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G
Area Insider – by David Droschak
olfers flying into the Pinehurst area don’t have to wait long to warm-up their putting strokes prior to heading off to some of the world’s most renowned golf resorts. A practice putting green has opened outside the front door of Moore County Regional Airport. The green was designed and built by Dan Maples, an accomplished golf course designer who has built courses worldwide. The purpose of the project is to provide the first symbol of the Home of American Golf when visitors fly into the destination, which also becomes the lasting image they have before departing, said Claire Berggren, the director of marketing for the Pinehurst/Southern Pines/ Aberdeen CVB. Berggren also said the artificial surface putting green honors the relationship between the history of Donald Ross, beginning in 1900 when he arrived in Pinehurst and began designing golf courses throughout America, and air travel, which has made it easier for golfers to expand their golf trip opportunities.
This relationship began when the Wright Brothers tested their flying machine at Kill Devil Hills and the airplane was born. Over the next three decades Ross would design hundreds of golf courses and the airplane became an integral asset to American transportation. Pinehurst Resort founder James Walker Tufts, always alert to ways to better serve his resort guests, built the first Pinehurst airport in 1929 and called it Knollwood Airport, and since that day the area’s golf courses and the current Moore County Airport have enjoyed an unwritten partnership. Maples said constructing a “real grass green” would have been too costly and harder to maintain than a synthetic surface. The low-maintenance putting green, which cost around $80,000, was built on a large traffic circle area in front of the airport terminal building. “This type of green is sustainable and we can turn the kids loose on it,” Maples said. “It’s a symbol -- this putting green will never compare to a green on Pinehurst No. 2, but it’s fun to test your putting skills when you get off the plane or are heading home – getting one last putt in.”
T
he Triangle is losing one of golf’s good guys. Matt Massei, general manager of Prestonwood Country Club in Cary for 8 ½ years, has accepted a job at Pinehurst Resort. Massei, 52, has been named executive vice president of the iconic resort. Massei held many positions at Pinehurst from the early 1990s through 2006, including pro/manager at The Centennial Course No. 8 when it opened. Massei shifted to hotel operations in 2001 and held his last position, as vice president of golf and club operations, before departing to become general manager of the Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire. In 2009, Massei was named general manager of Prestonwood, a 54-hole private club with the largest clubhouse in the state of North Carolina and the annual site of the PGA Champions Tour’s SAS Championship. “When we first started talking it totally took me off guard because I really enjoyed my time at Prestonwood, the ownership was amazing and we did a lot of neat things investing into the property,” Massei said. “Things were going really well. But as I learned more about the things that are going on at Pinehurst, of which I had admired from afar, the moons kind of aligned and I felt like this was supposed to happen.
“I’ve always had an incredible affinity for Pinehurst having spent 15 years here,” he added. “To think that after 12 years I could come back in this capacity and contribute again and be a part of moving Pinehurst further even more was a pull that I couldn’t resist.” In his new role as executive vice president at Pinehurst Resort, Massei will oversee resort, golf and club operations. He started June 1, replacing Jay Biggs, who left Pinehurst to pursue another career in coastal development. “I’m thrilled to have Matt rejoin the Pinehurst team as we are in the midst of an incredibly exciting time,” says Pinehurst president Tom Pashley. “We will all benefit from his broad perspective within the resort, golf and club industry. “We’re incredibly proud of Pinehurst Country Club and the many improvements made to enhance the membership experience. With Matt joining the team, we intend to continue those efforts and maintain the momentum.” Massei’s son Jack, one of the state’s best junior golfers while at Green Hope High School, will head to East Carolina this fall to pursue his collegiate golfing career. “If Tom would have called me two years ago I probably would have said no, that I wouldn’t have wanted to relocate Jack in his sophomore or junior years of high school,” Massei said. “Now, the timing is right.”
JULY 2018
Volume 19 • No. 4
Your contacts for golf:
Main Office P.O. Box 11784, Winston-Salem, NC 27116 Phone: 336-924-1619
Publisher: Jay W. Allred, E-mail: jay@triadgolf.com Editor: David Droschak, E-mail: David@triadgolf.com
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. © 2018.
NEXT ISSUE: August 1 On the Cover: U.S. Kids Golf World Championship helps grow the game of golf. Photos Courtesy of U.S. Kids Golf
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Donald Ross:
My work will tell my story By BRAD KING
H
is story began 700 miles from the Arctic Circle on the east coast of Scotland in Dornoch, north of the Highlands and fast by the sea. But the Scottish immigrant who arrived in America at the turn of the century and became one of North Carolina’s greatest ambassadors did not come directly to the Tar Heel state. Donald Ross first arrived in Boston in 1899 and was hired almost immediately as club professional and greenkeeper at the Oakley Country Club in Watertown, Mass. Golf had only been played for a decade or so in the States, but had become a very popular, especially among the wealthy. Among the wealthiest was James Tufts, whose fortune came from the invention and manufacturing of the beautiful, marble soda
fountain. Tufts parlayed his money by establishing a winter health resort away from the harsh weather of New England just off Highway 1 and the Florida East Coast rail line in North Carolina — five miles from the village of Southern Pines — that he named Pinehurst. In 1900, Tufts convinced Ross to accompany him on a trip south to become Pinehurst’s director of golf. It turned into a lifetime engagement for Ross, who eventually designed and built four courses for the resort — none with more affection than his No. 2 layout, which he called “a pet of mine” and “the finest test of championship golf I have ever designed.” This move also established a precedent Ross would follow the remainder of his days:
he worked in New England in the summers and in North Carolina in the winters. In Pinehurst, Ross spent the final halfdecade of his life orchestrating a lion’s share of his prodigious design work from his 4,500square-foot home off No. 2’s third fairway, while at the same time helping reshape the barren Sandhills — whose sandy soil he likened to that of his homeland — into a worldclass golf destination. No. 2 was initially routed and built in 1907 with flat, square and uncontoured oiled sand greens. Ross then spent years drawing upon his background in turf grass management to revolutionize southern greenkeeping practices as he slowly transitioned the putting surfaces to bermudagrass. His new product was unveiled just in time
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
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Donald Ross from page 6 for the 1935 PGA Championship and his courses became the favorite sites of professional and amateur tournaments. From 1919-1930, the national open was played on no fewer than seven different Ross designs. Lauded through the years by everyone from professionals to presidents — Jack Nicklaus calls No. 2 his “favorite golf course in the United States from a design standpoint” — “the deuce” also played host to the 1936 PGA Championship, the 1951 Ryder Cup and the 1991 and ‘92 Tour Championships among many other world-class competitions. Yet, No. 2 may be best remembered as a U.S. Open venue highlighted by one of golf’s most enduring moments — the late Payne Stewart’s 1999 triumph. Following its second U.S. Open in 2005 and numerous architectural changes through the years, in June 2014 No. 2 made history once again by hosting back-to-back Men’s and Women’s U.S. Opens. Around Pinehurst, Ross built wonderful layouts for Pine Needles, Mid Pines and Southern Pines Country Club, all within a six-mile radius. Mid Pines is a gentle venue often listed as a favorite of the Ross courses in the Sandhills, a delightful romp through mature stands of longleaf pines. Its more broad-shouldered sister course, Pines Needles, where Ross played most of his golf in the last 15 years of his life, has played host to a trio of U.S. Women's Opens — 1996, 2001 and 2007 — and will welcome its fourth U.S. Women’s Open in 2022. Ross’s designs each possess a seamless, timeless quality and are known for their natural beauty, clever development of strategy and meticulous atten-
Pinehurst No. 2 tion to detail. Continuity was another important principle of Ross’s philosophy. His courses were meant to flow without interruption. He wanted the player to feel that the holes occurred naturally, without the meddling of an architect. Ross believed that less was better — that golf should be a pleasure, not a penance. With this in mind, he designed the courses that are playable by nearly every level of golfer. “That is Donald Ross architecture right there in a nutshell,” said Greensboro-based architect Kris Spence, who has carved out a niche around the Carolinas renovating Ross-designed courses. “It’s about the game of golf. It is not about aesthetics, this superfluous attempt to create photographic opportunities. It’s about the game. It’s about the wide variety of golf shots that are required, or at least possible. That is why Donald Ross is such a great architect and why so many people love him.” Of course, Ross’s presence in the Tar Heel State extends far beyond
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Pinehurst. According to research by the Donald Ross Society, he shaped more than 50 courses between Asheville and Wilmington, about 40 of which remain in play with their attribution intact — and the public has access to about half. Ross didn’t design North Carolina’s first golf course, but it would eventually bear his name. What started as Swannanoa Country Club later became the Country Club of Asheville and Ross’s name was adorned on the golf course following his redesign in 1924. Today, Country Club of Asheville is owned by Raleigh-based McConnell Golf, which boasts more private, Rossdesigned golf courses in its portfolio than any other ownership team in the country. In North Carolina, McConnell Golf also owns Sedgefield Country Club, annual site of the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, as well as Raleigh Country Club, Ross’s final conception. McConnell Golf owns another classic Ross layout, Holston Hills, in Knoxville, Tenn. “Donald Ross is the person who has had the most influence on the worldclass golf courses we enjoy in North Carolina,” said McConnell Golf founder and CEO John McConnell. During the first three decades of the 20th century, Ross’s practice was in such high demand that he employed some 30 building crews and 2,500 men. His design assistants became his legacy as well — Ellis Maples, Dick Wilson and Robert Von Hagge to name a few. He called them, along with his construction engineers and draftsman, “my right and left arms.” When Ross died during construction of Raleigh Country Club, Maples took over and remained on the staff at the club until 1953.
His disciples are myriad as well, including Pete Dye, who rarely goes a day in his life without referring to Ross or Pinehurst No. 2, which he considered the genesis of all courses. “Not only did he design some great ones,” said McConnell, “but Mr. Ross also trained protégés such as Ellis Maples and Pete Dye, who created some outstanding courses after his passing.” History followed Ross’s designs around the state. Highlands Country Club was Bobby Jones’ summer home and course for many years. At Hope Valley Country Club, Byron Nelson won the Durham Open during his incredible 11-in-a-row streak in 1945. In Morganton, Mimosa Hills is a place where golf tradition and nostalgia run deep. A 1929 Ross-design magnificently nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mimosa, as it is known, was the home course of North Carolina Golf Hall of Fame inductee and three-time North & South Champion Billy Joe Patton, who battled and lost to Ben Hogan by a single shot in the 1954 Masters. Ross teamed with Leonard Tufts, son of James, to create the engaging Roaring Gap Club near Sparta. Another famed Ross mountain course is Linville Country Club. Set in a valley beneath North Carolina’s famed Grandfather Mountain, guests of the renowned Eseeola Lodge have access to this peaceful retreat that may be the ultimate in challenging yet scenic and relaxing golf. Having designed as many or more classic courses as anyone in his profession, Ross is considered the patron saint of American golf course architecture. He is also one of North Carolina’s most influential ambassadors, as countless golfers have visited the state excited to experience a Donald Ross creation. Ross died of a heart attack in 1948 at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy of more than 400 golf courses in 30 states across America and in Canada, Nova Scotia and Cuba, as well as dozens more remodeled. Ever the perfectionist, Ross would fine-tune No. 2 from 1901 until his passing. Today, historians credit Ross with no less than transforming the American sports landscape in the first half of the 20th century — turning his industry into an art form through deceptively simple designs that not only have stood the test of time, but also continue to confound the world’s finest players. “My work,” said Ross, “will tell my story.” TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
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By DAVID DROSCHAK here hasn’t been this much excitement at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount since the golf course opened in 2007. In what has been a time of angst over the last few years heading into the hot, humid summer months of July, August and September, the golfing public and the club’s members are anxious to start putting on the layout’s new G-12 Champion bermudagrass greens as the temperatures soar into the 90s. Gone are the “crusty� conditions and burned out areas of the former bentgrass greens, replaced following a Labor Day weekend re-opening by a new strain of bermudagrass that was also used for the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte. Many of the area courses have decided the best solution to the summer heat in central, eastern and southern North Carolina has been Continued on page 22
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We would play for a dime a point, with the first golfer on the green, the closest to the pin and the first in the hole getting a point By BETSEY MITCHELL have three words for you Bets – bingo, each. If you won all three wagers on a hole, bango, bongo! you got an extra dime. Neither of us ever got here are so many golf games. The Now I’ll admit I’ve never been much rich off this betting game, but it made the worst I ever encountered was of a wagering fool on the golf course day on the links quite entertaining. Yellow Ball. Pure evil. It’s one of since it’s hard enough to keep my score Funny how we would argue over the staples of women’s golf associations without an eraser these days, let alone who was closer to the hole, walking off and a variation on two-best balls in the whether I’m 2-up with three holes to measurements step-by-step or calling each team of four. One of the two scores must go or Dormie in a match, even though other out when one of us come from the player with Dormie is one of the cooler golf terms out “played out of turn,â€? a the yellow ball which there. no-no in the bingo, bango, rotates through the team. The pressure of “winning a holeâ€? just bongo betting world. If a team member loses weighs on my simple mind too much on The recent Supreme the ball the whole team is a beautiful day on the links. Court ruling that virtually disqualified. However, with that said, some of the opened up the books for The first time I ever best times I’ve ever had on the golf course sports betting of all kind D UELING DIVOTS played this game I lost were in my college days at the University in each state rekindled the yellow ball. I still have of North Carolina, playing bingo, bango, my memories of our days of bingo, bango, nightmares. bongo with a guy by the name of Sarge, bongo. Betting on the links is commonplace You would think I would be a betwho was in charge of our athletic training at most clubs across the United States, ting gal with an email that starts with table at UNC. with “informal bettingâ€? being settled after Bets4Golf. I hardly ever bet on golf; The much older Sarge, God rest his rounds for decades in the card rooms. avoid a Calcutta like the plague and a soul, was sort of a curmudgeon on most It’s all out in the open now Bets. Hey, I Bombay is just as bad. days, but I never missed an opportunity just realized you have the perfect name to I kind of wish I had had a crystal ball to play the betting game with him when capitalize on this. How about “Bets Betting to swoop up that web address when I set he asked. You see, playing bingo, bango, Lines?â€? I’ll take 10 percent of the juice to up my email. I’m guessing some guy in bongo at Finley Golf Course brought out run the show and call it a day. Vegas might pay me for it now. I’m still the best in ole Sarge. thinking about your offer‌ 5 percent?
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My one shining exception to my betting rule was the day I was paired with my nemesis Howard “Aitch� Ward and two of his shark pals. They asked me if I wanted in the game. “What’s the game?� I asked. He rattled off a bunch of wacky scenarios that ended with “and junk.� I had no clue what he was talking about. How much can I lose? Twenty bucks? I’m in. Anything to fit in with the cool guys. I threw in that last line for Adam Bum in case he still reads. The match bounced back and forth with cheers and jeers. I remained confused. When I birdied the last hole a great ballyhoo went up. In the jumble of rules Howard said there was a special clause. If somebody had a solo natural birdie on the last hole, he (she) wins the whole pot. Well, it was either that or they took pity on me. Either way, I came away plus $60 and had a really fun day. Still, I’m not sure this gambling thing is a good idea. It could be the ruin of Bushwood Country Club. At least, that’s what I heard Judge Smails say.
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The Equipment Room:
N.C. State’s Daniel Spurling – from Army to club angles
D
By TIM PEELER aniel Spurling can’t make promises about dramatic improvements to your golf game. He can, however, make you a custom set of irons or woods that will give most casual and weekend golfers a better opportunity to chase par. Spurling, a medically retired U.S. Army artilleryman, is in his full second year as the master club fitter at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course, an expert in finding the right combination of forged or cast irons, oversized club heads, shafts and grips with an impressive array of modern technology. On the first floor at LPGC’s Carol Johnson Poole Clubhouse he has created a stationary version of the PGA’s mobile club-fitting van that sits beside every driving range at every tour event, catering to the needs of the world’s best golfers. But Spurling does it for hacking schlubs like me. Back in January, when every golfer dreams of ways to shave a few strokes off every round, Spurling fit me with a set of Mizuno JPX 900 forged irons to replace my 20-year-old Titleist DCI oversized irons that had trustily landed me on a few greens here and there over their lifespan, but had also taken me through acres of wooded scenery. He didn’t fix all my problems – he would need several more certifications for that – but he did set me up with a set of irons that helped reduce my outlandish revolutions per shot, adjust my impact angle and take advantage of my wildly unpredictable swing. Through a half-dozen rounds with the new clubs, I’ve found a few more greens, put myself in better position to make a few more putts and generally left
10 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
the golf course with less of an inclination to leave my clubs at the bag drop stand with no intention of ever retrieving them. That’s what a master fitter can accomplish for most casual golfers. “The discerning weekend player absolutely will benefit more from a custom club fitting than a high-caliber player,” Spurling says. “I can put just about any club into the hands of a high-caliber player and they can do well. “For a casual player, we can make adjustment that will create a lot more change in what they are doing. And that’s
what we do here at a public course like Lonnie Poole – we help out those guys who are looking to beat their buddies, who are looking to get a little more enjoyment out of the game by hitting the ball better.” Spurling, a native of Garner, was a weekend golfer himself during his 10 years in the Army, serving a tour of duty in South Korea and two combat tours in Afghanistan, where he received the combat injury that ended his military career. After he left the service in 2014, he became interested in club fitting while working at Golfsmith in Raleigh. He took a class offered by every manufacturer and then enrolled at N.C. State’s PGA Golf Management Program, which is one of only 18 PGA-accredited university programs in the country. He interned at LPGC while going through the program, and slowly turned the clubhouse’s firstfloor training area into a club fitter’s dream. It is well stocked with premium shafts from Oban, Graphite Design, Mitsubishi Chemical, VA Composites, ACCRA, every major brand of forged and cast irons and factory-manufactured heads ordered to Spurling’s specifications from Mizuno, TaylorMade, Calloway, Ping, Titleist and Srixon. Not every custom fitting results in
a sale of a new set of irons or the latest driver head. “Sometimes buying a whole new club is not necessary,” he says. “Off-the-rack drivers have been outstanding for years now and can be tailor fitted to a golfer’s swing. Sometimes all you need to do is take what they have and re-shaft it.” Using the Trackman Golf Simulator and a modern workshop of club-building tools – which were already being used by N.C. State’s successful men’s and women’s varsity golf teams – Spurling created a space that is devoted to improving the skills of the club’s public clientele. “We already had a lot of resources and the space that was used for player development and for the PGM program, but was underutilized for the public,” Spurling says. Among the things that differentiates Spurling’s fitting sessions with those done at a big box retailer or a pro-shop fitter is that he can do his assessments at LPGC’s outdoor driving range, he allows club buyers the opportunity to watch him make their clubs in the clubhouse workshop and every fitting includes a follow-up visit after the buyer has played several rounds with his or her new clubs. “One of the things I always strive to do is make the fitting as personal as possible, which is why we are the only place I know of that allows the buyer to watch us build their clubs,” Spurling says. Since the fall of 2016, Spurling has focused primarily on building relationships and receiving training from vendors and component companies. He chooses heads, clubs, shafts and grips to fit the quirks and strengths of any golfer, based on the data received from an indoor or outdoor Trackman assessment session. “What they do is go to the golf course knowing that their equipment is built for their golf swing,” Spurling says. “A golf swing is as individual as a finger print, and your equipment should be, too.” Using advanced dual-radar technology and proprietary software, Trackman monitors 22 different components of a player’s golf swing, from the basic clubhead and impact speed to the more technical launch angle, spin rate and flight curvature. If any of those items are consistently out of whack, Spurling has a myriad of ways to build a solution into the club – from re-weighting the club head, to Continued on page 11 www.trianglegolf.com
Daniel Spurling from page 10
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slightly changing the angle of the club on impact, to moving the flex point up or down the shaft – using every major club, shaft and grip manufacturer. “By the end of the fitting, I am just really a conduit to the equipment,” Spurling says. “The customer can hit something and they can use their own gained knowledge. Once you narrow your focus down to a couple of different combinations, you develop a consistent feel. A non-commissioned sales rep, Spurling is adamant about finding the specific components for a player’s needs. “I don’t sell them anything,” he says. “I just help them buy the right parts.” One problem he sometimes encounters is translating every manufacturer’s jargon about different components into a consistent fit. There is no industry standard for a senior, stiff or super-stiff shaft. There are no specific regulations that constitute the angle of, let’s say, a 7-iron. Sometimes it seems everyone is talking a different language. So Spurling has spent time learning how to mix and match different brands with utmost efficiency. “The reason people continue to gravitate towards custom fitting is I’m still doing player development,” Spurling says. “One of the reasons high-caliber players play so well is that they understand their equipment. They know what their equipment can do for them, what their equipment makes it easier for them to do and what their equipment makes it harder for them to do.”
Beneath the towering longleaf pines in the heart of North Carolina is a place where golf is much more than a game, it’s a way of life. A place with more courses than days of the week. And more championships than anywhere in America. The place is Pinehurst. And it’s waiting for you.
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36
15 501
18
Ridge
36
C.C. of Whispering Pines
Little River
Dormie Pinehurst No. 8
Te 3
15 501
24 27
18
Duk
Hope Val
Chapel Hill
54
Beacon Ridge C.C. – 910-673-2950 Club At Longleaf – 1-800-889-5323 C.C. Of North Carolina – 910-692-6565 C.C.421 of Whispering Pines – 910-949-3000 Deercroft G.C. – 910-369-3107 Center Foxfire C.C.Golf – 910-295-5555 800-337-0997 Hyland Hills G.C. – 910-692-6400 Knollwood Fairways – 910-692-3572 Legacy Golf Links – 1-800-344-8825 Little River G.C. – 910-949-4600 Midland C.C. – 910-295-3241 Mid Pines G.C. – 1-800-323-2114 Mid South – 910-695-3193 Pinehurst – 1-800-ITS-GOLF Pine Needles G.C. – 1-800-747-7272 Pinewild C.C. – 910-295-5145 The Bluffs – 910-281-0275 Seven Lakes C.C. – 910-673-1092 Southern Pines Elks Club – 910-692-6551 Talamore – 910-692-5884 22 Whispering Woods G.C. – 910-949-4653 Woodlake Resort – 1-888-THELAKE
Seven Lakes
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Caddy Shack 383-0695 Dick’s
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Deercroft
Lake Winds 471-4653
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501 85
Golf 8 am ’til midnight on the only illuminted course in the Triangle
The Crossings 598-8686
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18
(weather permitting)
18
Falls Village 596-4653
Hillandale 286-4211 ke University 681-2288
98 Hasentree 919-554-4887
ham
lley
Olde Liberty 554-4690
18
Brevofield 562-1900
Triangle Golf Center 848-0231
Brier Creek
96
1
9
70
55
Golfsmith 787-9940
40
Paschal 556-5861
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TPC at Wakefield Plantation
50
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18
1A
18
Heritage Club 919-453-2020
Capital Golf Center 570-6500
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s Club
40
Old Chatam 919-361-1400
55 18
Prestonwood Golf Etc. 919-535-3581
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Golf Galaxy
12 Oaks 919-285-3680
derosa -4013
36
24
18
18
36 36 Holes Private Club (SP) Semi Private 27 27 Holes Driving Range Golf Shop
River Ridge 661-8374
Kings Grant 18 910-630-1114
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301
Highlighted courses & businesses have ads in this issue.
40
242
10
%
421
Highland
Gates Four 910-425-2176 9
Ole Bluff 910-425-8615
18
18
Cypress Lakes 910-483-0359
Hope Mills 910-425-7171
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Timberlake Coharie 910-596-2211 18
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Lakewood 910-525-4424
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Bayonet 910-904-1500
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70
Sandy Ridge 910-892-6424 18 Baywood 910-483-4330 Carver Falls 910-488-4481
Anderson Creek 18 910-814-2633
18
All Area Codes Are 919 Unless Otherwise Noted.
18
Carolina Lakes 910-499-5421
401
Wendell 18 365-7337
Not to scale. This map is intended for general reference only.
40
Raleigh Golf Association 18 772-9987
401
Ryder 910-436-3390 Stryker 910-396-3980
Wil-Mar 266-1800
™
336-924-1619
18
Carolina Trace 499-5611
18
18
Chicora 910-897-7366 Keith Hills 18 Bogey’s to Birdies 910-893-5051 910-890-6018
Pine Burr 910-893-5788
87
18
Poole Rd.
440
40 440
18
Zebulon 269-8311
Golf Academy 661-7100 18 Pine Hollow Par Golf 553-4554 Eagle Ridge 18 772-5261 18 St. Augustine’s 27 Riverwood 661-6300 College GC at 550-1919 Devil’s Ridge Garner Meadowbrook 18 The Neuse 557-6100 516-5010 9 550-0550 Bentwinds 552-5656 18 Reedy Creek Dick’s 934-7502 401 18 CC of Johnston Co. 934-4544 95
55
421
64
Lonnie Poole Raleigh 833-3338
Golf Galaxy
Apex
1
18
Hedingham 250-3030 Dick’s
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Hit Away Club Guy 424-1235 387-4888 Knight’s Play 27 Lochmere 303-4653 851-0611
anford 5-8320
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910-246-0119 smokeinnnc@gmail.com ° ->Ì°Ê£ä nÊUÊ-Õ °Ê££ È TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY t +6-: 13
U.S. Kids Golf Academy
A living golf lab that never slows down By PETER STILWELL 14 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
www.trianglegolf.com
T
he U.S. Kids Golf Foundation took its mission to heart three years ago and purchased the Longleaf Golf & Country Club in Southern Pines. Its goal was to help kids have fun learning the lifelong game of golf and to encourage family interaction that builds lasting memories. The group is making great strides in accomplishing that mission at Longleaf. “We are treating everything we do at Longleaf as a living laboratory for growing kids and family golf in a club environment,” said U.S. Kids Golf founder and president Dan Van Horn. “Our goal is to implement best practices in a real-life situation.” A state of the art U.S. Kids Golf Academy continues to evolve along with the Longleaf Tee System, which has properly scaled the golf course for players of all skill levels. The past 12 months have been a whirlwind of activity at Longleaf with the completion of several property enhancements to the facility. The clubhouse renovation has been completed and includes upgrades on the existing golf shop, locker rooms and public spaces on the inside and outside of the clubhouse. In August 2017, U.S. Kids Golf opened its first restaurant, Heartwood Grill & Greens, which has become a popular dining outlet for the club members and the Southern Pines community. The restaurant features a new bar and lounge, two separate dining areas, a private dining and meeting room, and an outdoor seating area with a halfway house style bar. The outdoor dining area is highlighted by a fire pit and extensive landscaping that is adjacent to the lighted practice putting course. U.S. Kids Golf hired executive chef Charles Toomer to lead its culinary team in making Heartwood a premier restaurant for the area, and Heartwood has earned high marks for the creativity of the menu and the quality of food and service. The restaurant is open to the public for lunch Tuesday-Sunday and dinner WednesdaySunday. Heartwood is also open for Sunday Brunch, which has become a popular addition for restaurant. The golf course has undergone extensive renovations and reopened last fall with brand new bermudagrass greens and improved design features for the rough and areas around the greens. Native grasses have been added to enhance the appearance of the course and to mirror the design characteristics of several area historical golf courses. The new putting surfaces are
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more resilient to the high summer temperatures that are typical for the region. This year marks the 13th consecutive year that the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships will be hosted in the Pinehurst area. A recording breaking 2,400 junior golfers from over 55 different countries will compete in the world’s largest and most prestigious junior championship. The World Championships, which are actually made up of eight individual championships including two Parent/Child Championships, a Team Championship, a Teen and a Kids World Championship, two Van Horn Cup matches and a Junior Van Horn Cup match, will be played on a record 16 different golf courses from July 24-Aug.5. The Pinehurst and surrounding communities have benefitted greatly from this prestigious event over the last several years. In fact, the annual economic impact of the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships in the Pinehurst area exceeds $9.5 million per year, and the combined economic value for the community since U.S. Kids began coming to the “Home of American Golf” is over $120 million. Meanwhile, Longleaf Golf & Family Club introduced a cuttingedge redesign of the standard golf course teeing system with the new Longleaf Tee Initiative. The basis of the Longleaf Tee System is color-coded tees keyed to the overall driving distance of golfers. Players measure their drives on the practice range and match where they hit their drives to the corresponding color of one of seven tees on each golf course hole. This innovated system has been endorsed by the American Society of Golf Course Architects. “Scaling our course with multiple sets of tees makes golf more enjoyable for all
players,” Van Horn said. “We have seen significant results in increasing rounds of golf from golfers that are now teeing off from the proper tee distance to the green and the pace of play has improved dramatically.” U.S. Kids Golf sees this new tee system as a way to keep golfers with varied skill levels engaged in the game and to encourage new golfers to get involved in the game. U.S. Kids Golf will soon open the new U.S. Kids Golf Academy building that has been constructed as the centerpiece of the practice facilities at Longleaf. The building will provide a state-of-the-art teaching facility and includes two separate training bays. One of the bays will allow students to hit directly onto the driving range, and the other bay will contain a high-tech Foresight golf simulator. This will allow for teaching during inclement weather and at night. The Academy building
will also provide the location for custom club fitting, along with individual and group instruction activities. Since the establishment of the U.S. Kids Golf Academy in 2015, close to 350 students, ages 3-18, have received comprehensive instruction from Academy director Jim Hardy and golf coach John Wainwright. The Little Chippers program, which range from ages 3-5, introduces the game to the young golfers through a series of games and activities designed to hold the kids’ interest while learning the basics of the game of golf. The kids prog-
ress through multiple levels of U.S. Kids Golf Play & Learn curriculum and receive pins as they progress through Levels 1-5. The U.S. Kids Golf Academy has recently expanded the levels of instruction to go through Level 10. “It is rewarding to see the advancement of the Academy students as the move through the program,” Hardy said. “We continue to develop new ways to introduce and teach the fundamentals of the game to our students, all while they are learning and having fun. We have a couple of our older kids that started playing golf a couple of years ago and have recently qualified to play in the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship this year. U.S. Kids Golf is changing the way kids learn the game for the long term.” The U.S. Kids Golf Academy offers a wide variety of instruction options including individual and group lessons, kids’ camps, parent-child camps and daily after school and weekend clinics. The Academy also offers adult instruction options, and many of the members of Longleaf take advantage of the golf clinics that are offered as part of their club membership. In addition, the U.S. Kids Golf Academy serves as a destination for golf professionals and coaches to learn the fundamentals of teaching golf to kids and to become U.S. Kids Golf certified golf coaches. The Academy staff conducts several training seminars around the country and at Longleaf Golf & Family Club to “teach the teachers.” The Longleaf golf course is host to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championships, the U.S. Kids Golf Red, White and Blue Invitational, and the 8, 9 and 13-year-old girls are returning this year at Longleaf for the U.S. Kids Golf Teen and Kid’s World Championships. “We try new things every day,” said Jeff Cowell, director of golf and general manager for Longleaf. “We are seeing more kids and parents developing interest in learning and playing the game. We are fulfilling the mission to provide lasting memories and having both kids and parents enjoying the game together. Our living laboratory never slows down.” Future plans for Longleaf Golf & Family Club include expansion of the pool, fitness and recreation areas. And U.S. Kids Golf continues to increase their club membership, with a focus on young families, which will sync up perfectly with the existing Longleaf members. TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
15
Neuse Golf Club celebrates 25th anniversary
J
By DAVID DROSCHAK oe Wolf has spent the majority of his ClubCorp management career on the accounting side of things before becoming the general manager of The Neuse Golf Club in January. The numbers guy likes the numbers he’s now seeing at the Clayton course, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary with new bermudagrass greens. The Neuse is known for its sensational rock outcroppings, rolling hills and pristine location next to the Neuse River, and a few years after its opening a deserved reputation as one of the Triangle’s best public layouts. In fact, Golf Digest named The Neuse “The Best New Public Golf Course in North Carolina.” In addition, it received a 4-1/2 star rating for places to play over a three-year period. In 2002, the course was honored by Business Week with the distinction of being the second-best public-access course to entertain business clients in North Carolina, finishing second to worldfamous Pinehurst No. 2. But like many layouts in our area of the state the intense summer heat began to catch up with the club’s bentgrass 16 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
greens, causing stress to the grass, poor putting conditions and an overall decline in play. Head pro Brad Thorsky saw the damage first hand and ended up leaving The Neuse to pursue other opportunities in Ohio, and then at McGregor Downs, a private country club in Cary that switched to bermudagrass greens, before returning to the Clayton course a few months ago after talking with ClubCorp district manager Steve Ostroff. “I have seen the old here and now I’m seeing the new,” Thorsky said. “I knew there was going to be life again at the club. When I left we were losing that. And just talking with the superintendent at MacGregor Downs he said it will be a good year and a half before our greens are really tight and solid, so the best is yet to come.” The rounds had dipped to around 25,000 a year at The Neuse, but Wolf said he expects the new greens could move the needle significantly, maybe by as much as 10,000 rounds in 2018. “At this point we’re starting to get a lot of play from the Raleigh area, which we weren’t getting before the greens were redone,” Wolf said. “That was an area where really we weren’t able to get
our teeth into. We were just an outlaying course in Johnston County. When it filled up in Raleigh golfers would come this way and we would get the table scraps.” Wolf is seeing tangible evidence of the renewed interest in the club, saying 14 of the last 18 new members have been from outside of the Clayton area. “And just recently we had a foursome come visit us from the North Hills area of Raleigh, saying they heard about the new greens and they loved them,” Thorsky said. “They said for this type of layout and these types of greens they will drive the 45-50 minutes to come play this course. That was hard to get before. We’re starting to see that Raleigh rush coming our way.” Champion bermudagrass greens thrive in the hot and humid conditions of central and eastern North Carolina. “And you don’t see ball marks on the greens,” Thorsky said. “We do get some high handicappers play here and some of them are not aware or have the proper golf etiquette, so you fight that battle with the bentgrass greens. That’s a huge thing, not seeing ball marks all over the greens. When you hit a shot into a green and you can’t find your ball mark; that is
Photo by David Droschak
the feedback you want on these greens. The ball checks up, it is a smooth roll, and with the bentgrass before it was inconsistent. Overall it’s going to help the life of the club.” The Clayton area is one of the more vibrant and fastest-developing Raleigh bedroom communities, so there is just unlimited potential on the horizon at the club and its new greens, Wolf said. “Where we’re really seen things take off with the new greens is the weekend play,” Wolf said. “There is a fight now for the prime Saturday and Sunday morning tee times. It is a desired time because people from Raleigh are coming here now.” The Neuse is offering some membership specials to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Wolf said. If you join by the end of July your dues will be guaranteed not to increase for at least the next 25 months. There are also anniversary specials for range and cart plans. “Restoring the greens brings back the championship caliber to the golf course,” Ostroff said. “The Neuse has great scenery, a great layout and now great greens for a course to be played by all skill levels.’
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FROM BOGEY
TO BIRDIE
LESSONS | SWING ANALYSIS | CUSTOM FITTINGS
DEVELOP YOUR GAME IN THE CAROL JOHNSON POOLE CLUBHOUSE As a training ground for future PGA professionals Lonnie Poole Golf Course offers a one stop shop for player development. Visit go.ncsu.edu/lpgc or call 919.833.3338 to schedule an appointment and let our golf professionals guide you to through a better swing. Open to the Public | 1509 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606 | Visit go.ncsu.edu/lpgc or call 919.833.3338
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
17
Junior Golf Scoreboard TYGA TYGA One Day
Whispering Woods GC Whispering Pines, NC June 13, 2018 Boys 16-18 - 6324 1 Bobby Gold, High Point 1 Garrett Risner, Holly Springs 3 Jackson Neal, Concord Selected Others 6 Drew Spurlock, Whispering Pines 7 Holden Lee, Raleigh 8 Leo Doak, Apex 8 Jake Burgess, Wake Forest Boys 14-15 - 6324 1 Brian Wei, Raleigh 2 Andrew Gallagher, Grimesland 3 Daniel Jones, Greensboro Selected Others 5 Tom Doak, Apex 8 Allen He, Cary 9 Grant Webb, Fuquay Varina Boys 12-13 - 5676 1 Logan Atkins, Dunn 2 Jack Wiley, Wake Forest 3 Colby Gunter, Reidsville Selected Others 7 Christopher Nabors, Raleigh 8 Chase Lee, Raleigh Girls 12-13 - 5063 1 Heather Appelson, Wake Forest 2 Madelyn Vogan, New Bern
70 70 75 82 85 86 86 68 77 79 84 100 108 82 85 86 107 109 76 85
TYGA One Day
CC of Whispering Pines Whispering Pines, NC June 12, 2018 Boys 16-18 Division - 6409 1 Casey Osiecki, New Bern 2 Kyle Kushnir, Raleigh 2 Zackery Martin, Sanford 2 Will Pruthi, Durham Selected Others 8 Brendan Kelly, Raleigh 9 Benjamin Collins, Holly Springs 11 Alexander Conway, Raleigh Boys 14-15 Division - 6409 1 Jackson Spencer, Holly Springs 2 Jack Dockrill, Elon 2 Pruthvi Chauhan, Cary Selected Others 5 Daniel Adkins II, Holly Springs 6 Brycen Swain, Durham 6 Will Underhill, Holly Springs Boys 12-13 - 5964 1 Chris Ha, Fayetteville 2 Drew O’Neal, Wilson 2 Colby Gunter, Reidsville Girls 14-18 - 5964 1 Trinity Ahing, New Bern
18 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
74 75 75 75 79 80 81 71 78 78 80 83 83 77 85 85 81
2 Myranda Vogan, New Bern 3 Julie Fiedler, New Bern Selected Others 6 Ava Lucas, Raleigh 8 Georgia Martin, Fayetteville Girls 12-13 - 5324 1 Ella Kue, Kings Mountain 2 Macy Pate, Boone 3 Heather Appelson, Wake Forest
87 90 96 111 75 76 86
CGA
22nd NC Junior Girls’ Championship Maple Chase GC Winston-Salem, NC June 12-15, 2018 Finals Emily Hawkins d. Alexis Sudjianto 4 and 3 Semifinal Emily Hawkins d. Mallory Fobes 1 up Alexis Sudjianto d. Muskan Uppal 19 holes Quarterfinal Mallory Fobes d. Anna McDonald 2 and 1 Emily Hawkins d. Sasha Hayes 4 and 2 Alexis Sudjianto d. Macie Burcham 7 and 5 Muskan Uppal d. Lotte Fox 2 and 1
Bojangles Junior Boys’ Open
Cutter Creek GC Snow Hill, NC June 2-3, 2018 Championship Division - 7,094 1 Jake Herring, Wilson 73-71--144 2 Frank Gilliam, Raleigh 73-71--144 3 Davis Reynolds, Maggie Valley 72-73--145 3 Pierce Robinson, Kings Mountain 72-73--145 Selected Others 6 Garrett Risner, Holly Springs 76-72--148 6 Nicholas Mathews, Mebane 77-71--148 6 Tyler Dechellis, Clayton 71-77--148 13 Jack Marcotte, Apex 75-75--150 15 Alex Huml, Cary 78-74--152 15 Carter Cheek, Cary 75-77--152 15 James Carlin, Raleigh 77-75--152
6th Creed Boys’ Invitational
Camden Country Club Camden, S.C. May 26-27, 2018 Championship Division - 6,358 1 Spencer Oxendine, Fayetteville 68-67--135 2 Tyler Dechellis, Clayton 70-68--138 3 Mason Tucker, Lancaster, SC 71-68--139 3 Bronson Myers, Columbia, SC 68-71--139 3 Ian Faulconer, Simpsonville, SC 73-66--139 3 Thomas Eubanks, Charlotte 70-69--139 Selected Others 7 Jackson Bode, Pinehurst 73-68--141 11 Garrett Risner, Holly Springs 70-73--143 18 Kenan Poole, Raleigh 75-70--145 38 Symon Balbin, Pinehurst 77-72--149 52 Joey Pritchard, Whispering Pines 76-77--153
Presented by
PKBGT.ORG
Peggy Kirk Bell Tour Coastal Carolina Classic
Conway, SC , Hackler GC June 9-10, 2018 Bell National - 5721 1 Alexia Siehl, Fort Mill SC 74-71--145 2 Angelique Seymour, Fayetteville 76-70--146 3 Adrian Anderson, Murrels Inlet SC 74-73--147 Selected Others 5 Megan Kanaby, Chapel Hill 73-76--149 18 Erin Singleton, Apex 80-84--164 Futures National - 5287 1 Autumn Carey, Manning SC 78-76--154 2 Cori Langford, Blythewood SC 78-77--155 3 Kalina Siehl, Fort Mill SC 83-73--156 Selected Others 7 Megan Morris, Cary 83-86--169 10 Darby Reeder, Smithfiled 89-87--176
5 Cole Pollard, Manakin-Sabot, VA 35-75--110 Selected Others 9 Thomas Morrison, Pinehurst 43-70--113 11 Jake Herring, Wilson 39-75--114 Girls 15-18 Division - 5735 1 Agustina Gomez Cisterna, 33-71--104 Bradenton, FL
2 Yujeong Son, Norman, OK 33-71--104 3 Alyssa Montgomery, Knoxville, TN 35-70--105 3 Valery Plata, Bucaramanga 36-69--105 Selected Others 5 Haeley Wotnosky, Wake Forest 39-67--106
PKBGT Open Championship
CC of Salisbury Salisbury, NC May 26-28, 2018 Bell National - 6009 1 Sasha Hayes, Winston-Salem 74-71-72--217 1 Amanda Sambach, Davidson 76-73-68--217 3 Melissa Meng, Blacksburg VA 73-72-73--218 Selected Others 21 Maria Atwood, Holly Springs 78-75-79--232 21 Nicole Adam, Pinehurst 75-77-80--232 26 Holly McCann, Raleigh 78-78-77--233 27 Megan Kanaby, Chapel Hill 76-79-79--234 Futures National - 5305 1 Annabelle Millard, Indian Trail 72-68-77--217 2 Grayson Warren, Washington 76-76-72--224 3 Ella Kue, King Mountain 78-77-74--229 Selected Others 8 McKenzie Daffin, Fort Bragg 86-78-73--237
35th Annual Scott Robertson Memorial
Roanoke Country Club Roanoke, VA May 18 - 20, 2018 Boys 15-18 Division - 6546 1 Connor Johnson, Richmond, VA 34-69--103 2 Akshay Bhatia, Wake Forest 32-72--104 2 Christopher Sperrazza, Raleigh 35-69--104 2 Manning Sloop, Rock Hill, SC 34-70--104 2 Peter Fountain, Raleigh 35-69--104 Selected Others 9 Grayson Wotnosky, Wake Forest 35-71--106 9 Will Hawley, Raleigh 36-70--106 29 Fulton Smith, Pinehurst 38-72--110 36 Tyler DeChellis, Clayton 38-73--111 86 Zach Roberts, Holly Springs 40-80--120 Boys 14 & under Division - 6094 1 Dean Greyserman , Boca Raton, FL 33-69--102 2 David Stanford, Vienna, VA 36-72--108 2 Joshua Ryan, Norristown, PA 37-71--108 4 Sean-Karl Dobson, Austin, TX 39-70--109
Boys (High School, graduation year) 1 Akshay Bhatia, Wake Forest (Home School, 2020) 2 Peter Foundation, Raleigh (Broughton HS, 2020) 3 Quinn Riley, Raleigh (Athens Drive, 2018) 4 Jackson Van Paris (O’Neal School, 2021) 5 Spencer Oxendine, Fayetteville (Jack Britt HS, 2019) 6 Fulton Smith, Pinehurst (O’Neal School, 2019) 7 Chris Kim, Cary (Green Hope, 2019) 8 A.J. Beechler, Pinehurst (Pinecrest, 2018) 9 Attie Giles, Pinehurst (Pinecrest, 2018) 10 Jack Massei, Cary (Green Hope, 2018) Girls (High School, graduation year) 1 Gina Kim, Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill HS, 2018) 2 Nicole Adam, Pinehurst (O’Neal School, 2020) 3 Holly McCann, Raleigh (Ravenscroft, 2019) 4 Hannah Rose Bruxvoort, Chapel Hill (Cardinal Gibbons, 2018) 5 Haeley Wotnosky, Wake Forest (S. Wake Academy, 2018) 6 Riley Smith, Cary (Cardinal Gibbons, 2018) 7 Mackenzie Battle, Aberdeen (Pinecrest, 2018) 8 Hailey Freedman (Cardinal Gibbons, 2018) 9 Lotte Fox, Raleigh (Wakefield HS, 2020) 10 Megan Kanaby, Chapel Hill (Cardinal Gibbons, 2018) Source: Tarheel Youth Golf Association as of 6/1/17
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“I really loved coming here with my family–it’s a wonderful golf course for all players.” -Rees Jones
Longleaf Golf & Family Club is home to The Longleaf Tee System, an initiative of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation
A world-class facility at a family-friendly value
10 North Knoll Road, Southern Pines 910.692.6100 longleafgfc.com www.trianglegolf.com
TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
19
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.
CGA Men Majors/Qualifiers Four-Ball Championships Sept. 28-30 – 23nd N.C. Four-Ball Championship, 12 Oaks, Holly Springs Carolinas Amateur June 21 - Qualifier, Mill Creek, Mebane June 22 - Qualifier, Cedar Rock, Lenoir June 25 - Qualifier, Verdict Ridge, Denver June 29 - Qualifier, Compass Point, Leland July 2 - Qualifier, 12 Oaks, Holly Springs July 12-15 – 104th Carolinas Amateur Championship, CC of North Carolina (Dogwood) Pinehurst N.C. Amateur Match Play Championship June 21 - Qualifier, Mill Creek, Mebane June 22 - Qualifier, Cedar Rock, Lenoir June 25 - Qualifier, Verdict Ridge, Denver June 29 - Qualifier, Compass Point, Leland July 2 - Qualifier, 12 Oaks, Holly Springs Aug. 1-5 – 9th N.C. Amateur Match Play Championship, Gaston CC, Gastonia N.C. Mid-Amateur Championship Aug. 22 – Qualifier, Holly Ridge, Archdale Aug. 25 – Qualifier, Beechwood CC, Ahoskie Aug. 27 – Qualifier, Cabarrus CC, Concord Aug. 29 – Qualifier, Carolina Trace, Sanford Sept. 7-9 – 25th N. C. Mid-Amateur, Ballantyne CC, Charlotte
CGA Senior Men Majors and Qualifiers Aug. 9-11 – 18th North Carolina Senior FourBall Championship, Old Chatham GC, Durham Aug. 21 - Cobblestone Park, Blythewood, SC Aug. 23 - Holly Ridge GL, Archdale, NC Aug. 25 - Beechwood CC, Ahoskie, NC Aug. 28 - Cabarrus CC, Concord, NC Aug. 30 - Carolina Trace (Lake), Sanford, NC Sept. 12-14 – 57th Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship, GC at Briar’s Creek, Johns Island, SC Sept. 25-26 - 11th North Carolina Super Senior Championship, Alamance CC, Burlington Oct. 8-9 – 7th Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball Championship, CC of South Carolina, Florence TBA – 3rd Carolinas Senior Interclub Final Four
CGA Women Majors July 24-26 – 21st Carolinas Women’s Match Play, North Ridge CC, Raleigh July 16-18 – 62nd Carolinas-Virginia Women’s Team Matches, Sea Pines, Hilton Head, SC July 20 – 21st Carolinas Parent-Child, Pinehurst Area Courses Aug. 4-5 – 41st Carolinas Women’s Four-Ball, Prestwick CC, Myrtle Beach Aug. 18-19 – 13th Carolinas Mixed Team Championship, Pinehurst TBA, Pinehurst. Sept. 26-27 – 20th Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur, Members Club at Wildewood, Columbia, SC Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 – 2nd Carolinas Women’s Club Team, Mid Pines, Southern Pines Nov. 10-11 – 8th Carolinas Net Amateur Championship, Prestwick CC, Myrtle Beach, SC
CGA Other July 20 – 52st Carolinas Father-Son Championship, Pinehurst Area Courses, Pinehurst.
20 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
July 20 – 21st Carolinas Parent-Child Championship, Pinehurst Area Courses, Pinehurst. Aug. 18-19 – 13th Carolinas Mixed-Team Championship, Pinehurst TBA, Pinehurst. Oct. 19-20 – 73rd Captain’s Putter Team Matches, Spring Creek GC, Gordonsville Nov. 10-11 – 8th Carolinas Net Amateur Championship, Prestwick CC, Myrtle Beach, SC. Nov. 10-11 – 21st Carolinas Interclub Final Four, Pinehurst #5, Pinehurst TBA – 10th Carolinas Young Amateur
Captain’s Choice/Charity July 27 – 2nd Annual Ezra Golfbach Foundation Golf Tournament, Pilot Knob Park, Pilot Mountain. Contact Judy Goldbach 336-793-6382. August 25 – Psi Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,Inc 2nd Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament, Reynolds Park GC, WinstonSalem. Two-person teams. Donnie Holt 336-240-1036 or Benny Murrill 336-407-1848. Sept. 7 – Trauma Services Open, Bryan Park, Brown Summit, www.conehealth.com/ts-open. Oct. 5 – 11th annual Hope for the Warriors Golf Tournament, Grandover Resort, Greensboro, contact Jack F. Masarie. Oct. 6 – 4th Annual Friends of Eden Animal Rescue, Oak Hills GC, Eden, Contact 336-912-1178.
Amateur Individual July 7-8 – Joe Wood Memorial, Cedarbrook CC, Elkin. Medal play in flights. 336-835-2320. July 14-15 – Danville Invitational, Danville GC, Va.. Medal play in flights. 434-792-7225. July 21-22 – Max Thore Memorial, Wolf Creek GC, Reidsville. Individual tournament (championship flight only) combined with two-man flighted bestball. 336-349-7660. July 28-29 – B.S. Open, first round at Brookwood GC, second round at Southwick GC. Medal play in flights. 336-227-2582 or 336-449-5544. July 28-29 – 32nd Dugan Aycock Davidson County Amateur, Lexington GC. Medal play in flights. 336-248-3950. July 28-29 – The Triad Amateur Golf Classic, 36 holes stroke play. Ages 16-over. High Point CC Willow Creek course. 336-869-2416. July 28-29 – 57th annual Chatmoss Invitational, Chatmoss CC, Martinsville. Medal play in flights. Also senior division. 276-638-7648. Aug. 3-5 – 71st Forsyth County Amateur Invitational, Reynolds Park GC, Pine Knolls GC, Tanglewood (Reynolds). Medal play in flights. Todd Barr 336-734-1212. Aug. 4-5 – Holly Ridge Charity Classic in memory of John Ridge and Jerry Davis, Holly Ridge GL, Archdale. Medal play in flights. Optional shootout on Aug. 3. 336-861-4653. Aug. 11-12 – Crooked Tree Amateur, Crooked Tree GC, Brown Summit. Medal play in flights. 336-656-3211. Aug. 25-26 – 50th annual Tech Authority Reidsville Invitational, Pennrose Park CC, Reidsville. Medal play in flights. 336-349-5163.
Laid-Back Golfers Tour 434-792-3728 • Men/Women All-Ages Flights pre-determined by handicap Tees determined by hdc/age formula July 10 – Southern Hills GC, Danville
July 24 – Ivy Hills GC, Lynchburg Aug. 7 – The Willows, Altavista, Va. Aug. 21 – Kinderton CC, Clarksville, Va. Sept. 4 – Caswell Pines GC, Yanceyville Sept. 18 – Deep Springs CC, Stoneville Oct. 1 – Greensboro National, Summerfield Oct. 16 – Forest Park CC, Martinsville Oct. 30 – Bryan Park GC (Players), Brown Summit Nov. 12 – Danville GC, Danville Nov. 27 – Goodyear GC, Danville
Golfweek Amateur Tour 252-864-9161 July 7 – Carolina Trace (Lake), Sanford July 14 – Reedy Creek, Four Oaks July 28 – Grandover Resort (East), Greensboro Aug. 4 – Pinewild (Holly), Pinehurst Aug. 11 – Mill Creek GC, Mebane Aug. 18 – Bryan Park (Championship), Brown Summit Aug. 31 – Barefoot Resort (Fazio), North Myrtle Beach, SC Sept. 1 – Barefoot Resort (Dye), North Myrtle Beach, SC Sept. 2 – Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC Sept. 29-30 – Local Finals, Bryan Park (both courses), Brown Summit Oct. 19-21 – National Championship at Hilton Head Island, SC
For the latest tournament schedule, now updated daily, go to www.trianglegolf.com then click on Tournaments June 23-24 – Lynrock Memorial Two-Man, Lynrock GC, Eden. 336-623-6110. July 7-8 – Tuscarora Two-Man Invitational, Tuscarora CC, Danville. Medal play in flights. 434-724-4191. July 14-15 – Indian Valley Classic 2-man bestball. Indian Valley GC, Burlington. Flighted medal play. 336-584-7871. July 21-22 – Max Thore Memorial, Wolf Creek GC, Reidsville. Two-man flighted bestball combined with optional individual championship flight. 336-349-7660. Aug. 11-12 – Madison Rotary Four-Ball Invitational, Deep Springs CC, Madison. 336-427-4654. Aug. 25-26 – Marvin Crowder 2-Ball, Kinderton CC, Clarksville, Va. 434-374-8822. Oct. 6-7 – Greensboro National Fall Classic, Greensboro National GC, Summerfield. 2-man bestball. 336-342-1113. Oct. 20-21 – 35th annual Lexington BBQ Festival 2-person teams, Lexington GC. 336-248-3950. Oct. 20-21 – Chatmoss Two-Man Invitational, Chatmoss CC, Martinsville. Medal play in flights. Also senior division. 276-638-7648.
Senior Individual
Junior Golf Schedule
July 7-8 – Joe Wood Memorial, Cedarbrook CC, Elkin. Medal play in flights ages 55-over. 336-835-2320. July 28-29 – 7th annual Davidson County Senior Amateur, Lexington GC. Ages 55-over. Medal play in flights. 336-248-3950. July 28-29 – The Triad Amateur Golf Classic, 36 holes stroke play. Ages 55-over. High Point CC Willow Creek course. 336-869-2416. Oct. 9-11 – World Super Senior Championship. Tanglewood Championship, Clemmons. Ages 70-over, Kitty Visintine 336-703-6420.
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 June 30-July 1 – PKBGT North Carolina Classic at Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, Girls, Ages 11-19 July 2-4 – North & South Junior, Pinehurst No. 2, No. 6, No. 8, Pinehurst, Boys/Girls, Ages 15-18, 910-235-8140 July 2 – TYGA One Day, Chapel Hill CC, Chapel Hill, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 2 – TYGA Triad One Day, Lexington GC, Lexington, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 5 – CPGA Drive, Chip and Putt Local, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, 336-398-2742 July 5 – TYGA Triad One Day, Asheboro City GC, Asheboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 6 – CGA Carolinas Junior Boys’ Qualifying, Goldsboro GC, Goldsboro, Boys only, Ages 18 and under July 9-10 – CGA Carolinas Girls’ 15 & Under, CC of Whispering Pines (Pines), Whispering Pines, Girls only, Ages 8-15 July 9-10 – Surry County Junior Golf Championship, Cross Creek and Pilot Knob, Boys Only Ages 18 and under 336-835-2320 July 9-10 – Surry County Junior Golf Championship, Mt Airy CC and Cedarbrook CC, Girls Only Ages 18 and under 336-835-2320 July 9 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, Legacy GC, Aberdeen, Boys/Girls Ages 12-18, twftjrtour.com July 9 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, Midland CC, Pinehurst, Boys/Girls Ages 6-11, twftjrtour.com July 9 – TYGA Triad One Day, Salem Glen CC, Clemmons, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18
Senior Amateur Tour (ages 50-over) 910-964-1547 July 12 – Foxfire (Red), Foxfire Village July 19 – Sapona Ridge CC, Lexington July 26 – Mill Creek GC, Mebane Aug. 9 – Keith Hills CC, Buies Creek Aug. 16 – Legacy GL, Aberdeen Aug. 23 – Elks Club, Southern Pines Sept. 6 – Umstead Pines, Durham Sept. 13 – Challenge GC, Graham Sept. 20 – Bryan Park (Champions), Brown Summit Sept. 27 – Beacon Ridge CC, West End Oct. 24-25 – National Championship at Hilton Head Island, SC
Ladies Individual/Team Aug. 25-26 – 52nd annual Colonial Country Club Ladies Invitational, Colonial CC, Thomasville. Pre-flighted CGA ranking event. Elaine Schuermann 336-454-6360.
Amateur Team July 7-8 - Tuscarora Two-Man Invitational, Tuscarora C.C., Danville, VA. Medal play in flights. 434-724-4191. June 9-10 – Goodyear Invitational Two-Man Bestball, Goodyear GC, Danville. 434-797-1909.
Continued on page 22 www.trianglegolf.com
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TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
21
CALENDAR July 10-12 – Forsyth County Junior, Pine Knolls GC, Tanglewood (Reynolds), Reynolds Park. Boys/Girls Forsyth County Residents Only. Todd Barr 336-734-1212. July 11-13 – AJGA Amino Vital Junior, Treyburn CC, Durham, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 11-12 – TYGA High Point Junior, Blair Park and Oak Hollow, High Point, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18, July 12-15 – CGA Carolinas Men’s Amateur, CC of North Carolina (Dogwood), Pinehurst, Male only July 14-15 – Trusted Choice NC Big I State Championship, Mid Pines/Pine Needles, Southern Pines, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18, 910-673-1000 July 15 – US Kids Local Tour- The Neuse GC, Clayton, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14, 919-623-3352 July 16-17 – CGA NC Boys’ 13 and Under Championship, Asheboro City GC, Asheboro, Boys only, Ages 13 and under July 16 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, Mid Pines CC, Southern Pines, Boys/Girls Ages 12-18, twftjrtour.com July 16 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, Midland CC, Pinehurst, Boys/Girls Ages 6-11, twftjrtour.com July 17 – TYGA One Day, River Ridge GC, Raleigh, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 18 – TYGA One Day, Ole Still GC, Hickory, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 18-19 – TYGA Roy Jones Junior, Kinston CC, Kinston, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 19 – TYGA One Day, Lake Hickory CC (Catawba Springs), Hickory, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 20 – CGA Father-Son Championship, Pinehurst area courses July 20 – CGA Parent-Child, Pinehurst area courses
Belmont from page 8 greens conversion, but most are spending the investment after being opened more than two decades. Belmont Lake is just 11 years old. “It’s not a cheap solution, but when you keep stressing over it each summer for three months because of poor conditions it is going to catch up with you sooner or later, losing that business,” said Belmont Lake head pro Tim Wilke. “We lost about five of our greens a couple of years ago and that really cut into the effectiveness of our golf course with temporary greens. We just decided to bite the bullet as soon as possible so we could get over that loop and get on with it.” Wilke estimates poor green conditions with the bentgrass surface cost his club an estimated 2,000-3,000 rounds annually. “You miss that revenue from your greens fee players when the condi22 TRIANGLE GOLF TODAY • JULY 2018
July 21-22 – PKBGT Wolfpack Classic at NC State Uni., Raleigh, Girls, Ages 11-19 July 23 – CGA Carolinas Boys’ Junior Qualifier, Camden CC, Camden, SC, Boys Only, Ages 18 and Under, July 23 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, CC of Whispering Pines, Whispering Pines, Boys/ Girls Ages 6-11, twftjrtour.com July 23 – TYGA Triad One Day, Deep Springs CC, Reidsville, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 24-26 – CGA Carolinas Boys’ Championship, Members Club at Wildewood, Columbia, SC, Boys only, Ages 18 and Under July 24-26 – CGA Carolinas Women’s Match Play, North Ridge CC, Raleigh, Women only July 24 – US Kids Local Tour- Chapel Ridge GC, Pittsboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14 July 25 – TYGA One Day, Beechwood CC, Ahoskie, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 25 – CPGA Drive, Chip and Putt Local, Maple Chase Golf & Country Club, Winston Salem, 336-767-2941 July 26 – TYGA One Day, Greenville CC, Greenville, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 July 28-29 – CGA Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Team Matches, Indian Creek GC, Kilmarnock, VA, Girls only, Invitation only July 30 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, CC of Whispering Pines, Whispering Pines, Boys/ Girls, Ages 12-18, twftjrtour.com July 30 – TYGA SAS Junior, Prestonwood CC, Cary, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18 July 30 – US Kids Local Tour- Brier Creek CC, Raleigh, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14 July 31-Aug 1 – CGA Twin States Girls’ Championship, Spring Valley CC, Columbia, SC, Girls only, Ages 18 and under, 910-673-1008 July 31 – NJGT, Northstone C.C., Huntersville N.C.,Boys/Girls, Ages 6-18, 704-824-6548 July 31 – TYGA Triad One Day, Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-18
Aug. 1-2 – Carmel Junior, Carmel CC, Charlotte, Boys only, 704-945-3300 Aug. 1 – CGA Dogwood Boys’ State Junior Qualifying, Pinewood CC, Asheboro, Boys only, Ages 18 and under Aug. 1 – CGA Dogwood Boys’ State Junior Qualifying, Walnut Creek CC, Goldsboro, Boys only, Ages 18 and under Aug. 1-5 – CGA NC Men’s Amateur Match Play, Gaston CC, Gastonia, Male only Aug. 1-2 – Carmel CC Junior Boys’ Invitational, Carmel CC, Charlotte, Boys only, Ages 12-18, 704-945-3300 Aug. 1 – CPGA Drive, Chip and Putt Local, Hope Valley Country Club, Durham, (919) 489-6676, Not ranked Aug. 2 – TYGA One Day, CC of Johnston County, Smithfield, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 Aug. 3-5 – PKBGT Tour Championship at Salem Glen, Advance, Girls, Ages 11-19 Aug. 6-9 – Trusted Choice Big I National, Daniel Island Club, Charleston, SC, Boys/Girls, Ages 18 and under Aug. 6 – TYGA Jack Ratz Memorial, Wildwood Green, Raleigh, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18 Aug. 6-12 – USGA Women’s Amateur, GC of Tennessee, Kingston Spring, TN, Women only, 908-234-2300 Aug. 6 – US Kids Local Tour- Lochmere GC, Cary, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14, 919-623-3352 Aug. 7-9 – CGA Dogwood Boys’ State Junior, Duke GC, Durham, Boys only, Ages 18 and under Aug. 7-9 – CGA Dogwood Girls’ State Junior, Chapel Hill CC, Chapel Hill, Girls only, Ages 18 and under Aug. 11-12 – CGA Carolinas-Virginias Junior Team Matches, CC of North Carolina (Cardinal), Pinehurst, Invitation only Aug. 11 – CPGA Drive, Chip and Putt SubRegional, Grandover Resort, Greensboro, 336-398-2742
Aug. 11 – TYGA Tots, Asheboro City GC, Asheboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 6-11 Aug. 11 – US Kids Local Tour- Devils Ridge GC, Holly Springs, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14 Aug. 13 – CGA Carolinas Pro-Junior, Prestonwood CC, Cary, Boys/Girls, Ages 18 and under Aug. 13 – Tin Whistle-First Tee Tour, Midland CC, Pinehurst, Boys/Girls Ages 6-11, twftjrtour.com Aug. 14-16 – AJGA Junior All-Star, Club at Irish Creek, Kannapolis, Boys/Girls, Ages 12-15, 877-373-2542 Aug. 14-16 – Hope Valley Junior Invitational, Hope Valley CC, Durham, Boys/Girls, Invitation only, 910-673-1000 Aug. 14 – NJGT, Bermuda Run West, Bermuda Run, Boys/Girls, Ages 6-18 Aug. 14-15 – Triad Junior Classis, High Point CC (Willow Creek), High Point, Boys/Girls, Ages 10-18, 336-869-2416 Aug. 14 – TYGA One Day, Wilmington Municipal, Wilmington, Boys/Girls, Ages 8-18, 910-673-1000 Aug. 18 – US Kids Local Tour- Mill Creek GC, Mebane, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14 Aug. 18 – CPGA Drive, Chip and Putt SubRegional, Duke University GC, Durham, (919) 681-2288 Aug. 20-21 – Rowan Junior Open, Club at Irish Creek and Warrior GC, Kannapolis, Boys/ Girls, Ages 8-18, 704-856-0871 Aug. 21-22 – TYGA Tournament of Champions, The Neuse, Clayton, Boys/Girls, Invitation only Aug. 25 – TYGA Tots One Day, Gillespie Park, Greensboro, Boys/Girls, Ages 6-11 Aug. 25-26 – HJGT - Major Championship at Bryan Park, Bryan Park Golf Club Championship Course, Greensboro, Boys/ Girls, Ages 8-18 Aug. 26 – US Kids Local Tour- Pine Hollow, Clayton, Boys/Girls, Ages 5-14
tions go down like that,” Wilke said. “It doesn’t help your overall image either. That’s one of the beneficial things about our golf course right now, it’s in outstanding condition and a lot of golf courses have been struggling with the weather. I attribute that to our diligence in covering the greens during the winter and just our overall pro-activeness.” Wilke said his grounds crew covered the new bermudagrass this unusually harsh winter in North Carolina each time the temperature dipped below 28 degrees. It took added time, but was well worth the effort, he said. ‘We’re just now getting to that period of time where we’ll see the true benefit of the whole project,” he said. “This new bermudagrass really thrives in the heat and humidity so we’re looking forward to the next couple of months. And even though it is hot people do play a lot of golf
during this time of the year, and especially if the golf course is in great shape.” Warren Halle, CEO of Halle Building Group, owns the golf course and surrounding community. Halle started out as a carpenter and built the Halle Companies from the ground up. Following his love of building and development, he’s completed innumerable, successful residential and commercial projects over the last 50 years. “You have to be excited when you have a pro-active owner and one that’s willing to step up and take so much pride in the facility that he owns,” Wilke said of Halle. “He really wants the golf course to be a huge amenity to the housing development. People who are going to build in here probably have golfing interests so he understands the importance of having an outstanding golf course and having consistent conditions dur-
ing the high volume of the year. It’s a godsend, it really is. We’re really lucky to have his support. “Listen, the golf industry is not an easy industry,” Wilke added. “The expenses are always going to be there no matter how Mother Nature treats you, and if you don’t have the revenue coming in it puts a lot of stress on your facility.” Wilke said the greens project didn’t require any redesigning of a layout designed by David Johnson out of Atlanta. “Our greens are very golfer friendly. We didn’t reshape any of the greens since we already had a very good product,” Wilke said. “All of our customers really love this golf course; it’s not diabolical like a lot of Donald Ross greens. There are so many benefits to our layout here. We’re really excited about the next few months.” www.trianglegolf.com
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