By DAVID DROSCHAK Golf course architect David Johnson weaved his way around briar patches and battled through thick woods and wetlands, suddenly emerging into an open field on a tract of land in Rocky Mount the Ford family had asked him to check out for a possible golf course layout. On first impression —…
By DAVID DROSCHAK In baseball vernacular John McConnell would be a combination of star relievers Mariano Rivera, Goose Gossage and Dennis Eckersley. The Raleigh golf executive has been fast and aggressive — seemingly coming out of the left field bullpen at times – to compile an impressive portfolio of private golf course “saves” across North…
Few, if any, golf clubs across North Carolina can boast of a 500 percent increase in membership over the last 18 months. But that’s exactly what Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount has accomplished since being purchased by the Halle Building Group in April 2013. While 158 may not seem like a large number,…
By DAVID DROSCHAK Tom Pashley has seemingly done it all at Pinehurst, from cooking omelets to raking bunkers to working the overnight shift as part of the audit team during his stint in the mid 1990s as part of the resort’s first-ever Manager in Development Program. So, even though some of the names have changed…
By Stuart Hall Danny Stewart first met William McGirt in 2003 following a round at the Azalea Invitational at Country Club of Charleston (S.C), where Stewart is director of instruction. McGirt asked if Stewart could watch him hit a few shots on the practice range. Stewart recalls McGirt hitting balls until dark took over. The…
Copyright 2014 USGA/Steven Gibbons By Kurt Dusterberg It has been quite a summer for Emily Brooks. A rising junior at Elon, Brooks first qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, then turned around and earned a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Not so long ago Brooks didn’t have the confidence to find…
Carolina Trace County Club in Sanford has been acquired by Texas-based Escalante Golf, a boutique owner and operator of high-end golf clubs across the country. Carolina Trace Country Club, opened in 1972, is the centerpiece of the 1,600-home Carolina Trace Community. The club features two layouts designed by acclaimed golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Sr.…
The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association was the forefather of the national Rounds 4 Research fundraising program to benefit turfgrass studies, so it comes as little surprise that the CGCSA led the way in June’s online auction. The association raised more than $35,000 of the $115,500 national total. “We are very excited to raise $35,000…
BY TIM PEELER Danesha Seth Carley knows not every golf course can undertake an $11 million restoration the way Pinehurst No. 2 did for its unprecedented doubleheader U.S. Opens. The resort paid architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw a lot to take the course back to Donald Ross’ original vision when it opened in 1907…
After weighing the pros and cons for more than a year, Heritage Golf Club in Wake Forest is joining the growing list of North Carolina courses switching to Bermuda greens. The project began in late June and is expected to be completed Sept. 1. Temporary greens were cut over a two-week period so play will…