National.
From the back tees, High Meadows is a stiff test of 6,700 yards, with dramatic elevation changes leading to a 72.1 rating and 130 slope. But with five other sets of tees — the front markers measuring just 3,970 yards — the course is playable for scratch players and high-handicappers alike. Only two dozen or so bunkers with quick-draining G-angle sand come into play, but they serve strategic purposes.
The greens, a mix of bent and Poa annua that has flourished over the years, range in variety and size (totaling 15,000 square feet),
and run true and fast, with care taken to avoid impossible downhill putts. The ample fairways, lined by dense trees, are divided vertically in color with a “European” style mowing pattern. Several trees were recently trimmed to provide more shot options and sunlight to the fairways.
One of the most unique shots comes at the par-3 11th, which features a dramatic uphill shot to a large green, with the pin hidden from the tee. From the 186-yard tips or 168yard white tees, the shot often requires a long iron followed by suspense on the drive to the putting surface.
At 12, a par-5 stretching 495 yards, players are treated to a spectacular approach to a green with the property’s largest lake serving as the backdrop, framed by woods on both sides.
No hole may be as fun as the par-4 No. 13, where a good drive carries a plateau and cascades down a steep grade, leaving only a wedge to a small green protected by two
bunkers, with a pond on the right and U.S. 21 in the distance.
The finishing hole, a 497-yard par-5, features two small lakes, one to the right, mostly affecting the second shot, and another to the left, grabbing errant second shots and protecting the green on approaches. From the clubhouse deck atop a hill to the right of the green, members can watch players conclude their round in a beautiful setting.
Highlights on the front nine include the 427-yard par-4 sixth, where drives must be accurate to avoid fairway bunkers on both sides, with the approach turning slightly left to a small green.
At No. 9, only 333 yards from the tips, big hitters can go for the green off the tee with a required fade, though two small lakes to the left of the green — straight from the tee — and dense woods to the right, make double-bogeys common for gamblers. Ø highmeadowscountryclub.com
Tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina lies a private golf and country club like no other. With breath-taking scenic views, golf enthusiasts love this George Cobb designed course. After playing a round, enjoy fine dining and fellowship with members of our community. Whether you make High Meadows your permanent home, your summer home, or simply your weekend escape, you’ll fall in love with our small-town-America charm and hospitality.
INTRODUCING OUR EXCLUSIVE NON-RESIDENT MEMBERSHIP!
Enjoy all the premier benefits of a Golf Membership—up to 40 days per year—without the need to live nearby. This is your chance to experience our top-tier golf amenities, world-class course, and vibrant community. Available to anyone who lives beyond a 30-mile radius of the Club. Make our club your home away from home today!
EASY TO GET TO, HARD TO FORGET
Within a 2 hour drive from Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill, NC.