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Area Insider – by David Droschak
ew golf clubs in the state of North Carolina – if any – have been through as much recent turmoil as Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington. The private facility, anchored by a Tom Fazio-designed layout bordering the Intracoastal Waterway, filed for bankruptcy protection a year ago after major damage inflicted by Hurricanes Dorian and Florence, coupled with numerous costly lawsuits surrounding disputes over ponds, insurance coverage and the developer. In short, things were a mess at a promising club in a coastal city that is beginning to see some significant population traction on the heels of COVID-19. Once again, Raleigh-based McConnell Golf has come to the rescue, purchasing Porters Neck on Sept. 1 after managing the facility for a year. In the midst of finishing up a major renovation at anchor course Raleigh Country Club, the purchase of Porters Neck now brings the McConnell private club portfolio to 14 courses in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. “To start off with it gives us a little bit of stability,” said longtime Porters Neck head pro Robert Loper. “The last couple of years have been up-anddown with a lot of different stuff going on. I believe McConnell Golf is going to try to take us to the next level. We have a nice place as it is already, and with their resources and expertise we can make this a really great place.” McConnell Golf has now virtually thrown a blanket over North Carolina’s most populated cities with golf venues in such locations as Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Asheville, Greenville -- and now Wilmington. “I grew up in Jacksonville 30 years ago and just seeing this place booming is awesome,” McConnell vice president of golf operations Brian Kittler said of Wilmington. “It’s part of the strategic plan when we acquire properties. What is the city looking like and what is the potential growth rate in 5 or 10 years down the road? Porters Neck definitely checked all the boxes that we’re looking for. With the growth of the city we look forward to growth in the membership.
Photos courtesy of McConnell Gol
“Porters Neck has a great golf course, a firstclass fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts – all the amenities the newer, younger members are looking for in a private club,” added Kittler. “And you can’t beat it that the Intracoastal Waterway is just down the road from the property and access to beaches is great. This purchase is also going to help with other McConnell members that either have places at Topsail Island or Figure Eight Island or Wrightsville Beach – all the places along the Southern Coast – and now this gives them a place to come play some golf and spend some family time. That’s what we’re all about and I think you’re going to see a lot more families joining for that reason.” Prior to the McConnell purchase, Loper says memberships had already seen a significant uptick. “During this pandemic we’ve seen a lot of people moving into town, moving out of the big cities and trying to get away, and people are working remotely so they can pretty much live wherever they want,” said Loper, who has been at Porters Neck for 22 years. “Just in the last six months we’ve gotten 50-60 new memberships. It has been surprising with all the uncertainty we’ve had over the last couple of years, and add this pandemic in, so being able to grow the membership is great. Hopefully, this is a sign of a good stable club. It’s a great golf course, our members are welcoming and the staff
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Your contacts for golf: Main Office: P.O. Box 11784 Winston-Salem, NC 27116 Phone: 336-924-1619
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
Volume 21 • No. 6
Publisher: Jay W. Allred, E-mail: jay@triadgolf.com Editor: David Droschak, E-mail: David@triadgolf.com
Vice President of Sales: Sebastian King E-mail: King@triadgolf.com
takes care of the members.” Agronomy upgrades at Porters Neck will begin immediately, with a long-range improved drainage plan on the books. “Porters Neck has a chance to be considered one of the best golf courses in Wilmington,” said McConnell vice president Michael Shoun, who oversees the company’s agronomy. “We’re excited about getting the McConnell touch in there and really stepping up the maintenance, and giving the members something that they can be proud of. “We are all about consistency, we want the golf course to play the same every day, and that was something that was lacking previously. It’s about getting in there and really dialing in the maintenance and providing quality every day,” added Shoun. Loper said he had heard of McConnell Golf in passing over the last decade or so, but didn’t know any details prior to the firm taking over management duties a year ago. He is quickly learning of the passion for golf by company founder the CEO John McConnell. “John came out on property a couple of weeks ago unannounced and kind of just walked around,” Loper said. “I think he’s a gentleman who likes to pay attention to detail so we’re looking forward to that, making this a super nice facility.”
Triangle Golf Today, published seven times a year, serves the Triangle region of North Carolina. While our information is gathered from dependable sources, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information. We do not accept responsibility for the validity of our advertisers. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use without written consent is prohibited. Triangle Golf Today and triadgolf.com are trademarks owned by Piedmont Golf Today, Inc. © 2020
NEXT ISSUE: November 10, 2020 On the Cover: Pinehurst Resort will host five U.S. Opens through 2047 in an historic partnership with the USGA. Photo by David Droschak www.trianglegolf.com
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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Anchors Aweigh
USGA setting up shop in North Carolina Sandhills By David Droschak
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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emember the snickering from golf pundits prior to the 1999 U.S. Open coming to Pinehurst? How was the United States Golf Association going to stage such a major championship in a rural location? The greens would never hold up under the summer heat, would they? Where would the corporate support come from? More than two decades later, who is laughing now? The USGA has committed and deepened its relationship with Pinehurst Resort and surrounding Moore County golf unlike it has with any other location across the country, announcing a second headquarters to be built here by 2023, along with a visitor’s center and satellite museum, and five U.S. Opens to be staged on iconic Pinehurst No. 2 through 2047. The 2024 U.S. Open had already been scheduled, but the USGA will also host its men’s golf championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047, as well as bring numerous other USGA events to the North Carolina Sandhills. Talks of this historic partnership began more than a year ago at the U.S. Amateur between USGA CEO Mike Davis, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, legislative and local government officials, business leaders and Pinehurst executives. The deal almost fell apart as COVID-19 hit in March and state coffers began to run dry, but the state was able to recently approve an $18 million incentive package, with the help of some private donors, and the land for Golf House Pinehurst was donated to the USGA for the location of a state-of-the-art research and test center. Officials estimate the economic impact for Moore County and the Sandhills area to approach $2 billion over the next two decades. “This is an unprecedented contribution to the economic future of Pinehurst, Moore County, the region and the state of North Carolina,” said Pat Corso, executive director of Moore County Partners in Progress and former Pinehurst Resort executive. “This commitment to these premier golf events adds another permanent leg to our local stool of economic stability of health care, tourism and agriculture.” Local officials believe the USGA’s calling card will bring new business and industry to the area that far exceeds just golf. “There has not been a bigger day for this destination since Mr. Tufts put a stake in the ground in the Village of Pinehurst and built this resort in 1895,” added Phil Werz, president and CEO of Pinehurst, www.trianglegolf.com
Kelly Miller of Pine Needles (left) and Tom Pashley of Pinehurst Resort can be viewed at times as resort rivals but both will benefit from the USGA’s recent deal with the state of North Carolina. Photo by David Droschak Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Every industry will be touched here by this. “It’s a cute tag line we use – The Home of American Golf -- but now it means so much more, and this decision by the USGA reinforces that fact, that we are the undisputed home of American Golf,” added Werz. “This is just the tip of the iceberg, and we’re just beginning to realize what the impact is truly going to be.” Pinehurst No. 2 becomes the first “anchor site” for U.S. Open play in what Davis called “a groundbreaking” decision. “U.S. Opens work so well here,” Davis said of Pinehurst Resort. “And with us building a state-of-the-art research and test center right here in the Village, it is not lost on us that just right up the road is the Research Triangle Park and some of the most renowned universities in the country.” Pinehurst Resort’s U.S. Open history began with Payne Stewart’s “One Moment In Time” magical 15-foot win-
ning putt on the 18th green in 1999, and was followed by Michael Campbell’s stunning upset in 2005. The resort and USGA then teamed up with an unprecedented golf undertaking with the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens staged in consecutive weeks on No. 2 in 2014. “Whenever our two organizations have challenged the status quo together … it has been great for the game of golf,” said Pinehurst Resort owner Robert Dedman Jr. Pine Needles Resort in nearby Southern Pines, which has also hosted numerous USGA women’s championships dating to 1996, also stands to be the big winner with this new USGA commitment. “People think of us as competitors but we’re not nearly as much competitors as we are friends and trying to grow the game and work together,” president and CEO of Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Kelly Miller said of Pinehurst Resort. “We’re one of Pinehurst’s biggest cheer-
leaders as it relates to the championships they have and how well they do. This is a fantastic thing for our area and for the state of North Carolina. I can’t think of a much bigger thing that has happened since I’ve been here for 40 years – nothing bigger than this. We at Pine Needles have had discussions and we’re continuing the discussions in terms of putting dates to future USGA championships. We look forward to having an announcement in the not too distant future.” Pinehurst Resort president Tom Pashley was quick to point out the USGA decision to set up shop in the Sandhills was a product of a lot of hard work by those inside the resort and those outside the “so-called” ropes. “This opportunity has been earned by our community,” Pashley said. “With every championship that has been held in Moore County the community, the employees, the volunteers, everyone has earned this opportunity for us because this happens over time. This is not something that is just done by the stroke of a check; this is about trust and a long-term relationship. I’m just proud that our community has earned this right.” Miller and Pashley both recall the doubt in many outsiders’ minds when the USGA tapped Pinehurst Resort for the 1999 U.S. Open, which at the time was the first such championship staged in the South. “Just because it is somewhat of a rural community people were skeptical, but what folks didn’t realize was the tremendous population and corporate support throughout North Carolina and areas that are close like Raleigh, Fayetteville, Greensboro and Charlotte,” Miller said. “So, while there is not as much corporate right here the state has embraced these events.” “To echo some of what Kelly said, when major events are hosted in cities throughout North Carolina sometimes they become city events – you know, like a Charlotte event or a Raleigh event – but it seems like when golf is played in Moore County it’s a statewide event,” Pashley said, “So, the beauty is the entire state shows up, it’s not a city event. We felt that support since the 1999 U.S. Open. What was done in 1999 was over the top, and we viewed every spectator, every person who was affiliated with the U.S. Open as a future resort guest. We’re in the hospitality business, that’s what this community is all about so we went above the beyond with that first introduction of the 1999 U.S. Open. And those are the types of things that earn you the opportunities that we’re now starting to enjoy.” TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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Golf events around the Triangle take on a different complexion during surreal year By BRAD KING
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n March and April, roughly half of the country’s golf courses were closed. Not so around the Triangle. In early April, the Carolinas PGA (CPGA) put together their version of a program called “Back to Golf” that spelled out mandatory protocols to be followed during the on-going COVID19 quarantine, which were updated in conjunction with phase transitions from the governor’s office. The rules included golf-specific items such as no touching flagsticks or raking bunkers, no water coolers or sand bottles on the course, and using single-rider carts whenever possible. “I’d say 99 percent of the industry, in the clubs and so forth, all have followed those guidelines,” said Larry Conner, general manager at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. “We were very consistent with those guidelines. That’s why we were able to continue doing what we were doing.” “You don’t want some rogue courses out there to ruin it for everyone, because they’re not following the COVID rules,” said Chip Watson, longtime director of golf at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh. “We followed the playbook and have done exactly what the suggestions are. It’s important for golf as a whole to do that, so everyone’s doing close to the same thing.” As a result, during the worldwide pandemic, golf fared far better than most sporting endeavors — emerging as one of the few viable options for outdoor recreation and socialization in a time of lockdowns, closures and quarantines. In fact, during a surreal sports year, golf 2020 has celebrated a banner year. Golf rounds are up in general. Most courses around the Triangle report record number of rounds, some up as much as 35 percent. The National Golf Foundation projects between a 2- and 6-percent growth in rounds in 2020 versus 2019. The industry hasn’t enjoyed a 5-percent jump year-over-year since 2012. “We’ve been swamped, to tell you the truth,” Watson said. “It’s been strange. Everything shut down, but golf.” “All our rounds are way up,” said Larry George, director of golf at River Landing in Wallace. “Our member play is up tremendously as well as our guest play. We have more accompanied guests than we’ve ever had before, going on 21 years. Our golf in general is up above 25 percent.” But what about events such as charity fundraisers, corporate outings and Monday tournaments, a category of group play that helps many clubs and courses survive? That has been a different story. “During a normal year, we’ll probably have anywhere from 30 to 40 what I would say, big, shotgun type, corporate events,” Watson said. “And collegiate tournaments or things like that and we have quite a few more that are smaller than that, maybe in the 32 (player) range, down to wedding parties and things like that. We’ve had nothing since March.” River Landing is one of the southeast’s most popular golf course communities, highlighted by a pair of layouts 10 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
Devils Ridge Photo by David Droschak
that are both ranked among the state’s Top 50. Given its golfing stature, River Landing regularly serves as host site for amateur and professional tournaments and events of all shapes and sizes. “We do quite a bit of Monday tournaments and charity fundraisers,” George said. “In the months of April, May, June and July, we probably had somewhere in the realm of 18 to 20 fundraiser tournaments that did not happen.” For the handful of recent, charity fundraiser events that River Landing has hosted, George said the club shifted from shotgun starts to tee times, with no social gathering afterward. “We told people they couldn’t be here except 45 minutes in advance. We did the things that needed to happen, so we can still have the event, but help people feel safe and not overcrowd the driving range.” “Shotguns are a thing of the immediate past, at least for the time being,” echoed David Sykes, who has been head golf professional at Heritage Golf Club in Wake Forest since the course opened in 2001. Sykes manages all golf operations, directs member golf tournaments and events, and is responsible for planning and executing golf outings for guests. “We’ve taken a hit (on one-off events),” Sykes said. “We had some cancellations earlier in the year, when everybody was a bit more scared, so to speak. Now, we tell the event coordinator, ‘Look, we’ll be glad to have your event. This is what we can do. Tee times from 8 (AM) to 10 (AM) off the front and the back instead of your 9:00 shotgun start, and we can do box lunches for you instead of a sit-down dinner when everybody’s done.’ Most people are good with that, because they know if they don’t do that, then they basically can’t have their event.” Sykes said there has been at least one noticeable upside to the new rules, particularly allowing one rider per cart, when possible. “It does allow for faster rounds,” he said. “If everyone goes to their own golf ball, all of
a sudden, we’re getting around the golf course 15-20 minutes faster, so that’s been good. But eventually we’re going to have to go back, because every golf course’s budget and their business plan is predicated on two people per cart.” Serenely nestled in Holly Springs, 20 miles southwest of Raleigh, Devils Ridge Golf Club has regularly served as a picturesque setting for tournaments and outings since its opening in 1991. Devil’s Ridge General Manager Steve Ostroff said the club has rebounded from initial quarantine cancellations by using creative new ways of conducting outings, including use of an app called, “Golf Genius.” “We lost some events throughout the year — April, May, June events — but now, since the middle of July and early August, we’ve been doing Monday events and they’ve been very successful,” Ostroff said. “We’ve had some corporate and charity outings that have followed the protocols and they’ve been very happy with the results. In fact, the players have been happier, because their golf day has been quicker. Everything is done on-line, with online scoring. The results are sent to the players, but the players play with (Golf Genius) and that app gets the online scoring, so they can see how they’re doing throughout the day. “If a guy tees off at 8:00 in the morning and leaves the property at 12, after a four-hour round, he can follow on his app how he’s doing compared to the people on the course. It’s a really cool incentive. There are a lot of people that are super-happy about it. They say they’re not going to do shotgun events in the future, just do the tee times.” Ostroff said that by sending players off from one tee box, his club is able to make the experience more memorable. “We have an employee on the first tee who greets everybody, as if it’s a professional golf tournament,” he said. “We’ve got bananas and oranges, apples, bottled waters all on the first tee. We have masks and gloves on, Continued on page 11 www.trianglegolf.com
Golf events from page 10
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Gil Hanse thought of every angle. Now it’s your turn. Play the new Pinehurst No. 4.
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as we’re handing the stuff out to the players. We’re talking about the golf course, and the charity and rules of the day. We announce people’s names on the tee sometimes. Unlike a shotgun start, all the people are getting personal treatment, so it’s going over well.” Two categories in which Triangle golf clubs have taken a considerable revenue hit have been merchandise, and particularly food and beverage. Social distancing has put the kibosh on the 19th-hole fellowship of post-round BBQ and brew. “No after-round meal — nothing like that with food,” Watson said. “Being on a college campus, we want to make sure that we’re careful and maybe a little bit more careful than other places might be. We rely on the university dining for the dining aspect and they’re pretty much going to be shut down until 2021. So, the dining aspect of the event is not going to happen. “It’s really difficult because you’re taking a business where you promote gatherings, you promote getting together, tournaments with your buddies, corporate events, you’re promoting that. And now, you’re doing the exact opposite, telling them ‘no, we don’t want you to gather.’ It’s hard.” “We’re about 16-17 percent over in rounds, but if you’re looking at total revenue, we’re just about even,” Watson said. “We’re not having those tournaments; we’re not selling the gift certificates; we’re not selling a ton of merchandise.” “People are not taking trips. They’re staying here playing golf which is good for us,” added Sykes. “But people are still hesitant to come inside and sit down and have dinner. That’s the biggest problem this whole pandemic has caused for the golf industry. While business is good, golf courses are propping up their food and beverage, which are suffering.” Yet, in a COVID-19-fueled world, the industry is witnessing evidence of a new boom. “(The pandemic) has shown that golf is a sport that you can play forever and be safe at it, too,” Sykes said. “It doesn’t matter what your age is.” “I actually think that rounds will continue to increase, even after COVID19. Golf is healthier,” George said. “The safest place to be is outside on the golf course. “People have learned that they love the game; that it’s safe and they want to keep playing it.”
It’s time to test your mettle on this rugged masterpiece. Renowned course architect Gil Hanse has transformed what Donald Ross first carved out of the sand a century ago into 18 dramatic holes you’ll want to play again and again. Introducing the latest championship course at Pinehurst. Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina | 855.269.6140 | Visit pinehurst.com
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Will’s Way Former Wake Forest star tops Korn Ferry Tour money list By David Droschak Credit Koran Ferry Tour
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ake Forest has produced some of the most accomplished golfers in the history of the game, including Arnold Palmer, Curtis Strange, Billy Joe Patton, Webb Simpson and Lanny Wadkins, just to name a few. Is Will Zalatoris poised to join that illustrious list? Zalatoris, a former ACC player of the year who holds the school’s alltime record for career low scoring, sits atop the Korn Ferry Tour money list heading into September with a remarkable string of golf. As of mid September, Zalatoris had made all 16 cuts on the PGA Tour feeder circuit with a 68.44 scoring average, and shot under par in 18 straight tournaments dating to the end of the 2019 season. Zalatoris was hot out of the gate when pro golf restarted on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, carding five straight top 6 finishes, including his first victory on July 4. During that stretch, Zalatoris was a combined 77-under-par. The remarkable display of golf included a 77 in the first round after his win, only to be followed by rounds of 67, 66 and 67 to tie for fifth. “So far this year even though I’ve made every cut I’ve had to birdie the last hole four times to make the cut on the number on Friday,” Zalatoris said. “That’s basically the reason I’m No. 1 on the money list. The high finishes are great, but it’s grinding out those cuts that are key.” Although Zalatoris is primed to secure his PGA Tour card for the next two years, his golfing path hasn’t always been as clear. He grew up around golfing royalty of sorts outside of Dallas, hanging out with the Wadkins family and Lanny’s sons Travis and Tucker. Zalatoris won the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, and at the time was one of just seven players to compete in five of those events. He also won the Antigua National High School Tournament in 2013 and was co-medalist with Jordan Spieth at the 2011 Champions Invitational. Zalatoris was dreaming of playing collegiate golf at Stanford, but grew 13 inches over a 2 ½ year period between 7th grade and his sophomore year of high school, sending his golf game into a downward spiral. “I was growing physically and going through a rough path,” he said. “I really wasn’t hitting it that great www.trianglegolf.com
and I wasn’t putting well either so a lot of (college) coaches when they saw me shooting in the 80s they were like ‘well, forget it, this kid is losing interest or whatever.’” It was Wadkins who suggested Zalatoris take a visit to Wake Forest. “Lanny kept telling me about this kid who really wanted to go to Stanford but they didn’t give him the time of day because they thought he had the putting yips,” said longtime Wake Forest coach Jerry Haas. “I watched him and I said to myself, ‘Man, I’ve never seen a kid hit a ball like this guy.’ I’ve always felt that was 90 percent of the game was being able to hit the ball. People can say all they want about the mental part of the game, but physically if you can’t play you can’t play.” “I absolutely loved the campus and coach Haas offered me the Arnold Palmer scholarship so my decision was kind of made for me at that point,” Zalatoris said. “How could I turn that down – along with a top 30 institution academically on top of one of the most storied golf programs in NCAA history? Coach Haas saw how driven I was and took a chance on me and I would like to say it paid off.” It didn’t take Zalatoris long to start turning heads in Winston-Salem. “When he got to Wake and he was shooting 64s and 65s every day. It was incredible golf to watch,” Haas said. “You can always tell a lot when a kid comes in and averages under par right away as a freshman; that means they’re not afraid, it’s not too big a moment for them. And look at him now, the kid is right there every week. He is shooting some great scores – 15 or 20 under almost every week.” Haas has been impressed by Zalatoris’ ability to rebound. His firstround 77 in San Antonio came after a bout with food poisoning. “He shot 5-over and then he shot 6 under the next day to make the cut
on the nose, and then he had a chance to win the last day,” Haas said. “That is an unbelievable sign as a professional golfer, that you can start in 140th place and work your way back to almost winning. He can hit a 4-iron about 245 yards and land it like a sand wedge. He is really that good.” Zalatoris, who is scheduled to play in his second U.S. Open in September, averages about 315-320 yards off the tee, which is above average, but agreed with his former coach that his iron play gives him a decided advantage over other competitors. “I hit my irons very far, which makes a big difference,” said Zalatoris, whose 9-iron averages a whopping 167 yards. “Most guys are coming into greens with 6-irons and I’m coming in with an 8-iron, so over time that wears on people.” His success on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 didn’t come without some adversity last season, when he didn’t have
playing status and had to hit the Monday qualifier circuit. “The Monday qualifiers are more of a perseverance thing,” Zalatoris said. “You can go shoot 66 and hop on a plane and go home. I had a stretch where I shot no worse than 67 for four weeks and got into just one event. It’s tough to stay patient and think that ‘hey I’m close, I’m playing good.’ It’s tough not to get discouraged about it.” When Zalatoris did qualify for events, he produced. A top 25 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour secures entry into the next event. His play secured him for full status on the circuit this season. Zalatoris works with renowned golf instructors Josh Gregory and Troy Denton when he returns home to Texas. “A lot of my success this year has to do with my day-to-day preparation. I have really found a good routine when I am at home in terms of how to practice,” Zalatoris said. “Josh and Troy have done a really nice job of teaching me about my own game, how I can fix something on the golf course when it starts going wrong. Even though people say, ‘Wow, you have been so consistent this year’ internally I feel like I’ve been all over the place. I just know how to fix myself now. I understand that if I see misses with my golf swing or bad habits with my putting I just know how to fix it opposed to having to spend 2-3 weeks at home to try to figure it out.” Zalatoris said his recent success hasn’t been too hard to keep in proper perspective as his lifelong dream of playing on the PGA Tour awaits in a few months. “The part that is keeping me steady is that I am in prime position to get my card but the way I can get to the PGA Tour sooner is to go win two more Korn Ferry Tour tournaments,” he said. “The beauty of it is every single week is ‘win or let’s figure something out of what I’ve learned this week.’ “It’s a really exciting time and I’m playing some of the freest golf I’ve ever played in my life, so it’s a lot of fun,” Zalatoris added. “It feels like the junior golf days with no fans out there, but obviously we’re getting paid a little bit more.” In Zalatoris’ case, a whole lot more. TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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U.S. Kids Golf Foundation to relocate to Pinehurst By PETER STILWELL
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he U.S. Kids Golf Foundation is relocating its Georgia-based, non-profit foundation to the Home of American Golf in the Village of Pinehurst, according to Dan Van Horn, founder and president of U.S. Kids Golf. The golf equipment division of U.S. Kids Golf will continue to be headquartered in Georgia. Pinehurst and the surrounding communities have been the host site for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship and World Teen Championship for the past 15 years. This prestigious series of championships for kids ages 5-18 has evolved into the world’s largest junior golf championship with an annual field of over 2,100 young golfers from around the world. “We are very excited to relocate and continue to grow our U.S. Kids Golf Foundation in Pinehurst, which has been the home of our World Championship since 2006,” Van Horn said. “This move presents a wonderful opportunity to be part of the rich history and traditions that this community provides and will allow us the ability to further enhance our mission in growing the great game of golf.” The U.S. Kids Golf Foundation was formed in 2001 to promote the game of golf to kids around the world and to provide competitive playing opportunities at local, state, national and international levels. Their mission “to help kids have fun learning the lifelong game of golf and encourage family interaction that builds lasting memories” gave birth to two distinct foundation initiatives: Play & Learn and Tournaments. The U.S. Kids Golf foundation was the first youth golf organization to provide age and gender appropriate course yardage for kids’ golf competitions so that players beginning as early as 5 years old could make pars, birdies, eagles, and even hole-in-ones in tournament play. Additionally, U.S. Kids Golf Foundation mandated the use of caddies for players under 8 years old and encouraged caddies for older players as critical support for the development of young golfers. Parents are provided with the proper education and coaching techniques as they caddie for their kids. Their U.S. Kids Golf Tournament Division conducts more than 1,600 16 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
Photo provided by U.S. Kids Golf.
golf tournaments annually around the world, including local events, state and regional championships, international championships, and its World Championships held annually in July and August on 13 different golf courses in the Pinehurst area. U.S. Kids Golf Foundation has more than 25,000 junior golfers as active tournament players. The Foundation’s Play & Learn initiative, which focuses on providing the best practices for guiding parents to bring their kids into the game, has led to the development of the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute. This multi-tiered division provides unique training and education opportunities for parents, golf instructors, coaches, and kids to learn and teach the game and to maximize the enjoyment the game of golf provides. To help parents find kid-friendly coaches, the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation created the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Award, recognizing the best coaches and teachers for their outstanding abil-
ity to teach the game to kids. Later, they developed a continuing education program for golf professionals to learn and share best practices on instruction that led to the U.S. Kids Golf Certified Coach program. Certified coaches learn to leverage their expertise by incorporating an understanding of club fitting, game-based learning methods, scaled yardages for on-course play and coaching parents on the best ways to engage and motivate their kids while playing golf. In 2015, the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation purchased Longleaf Golf & Country Club as a “Living Laboratory” for best practices in how a semi-private club can bring more kids and families into the game. The club name was changed to Longleaf Golf & Family Club, and the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation established the first U.S. Golf Academy on the property. The academy currently serves over 600 players from the area and throughout the United States.
“Longleaf has been an outstanding addition to our foundation,” Van Horn said. “Our academy has been very successful in introducing golfers of all ages to the game of golf, and the Longleaf golf course has allowed us the opportunity to enhance our original forward tee program into the Longleaf Tee System. This system has revolutionized the scaling of golf courses and makes the game more enjoyable for players of all skill levels.” “For the past 15 years, U.S. Kids Golf has generated millions of dollars for our local economy with their World Championships,” added Pat Corso, executive director of Moore County Economic Development. “The successes they have had with Longleaf and their academy presents an excellent model for other golf organizations and businesses to base their operation in our community.” The future for the U.S. Kid Golf Foundation in Pinehurst is limitless. They will launch a new travel package division later this year, which will include family golf packages with area resorts and official family golf destinations throughout the United States. The Foundation is expanding its academies to multiple facilities around the country, and the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute has certified more than 1,700 professional golfers and coaches from around the world. “We couldn’t be happier to see the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation decide to relocate to the Home of American Golf,” said Phil Werz, president and CEO of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Golf is the fabric and DNA of our community, and they will be welcomed with open arms by everyone. Their commitment to growing the game of golf is truly inspiring, and we look forward to making them feel at home in our globally-recognized golf destination.” U.S. Kids Golf, LLC, is based in Atlanta and manufactures equipment and related golf products designed for kids. It was created in 1997 when Van Horn found that his children were losing interest in golf due to not having the proper equipment. In addition to more than 4,000 golf shops and retail locations in the United States, the company’s products also are available in more than 75 countries worldwide. www.trianglegolf.com
I’m moving to the “scoring tees” Bets By DAVID DROSCHAK
Perfecting golf has nothing to do with yardage
I’m getting old Bets, so I can’t remember By BETSEY MITCHELL the last time I “went low” on a golf course. Bel Jan recalled the story of a golf pro o many times in days gone by, I had n a recent interview with one of the who recently shot even par from 6,750 some guy grumble about me playing few female golf course architects in yards, and two days later played the same from “way up there.” Dro, you might the game, I asked the veteran designer have been one of them. what she viewed as her biggest accomplish- course from Bel Jen’s scoring tees at 4,060 yards. He finished 3-over. “It embarrassed Every time, I invited him to “move on ment. I assumed Jan Bel Jan would pick a him to learn where his weakness was,” she up.” Women with any length off the tee project she worked on with former boss said. have always known that the true measure and adopted North Carolina son Tom Fazio Couldn’t we all use a hefty dose of of golf skill is the ability to get up-andor one of her stellar Florida renovations golf course management or short-game down from 50 yards. over the last decade after branching out on practice? It’s a dastardly, difficult her own. I would watch a PGA situation. That wasn’t the case Bets as the next or LPGA Tour event from A winning scramble 10 minutes of the interview more than 4,000 yards, wouldn’t you team is made better with a intrigued me. Bets? 19 handicap woman with Bel Jan explained in great detail the The scoring tees are a honed short game. Get thought process behind her trademarked aimed at being gender her inside 100 yards with a “scoring tees” she has implemented on sev- neutral, age neutral and eral golf courses across the South. Now this skill neutral. More North DUELING DIVOTS long tee shot and she will do the rest. sounded like something I could buy into. Carolina courses should Just yesterday, I heard a story of a golf She had my ear for sure Bets. look into this as a way to grow the game. course in western North Carolina with a The scoring tees are a course within Bel Jan knows of a group of 20 seniors scorecard reporting a short yardage – and a course, one that measures around 4,000 outside of Naples, Fla., who head to the yards and is aimed at more than just female scoring tees every winter to play nine holes folks thought it was going to be too easy. What the scorecard didn’t say was that golfers, of which 50 percent have a handiin 90 minutes or less. the majority of the holes had sharp doglegs. cap of 25 or higher. Apparently, these scor“They have fun at it, and by doing this Leave your driver in the bag, boys and don’t ing tees are even used by college coaches it includes the players who are not long miss the fairway. Those woods are no fun. as a way of helping players developer golf hitters anymore. It becomes a game of I know you have had a trip or two course management, short games and confi- skill,” Bel Jen said. around The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort. Or golf again, right Bets? dence to “go low.”
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That is 789 yards of pure fun and puzzling madness. Most of the birdie putts are made by accident and that’s OK. I regularly drive by The Cradle. As long as there is daylight there will be folks playing. The only thing that stops them is lightning and darkness. I remember members grumbling that it was the dumbest idea ever. These same members bring guests young and old every chance they get. The PGA and LPGA both are stuck in a format that has undermined the psyche of too many golfers. We are bogged down in par, measuring apex, trajectory and carry. Yes, please. Put the entire field of the FedEx Cup on that mountain course with the fuzzy greens and lumpy bunkers. Let’s see how these wizards do when faced with the challenges of the average daily play golf course. Let’s have more women golf architects. Jan Bel Jan has a better grasp of the needs of the regular golfer. She may even be closer to the goals of the venerable Donald Ross than his supposed contemporary disciples. You know, it’s strange. Golf remains the greatest game ever invented and its perfection has nothing to do with yardage.
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Duke dialed back in University course reopens after extended pause in play during COVID-19 By Bob Sutton
Photos by David Droschak
18 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
www.trianglegolf.com
W
ith Triangle-area golf courses all around him reporting unprecedented spring revenues, Ed Ibarguen had to concentrate on other matters at Duke University Golf Club. He’s confident his club is back on track after a shutdown of nearly three months because of COVID-19 concerns. “I was hearing about how everybody was having record numbers,” said Ibarguen, the longtime general manager and director of golf at the Duke course. “It was killing us. … The university took a serious position back in March and effectively just shut down the entire campus. Initially, we weren’t sure how long we were going to be closed.” The last day of play was March 12. The course reopened for members June 8, marking the first of a fourphase plan for the return of golf. Yet suddenly, there were certain benefits for golfers. “The course was in great shape,” Ibarguen said. “Here it was June and there were no divots in the fairways. Greens were immaculate. It was fun for the members to come back. They spent several weeks playing on a quiet golf course.” Duke University Golf Club was headed toward the potential for the best year financially in a 10-year span until the halt in play. “The impact of that is crazy,” Ibarguen said, pointing out that then “in April we’re sitting here in a ghost town. We’re out in the middle of the golf course (working) and it’s dead silent.” The course relied on word of mouth upon reopening. A promotion that proved worthwhile was the selling of “Triangle Star” memberships, something that boosted the number of rounds played. “We’re seeing new faces,” Ibarguen said. “Maybe there are some people who have more time to play. This is an www.trianglegolf.com
opportunity to go out and have some fun.” The second phase of the reopening included members and their guests, and the third phase added Duke University staff and the campus community. The club was open to the public again Aug. 3 at about the time patrons also could enter the golf shop. Ibarguen said the course is upholding strict regulations regarding mask-wearing in certain areas and social distancing. “We are absolutely monitoring play,” he said. Golf club employees are required to complete an online health questionnaire daily in order to be granted permission to come to the course. The member-guest was contested the last weekend in August, albeit with a much smaller field than normal. Twenty teams of two golfers each participated, though straight tee times were used with no pre-round or post-round gatherings. Results were sent electronically to entrants later each day. Even with seven PGA instructors on staff, lessons had been put on hold. Now, sessions are mostly limited to individual instruction instead of groups. Ibarguen said he applauds Duke’s approach in dealing with the crisis. He said the golf club has been on board and wants to make it work for golfers. “We feel we’ve bent over backwards,” he said. “We’re adapting.” In the spring, part-time staff was laid off, while fulltimers took on a variety of duties. Those included everything from picking up pine cones on the course to re-assessing the merchandise inventory because much of the spring stock remained unsold. A massive aerification of the grounds also took place. A bulk of the labor involved multiple deep cleanings, from the clubhouse to course machinery to range balls.
“There was a lot to do,” said Ibarguen, who has been with the club since 1988. The adjacent Washington Duke Inn doesn’t generate lots of rounds of golf for the course but does factor heavily in merchandise sales, Ibarguen said. The club’s golfers largely come from the campus community and around the Triangle. While Duke is a private university, the course is open to the public (with Ibarguen estimating 35 percent of play comes from non-members or outside the campus community). “It’s never crowded,” he said. “You do feel like you’re playing a private club.” Group outings at the course have been suspended through at least early October.
“We’re just not there yet,” Ibarguen said. There also has been a pause on an anticipated renovation of the Robert Trent Jones Sr. layout, which was later revised by his son Rees Jones. When the next upgrades happen, those will be the first major revamps since 1993. A master plan has been submitted and more than $1 million has been raised for the project. But much like the spring shutdown, some things are out of Ibarguen’s control. He said there won’t be an appetite for spending on the golf course, which was built in 1957, when the university has so many other economic issues to address. The project has been postponed for at least a year. “It has been furloughed,” he said of the renovation. TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
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Junior Golf Scoreboard AJGA AJGA Visit Sanford Preview Carolina Trace CC - Creek, Sanford, NC Aug. 20-21, 2020 Boys Division - 6653 1 Keenan Royalty, Raleigh 74-76--150 2 Daniel Goode, Wytheville, VA 78-73--151 2 Jack Stamato, Severna Park, MD 73-78--151 Selected Others 12 Alan Van Asch, Raleigh 76-82--158 12 Benjamin Hays, Cary 81-77--158 12 Jace Butcher, Wake Forest 81-77--158 Girls Division - 5683 1 Gracie Song, Waxhaw 77-80--157 2 Saia Rampersaud, Durham 80-80--160 3 Brynn Kort, Kingman, AZ 80-81--161 3 Ella Howard, Gadsden, AL 80-81--161 Selected Others 5 Kinsley Smith, Raleigh 85-78--163
AJGA Junior at 12 Oaks The Club at 12 Oaks, Holly Springs, NC Aug. 18-20, 2020 Girls Division - 5912 1 Lydia Swan, North East, PA 73-70-79--222 2 Karoline Tuttle, Lake Mary, FL 78-72-72--222 3 Macy Pate, Boone 73-77-80--230 Selected Others 4 Maria Atwood, Holly Springs 79-77-76--232 12 Grace Ridenour, Cary 74-81-82--237 Boys Division - 7027 1 Anmol Jhangra, Lawrenceville, GA 72-68-76--216 2 Michael LaSasso, Raleigh 75-68-76--219 3 Ryan Macri, Wake Forest 74-68-79--221 Selected Others 10 Daniel McBrien, Holly Springs 75-74-77--226 17 Michael Vick, Raleigh 75-75-79--229
AJGA Visit Sanford Junior Open Carolina Trace CC - Lake, Sanford, NC Aug. 18-20, 2020 Boys Division - 7003 1 Wil Griffin, Hot Springs, AR 71-74--145 2 Cooper Tate, Winter Garden, FL 73-72--145 2 Luke Coyle, Campbellsville, KY 72-73--145 2 Mehrbaan Singh, Ashburn, VA 73-72--145 Selected Others 15 Jonathan Honeywell, 74-76--150 Whispering Pines 15 Josh Lendach, Raleigh 72-78--150 Girls Division - 5905 1 Annie Huaxin Zhang, 76-70--146 Winter Garden, FL 2 Gianna Clemente, Warren, OH 77-70--147 3 Caiyi (Flora) Zhang, Bradenton, FL 73-76--149 3 Gloria Nip, Port St. Lucie, FL 73-76--149 Selected Others 12 Halynn Lee, Cary 78-77--155 21 Madison Myers, Cary 87-83--170
HJGT Bryan Park Junior Open, Bryan Park GC - Champions Brown Summit, NC Aug. 22-23, 2020 Girls Division - 5734 1 Isabella Adkins, Bristol, TN 73-79--152 2 Noelia Adkins, Bristol, TN 76-77--153 3 Gabriela Cruz, High Point 83-74--157 Selected Others 8 Parker Perry, Durham 87-92--179 10 Ava Heaton, Cary 90-101--191
TYGA TYGA Tots Pinewood CC Asheboro, NC Aug. 16, 2020 Boys 10-11 Division - 2200 1 Kevin Zhang, Clemmons 1 Jack DeVault, Cary 3 Sebastian Balbin, Pinehurst Selected Others 6 Mark DeVault, Cary 7 Tate Brokmeyer, Southern Pines 10 Matthew Koo, Chapel Hill 12 Owen Baker, West End Boys 8-9 Division - 1700 1 Jack Strickland, Greensboro 2 Triton Helmer, Chapel Hill 3 Jake Brady, New Bern Girls 10-12 Division - 2200 1 Xinyan Li, Waxhaw
20 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
39 39 40 43 45 49 52 38 39 40 40
2 Kennedy Kite, Mint Hill 3 Kiona Baker, West End Girls 8-9 Division - 1700 1 Audrey Lee, Waxhaw 2 Elyn Aldrich, Charlotte 3 Ava Milks, Greensboro Selected Others 4 Sana Sugawara, Chapel Hill 6-7 Division - 1300 1 Kellen Giddings, Summerfield 2 Kolton Tudor, Angier 3 Kenan Turner, Randleman Selected Others 4 Deacon Conder, Raleigh
50 51 43 46 53 58 45 52 54 63
TYGA State Championship Mill Creek GC, Mebane, NC Aug. 12-13 Boys 14-18 Division - 6325 1 Branden Boyce, Spring Lake 69-68--137 2 Keenan Royalty, Raleigh 69-68--137 2 Kenny Walter, Concord 67-70--137 Selected Others 5 Christian Conway, Raleigh 70-72--142 9 Jennings Glenn, Raleigh 70-74--144 9 Josh Buxbaum, Wake Forest 72-72--144 17 Blake Pooley, Clayton 76-69--145 19 Cole Wright, Wake Forest 75-71--146 Boys 12-13 Division - 5638 1 Mack Edwards, Charlotte 69-68--137 2 Sam Terry, Thomasville 71-71--142 3 Smith Summerlin, Raleigh 69-74--143 5 Pennson Badgett, Pilot Mountain 67-78--145 Selected Others 4 Jackson Bryce, Cary 71-73--144 9 Evan Suddreth, Morrisville 77-74--151 10 Chase Duncan, Raleigh 79-73--152 12 Conner Freedman, Chapel Hill 76-78--154 13 Tate Duensing, Durham 78-81--159 Girls Division - 5638 1 Macie Burcham, Greensboro 76-72--148 2 Julie Fiedler, New Bern 74-81--155 3 Camryn Lamp, Conover 77-79--156 Selected Others 7 Allison Robinson, Pinehurst 85-83--168
Triad One-Day Jamestown Park, Jamestown, NC Aug. 10, 2020 Boys 16-18 Division - 6450 1 Jack Burris, Greensboro 2 Brodie Perry, Trinity 3 Connor Massey, Burlington Selected Others 10 Myles Patterson, Durham 16 Patrick Weller, Apex Boys 14-15 Division - 6450 1 Isar Joshi, Charlotte 2 Christos Katsoudas, Whitsett 3 Oliver Tobin, Charlotte Selected Others 14 Wonho Koo, Chapel Hill
71 73 75 83 89 75 79 81 108
SAS Junior Championship Prestonwood CC, Cary, NC Aug. 10, 2020 Boys 16-18 Division - 6522 1 Nick Kleu, Cary 2 Josh Buxbaum, Wake Forest 3 Sam Newton, Cary Selected Others 4 Liam Harris, Wake Forest 5 Ryan McCarthy, Cary 6 Justin Nagy, Apex 8 Jack Craig, Raleigh 8 Benjamin Hays, Cary 10 Devon Murphy, Fuquay Varina 10 William Chapman, Chapel Hill 12 Glenn Smeal, Raleigh 12 Ryder Massey, Wake Forest 14 Trevor Gregory, Wake Forest 16 Ashwath Kapilavai, Cary Boys 14-15 Division - 6522 1 Daniel Boone, Fuquay Varina 2 Quinlan Polin, Cary 3 Bryan Fang, Raleigh Selected Others 4 William Mitchell, Cary 4 James Rico, Cary 6 Charlie Price, Raleigh 8 Drew Eggers, Cary 10 Brant Dattilo, Wake Forest 12 Kyle Gregory, Cary
72 74 75 75 76 77 79 79 80 80 82 82 84 85 70 73 76 76 76 77 79 80 82
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13 Braeden Gillen, Holly Springs 15 Mathew McCarthy, Cary 16 Timmy Kaufman, Cary Boys 12-13 Division - 5550 1 Evan Suddreth, Morrisville 2 Bennett Brewer, Raleigh 3 Jackson Bryce, Cary Selected Others 4 Jake Lewis, Cary 4 Charlie Coe, Morrisville 6 Zach Barnette, Cary 7 Morgan Riley, Raleigh 8 JP Wagner, Cary 10 Ty Willoughby, Chapel Hill 11 Chase Uhorchak, Cary Girls 16-18 Division - 5550 1 Brooke Smith, Morrisville 2 Tyla McAffity, Raleigh 3 Anika Bhatnagar, Cary Selected Others 4 Halynn Lee, Cary 5 Sadler Miller, Clayton 6 Natalie Martinho-Stansbury, Raleigh 7 Kaitlyn Rand, Raleigh 8 Allison Robinson, Pinehurst Girls 14-15 Division - 5550 1 Justine Pennycooke, Cary 2 Kinsley Smith, Raleigh 3 Tyler Spriggs, Cary Selected Others 4 Jessica Martinho-Stansbury, Raleigh 4 Madelyn Linares, Cary 6 Ava Heaton, Cary 8 Victoria Howerton, Apex Girls 12-13 Division - 5550 1 Madison Myers, Cary 2 Liz Harper, Cary 3 Graycen Horne, Cary
83 84 85 68 75 76 79 79 80 81 82 84 86 74 76 77 78 79 84 86 89 76 76 80 83 83 96 110 85 90 103
Triad One-Day Salem Glen CC, Clemmons, NC Aug. 6, 2020 Boys 16-18 Division - 6275 1 Hunter Baker, Lenoir 2 Jared Waterer, Winston Salem 2 Alex Gould, Greensboro Selected Others 10 Patrick Weller, Apex Boys 14-15 Division - 6275 1 David Elliott, Asheboro 2 Kenneth Lanier, Lexington 2 Matteo Blanchfield, Mooresville Selected Others 4 Jack Wiley, Raleigh
72 76 76 89 69 74 74 76
Hope Valley Junior Invitational Hope Valley C, Durham, NC Aug. 4-6, 2020 Boys Division - 6720 1 Nicholas Gross, Downingtown, PA 69-67-71--207 2 Caden Baker, Mebane 68-69-71--208 3 Bryan Fang, Raleigh 72-70-68--210 Selected Others 4 Tyler Dechellis, Clayton 72-69-71--212 7 Josh Lendach, Raleigh 75-69-70--214 9 Clayson Good, Durham 75-71-70--216 9 Garrett Risner, Apex 67-79-70--216 18 Davis Adams, Raleigh 74-72-72--218 18 Hampton Roberts, Cary 71-76-71--218 Girls Division - 5936 1 Hyo Joon Jang, Seoul 73-70-71--214 2 Nicole Adam, Pinehurst 74-69-75--218 3 Adrian Anderson, Murrells Inlet, SC 74-74-71--219 Selected Others 4 Grace Ridenour, Cary 74-79-72--225 4 Kiera Bartholomew, Wake Forest 75-73-77--225 10 Jaclyn Kenzel, Southern Pines 79-77-76--232 17 Emerson Dever, Durham 78-82-81--241 18 Ella Perna, Durham 78-87-78--243
Sandhills One-Day Pinehurst #7, Pinehurst, NC Aug. 5, 2020 Boys 16-18 Division - 6347 1 Watcharakan Chankarn, Pinehurst 1 Supanat Rujiranan, Pinehurst 3 Alex Martin, Thomasville Selected Others 4 Chris Ha, Fayetteville 6 John Morgan Bates, Aberdeen 9 Jackson Kilman, Raleigh 11 Tom Doak, Apex 12 Blake Pooley, Clayton
74 74 77 78 84 85 86 87
TRIANGLE’S TOP 10 JUNIOR GOLFERS Boys (High School, graduation year) Girls (High School, graduation year) 1 Tyler Dechellis, Clayton (Clayton HS, 2021) 1 Maria Atwood, Holly Springs (Holly Springs HS, 2 Caden Baker, Mebane (Eastern Alamance HS, 2022) 2021) 2 Emily Matthews, Mebane (Eastern Alamance 3 Michael La Sasso, Raleigh (St. David’s School, HS, 2023) 2022) 3 McKenzie Daffin, Fort Bragg (Jack Britt HS, 2021) 4 Kyle Kushnir, Raleigh (Ravenscroft, 2021) 4 Kiera Bartholomew, Wake Forest (North Raleigh 5 Alan Van Asch, Raleigh (Leesville Road HS, 2022) HS, 2023) 6 Josh Lendach, Raleigh (Raleigh Christian, 2021) 5 Halynn Lee, Cary (Green Hope HS, 2021) 7 Hampton Roberts, Cary (Panther Creek HS, 2023) 6 Ava Lucas, Raleigh (Cardinal Gibbons, 2021) 8 Jackson Van Paris, Pinehurst (O’Neal School, 7 Ella Perna, Durham (Cardinal Gibbons, 2022) 8 Kayla Dowell, Mebane (Alamance Christian, 2021) 2021) 9 Alexsandra Lapple, Pinehurst (O’Neal School, 9 Jennings Glenn, Raleigh (Broughton HS, 2021) 2023) 10 Josh Lendach, Raleigh (North Raleigh Christian, 10 Grace Ridenour, Cary (N/A, 2025) 2021) Source: Tarheel Youth Golf Association as 9/1/20 12 Aidan Hendriks, Fayetteville 12 Brett Hays, Wake Forest 18 Justin Heaton, Cary Boys 14-15 Division - 6347 1 Nathan O’Neal, Wilson 1 Freddy Ortmann, Greensboro 3 Drew O’Neal, Wilson Selected Others 7 Evan Cowell, Pinehurst 15 Wonho Koo, Chapel Hill Boys 12-13 Division - 5709 1 Garrison Welborn, Waxhaw 2 Evan Suddreth, Morrisville 3 Stephen Ryan Marshall, Sophia Selected Others 5 Trey Everette, Fuquay Varina 7 Max Anderson, Aberdeen 8 Jack Halloran, Pinehurst Girls 16-18 Division - 5709 1 Ava Heaton, Cary 2 Allison Robinson, Pinehurst 3 Kyleigh Whittemore, Graham Selected Others 4 Chloe Peters, Pinehurst 6 Jackie Burris, Albemarle 7 Molly Haarlow, Pinehurst Girls 12-14 Division - 5183 1 Sanaa Carter, Jacksonville 2 Boonyanant Rujiranan, Pinehurst 3 Jasmine Yeung, Waxhaw Selected Others 4 Lauren Kuhn, Pinehurst 7 Caroline Walsh, Raleigh 8 Sarah Peters, Pinehurst 10 Jewel Gilchrist López, Sanford
87 87 90 77 77 80 85 102 70 76 85 87 89 91 88 92 94 95 98 104 80 85 86 90 100 105 125
Maple Chase Junior Maple Chase CC, Winston-Salem, NC Aug. 4-5, 2020 Boys 14-18 Division - 6701 1 Kenny Walter, Concord 66-67--133 2 Ben Peters, Winston-Salem 70-68--138 3 Isar Joshi, Charlotte 71-70--141 Selected Others 12 Langdon Aronson, Raleigh 74-73--147 13 Cole Wright, Wake Forest 73-75--148
Tin Whistles Tots Pinewild - Back 9 of Magnolia Pinehurst, NC, Aug. 3, 2020 Boys 10-12 Division - 1300 1 Kevin Zhang, Clemmons 2 Sebastian Balbin, Pinehurst 3 Collyn Smith, Goldsboro Selected Others 4 Jack DeVault, Cary 5 Tate Brokmeyer, Southern Pines 7 Brandon Cowell, Pinehurst 8 Mark DeVault, Cary 10 Matthew Koo, Chapel Hill 11 Kenan Reynolds, Pinehurst Boys 8-9 Division - 1700 1 Suvir Bedi, Charlotte 2 Luke Sparacio, Cary 3 Colt Williams, Sanford Girls 10-11 Division - 2200 1 Ally Farlow, Whispering Pines 2 Marianne Anderson, Aberdeen 6-7 Division - 1300 1 Bennett Byrd, High Point
36 37 38 39 40 43 44 53 61 38 41 48 59 67 48
2 Parker Stiles, Pinehurst 3 Camden Smith, Archdale
55 60
Down East Junior Emerald Golf Club, New Bern, NC Aug. 1-2, 2020 Boys Division - 6483 1 Will Tharin, Rocky Mount 2 Tyler Jones, Jacksonville 3 Drew Greene, Greenville 3 Ethan Boyette, Wilson 3 Nick Perry, Fayetteville Selected Others 6 Alan Van Asch, Raleigh 6 Keenan Royalty, Raleigh 6 Langdon Aronson, Raleigh 12 Peter Nusbaum, Pittsboro 16 Nick Goellner, Apex Girls Division - 5441 1 Trinity Ahing, New Bern 2 Emily Wellspeak, New Bern 3 Julie Fiedler, New Bern Selected Others 5 Madison Myers, Cary 7 Breannon Council, Wilson
70 71 72 72 72 73 73 73 75 76 71 73 74 83 89
PKBGT Tour Championship Southern Pines, Pine Needles Lodge & GC Aug. 14-16, 2020 Bell National - 6050 1 Hyo Joon Jang, Bluffton SC 68-75-68--211 2 Kiera Bartholomew, Wake Forest 75-73-74--222 3 Sarah Lydic, Ocean View DE 72-73-79--224 Selected Others 4 Maria Atwood, Holly Springs 77-73-75--225 13 McKenzie Daffin, Fayetteville 79-75-77--231 Futures National - 5472 1 Madison Messimer, Myrtle Beach 72-74-71--217 2 Emerson B. Dever, Durham 73-76-76--225 3 Hanna Grace McCoy, Columbia SC 78-77-72--227 Selected Others 9 Saia Rampersaud, Durham 79-78-78--235 11 Kasey McIlvaine, Raleigh 85-72-79--236 15 Justine Pennycooke, Cary 80-76-82--238
NC Series Campbell Classic Keith Hills GC, Lillington, NC Aug. 8-9, 2020 Prep North Carolina - 5795 1 Tyler Spriggs, Cary 77-78--155 2 Justine Pennycooke, Cary 85-75--160 2 Sophia Martone, Holly Springs 80-80--160 Selected Others 4 Kasey McIlvaine, Raleigh 84-77--161 6 Katelyn Kenthack, Southern Pines 86-76--162 7 Sidney Renville, Cary 86-79--165 10 Kaitlyn Rand, Raleigh 87-80--167 10 Parker Perry, Durham 86-81--167 13 Kitson O’Neal, Pinehurst 84-85--169 16 Sadler Miller, Clayton 95-82--177 Futures North Carolina - 5269 1 Ellie Acrey, Winston-Salem 78-77--155 2 Madison Myers, Cary 79-77--156 3 Macy Johnson, Salem VA 85-73--158 Selected Others 5 Annalee Caveney, Raleigh 81-82--163 6 Salem Lee, Asheboro 85-80--165 10 Ava Heaton, Cary 91-84--175 10 Abigail Loding, Apex 85-90--175
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
21
CALENDAR All listings are based on submissions by clubs and correspondence. To list your tournament free email your information to jay@triadgolf.com or call 336-924-1619.
Carolinas PGA Selected events; complete schedule at carolinas.pga.com Sept. 21 – Assistants Association Pro-Pro, Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro. Oct. 20 – Women’s Pro-Pro Championship, Moss Creek GC, Hilton Head Island, SC. Oct. 20-21 – Match Play Championship, Linville GC. Dec. 1-3 – Pro-Pro Championship, Pinehurst area courses.
Carolinas Golf Association Selected events; complete schedule at carolinasgolf.org • 910-673-1000
CGA Seniors/Super Seniors Oct. 6-7 – 9th Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball, Mount Vintage GC, North Augusta, SC.
CGA Men/Mid-Am Sept. 25-27 – 27th North Carolina Mid-Amateur, Lonnie Poole GC, Raleigh. Selected qualifying sites: Rock Barn Jones Course, Conover (Aug. 19); Colonial CC, Thomasville (Sept. 1); Deercroft GC, Aberdeen (Sept. 12); Preserve at Jordan Lake, Chapel Hill (Sept. 15). Oct. 9-11 – 25th North Carolina Four-Ball, The Cardinal by Pete Dye, Greensboro. Oct. 19 – 43rd Carolinas Club Championship, Sedgefield CC Ross Course, Greensboro.
CGA Mixed Events Nov. 7-8 – 10th Carolinas Net Amateur, CC of Whispering Pines.
22 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • FALL 2020
CGA Women
Captain’s Choice
Sept. 21-22 – 22nd Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur, Dataw Island Club, Beaufort, SC. Oct. 13-15 – 4th Carolinas Women’s Club Team, River Landing, Wallace.
Sept. 19 – 10th Annual Mitch Turner Drive away Cancer Classic benfiting American Cancer Society and Colon Cancer Coalition, Pilot Knob Park Country Club, Pilot Mountain, Contact Steve Turner at jturner91@triad.rr.com or clubhouse at 336-368-2828. Sept. 25 – Randy Parker Memorial Tournament benefiting ECU Economics Students, Ironwood GC, Greenville, Joey Cuellar 919-601-2740. Sept. 26 – Amy Galey for NC Senate 24, Southwick GC, Graham, For more information contact Marsha Browne mrbrowne@triad.rr.com or Keith Coleman at Coleman.rk@gmail.com. Sept. 30 – Guilford GOP Golf Tournament, Greensboro National GC, Summerfield, Chris Meadows 1stvicechair.guilfordgop@gmail.com, Guilford.nc.gop/golf_tournament . Oct. 10 – Children’s Charity Golf Classic to benefit the Lamb Foundation of NC, The Preserve at Jordan Lake, Pittsboro. www.kofc6650.org or 919-539-9353. Oct. 16 – The Pirate Cup benefiting ECU Ricks Management and Insurance Program, Neuse Golf Club, Clayton, Jonathan Nations 336-248-2007. Oct. 26 – Yadkin Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bermuda Run CC, Bermuda Run. For additional info contact Doug Luckett at: DTLuckett22@Gmail.com: 571-432-6715.
CGA Team Events Oct. 16-17 – 75th Captain’s Putter Team Matches, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV. Nov. 21-22 – 23rd Carolinas Interclub Final Four, course TBA.
Amateur Individual Sept. 26-27 — Steve Welch Fall Classic, Asheboro Municipal GC. Medal play in flights. Also super senior division for ages 65-over. 336-625-4158.
Amateur Team Sept. 19-20 – Goodyear Invitational Two-Man, Goodyear GC, Danville. 434-797-1909. Sept. 26-27 - Forest Park CC Fall 4 ball, Forest Park CC. Martinsville. 276.632.1711 Oct. 17-18 – 37th annual Lexington BBQ Festival 2-person teams, Lexington GC. 336-248-3950. Oct. 24-25 – Chatmoss Two-Man Invitational, Chatmoss CC, Martinsville. Medal play in flights. Also senior division. 276-638-7648. Nov. 7-8 – Greensboro National Fall Classic, Greensboro National GC, Summerfield. 2-man bestball. 336-342-1113.
Golfweek Amateur Tour 252-864-9161 Sept. 19-20 – Local Finals, Bryan Park (Players and Champions), Brown Summit
Senior Amateur Tour (ages 50-over) 336-303-6737 Sept. 24 – Pinewild (Holly), Pinehurst
Consolidated Junior Events CGA 910-673-1000 * TYGA 910-673-1000 * PKBGT 336-347-8537 * NCJGF 919-858-6400 * TGF 919-291-5813 * NJGT 704-824-6548 * AJGA 770-868-4200 * USGA 908-234-2300 * USKIDS Raleigh Tour 919-206-4666 * Winternational 847-204-9888 * HJGT 904-379-2697 Sept. 19 – TYGA Tots, Gillespie Golf Course, Greensboro Boys/Girls Ages 6-12.
For the latest tournament schedule, now updated daily, go to www.trianglegolf.com then click on Tournaments Sept. 19-20 – PKBGT North Carolina Series Finale, Colonial CC, Thomasville, Girls, Ages 8-19. Sept. 19-20 – PKBGT Southeast Series Finale, CC of South Carolina, Florence, SC, Girls, Ages 8-19. Sept. 19-20 – TYGA Tournament of Champions, Keith Hills GC, Buies Creek, Boys/Girls, Invitation only. Sept. 23 – TYGA/PKBGT North State High School Challenge, Keith Hills GC, Buies Creek, Girls only, Grades 9-12. Sept. 26-27 – PKBGT Middle Atlantic Series Finale, Fawn Lake CC, Spotsylvania, VA, Girls, Ages 8-19. Sept. 26-27 – The Henry Transou Memorial Junior, Cherokee National GC, Gaffney, SC, Boys/Girls, 864-489-9417 Oct. 3-4 – TYGA Triad Archdale-Trinity Junior, Holly Ridge GL, Archdale, Boys/Girls, Ages 13-15. Oct. 3-4 – CGA/PKBGT Jimmy Anderson Girls’ Invitational, Jacksonville CC, Jacksonville, Girls only, Ages 12-18. Oct. 3-4 – TYGA Tots State Championship, Holly Ridge Golf Links, Archdale, NC Boys/Girls Ages 6-12. Oct. 24-25 – TYGA Triad Bill Harvey Memorial, Bryan Park GC, Greensboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18. Nov. 25 – TYGA Turkey Shootout, TBD, Pinehurst, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18. Nov. 28-29 – CGA Vicki DiSantis Girls’ Championship, Pine Island CC, Charlotte, Girls only, Ages 13-18. Dec. 22 – TYGA Toys for Tots, TBD, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18.
www.trianglegolf.com
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ANNUAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC TO BENEFIT THE
Helping people with Intellectual Disabilities since 1974
OCTOBER 10, 2020 THE PRESERVE at JORDAN LAKE 840 THE PRESERVE TRAIL CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 ENTRY FEE: $110 PER GOLFER NO SHOTGUN START – TEE TIMES SCHEDULED 10 AM - 2 PM CHECK-IN 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO TEE TIME TEAM PRIZES, RAFFLES, PUTTING COMP, MULLIGANS & MORE!
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Member Only Events • Family Friendly • Men’s Golf Association Ladies Golf Association • Social Activities • Junior Golf • Private Events ClubCorp Travel Benefits Nationwide Dustin Phillips ❘ Membership Director ❘ dustin.phillips@clubcorp.com 919-557-1803 ❘ Devilsridgecc.com