By David Droschak Mystical Golf president and CEO Claude Pardue insists there was no magical formula, no inside trade secrets, that allowed him to survive, heck, even prosper, during the recent golf course contraction in Myrtle Beach. As some noted courses disappeared into economic despair, Pardue’s three layouts, with their catchy names, memorable logos, unique…
As a performance coach I have had many conversations with students who think confidence is built through hours of practice and multiple repetitions. They believe they must fix problems in their swing and get it “right” before they’re able to see results. They want to see results before they believe in their ability. Though I…
by David Orr One common trait of players who seem to possess “short game wizardry” is how consistently they strike both the ball and the ground. The wonderful “acoustics” of solid contact! Where the ball is struck first and second, the sole of the club being “thumped” against the ground. There is no greater feeling…
Class of 2012 Girls Will Attend Taylor Allison, Elizabeth City, NC Western Carolina Laura Bird, Maxton, NC UNC-Pembroke Emily Brooks, Chapel Hill, NC Elon Lily Crane, Jamestown, NC UNC-Greensboro Madalyn Davis, Marion, NC Appalachian Mary Katherine Donovan, Wilmington, NC Gardner-Webb Lane Gakeler, Greensboro, NC East Carolina Mary-Katelyn Holanek, Cary, NC Campbell Mariah Hopkins, Greensboro, NC…
By DAVID DROSCHAK Timing is often crucial in business. Cam McRae is living proof. McRae had just turned 30 when he bought the Eastern North Carolina rights for a little-known chicken-and-biscuit franchise. He took a calculated risk, packed up his wife and two young children and left his hometown of Charlotte to open his first…
Wake’s Lee Bedford finishes second individually By DAVID DROSCHAK Bo Andrews knew he was joining a winning golf program in Atlanta a few years ago after a stellar prep career at Raleigh Ravenscroft. However, he may not have banked on this much success. The sophomore was one of four Georgia Tech underclassmen who finished seventh…
By HEATHER ANGELL Atlantic Coast Conference women’s golf power Duke, without a league title since 2008, was able to recapture its conference dominance in April. Coming off a loss in a playoff the week before at the Bryan National Collegiate, the Blue Devils led wire-to-wire to beat defending champion North Carolina by 10 shots at…
By DAVID DROSCHAK If you’ve flipped a club or two in disgust at Lonnie Poole Golf Course you’re not alone. In just a few short years since opening, North Carolina State’s layout has earned a reputation as one of the most difficult tests of golf in the state. At 7,358 yards from the “Competition” tees,…
By David Droschak To use baseball vernacular, Pinehurst Resort “hit one out of the park” with its restoration of the famed No. 2 course. Play on the world-renowned Donald Ross design increased by 10 percent last year after it re-opened in March as the architectural team of Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore created a reverse…
By Kurt Dusterberg When Fran Wilkerson says Wil-Mar Golf Club is a family business, it’s a bit of an understatement. Most of her family tree has played a role in operating one of the oldest-run golf courses in Raleigh. Wilkerson is the woman who runs the golf operation and gives the lessons, but she will…