By David Droschak So how has John McConnell systemically assembled a successful private golf course portfolio across four Southeastern states while many in the industry scoffed at his notion of a “regional golf network?” Already with more than a dozen top-notch layouts designed by the likes of Dye, Fazio, Palmer, Norman and Ross, McConnell has…
By David Droschak With no new golf course construction across North Carolina since 2016, those of us who like “fresh experiences” have been relegated to playing restorations, renovations or the re-imagining of some of the state’s top layouts in recent years, including Tanglewood, Raleigh Country Club, Jefferson Landing and Pine Needles Resort. The latest project…
By David Droschak John McConnell has spent upwards of $100 million over the years compiling one of the nation’s most impressive private club portfolios. A good portion of that cash has been spent on the company’s anchor facility – Raleigh Country Club – from its $7 million rescue from bankruptcy in 2003 to a bunker…
By David Droschak With dozens of Donald Ross-designed golf courses scattered across the state of North Carolina from Asheville to Wilmington, golf enthusiasts have debated for decades the best of the best. One Ross course that has often flown under the radar has been the Southern Pines Elks Golf Club, especially over the last decade…
By David Droschak There are a few certainties in life – death, taxes and frost — turning the bermudagrass fairways of North Carolina’s wonderful golf courses a sad shade of tan every winter. When I first came to the Tar Heel state from the Great White North I wondered why “all the grass had died.”…
ClubCorp, already a major player in the Triangle, has increased its presence dramatically by acquiring Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh and Hasentree in Wake Forest from Toll Golf. Brier Creek, an Arnold Palmer design, is located near Raleigh-Durham International Airport and features an 18-hole private golf course, tennis courts, pool with waterslide and kid-friendly…
By David Droschak More than 90,000 cars a week now cruise past the entrance to Falls Village Golf Club north of Raleigh-Durham International Airport, something that is not lost on head professional John Montgomery. “Our locale is just incredible,” Montgomery said as the public course carved out of prime Durham County forest along Highway 98…
By David Droschak Donald Ross personally handpicked the property that would become Raleigh Country Club, but the legendary architect wasn’t around to see the course’s completion, passing away in April 1948. His two most trusted “generals” – Ellis Maples and J.B. McGovern – finished off the work at the private club that is considered one…
By Brad King and Len Ziehm The Wyndham Championship returned to Sedgefield Country Club in 2008. Explaining the move back after more than three decades at Forest Oaks Country Club, southeast of Greensboro, tournament officials cited several key factors: the appeal of Sedgefield’s freshly restored, Donald Ross-designed golf course and its location closer to the…
By David Droschak For more than a half century, High Meadows Golf & Country Club has remained untouched, standing the test of time as one of the more playable and serene settings in the North Carolina mountains, attracting dozens of members from the Triangle area. Few courses these days – especially with all of the…