A New Beginning New Yearto a · golfer Camilo Villegas earned the nickname Hombre Araña (...

WINTER 2015

M A G A Z I N EThe No. 1 Private Club Value in the Carolinas

Scott Harvey isMasters Bound

Caring Hands:Members Give Back

Also Starring: The Cranberry … Our Favorite Holiday Side All Year Round

A New Beginning

New YearTwo new clubs - one membership

to a

It is that time of year to reflect on our blessings. The first thing that comes to mind for me is what a great fall we have enjoyed this year with the perfect weather for golf and outside events. October was the most successful month in the history of McConnell Golf and we thank all of our members for their ongoing support. I am especially thankful to have such a dedicated staff that truly enjoys delivering a high level of service to our mem-bers on a daily basis. Their jobs are not easy but their smiles reflect their commitments to ensure that our members enjoy their club experience each time you visit. As you know by now, in October we added a ninth club to our membership value that is located in Greenville, NC. Brook Valley was opened in 1966 and has an outstanding golf course designed by Ellis Maples that will be a gem to play for all. Mr. Maples was Raleigh Country Club’s first pro when it opened in 1948, and later he focused his career on golf course design after working and learning from the legendary Donald Ross. Some of his courses include Pinehurst No. 5, the Dogwood at Country Club of North Carolina (CCNC), Forest Oaks, which was once home to the Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) – and perhaps his most famous one, Grandfather Mountain. The latter is ranked No. 2 on the NC Golf Panel’s best courses in our state. Again, our vision of purchasing clubs whose golf course was designed by a famous architect has been maintained with this addition. Brook Valley will remain closed until March 1, 2015, as we are making enhancements to the golf course and clubhouse. And now, the big news to close out the year is that by the end of December we will be acquiring our long-awaited “mountain course.” We are pleased to announce that the members of the Country Club of Asheville have recently voted to join the McConnell Golf organization. An interesting fact about this club is that it is the oldest private organization in North Carolina, whose origin dates back to 1894. Once again, this club has an outstanding golf course, designed by Donald Ross, that you will certainly want to play in the future. CCA is located seven minutes from the Grove Park Inn, where many of our members vacation and attend conferences each year. In fact, the golf course at the Grove Park was at one time owned by Country Club of Asheville, which relocated in 1976 and purchased its present layout. This acquisition gives us three Donald Ross courses,

which is the same number that he designed at the Pinehurst Resort. We will be making substantial improvements to the clubhouse and golf course over the next two years to make this a special venue in a beautiful setting and wonderful city. Once CCA joins our organization, our company will own ten 18-hole golf courses in our portfolio, plus one 9-hole course, that puts us two ahead of the Pinehurst Resort after it announced its ninth course addition this fall. Once again, I hope our members can enjoy all our clubs as they travel throughout the Carolinas for business or pleasure. These are quality venues that will only get better. The zero cost that members enjoy playing these other courses in our network is the best value of any competitive offering. When I previewed this edition I was impressed with all the great events and member accomplishments that are featured. All of us should feel a sense of pride in helping to create and support so many worthy causes in our communities that are held at your clubs. You are making a sincere difference in other people’s lives and I am proud to have you as members of our organization. Scott Harvey and Bob Bidwell have enjoyed outstanding success in golf and I hope you read their profiles that are featured in this magazine. Two remaining goals in my life are to play golf as good as Scott and be as well respected and liked as Bob. Unfortu-nately, I do not think that I will accomplish either of those efforts. When I ride by the plaque at Wakefield on the first hole and see the tribute to Mr. Bidwell that our members created for him, I often feel a smile on my face. I know that we have caring members that respect Bob dearly for the job that he has done for many years as our starter, making their days better and happier. Hopefully, all of us can take pride next April if Scott Harvey tees it up at the Masters for winning the USGA Mid-Amateur this past summer. If Scott wins that event as an amateur, members will be dancing in the street at Sedgefield, accompanied by Bobby Jones’s clapping in the heavens above. I wish each of you a happy holiday season and thank you for making our clubs special. I know that 2015 is going to be our best year ever and many fun events are already on the calendar. We look forward to seeing you often, and happy holidays to you and your family.

Welcome John McConnellJ o h n M c C o n n e l l

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Golf Club of Pawleys Island

Winter 2015 www.mcconnellgolf.com | 1

Table of Contents101428

Masters Bound

Caring Hands

East-West Connector

MCG Member is

WSMGA

Country Club of Asheville

4 Spiderman Returnsat the Wyndham8 An Ode to Our Starter Bob Bidwell18 Army vs. Navy Golf Challenge22 Also Starring: The Cranberry…

26 Brook Valley - MCG’s 1st Dan Maples Course27 Wine, Women & Shoes32 Wakefield’s New Sports Club36 Home Away From Home

38 Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Classic40 Your Club Events44 McConnell Golf Wedding Testimonials47 Businees Directory

John McConnellPublisher

Christian AnastasiadisChief Operating Officer

Lauri StephensDirector of Sales & Marketing

Matt McConnellEditor

Kathryn GallowayCreative Director

Scott YanceyGraphic Designer

Chad FlowersBrad King

Contributing Editors

Lauren BarryJohn McAllister

Chad FlowersContributors

Lauren BarryMatt McConnell

Kasey OliveMarketing

Torrence PhotographyPinnell Studios

Rick Fisher’s PhotograpjhyPatrick O’Brien

Bo’s PhotographyRebecca Ames Photography

John GillolyPhotography

Torrence PhotographyCover Photo

© 2015, McConnell GolfPublished by The Pilot Newspaper, LLC

Southern Pines, NC

POSTMASTER Send address changes to:McConnell Golf

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Winter 20152 | www.mcconnellgolf.com

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ReturnsSpiderman

In his early days on the PGA Tour, dashing Colombian golfer Camilo Villegas earned the nickname “Hombre Araña” (“Spiderman”) for the crouching, contortionist pose he assumed when reading greens. The Florida Gator four-time All-American became a fan favorite — particularly among the female sect — after capturing both the BMW Championship and the Tour Cham-pionship in the span of one month, October 2008. But his last Tour win, the 2010 Honda Classic, came four agonizingly long years ago — or, in the world of professional golf, a veritable lifetime. For Villegas (pronounced bee-JAY-gahss), now 32 years old, his extended dry spell ended in late August at Greensboro’s Sedgefield Country Club. Trailing by four shots after 54 holes, Villegas book-ended first and final-round 63s to win the 75th edition of the Wyndham Championship by one shot over Bill Haas and Freddie Jacobson. “You got to stay strong and keep working,” said Villegas. “I’ve always done that. I’ve always been a hard worker and always kind of believed in myself, sometimes more than others.

“(I’m) just happy to be right here right next to this trophy.” In Sunday’s final round on Sedgefield’s revered Donald Ross layout, Villegas recorded seven straight 3s en route to a front-nine 29. Four other players — Jacobson, Nick Watney and Heath Slocum — reached 17-under at some point in their final round. After Villegas posted the number first and headed to the Sedgefield clubhouse, he said he was simply hoping to get into a playoff. Instead, every other contender stumbled home — and Villegas didn’t have to hit another shot to win. “I didn’t want to go to the range,” Villegas said. “I stayed (in the clubhouse). There was TV, nice air conditioner there in the scorer’s tent. I was hanging there with my caddie and watching a little golf. “(It is) tough sometimes when you’re watching it, you can’t control things. When the boys got closer to the last hole, you get a little anxious and you don’t have a golf club in your hand — you can’t control. Sometimes it’s better to be on the golf course.” Heading into the 75th Wyndham Championship, Villegas had made 17 cuts in 25 starts this season, but remained in search of his first top-10 finish.

Bolstered by a leaderboard packed with fan favorites and a popular champion making his long-awaited return to the winner’s circle, the 75th playing of the Wyndham Championship was one for the books.

Brad KingB y B r a d K i n g

The win propelled him into the 37th position of the 2014 FedEx Cup entering the championship playoffs. Villegas also earned an invitation into the 2015 Masters Tournament and two years full-exempt status on the PGA Tour. “Just the nature of the game,” Villegas said. “Ups, downs, good years, average years, bad years — and if you ask any player out in the field everybody wants to play better. “The game has been good to me. I have no complaints. Do I want to play better? Yes. Do I feel like I have played to my potential the last two and a half years? No. But again, it’s not everything about golf. You got to be a little bit easy on yourself and just enjoy life.” The Wyndham Championship has been strongly bolstered of late by its regular calendar spot. The other major 2014 subplot at Sedgefield was the last-gasp push for spots in the PGA Tour’s play-offs, which were held the following week at The Barclays in New Jersey, with a number of players in Greensboro trying to cement their position in the top 125. In fact, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem paid a surprise visit to Sedgefield before Sunday’s final round. Finchem said the atmosphere around Sedgefield almost felt as if the playoffs had begun. “The Wyndham is kind of a play-in and you see this field affected by players who really need to play well to get in next week, which is the same phenomena you have during the playoffs and then you see players who are in but want to improve their position,” Finchem said.

S p i d e r m a n R e t u r n s

Musgrove Mill Member William McGirt (above) finished 13-under-par and tied for eighth.


Finchem also spoke at length about how the Wyndham Champi-onship has thrived and grown through its 75-year history. “(The Wyndham Championship) has had a few moments like every tournament does where all the parts didn’t come together for a period of time, a few months, and it looked like maybe it was going to struggle but it’s always come back strong. I think more in the last few years than ever,” Finchem said. “Great sponsors in Wyndham and BB&T. Terrific work by the tournament organization here, really good golf course. In my view, at least in the last eight, 10 years the tournament has done what you really want to see a PGA Tour event do, that’s to get better every year. … So, it’s been a good trend here. “Right now our intention would be that the Wyndham would be the same position of leading in, being the play-in to the playoffs. That’s been our assumption for a while. Great time of year here, tournament works well here as well. So, I think that’s probably where we’ll end up, in all likelihood. “In that sense, (the Wyndham) is part of the playoffs and, you know, we like to think of the FedEx Cup as starting when we start the season in October and go in the year and then it just escalates and so that’s had a very positive effect on this week.” As for the former “Spiderman,” the Wyndham’s newest member of the Wall of Champions said he was thrilled to be part of such an esteemed fraternity. “In terms of Wyndham, they put on such a great show,” Villegas said. “I’ve been coming here many years. (Tournament Director) Mark Brazil does a hell of a job. He’s a good friend of mine. And the golf course keeps getting better and better every year. “I played good here before and once again,” Villegas said. “Man, it feels good to be the champion this year.”

S p i d e r m a n R e t u r n s


As you approach the first tee, with the morning sun rising above the first green at Wakefield Plantation, it already seems like a good day for golf. But with 87-year-old veteran starter Robert “Bob” Bidwell waiting to welcome you at his designated cart area, your day just got even better. Sitting up straight with his clipboard in one hand and maybe a cigar in the other, the former paratrooper always relaxes you before your upcoming round with a quick joke or funny story. From a life lesson to a recurring line of how he still shoots his own age in a round of golf, Bob always knows the right thing to say to make you feel comfortable no matter who you are. If you are a lady, he may give you a soft hug with a compliment. If you are a junior golfer, he will make sure you shake the starter’s hand with a firm grip. If you are a senior, he will make you think, “When I grow up, I want to be like Bob Bidwell.”

HONORING BOB With a membership that loves him dearly, it would be hard to imagine Wakefield without him. So on July 24th this past year, more than 100 Wakefield Plantation members came together to throw a party and present a plaque for their friend Bob. Reading, “In Honor of Robert (Bob) C. Bidwell, Head Starter at Wakefield Plantation since June 27th, 2000, Veteran, Teacher, Coach, Father, Grandfather, Mentor and Friend,” everyone would agree, that says it all about him. In addition to the large crowd of members attending, there were more than twice that number of current and former members who contributed to the plaque and special honorarium given to Bob.

After seeing it in person and hearing how the plaque would be set on No. 1 at the party, Bob quickly announced, “That’s where my ashes are going.” With laughter already in the air, Bob hum-bly thanked everyone for everything and mentioned how “this is unbelievable.” He even explained, “As I have told my daughter before, I do want my ashes out on No. 1 … but for goodness sakes don’t put them in the bunker!” The celebration would continue with jokes throughout the evening, setting the tone of how special this man’s presence is to their club. Now as you approach the first tee, you will not only see Bob himself but also his special plaque permanently mounted in stone, recognizing his unique contributions to making Wakefield Plantation such a wonderful place to enjoy golf.

Honoring ‘Our’ Oneand Only Bob Bidwell Matt McConnellBy Matt McConnell


Matt McConnellBy Matt McConnell


MastersBoundSedgefield’s Scott Harvey takes Augusta by storm.

The bonds that formed over a lifetime of golf between a father and a son reach far beyond the links. This special relationship is woven into the fabric of life, and lessons passed down over the generations teach us who we really are, but also where we came from, and where we can go. Sedgefield golfer Scott Harvey has punched his ticket to the Masters, confirming the belief that his father had that Scott would go far with the game. Growing up in Sedgefield and riding his bicycle across High Point Road to the now defunct driving range operated by his father, Bill Harvey, Scott has lived and breathed the game of golf from a young age. “I grew up riding my bicycle to the driving range, and even getting off the school bus there,” Scott recalls of his interaction with the game as a lad. “Dad is the reason I even got started in the game. I learned how to play golf with him at the driving range. He taught me everything. I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you about this if he hadn’t been my dad.” In April 2015, Scott will make the once-in-a-lifetime journey down Magnolia Lane in Augusta, Georgia, as a participant in the best known and respected tournament in golf. How did he get here? There were two paths that he took; one paved by his father, an accomplished amateur golfer in his own right, with many stories of his golf prowess that still echo throughout the region today. The other path was through the United States Golf Association, culminating with a victory in the US Mid-Amateur Championship in September 2014. The US Mid-Am champion customarily receives an invitation to complete in the next Masters. “Winning the Mid-Am has changed a lot of things personally and from a golf standpoint. Personally it’s changed a ton. That night at the airport, some guy, I don’t know who he was, said ‘that’s awesome!’ and you hate to think you don’t know who he is – our paths have probably crossed at some point and obviously he remembered me but I don’t remember him – I mean, that happens all the time now, it’s like everywhere I go, someone says congratulations.” But do not let the newfound fame and popularity fool you. Scott remains as grounded as the day he quit the professional ranks of golf and the mini-tours that require weeks upon weeks of travel to spend more time with his family. “Family is everything to me,” Scott confirms. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without their support.” Since winning the Mid-Am, “it’s kind of taken me to the next level as far as knowing what I’m capable of doing from a golf standpoint,” says Scott. “This was my number one goal every year, and once you set your number one goal and reach it, you set more goals, so I’m trying to figure out where do I go from here? I get to the final stage of the US Open qualifier (through exemptions) for the next 3 years – that’s a pretty good goal to have I guess, to get to play in the US Open, but the Masters is the best event in golf, so it’s kind of hard for anything to trump that.” Scott set out on a path to follow in his father’s footsteps many years ago. Bill Harvey was well known as an amateur golfer that had “it” and was one of the best golfers in the region for many years. While they have both won multiple versions of the same events over their careers, the biggest win they have in common is the Carolinas Amateur. Bill won the event three times in 1964, ’65 and ’73. Scott won his first Carolinas Amateur in 2011. When asked about comparing his golf accomplishments with those of his dad, Scott, never one to shy away from the emotional side of life,

Brad KingChad FlowersB y C h a d F l o w e r s


choked up a little. “I never thought that I could come close to doing anything that he ever did, because that’s all I grew up hearing about. “People coming around the driving range telling stories about ‘Dad did this and Dad did that” and it’s great, it fuels you, it makes you want to do the things he did, because he’s my hero, you know. I want to be like my dad.” Although Bill Harvey competed in many prestigious regional and national events, he never won a USGA Champi-onship or played in the Masters. When asked about his father’s legacy and his history of being a great golfer right after winning the Mid-Am, Scott says, “You know, he played in a lot of U.S. Amateurs, and he lost way a few toward the end. I don’t know. It was all before I was born. But I know hearing him and a lot of other guys tell the story, he had some good runs, and some people made some unbelievable comebacks on him to beat him. “And I know he was good enough; he knows he was good enough. He always talks about putting. If he’d have been a better putter on those fast USGA greens, then he’d have won most of them. I promise you he’s right.” The relationship between the elder Harvey and Scott may have been formed partially on the golf course and at the driving range; however, golf was not forced on Scott or his brother. In the same light, Scott hopes to bond with his son, Cameron, 5, over the game as well, but certainly will not force it on him.

“I kind of want to do it like my dad did for me,” he says. “Obviously, I would like for him to play golf, and Dad obviously wanted my brother and me to play golf, but he never pushed it on us. The opportunity was there if you wanted to play, but he never pushed it.” Recalling his dad’s involvement, “He was never like that, not one time…and I’m going to treat my son Cameron the same way. If he wants to play, he’s going to have every opportunity to play. I would quit tomorrow if he said he wanted to play and I couldn’t financially support him to play. I’ll quit (playing) and support him to play – that’s just the way it works.” When asked to describe Cameron’s current interest in golf, Scott chuckled and responded, “You know, he’s 5, and he’s shown a lot of interest in playing. We’ll go out and goof around on the driving range and the putting green, and sometimes we end up hitting balls for two hours and sometimes we end up playing super-heroes after five minutes. And you know, I’m finding myself thinking about what it was like – is this how my dad felt with me? I’m cherishing every moment out there with my son, and Dad probably felt that way with me too, and my brother, and it’s just really neat.” Thinking back to spending time on the golf course with his dad, Scott cannot help but recall the final time his father played golf, in the 2006 Sedgefield Member-Guest Golf Tournament. “It was the last time Dad played golf, and that

M a s t e r s B o u n d

Scott Harvey and his Dad celebrating their 2006 Member-Guest Golf Tournament at SCC.


M a s t e r s B o u n d

3903 North Elm Street, Suite 200, Greensboro, NC 27455 | 336.510.1328 | www.lpl.com/james.wilkie

was the most special thing I’ve ever done – it’s just – the father-son relationship in golf is amazing.” “Team Harvey” won the tournament that year and those memories keep Scott grounded and motivated today when playing in any tournament or event, whether at the USGA level or the club level. “For me to be having some success and to have my golf career compared to his in any way, shape or form is the hugest honor that I could ever have,” Scott says about his dad. “I cried when I won the club championship here at Sedgefield. My dad won it I don’t know how many times, and I’ve only played in it twice because of scheduling conflicts, but I wanted my name up on that board with my dad so bad that when I won it the first time, I cried like a little baby for an hour. I really did. Our relationship was so special. My dad was everything to me and he’s the reason I’m even playing golf and had any success in golf, and I know if he was still here, how proud he would be and I can just see the smile on his face right now.” Even though Bill Harvey passed away in the fall of 2013, Scott knows that his father was with him when he won the Mid-Am earlier this year. “I get emotional thinking about it,” Scott Harvey said the day he won his first national champion-ship. “I know he was there with me and helped me get through this week. I know he’s up there now, excited for me. He told me

over and over again: ‘I know you can win it.’ I can see my dad’s smile right now.” And even when he makes the memorable and historical trip down Magnolia Lane next year, Scott knows his dad will be there with him as well.



The Wakefield Senior Men’s Golf Association has initiated numerous ways of donating their time and resources – even on the links, through their popular “We Care Golf Classic.”

Matt McConnell

Hands

By Matt McConnell

Caring

We Care

Caring Hands

Four years ago, a collection of driven men who are passionate in their pursuit of excellence came together and casually spoke about the great idea of creating a group for golf purposes and to expand their ongoing charity work. Immediately, the Wakefield Senior Men’s Golf Association was born with an objective of serving multiple charities. Already actively par-ticipating in the Soup Kitchen as well as the Special Olym-pics, the group wanted to do more by serving our military. Starting small, member Bob Bartholomew would set up a program called We Care with in the WSMGA to send care packages to the platoon of a members Grandson in Iraq. Af-ter receiving great support from the Wakefield membership, the WSMGA would send over 45 care packages in 2011 and 135 in 2012 through their We Care program. However, Bob and the WSMGA couldn’t stop there. They needed to be do something bigger and better to help and support the military which is how the We Care Golf Classic came to be. Their vision was to have 1 person who had served in the military to play on each team with all of the proceeds from the event going towards charity. A recipient of a Bronze and Silver Star Medal from Viet-nam who also worked in the Pentagon for 10 years, Lt. Col Bob Bartholomew was in charge of finding charities in North

Carolina to support the idea of the We Care Golf Classic. “The Pentagon referred him to the NC National Guard and other military charities in North Carolina. He really worked hard to research the various charities and found The Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund (SAAF),” said Dick Hummel, 2013 Chairman of the We Care Golf Classic. “From there it was easy because we have so many talented people in our club and in the WSMGA. In my opinion, all our success is because of the role Bob played. His leadership and love of country has inspired me and influenced my dedi-cation to help our military. We truly do care!” It certainly has been nothing but a caring tournament the past two years where guests can meet and mingle with service men and women who can set aside, for the moment, the stresses of military life. After the round of golf, a dinner and auction are held to raise money for various causes. With 180 players and 60 volunteers in each of the two We Care Golf Classics, the military participants have been nothing but grateful. “To see this level of support, this is why we fight, because people appreciate us. It’s why we continue to put our lives on the line. It validates what we’ve done and what we’ve been through,” said Staff Sgt. Dale Beatty who has played in both We Care events even after losing both of his legs in Iraq.


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Caring Hands

In 2013, The We Care Golf Classic was able to raise over $50,000 for charity. In 2014, the tournament raised $75,000, all going towards three extremely deserving proj-ects that each have their own great causes; The Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund, the USO at RDU Interna-tional Airport, and the WSMGA We Care Scholarship Fund. “It never ceases to amaze me the level of generosity dis-played by the members of our Club. We have people who have donated items for the auction, we have people who volunteer, we have people who sponsor a team or multiple teams and we have talented people who use their time and talents to help us pull together this amazing golf event. It is truly a community effort by the Wakefield Members and they are what allow us to be successful in raising our charitable contributions,” said 2014 Chairman of the We Care Golf Classic, Jim Weathers. The third annual We Care Golf Classic is already set for October 2015 and once again has the expectations to raise even more than the previous year. “The success thus far of We Care is simply a reflection of their connections in the community, vision, and overall ability to organize,” said the Director of Golf at Wakefield Plantation, Josh Points. “To say they have exceeded their own expectations would be an understatement.”



Brad KingB y B r a d K i n gThe First Annual Army vs. Navy Golf Challenge at Raleigh Country Club featured celebrity team captains and benefited the US Military Veterans Foundation® (USMV).

McConnell Golf Celebrates America’s Military

On a beautiful November morning leading into the Veterans Day holiday, McConnell Golf honored all branches of the military and helped bring awareness to our veterans with the first annual Army vs. Navy Golf Challenge at Raleigh Country Club. Under the leadership of General Tony Tata — a Raleigh CC member currently serving as Secretary of the NC Department of Transportation — the Army Black Knights managed to squeeze out an exciting 486-497 win over the Navy Midshipmen, who were led by Admiral Donald Gintzig, CEO of WakeMed and also a Raleigh CC member. The format was a four-person, Texas scramble using two best ball nets of a foursome. The benefiting charity for the event was the US Military Veterans Foundation® (USMV), which ensures connections and growth through fundraising, supporting, educating, and connecting veterans with communities and nonprofits. Both captains, along with Mc-Connell Golf CEO John McConnell and Wounded Warriors and veterans, delivered special words about their service and commitment to giving back and importance of helping those who served. The Wake & District Public Safety Pipe and Drums provided the event’s ceremonial opening music, while Beverly Marler, Club Manager at Sedgefield Country Club, sang the national anthem. The event’s master of ceremony was Connie Inggs, USMV Foundation President. USMC SFC Stanley Roberts, a Wounded Warrior & Purple Heart recipient, struck the ceremonial opening putt. In addition, nearly every foursome included an active military member, a wounded warrior or a veteran. The USMV’s mission is to bring restoration to the lives of this country’s veterans and their families through engaging and educating communities on how to give back to those that have sacrificed for the United States. The foundation financially supports vetted nonprofits that are providing programs and services needed for these families’ lives to be restored. These include Operation Coming Home, which builds

McConnell Golf celebrates America’s military


homes for wounded veterans; Military Missions in Action, which provides home modifications for disabled veterans, as well as disabled children of military families. Vets to Vets provides service dogs and training to disabled veterans, and Chambers for Hope, which provides medical treatment for military veterans suffering from TBI and PTSD. “We believe the nonprofits that are out there making a difference need support from a passionate team that understands the needs of our military veterans and their families,” said Inggs. “ We look at ourselves as a relationship builder, which takes hard work and time, but is essential in establishing needs, motivating individuals and companies through educating them of the needs, including time, treasure and talent.” McConnell Golf left no stone unturned during the Veterans Day event including personalized McConnell Golf challenge coins and a small, silent auction. Another beneficiary of the event was the Wounded Warrior Project. The Army vs. Navy Golf Challenge also benefited McConnell Golf ’s “Footprints on the Green” program, through which members and staff give back by volunteering time, effort or resources to en-rich the lives and environment around them. The Footprints on the Green program was established to engage all of the McConnell Golf properties around the Carolinas to support broader-based charitable causes. McConnell Golf announced that the Army vs. Navy Golf Challenge was able to raise several thousand dollars for the US Military Veterans Foundation, and it also honored one specific veteran military family, for whom McConnell Golf was able to raise and donate $5,730 specifically to that local family in need. With an older brother, Bob, who played football for the United States Naval Academy, Gen. Tata is no stranger to Army-Navy duels. As a young West Point cadet Gen. Tata said he would never forget how proud he was of his brother’s heralded Navy team, which captured the 1979 Holiday Bowl. “That pride in no way overshadows my annual desire for Army to beat Navy on the gridiron or any field of competition,” said Gen. Tata. “As a West Point wrestler and baseball player, I did my best to support the Army cause. And while Army has been unsuccessful of late in beating Navy in football, John McConnell has given us a proxy, a different battlefield, upon which to cross sabres and deter-mine bragging rights. More importantly, John’s support of veterans and Veterans Day is noble and much appreciated.”

McConnell Golf Celebrates America’s Military

“ “

We believe the nonprofits that are out there making a difference need support from a passionate team that understands the needs

of our military veterans and their families.

- Connie Inggs


Once again, the calendar ambles on to the holiday season. It begins to move in that direction some-time in August or so at an imperceptible pace, gathering momentum as the days shorten and the department stores begin to decorate the aisles. Our tastes begin to change in clothing, food and entertainment on a primal level and we steel for the anticipation of it all. This is also the time I write my winter article for the maga-zine, and of course it naturally has a holiday feel to it. There is little more comforting than the seasonal foods we experience against the backdrop of the last quarter when we assess the pages of our lives as they end one year and renew in high hopes for the dawning calendar roll over. For this issue, I wanted to take a somewhat sideways ap-proach, given the dearth of articles written in all forms of media every year with advice from cooking the perfect holiday bird on Thanksgiving to the correct oysters and champagne complement for New Year’s Eve. Quite right, it’s all been done before, and

really, do we need another treatise on the historical holiday table (yep, did that one a few years back—check)? But as I pondered a theme and the wheels began to turn, my ever-meandering mind drifted from mistletoe to movies, from Plymouth Rock to Hollywood and entertaining to…entertainers. It occurred to me then that if I considered the entire holiday sea-son as one long movie with a beginning in Thanksgiving, middle with (Christmas/Chanukah) and a resolution (New Year’s Eve), then it stands to reason that there would be actors not only in leading roles, but also a collection of supporting characters. And what other time of the year is so closely associated with a food identity than this? Don’t worry; I’m getting to the point. Just to transpose: Turkey, ham, pumpkin, wild rice, corn bread and so on, depending on your culture and traditions, be-come the leading players of the season, and hence the stars of our movie. There are also many, many supporting players that appear at important junctures of the story and most all of the actors will

Also Starring :

John McAllisterB y J o h n M c A l l i s t e r , C E CCorporate Executive Chef - McConnell Golf

The Cranberry…


Our favorite holiday side all year round

move on to other roles during the course of the year; perhaps not in as prominent positions, but still reliable and accepted and without a second thought. But when the curtain falls on the season and the movie fades to black, there is only one supporting actor that seems to utterly disappear until the season rolls around again: the cranberry. Yes, yes, I know about cranberry juice and dried cranberries –they are always around, right? True enough, but it is really only at this particular time of year that the word cranberry brings up an evocative image – just say cranberry and what do you think of? You can have a turkey sandwich anytime, but cranberry sauce? Well, that’s for the holidays, my dear and that movie won’t play in June, even though they are perfectly delicious any time of the year. On the one hand it makes perfect sense as cranberries are harvested in the fall and are ready in the fresh state just in time for our groaning boards and winter celebrations, but on the other hand, they freeze remarkably well and of course are jellied in cans, so where do they go the rest of the year? So as the reel begins to turn (sorry – it’s all digital now) and we begin the festivities more or less with Thanksgiving, let’s see if we can spot the plot line while the opening credits are playing. It would seem no more than an accident of history that the Pilgrims happened to land in a place where cranberries grow voraciously. And while not unique to the United States, they are

A l s o S ta r r i n g : Th e C r a n b e r ry …

“

“

You can have a turkey sandwich anytime, but cranberry sauce? Well

that’s for the holidays, my dear and that movie won’t play in June, even though they are perfectly delicious

any time of the year.


Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

Homemade Cranberry SauceVery easy!

a North American crop and certainly would have held a posi-tion at those first celebrations, although nothing like what we are used to eating. Because sugar was a rare luxury, there would have been no approximation of the ubiquitous cranberry sauce that has been canned steadily since 1912 (although not widely available until 1941). Spicy/tart fruit relishes have been an English thing forever, and it would not be much of a stretch to believe that the New Englanders were delighted to find this new berry that fit so well into their traditional cuisine, perhaps to help satisfy a longing for home. But more than likely it would have been in the form of what the Native Americans were eating. They mixed deer meat and mashed cranberries and their preservative properties to make pemmicana – a survival food, which most probably kept our ancestors alive in those first harsh winters. They also believed in the medicinal value of cranberries – long before science discovered cranberry’s health benefits and the super antioxidant content of the little guys. They may have also boiled some down to a tart paste to serve with meats, but this would be most assuredly inedible to our appetites today. So while there is no proof that turkey was consumed at the first Thanksgiving, there is ample evidence that cranberries were, meaning that they have enjoyed the longest role of the script in this exercise. And it is not just at Thanksgiving that cranberries give the performance of a lifetime. Unlike many other holiday dishes, they seem to gracefully glide from one table to the next, and are not at all out of place with the next holiday celebration; always remaining in context albeit off from center stage. Cranberries are much more than a can of gloppy sweet jelly, which, for many, is the tradition. I once made the mistake to suggest – when I was just a budding chef – to my grandmother that she could improve the holiday table by removing the ringed can looking stuff and make her own, bad idea, don’t mess with the system! I never use that stuff and you can certainly make your own jelly, which is very simple, but cranberries can appear in soups, salads, sides and desserts with equal panache. I liken them to Ginger Rodgers who famously stated, “I did everything Fred Astaire did, but I did it backwards in high heels.” It can be easy to forget that without Ginger, Fred is dancing alone; still entertaining, of course, but somehow incomplete. Our humble cranberries love a good partner to pair with, and they dance well with just about anything. And yet they get so little credit for what they bring to the whole of the festivities, and like any exceptional supporting player, they contribute mightily to the success of the show, and yet are quickly forgotten. Until next year.

A l s o S ta r r i n g : Th e C r a n b e r ry …

John McAllister, McConnell Golf ’s Corporate Executive Chef, has been working at Old North State Club for nearly 10 years now


T he future of Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, N.C., appears bright following the club’s October purchase by McConnell Golf. John McConnell, President and CEO of Mc-Connell Golf, said both, family legacy and the rapidly growing eastern North Carolina market played a major role in the transaction, described as a partnership between his company, the neighborhood homeowners association – Brook Valley Holdings – and the Taylor family, which owned Brook Valley. “This is a collaboration among three parties to keep the club alive and thriving,” McConnell said. “It’s a community effort to preserve this asset that was in potential danger of being lost.” The late Carlton Taylor – an original Brook Valley investor, whom McConnell knew from working together at the Burroughs Corporation years earlier – bought the club in January 2008 and merged it with Greenville Country Club. Taylor passed away in 2010 and earlier this year, Greenville Country Club decided to return the property to the Taylor family to eliminate the debt obligation. At that point, Brook Valley – de-signed in 1966 by famed North Carolina golf architect Ellis Maples – faced a potential shutdown. “We as a family are part of this whole community site, and so I think we are all excited about (McConnell Golf ’s purchase of Brook Valley),” said Donnie Bunn, Executive Director of Country Club Properties LLC, the company formed by the Taylor family, which developed the Brook Valley community. Bunn is the son-in-law of the late Carlton Taylor. “It means a

lot to us, because it allows for us to do the thing we set out to do from the very beginning.” Bunn led the LLC’s effort to find a new partner. In August, Greenville CC had voted to drop its connection with Brook Valley and default on its payments, WNCT reported, and homeowners were facing the possibility of a 20 to 40 percent decline in property values. “The plan was that the neighborhood and the homeowners association, through raising funds, would buy it,” said Rich Winkler, a club member who led the neighborhood association. “But we don’t know how to run a country club.” “The members agree that this land is too beautiful to be anything but a golf course,” Bunn added, according to an additional report in the Greenville (N.C.) Daily Reflector. “Brook Valley could have been a development property if three parties hadn’t joined forces,” McConnell said. “The Taylor family wanted to keep it going as a country club and not build houses on it,” said McConnell. “I can appreciate that. With the neighborhood’s enthusiasm and the family’s legacy and Carlton’s legacy being so important to his heirs and to me, we decided to do the deal with his family.” McConnell said his company was excited about expansion into what they consider a rapidly burgeoning eastern North Carolina market, particularly around East Carolina University. “The more I’ve looked at Greenville the past five years the more I’m impressed with what they are doing there with the university and the med school,” McConnell said. “We consider

Brook ValleyCountry Club Brad KingB y B r a d K i n g

McConnell Golf adds ninth course and expands operation into eastern North Carolina with purchase of Greenville’s Brook Valley Country Club.


the whole region a future growth market.” A 1966 exhibition match played at Brook Valley between golfing greats Ben Hogan and Sam Snead highlights the club’s rich tradition. Former U.S. Open champions Curtis Strange and Webb Simpson both won tournaments during their amateur careers at Brook Valley, which has hosted several Carolina Golf Association state championships and qualifiers in addition to being the host site for two Touchstone Energy mini tournaments. McConnell said his company plans numerous improvements to the Brook Valley facilities, with the goal of transforming Brook Valley into one of the finest clubs in eastern North Carolina — reflecting the finest quality for which the McConnell Golf brand is known. McConnell promised $2 million in improvements in the next two years. “I think Greenville is a great opportunity for us to bring our brand, policies and our procedures and processes because I think people will be blown away by the service and quality of facilities we’re getting ready to provide,” said McConnell. “We are going to make major investments into the property to upgrade it to a McConnell Golf type facility,” he said. McConnell’s company was founded in 2003 with the acquisition of Raleigh Country Club. Now McConnell Golf owns and operates nine premier private clubs in North and South Carolina, including Sedgefield Country Club Ross Course and Dye Course in Greensboro, N.C., TPC at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, N.C., Old North State Club in New London, N.C., Treyburn Country Club in Durham, N.C., The Reserve Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C., and Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton S.C. McConnell Golf also manages the prestigious Grande Dunes Mem-bers Course and Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach for LStar Development. As part of the McConnell Golf stable, Brook Valley members

receive the added bonus of having access to all the McConnell Golf courses. Every one of the McConnell Golf clubs ranks among the very finest in their respective states, and many are known for hosting top-tier championship events. McConnell Golf ’s acquisition of Brook Valley is also expected to create real estate value for the 600 houses in the neighborhood. “Having the neighborhood rise up and show that they are supportive and willing to become members was really a determining factor,” McConnell said. “The neighborhood is committed to purchasing memberships and supporting the club and helping recruit others in the community. That’s huge. “Everyone is very excited for Brook Valley to have a plan, especially that the club is going to be saved,” said McConnell. “It is a nice fit for our network of clubs.”

B r o o k Va l l e y C o u n t r y C l u b

Communities In Schools of North Carolina hosted its second annual Wine Women & Shoes event on October 9th at Talley Student Union on campus at North Carolina State University. Over 350 attendees put their best foot forward and enjoyed an evening of shopping the latest fashions, mingling with Shoe Guys from the local community who showcased shoes and accessories on silver platters, tasting hors d’oeuvres prepared by Rave Catering, wine tastings from Trinchero Family Wineries and a fashion show provided by Kannon’s Men’s and Women’s Clothing. The event came together with great support, local contribu-tions and volunteer help by those in the community, including several of McConnell Golf members and staff. Proceeds from the event will provide for as many as 650 additional students with services and supports. This further advances Communities In Schools of North Carolina’s work to change the picture of education in the state by removing barriers to success while keeping kids in schools and empowering them

to achieve in life. In the past academic year, Communities In Schools of North Carolina has served more than 215,000 students and their families in over 441 schools across the state.

Wine, Women & Shoes

STUDY PLANS… From left to right are Ellis Maples, designer, David A. Evans St., president, Tom Rivers, engineering head and Ira Garrison cheif project enging as they go over plans for the Brook Valley Golf Course


In October, McConnell Golf added a ninth club to its membership value with the purchase of Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, N.C. Two short months later, McConnell Golf announced its long awaited “mountain course” would be acquired by the end of the year, after the members of The Country Club of Asheville (CCA) recently voted to join the McConnell Golf organization. Once CCA joins the organization January 1st, McCon-nell Golf will own ten 18-hole, private golf courses plus one nine-hole course around the Carolinas. McConnell Golf is the largest owner of private clubs in the Carolinas. “We hope our members can enjoy all our clubs as they travel throughout the Carolinas for business or pleasure,” said John McConnell, founder and president of McConnell Golf. “These are quality venues that will only get better.

East-West Connector Brad KingB y B r a d K i n g

With its acquisition of, first Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville and now The Country Club of Asheville, McConnell Golf has the Carolinas well covered.


Complimentary Design Services forour Building Clients

With the zero cost that members enjoy playing these other courses in our network, this is the best value of any competitive offering.” The Country Club of Asheville is the oldest private club in North Carolina, its origin dating back to 1894. The club features a Donald Ross-designed golf course, and is located seven minutes from The Omni Grove Park Inn. The golf course at the Grove Park was at one time owned by CCA, which moved to its current location in 1976 when it purchased its present course. “Many of our members vacation and attend conferences each year at The Grove Park Inn,” said McConnell. “The Country Club of Asheville acquisition gives us three Donald Ross courses, which is the same number of layouts he designed at the Pinehurst Resort. In addition to the 18-hole championship Donald Ross de-signed Golf, CCA also features an impressive clubhouse overlook-ing the Blue Ridge Mountains, a state of the art indoor tennis facility with two courts along with eight additional clay courts outdoors, an Olympic swimming pool, and a fitness center. “We will be making substantial improvements to the clubhouse and golf course over the next two years to make this a special ven-ue in a beautiful setting and wonderful city.”

E a s t -We s t C o n n e c t o r


The Wakefield Plantation Sports Club has always been very valuable to its membership since it first opened in 2002. Already complete with eight ten-nis courts, a fitness room, 9-hole golf course and three swimming pools, what else could you ask for? Clearly a lot more! KIDS GAME & MEDIA ROOM Originally a gym for more than 10 years, this room has been transformed into the ultimate “playroom.” Complete with a foosball table, an air hockey table, board games, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox Kinect, the latest video games and gaming chairs, kids won’t ever want to leave this room. Children, 13 and up, are allowed to check in unaccompanied, and love showing off this awesome atmosphere to their guests while receiving proper staff supervision. FITNESS FOR EVERYONE Our new 3,000-square-foot Fitness Center opened on October 27th and has been hopping ever since. Packed with the latest equipment from US Fitness and TVs on every wall, members can accomplish their goals individually or with the help of our highly credentialed personal trainers. The Fitness Center also features a studio offering a variety of classes six days a week by certified instructors. Inclusive packages are available for our Personal Trainers and Fitness Classes to fit your needs. With kids’ care offered during these workouts and key fob access from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. seven days a week, members have no excuse not to get in shape for 2015!

The Wakefield Sports Club Matt McConnellBy Matt McConnell


NEW TENNIS SHOP Possibly the most important improvement of all, this custom-built tennis shop is now located directly in front of the tennis courts – with convenience in mind. Filled with new apparel, equipment, refreshments and 24-hour bathroom access, this NEW Tennis Shop is certainly considered a luxury for all of our tennis players. KIDS CORNER Once a tennis shop, our Kids Corner is the perfect room for child care, birthday parties and kids’ camps. During the summer months, we offer full-week kids’ camps that are each themed differently. From Super Heroes Camp, to the Magical World of Disney, your kids are sure to have fun in this playful setting. MORE TO COME? The new and improved Sports Club has received great reviews and certainly has been a welcome addition to the amenities at the club. These additions complete the two-year plan where every part of the club has been renovated, including the addition of an indoor Golf Learning Center. However, there is still much more to come in 2015, especially for the pool season.

Dogwood BBA - McConnell Golf Magazine v2 - 20140612

Th e Wa k e f i e l d S p o r t s C l u b

Matt McConnellBy Matt McConnell Wakefield juniors during last summmer’s Super Heroes Camp


Home Away From Home

W henever family is coming into town and trips are being planned for meeting loved ones across the Carolinas, we invite you to think of McConnell Golf as your “home away from home.” We welcome all our member’s family and your friends to enjoy our golfing retreats with us early and often in 2015 – and take part in all the creature comforts that they enjoy during the New Year! ONSITE ACCOMMODATIONS At Old North State Club, members and guests can expe-rience the beautiful sunset over Badin Lake from the onsite accommodations of McConnell Golf ’s eight waterfront suites in its Lakefront Lodge. All rooms are complete with wireless Internet, flat-screen television, amenity bar and refrigerator, coffee machine and more. Each room has access to the common area of the main lodge, which includes a pool table, grand fireplace, grill, dining area for chef prepared breakfasts each morning and a waterfront porch to enjoy the unparalleled placement of the club.

Old North State Club’s Lakefront Lodge includes four suites upstairs in the Main Lodge that include king-sized beds in each with new draperies, posh furnishings and amenities. Four rooms in the lodge’s wing, known as “The Annex,” can accommo-date up to four with two queen beds in each suite. These elegantly appointed waterfront suites provide accommodations for golf outings, business retreats, friends and the whole family. At Musgrove Mill Golf Club the Cottages are centrally located on the clubs property, next to the driving range and close to the clubhouse. Each cottage features a full kitchen, meeting and business space, wireless Internet, satellite television, and a pool table. Both comfortably sleep eight people with two queen-sized beds in each of its four bedrooms. Musgrove Mill’s Lee Cottage also includes a larger back deck with grill and screened in porch, a larger living room with fireplace, and four golf cart chargers conveniently located under the deck. For small-er groups, the Mill also offers two individual suites in the bottom floor of the clubhouse with easy access in-and-out for golf and dining. “We are members of the Reserve and just recently had a delightful experience at Musgrove Mill with our in-laws...John and Judy Kiser,” said Wayne and Daphne Trent from Pawley’s Island.

Lauren BarryB y L a u r e n B a r r y

Members and their guests should make a New Year’s resolution: Continue to take advantage of all the McConnell Golf properties in 2015 – staying overnight as part of the and “member passport.”

Old North State’s Lake Front Lodge.


“They are brother-in-law and sister to the Kiser’s and uncle to Bryan W. Kiser of Raleigh. Their kids had given them an anni-versary present for their 40th anniversary and they asked us to go along to play golf and celebrate. The four of us normally play at the Reserve and have a blast with all the very professional folks there. “We had a wonderful time at Musgrove Mill and were treated like royalty by the staff there...JP, Jeff, Teccoa, Ms. Debra and the others were just super hosts for our special occasion. The food was great, the course was super-challenging and fun, and the cabin accommodations spacious and relaxing. What a hidden jewel...We are definitely up for a return trip ... and I know the Kiser’s feel the same. By the way, this is the first time I can ever remember looking into my bag to see how many balls I had left. I came home with just one ball. The golf course won this first round.” Sedgefield Country Club features quaint and charming lodging with our Stanley Apartment and Sam Snead Cottage, both within walking distance of the first tee at the Donald Ross Course. These two intimate housing accommodations are located alongside the clubhouse with fully operational kitchen, bar area, wireless Internet and flat-screen televisions. Both are great units to rent if you have family, friends, or business associates to impress. The Stanley Apartment features two bedrooms with a king bed in each room, two bathrooms, a living room, dining room, coffee maker, bar and refrigerator. The Sam Snead Cottage features two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, one bathroom, a living room, dining room, and kitchen with a microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator. “(Our son) Brandon loves Tom Fazio courses, so Treyburn and Old North State are probably his favorite because they are so beautiful,” said Bryan and Meghan Woodlief of Sedgefield Country Club. “Brandon played Raleigh CC on Father’s Day with his dad and was challenged by the Pinehurst-like Donald Ross greens. Musgrove Mill was extremely difficult but very fun – ‘a real man’s golf course!’ “We are designing a schedule for next year to make sure we visit all of the properties again. We really believe the courses the pros play on TV are not any better than the ones we get to expe-rience as members.” HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS When visiting When visiting Raleigh Country Club, Treyburn Country Club, Wakefield Plantation, Country Club of Asheville, The Reserve Golf Club and Grande Dunes, please contact the club to receive special pricing from area hotels. Our goal is to guide you to locations that are close to the club, nearby to area shops and attractions, as well as hold a high standard of service and principles as we do with McConnell Golf. Please contact your home club for pricing and availability. For assistance in your arrangements including tee times, court times, dining reservations and more, please contact Kasey Olive at our new trail and travel email address: [email protected].

H O M E AWAY F RO M H O M E

Lauren BarryB y L a u r e n B a r r yThe Stanley Apartment at Sedgefield

Old North State’s Lake Front Lodge.

Musgrove Mill’s Lee Cottage

The Stanley Apartment

The Marina Inn at Grande DunesWinter 2015 www.mcconnellgolf.com | 37

W ebb Simpson is wrapping up a very busy 2014. In May, Webb and his wife had their third child, Wyndham Rose — named after his first PGA Tour victory, The Wyndham Championship. In September, Webb traveled across the pond to Scotland to represent the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Despite raising three young children in Charlotte and being on the road often, Webb still finds the time to come back to his home-town — Raleigh, N.C. — and give back to the local community. On Monday, October 6, the 2012 U.S. Open Champion returned to Raleigh Country Club for his second Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Classic to expand the organization’s presence in Southeast Raleigh. Neighbor to Neighbor, a mentoring and com-munity outreach organization, provides academic programs, job training and other activities for kids and adults who live in Raleigh’s most economically challenged neighborhoods. Webb discussed the charity’s early development with WRAL-TV sports anchor Jeff Gravley, saying the grassroots effort, which started in a public housing unit in 1994, was always intended to help chil-dren learn and grow in a structured, faith-based environment. “I grew up 10 minutes from (Raleigh Country Club). My high school is five minutes from here, so I know the area,” Webb said. “Quite frankly, growing up I didn’t know there were that many bad parts in Raleigh. It makes me excited that I get to play a small part in what they are doing and be involved in something that is in my hometown.” Thanks to Webb’s support of this charitable event, the Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Classic raised $138,000. Proceeds have been placed toward constructing a new building next to its current facility in Southeast Raleigh to enable Neighbor to Neighbor to increase its impact and to serve more kids and families.

But Webb isn’t the only person from his family who is passionate about this program. His sister, Blake Simpson Frick, has been volunteering for the nonprofit organization for years. Even though she is a full time lawyer now, she somehow still manages to serve on the developmental team. “It gives me such a great perspective any time I hear stories from Blake about what Neighbor to Neighbor is doing and how they are impacting people,” Webb said. “You hear some of these stories about some of these parents who just don’t have the fiscal means. They want to, but they can’t.” In 2012, Webb and Carl Pettersson headlined in the first Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Classic at Raleigh Country Club, which will hopefully be repeating in 2015. For information on participating in the 2015 event, please contact Blake Simpson Fricks at [email protected]

Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Classic Matt McConnellBy Matt McConnell


N e i g h b o r t o N e i g h b o r G o l f C l a s s i c

Wakefield Member and PGA Tour Player Carl Pettersson tees off on #14 in the 2012 Neighbor to Neighbor Golf Class at Raleigh Country Club.

WAKEFIELD: MESSY MANIA CHALLENGE Wakefield had a summer filled with camps, swim team events, live music, and movie nights. All of these events – and more made this summer very memorable. But no summer is complete without a finale – a big finish. For us at Wakefield, we wrapped out the season with a great event for our pre-teens. We called this event MESSY MANIA. After we enjoyed some tasty pizza and explained the rules, we were out the door and ready to have some fun. Each team competed in “messy” challenges such as the cheeto toss, chocolate balloon toss, spaghetti dig and much more. We topped off the night with many trips down the chocolate slip n’ slide. After we hosed everyone off and they changed clothes we held a small building competition inside with noodles, marshmallows and toothpicks. The kids also enjoyed making their own snack out of crushed Oreos, chocolate pudding, gummy worms and whipped cream. It was a great night for the kids and one we hope to repeat – but making it even better next year.

NIGHT GOLF AT THE DYE September 19 was a great night at the Dye Course as It was our first annual Couples Golf Night Tournament. The Food and Beverage Staff did an incredible job putting together a very fun and social barbecue for all the participants. Then came the golf. Everyone was really excited and maybe slightly apprehensive about playing golf in the dark. Once the stars came out all you could hear across the course was laughter coming from all directions. With all the carts lit up with flashing lights and glow-in-the-dark sticks, you would have thought you were in a sci-fi movie. After everyone finished, all we heard were the “war stories” of how hard it was to hit the ball in the dark, or how someone almost drove the cart into the creek. However, in the end everyone was safe and accounted for. Fun was had by all and we can’t wait for the event in 2015. If you couldn’t or didn’t play this year, please make plans for next fall as we will do it all over again.

GRANDE DUNES We had a record turnout this year with 52 two-person teams for our three-day Member Guest Tournament held October 24-26. The weather was beautiful and a great time was had by all. The weekend event started with a Men’s 9 Hole Match to kick things off on Friday afternoon. This was followed by our Annual Putting Contest under the lights. This is a favorite of our members and a real showcase for our Guests. A full bar along with our signature hot cider with fireball cinnamon whiskey for the brave. To complement our fall theme, we served pumpkin bisque and chili. After the tough putting competition, our attendees ventured into the clubhouse for the opening reception, which included a

Club Events Lauren BarryB y L a u r e n B a r r y

Lilly & Sophia Slaymaker, Liam Percy, Zoe & Allie Haas, Justin and Natalie Hughes, Sophia and Morgan Hlavenka, Maeve & Patrick Newton, Caitlin & Kayla Foreman in Wakefield’s new Kid’s Corner room for Messy Mania.


pig picking with a whole roasted pig and traditional Southern fare, including collards, sweet potato casserole and house made apple and pumpkin pie. Saturday began with breakfast and for those who needed some assistance, a bloody Mary bar located on the Driving Range. Lunch was provided along the course with action stations located on holes 4 and 14. Grab-and-go and off they went. Saturday evening was our gala event with a grande raw bar during the reception followed by a formal plated dinner featuring roasted tenderloin of beef and colossal crab claw. The finale was a harvest dessert table with sweets prepared by our Pastry Chef, Tanaka. The night continued with dancing to the sounds of Skate Rink Jukebox, a five piece high energy band. Competition and scores were very close with final scoring computed during our awards luncheon and the finalist for the shoot-out determined. Eight teams qualified for the shootout that began on Hole 8. Five teams moved onto Hole 9 and the last two surviving teams played Hole 18 to determine the winner. Team Coldwell/ Rowden narrowly won victory and were greeted by the cheers of the members from the gallery and veranda. A bottle of bubbly was popped on the green and the victors toasted the crowd. “The best ever!” were the comments we received from all our members.

C l u b E v e n t s


please visit www.mcconnellgolf.comto view all club and event sites in the carolinas

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raleigh country clubraleigh north carolinaI

tpc wakefield plantationraleigh north carolinaI

brook Valley country clubgreenville north carolinaI

old north state clubnew london north carolinaI

sedgefield country clubgreensboro north carolinaI

treyburn country clubdurham north carolinaI

the reserVe golf clubpawleys island south carolinaI

celebrate and say i do in a venuethat fits your style

McConnell Golfphoto credits:the reserve golf club wedding image by colman photography clubhouse image by rick fisher’s photography

old north state club wedding image by Mccardell photography clubhouse image by rick fisher’s photography

Musgrove Mill golf club wedding image by colman photography clubhouse image by rick fisher’s photography

sedgefield country club wedding image by luster studios

treyburn counry club wedding image by glessner photography clubhouse image by colman photography

tpc wakefield plantation wedding image by 2 and 3 photography clubhouse image by rick fisher’s photography

raleigh country club wedding image by ash little photography

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Selecting a venue to marry the love of your life is one that is personal to every couple. There is a feeling that they get, a flutter in heart, and a smile that says “YES” all over again. Picturing your future husband or wife celebrating with you on “these” floors, with “this” view, and in “this” place, is something we are so honored to provide

to each and every couple that we see. With our variety of clubs throughout the Carolinas, we hope that we can provide something

that fits your style and your relationship with the ones you love.

Wedding Testimonials


The day could not have been more magical! Sedge-field Country Club was the perfect setting to host my fairytale wedding. All of the long hours plan-ning and numerous meetings with my awesome vendors paid off. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, and the party was non-stop. My hair and make-up looked incredible as I went to meet my future husband for a first look. I will never forget the look on his face when I spun him around. There was not a dry eye among my bridesmaids who got to catch a peek! I arrived at the ceremony with my father by my side in a white horse-drawn carriage. I mean, what princess doesn’t want to arrive by carriage on their big day? The ceremony was a white wonderland on the front lawn of the country club with splashes of coral flowers. The flower arrangements were nothing short of amazing. With the country club as the back-

ground, the ceremony space was perfect! Once the vows were said and the kiss exchanged, the guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the main floor of the club while the bridal party had some pictures taken on the grounds. I still have people rave about the hors d’oeuvres that were served during the cocktail hour. Unique entrances were made into the reception by the bridal party followed by a surprise mob rush to surround my husband and me before we shared our first dance. Talk about interesting! Our videographers and photographers did an excel-lent job capturing all of the fun and excitement that was shared. We danced and drank the night away with some of our most cherished friends and family. Everything turned out perfect and I know that I have all of my vendors to thank for that. I had the wedding of my dreams and there is not a single thing I would change about my big day!

Stephanie & Michael

W E D D I N G T E S T I M O N A L S

VENUE: Sedgefield Country Club

OFFICIANT: Jim JarrardCATERER:

SCCPHOTOGRAPHY: Bo’s Photography

VIDEOGRAPHY: CK Productions

CAKE: Crazy Good Sweets

FLORIST: Corum’s Greenhouse

RENTALS: Grand Rental Station

HAIR: Instinct SalonMAKE-UP:

Make-up by B.B.TRANSPORTATION:

Shooting Star Carriage Service

Photo by: Bo’s Photography


When Stephanie and Chris began their search for the perfect wedding reception venue, they hoped to find something other than an expansive rectangular ballroom. Their search was over when they discovered the beauty and warmth of the Raleigh Country Club. Because their guest list was over 200 people, they reserved four interconnected spaces: a ballroom adorned with natural wood colored shutters encasing the windows, a smaller room with a fireplace and comfy couches, a lounge dominated by a gorgeous mahogany bar that also opened to the ballroom, and an adjoin-ing patio. All spaces except the ballroom overlooked the beautiful rolling hills of the Raleigh Country Club golf course.

The golf course played a role in the wedding in many ways. Chris, and his groomsmen, and the fathers of the bride and groom played a round of golf on the day before the wedding. Stephanie had bridal portraits taken on the golf course in May and despite the rain on the August 2, 2014 wedding day, the bride and groom took golf carts out to the golf course with the photographer and videographer for pictures. At the end of the reception, since the rain had stopped, the wedding party sent off Chinese lanterns while their guests watched from the patio. Bonnie Miller, the Raleigh Country Club event planner, who went above and beyond to make the year of wedding planning so stress free; completed the night by presenting the couple with a beautiful keepsake wicker picnic basket full of tasty treats.

Stephanie & Chris

W E D D I N G T E S T I M O N A L S

CEREMONY: Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic ChurchRECEPTION VENUE/CATERING:

Raleigh Country ClubPHOTOGRAPHER:

Rebecca Ames PhotographyRECEPTION MUSIC:

Performance DJ- Brian McKearneyCAKE:

Cakes by Frances- Frances LancasterTRANSPORTATION:

Blue Diamond Limousines & Sedans (leaving the wedding)

A Formal Affair Limousine Service (for transporting wedding party)

VIDEOGRAPHER: Southern Video Design

FLOWERS: Linda McKinney

REHEARSAL DINNER: Café Luna

Photo by: Rebecca Ames Photography


Member Business Directory

AUTOMOBILE SALES & SERVICEAtlantic Avenue Tire & Service ................... Richard Leicht ..............919-872-0786 ...............www.atlanticavetireandservice.com

COLLECTION AGENCYCredit Financial Services, Inc ..................... Lynn Campbell ............919-687-2015 .................. www.creditfinancialservices.com Professional Recovery Consultants, Inc ....... Geoff Miller .................800-408-8156 ..............................www.prorecoveryinc.com

CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING SERVICESClassic Home Building & Design ................ Susan White ................843-839-0537 ......................www.classichomebuilding.com Greensboro Roofing Co. Inc ...................... Terry Glidewell ............336-316-0084 ........................www.greensbororoofing.comHeritage Remodel and Design, LLC ........... Stephen Young ............919-803-3961 ............................. [email protected] Homes, Inc ..................................... Mike Young .................919-422-4621 ......................... www.mikeyounghomes.comThe Carrell Group ..................................... Bruce Carrell ...............800-533-2393 ..................................www.carrellgroup.com

CORPORATE SOLUTIONSAmerican Express ...................................... Brenda Del Nero .........919-552-1782 ...................www.corp.americanexpress.com

FINANCIAL SERVICESCapital Management, LLC ......................... David Gray, CFP ..........336-856-2911 .............................www.capitalmgmtinc.comCompass Financial Partners LLC ................ Stephen D. Sexton, CRpC, AWMA ...... 336-510-1324 ............www.compassfp.comCompass Financial Partners LLC ................ Jim Wilkie, CFP, ChFC, CLTC ............. 336-510-1328 ..... www.lpl.com/james.wilkieDogwood Business Brokers & Advisors ....... Steve Schilling CBI .......919-229-4230 ............................... [email protected] Wealth Management ............... Don Rudolph ...............252-215-9199 ........................................ [email protected] Stanley Smith Barney .................... Bret H. Butters .............919-683-4501 ................................ [email protected] Mutual Financial Network ........ Beau Brewer, CFP ........919-755-3263 ............................... www.beaubreweriv.comRoberts, Welch and Associates ................... John S. Welch, CFP, CLU, ChFC ......... 336-245-2500 ... [email protected] & Stringfellow, LLC ............................ Doug Bray, CFP, CIMA ...919-571-1893 ........................ [email protected] & Stringfellow, LLC ............................ John Creamer ...............843-918-7610 [email protected] & Stringfellow, LLC ............................ Mike Hill ......................843-918-7602 ................... [email protected] & Stringfellow, LLC ............................ Mitchell L. Hunt ...........336-378-1824 [email protected] Financial Services ............................... Bill Smith .....................919-785-2539 ...................................... [email protected]

FOOD AND BEVERAGE, CATERING & PARTY RENTAL SERVICESGrand Rental Station (Party Equipment Rental) .... .Mark Whitesell............336-852-0881 ........................... www.grandrentaltriad.comPepper Moon Catering .............................. Bill Schneider ...............336-218-8858 .................... www.peppermooncatering.comS & D Coffee ............................................. Anne Clark ..................800-933-2210 ..................................... www.sndcoffee.comUS Foodservice ......................................... Andy Lifsey ..................877-583-9659 ............................... www.usfoodservice.com

FURNITUREFurnitureland South, Inc ......................................... Jeffrey D. Harris..................336-822-3200 .......................................www.furniturelandsouth.comRiverview Galleries..................................................David Nelson. ....................919-477-0481 ........................................... www.furniturestorenc.com

HEALTH & WELLNESSBBRN, Inc .................................................. Betty M. Baxter ............336-288-9234 ............www.bbrnhealthcareconsultants.comHealth Source Chiropractic ........................ Dr. Chad Chisholm ......919-829-5757 ...............................www.chisholmchiro.com

INSURANCEBenny Dean Consulting ............................. Benny Dean .................919-368-4892 [email protected] ........................................... Mike Matznick .............336-288-1182 ext. 106 ................ www.ebenconcepts.comFogleman Insurance Agency, Inc./Nationwide........Vaughn Fogleman, Christy Tran ..336-855-9190 [email protected] Costas Agency, Inc. ..........Gary Stratton, Mike Moran, Jim & Chris Costa ....... 336-292-9992 ....... [email protected] Risk Insurance Company ..................... Rob Standen ................336-605-7335 .........................................www.KeyRisk.comSnotherly Insurance Agency / Nationwide Insurance . Alex or Ronnie Snotherly .....919-832-5832 ..www.nwagent.com/snotherly.htmlTodd & Scarboro Insurance Agency ............ Dene Castleberry .........919-365-7255 .......................... www.toddandscarboro.com


LEISURECAESAR’S - Atlantic City - R & L TRAVEL ..... Bob Kelly .....................800-883-9868 [email protected] Opera Company .................... Bill Knight ....................336-273-9472 ........................... www.greensboroopera.orgMcConnell Golf, LLC ................................. John McConnell ...........919-231-5501 ...............................www.mcconnellgolf.com

MARKETING & ADVERTISINGNecessary Marketing, Inc .......................... Keith Dyer ...................1-800-707-1457 .................www.necessary-marketing.com

MANUFACTURINGJeffrey’s Manufacturing Solutions............... Brooks Barwick ............336-665-1080 ................................... www.jeffreysmfg.com

OFFICE EQUIPMENTeXoprint .................................................... .Ryan Colburn .............864-208-0057 ........................................www.exoprint.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICESAbsolute Comfort Heating & Cooling, Inc ...... Donnie Williams ..........336-454-5786 ................... www.YourAbsoluteComfort.comBenson, Brown & Faucher, PLLC ................ Bob Benson .................336-478-6000 ..........................................www.bbflaw.comD & K Franchise Sales - Weed Man Lawn Care ... Kenneth Heltemes .......919-781-5365 [email protected] Landscape LTD ................................. Scot Davis ...................919-662-1009 ......................... www.davislandscapeltd.comEllis Family Law, PLLC ................................ Gray Ellis .....................919-688-9400 ................................www.ellisfamilylaw.comHutchinson Family Office ........................... Melissa Yetter ..............866-773-3995 .................. www.hutchinsonfamilyoffice.comKohn Law, PLLC, Closing Attorney ............. Howard Kohn ..............919-856-0200 ............................www.howardkohnlaw.comPerkins, Lund, Collar & Associates, PLLC .... Michael Perkins ...........919-781-1721 ext.301 ............................. www.plccpa.comRick Fisher Photography ............................ Rick Fisher ...................919-599-5585 ..................www.rickfishersphotography.comRevels Turf & Tractor, LLC .......................... Turner Revels ...............800-849-5468 ................................. www.revelstractor.comThomas, Judy & Tucker, PA ........................ David W. Tucker ..........919-571-7055 ............................................. www.tjtpa.comTransportation Impact ................................John Powers ...............919-819-8200 .................... www.transportationimpact.comTravel Management Partners/TMP Meeting Services.... John W. Lewis ....... 800-443-8496 ...............................www.tmptravel.comVereens Turf Products .................................Mike Johnson..............800-634-7626 ........................................ www.vereens.com

REAL ESTATE SERVICESAllen Tate Realtors .................................... Bobbie Maynard ..........336-215-8017 ............................ www.BobbieMaynard.comElizabeth Allardice Team-RE/MAX United ... Elizabeth Allardice .......919-624-3423 ......................... www.elizabethallardice.comLisa Fosbury-Res. Real Estate/Coldwell Banker Advantage ........ [email protected] ....919-523-0337 ...........www.lisafosbury.comL Star Managment, LLC ............................. Morgan Eldridge ..........919-256-1981 .......................................www.lstarland.com

RETAILFastframe .................................................. Todd & Bernice Bond ...919-402-9390 .......................www.fastframeofdurham.comKannon’s Clothing .................................... George Knuckley .........919-366-6902 ..................................... [email protected], Inc. Janitorial Supply & Equipment Co .. Chris Saffelle ...............919-698-3930 ......................................... www.saffelle.com

TECHNOLOGY & MARKETINGCochran Systems, Inc ................................ Van Cochran ...............336-299-8806 ............................ www.cochransystems.comDynamic Quest ......................................... Javier Gomez ..............336-370-0555 ............................... www.dynamicquest.com

TRANSPORTATIONRogers & Brown Custom Brokers, INC ........ Don Brown, Jr ..............843-577-3630 ............................... www.rogers-brown.com

TUTORING & MENTORINGWay In Interview Mentoring & Consulting ..... Robert Karski ...............919-813-2484 ....................www.linkedin.com/in/bobkarski

VETERINARY SERVICESBahama Road Veterinary Hospital .................Chris Konvalin

A New Beginning New Yearto a · golfer Camilo Villegas earned the nickname Hombre Araña (...

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