By DAVID DROSCHAK The 75th anniversary of the Country Club of Johnston County was met with little fanfare in 2011. The Smithfield club was in the process of being sold, a search was on for a new general manager and membership had dipped to alarming lows. In short, the 1936 Ellis Maples classic was at…
Simpson’s Open victory resonates across Tar Heel state Webb Simpson may have claimed his U.S. Open victory in California — three time zones away — but his first major championship was ultra popular across the state of North Carolina. In particular, longtime Wyndham Championship tournament director Mark Brazil was rooting for the Raleigh native since…
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…
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,…