This Sunday, 11-year-old Simon Myers becomes the second McConnell Golf member to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., the annual site of the Masters Tournament.

On Sunday, April 7, 11-year-old Simon Myers becomes the second McConnell Golf member to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., annual site of the Masters Tournament.

The 10^th annual Drive, Chip and Putt finals will be broadcast live, prior to next week’s start of the 88th Masters. Conducted in partnership with the USGA, the Masters and the PGA of America, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, in four age divisions. The three-pronged competition tests the skills essential to playing the game – accuracy in driving, chipping and putting.

Local qualifying began last May and was held at hundreds of sites across the country this past summer. The top three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys and girls divisions, advanced to subregional qualifiers in July and August. The top two juniors in each age/gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including multiple U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

Simon, the son of Linda and Tim Myers, who are members at Treyburn Country Club in Durham, N.C., won North Carolina pre-qualifier events at Mill Creek Golf Course and Duke University Golf Course, before traveling to Nashville, Tenn., for the regional qualifier.

At The Golf Club of Tennessee outside Nashville, Simon ran away with the Boys 10-11 title, his 152 points giving him a 23-point victory over the next-closest competitor. Simon sported an Augusta National polo shirt during his regional win, a gift from his friend and fellow golfer, Simon Hall. At this year’s subregional qualifier, Hall placed third and gifted the shirt to four-time regional qualifier Myers as a good luck charm.

Simon is one of 80 junior golfers representing 31 U.S. states, one Canadian province and Australia to have earned an invitation to compete at Augusta National this year. One champion will be named from each age/gender division. Each national finalist will be scored based on a 30-point system, offering the player with the best drive 10 points, the player with the closest cumulative chips 10 points and the player with the nearest cumulative putts 10 points, in each separate skill. The highest total composite score will determine the winner.

“I’m excited about the competition,” said Simon, who is a fun follow on Instagram (@simonmyers2012_golf). “The whole experience has been incredible.”

In 2016, another McConnell Golf member, Alyssa Montgomery from Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn., was 15 years old when she won her Drive, Chip and Putt division at Augusta National. She went on to earn All-ACC Academic Team honors during her four-year career at Virginia Tech, before joining the team at the University of South Florida as a fifth-year senior.

Simon — whose father played golf at Mississippi State and later tried his hand in professional developmental tour events — is the middle of three boys, and has played golf since he could walk. He regularly competes in Tar Heel Tour events, along with PGA Junior League, the US Kids North Carolina State Championship, and has participated in the US Kids World Championships since he was 6 years old.

This was Simon’s fourth Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying attempt, having made it as far as Duke during his three previous efforts.

Simon was able to meet his favorite golfer, Max Homa, during the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow. Homa reached out to congratulate Simon on social media after he qualified for the finals at Augusta National, and Simon hopes to see his idol again this weekend, along with some of the other Masters competitors who will be on hand.

Augusta National provides each competitor with clothing to wear during the event, and Simon requested Masters green. He also received a custom Ping bag embroidered with his name.

“I’m really excited about seeing the course and meeting the pros,” said Simon, who added that he has reviewed TV footage from previous finals at Augusta National as part of his preparation. 

Tune in to Golf Channel or NBC Sports digital platforms from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. ET for live coverage of the National Finals. Check out the live leaderboard on DriveChipandPutt.com.

For more information about Drive, Chip and Putt, please visit www.DriveChipandPutt.com.

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Marbled Valentine Sugar Cookies

This is a simple cookie recipe that will last for generations. My Nonni used to make these cookies for me when I was younger; at first to be her valentine, then to give to my valentine. Now I make them with my daughter and tell her she is my valentine. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

½ Cup Unsalted Butter, softened

½ Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Large Egg

1½ TSP Vanilla Extract

¼ TSP Salt

½ TSP Baking Powder

2 Cup AP Flour

Red Gel food coloring

Directions:

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla, followed by salt and baking powder. Scrape the bowl as needed. Gradually mix in flour, increasing speed as needed until dough is fully combined and no streaks remain. 

Divide dough in half, transferring half to a clean bowl, set aside. Add a small amount of dark pink gel food coloring to the remaining dough. Beat until fully tinted and no streaks remain. 

Pinch off golf ball sized portions of dough, rolling into balls. Create a pattern of alternate colored balls of dough on your work station. Gently, knead all dough together until swirls of color are visible. Do not over mix. 

Shape into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30-60 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 

Roll out dough to ¼-inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Cut out heart shapes. Space two inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Freeze cookies for 15 minutes. Press together remaining dough and scraps, re-wrap in plastic and keeping chilled until ready to roll and cut again. 

Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on the pan for two minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Seed for Debbie Fitzgerald’s career was planted early. “Oh, I’ve been growing things since I was knee-high to a bullfrog,” says Fitzgerald, who was raised on a tobacco farm in the tiny town of Bailey, North Carolina. “Tobacco was our cash crop, but we also grew corn, cotton, soybeans, plus a huge family garden.”

The chores were hard, but the childhood was happy, she says, “and here I am now, still growing things.”

“Here” is Raleigh Country Club, where Fitzgerald has worked as a horticulturist for the past 25 years. The line from cash crops on the farm to colorful creations on the golf course wasn’t straight, but it ultimately planted her in a place she adores.

“I took a lot of different paths,” the 69-year-old says. “My greatest interest is art. I love color — I love working with
color and texture and shapes — and that is what drew me into the plant world, which is different than farm life,
but the same principles apply.”

One twist in the road included a couple of gigs as a backup singer in a rock ’n’ roll band. “We weren’t famous,” says Fitzgerald with a laugh. “But oh my, we had a lot of fun!”

Today, she still sings while working a job she describes as a true passion. Fitzgerald designs, installs and maintains the decorative beds on the golf courses and around the clubhouses at several McConnell Golf properties. Her home base is Raleigh Country Club, and she spends a couple of days per week at The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation. She does seasonal design work at Brook Valley Country Club and Treyburn Country Club as well as the family residence of John McConnell, President/CEO of McConnell Golf.

“We have our hands full all the time. We are a busy crowd,” she says, crediting the beautiful results to a crew she calls “family” and expressing delight at the opportunity to be endlessly creative. “With plants, there are so many possibilities and I’m always excited about trying new things, mixing it up, keeping it fresh.”

Fitzgerald pours her artist’s heart into horticultural design. “I find it so gratifying to work with really pretty plant material. My job is providing visual diversity and designing a beautiful environment for members to enjoy.” Off the job, Fitzgerald spends a lot of her free time … growing things. “My garden is beautiful — I cannot have enough plants at my house,” she says. “I make sure to surround myself with beauty.”

When she isn’t playing in the dirt, her other hobbies include painting and drawing. Despite a quarter-century working on golf courses, she doesn’t play. “I can hit the ball hard — but I can’t aim it,” the left-handed horticulturist confesses.

Fitzgerald and her husband Patrick have one son and a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Jack and Maegan, as well as an 8-year-old collie-lab mix named Murphy. Reflecting on her silver anniversary with McConnell Golf, Fitzgerald says she does plan to retire — eventually — but for now, “I still wake up excited to go to work … and working outside, in the fresh air and sunshine, keeps me young.”

When the day does come, though, her vision of the ideal retirement includes volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to build decks and porches and, of course, install beautiful landscaping. “It’s so important that people have a lovely, peaceful place to live,” she says.

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PB&J Crumble Cookies

This cookie recipe comes from one of the first kitchens I ever worked in. The chef there bought a new bread maker and we tried out a couple of bread recipes. He found a peanut butter and jelly bread that turned out amazing. We put it on the menu after I made a grilled PB&J on the PB&J bread for lunch one day. The kids loved it and from there we tried just about every PB&J recipe we could. This cookie is one that stood out and was well liked.

Ingredients:
Cooking spray or butter, for coating the pan
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
½ TSP Baking Powder
½ TSP Fine Salt
12 TBSP Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 1/3 Cups Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (no sugar added), at room temperature
1 Large Egg
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Concord Grape Jelly, at room temperature
2/3 Cup Coarsely Chopped Salted, Roasted Peanuts (Optional)

Directions:

Arrange a rack in the middle of a convection oven and heat to 325°F on low fan. Line the sides and bottom of a half hotel pan with aluminum foil, then coat the foil with cooking spray or butter; set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until creamed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and paddle with a rubber spatula.

Add the peanut butter and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until completely combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down again.

Return the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, stopping when the flour is almost incorporated (do not over mix). Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the remaining flour by hand with the rubber spatula.

Sprinkle 1/2 of the mixture in the baking pan and press into an even layer. Bake until the top is light golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Dollop the jelly over the crust and spread into an even layer as best as you can without disturbing the crust. (Don’t worry if the jelly doesn't spread much, it will melt in the oven.) Sprinkle evenly with the chopped peanuts, if using. Using your hands, crumble the remaining dough into pieces about the size of almonds and sprinkle evenly into the pan.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top is golden-brown, about 20 minutes more. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. To serve, grasp the foil in the middle of the pan and lift the bar cookie slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into bars.

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IN VINO VERITAS…

A Latin phrase that means “in wine, there is truth.” Well, I can’t agree more, and similar phrases exist across cultures and languages. Growing up in Europe, I had an early start in the “World of Wine.” Throughout my hospitality career, I have been fortunate to taste some of the finest wines from the world’s major viticultural regions. These include the Chateau Margaux 1990, Latour 1990, Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 1982, Petrus vintages 1982, 1989 and 1990, the Joseph Phelps Insignia 1990, Dominus 1991 and 1994, Dunn Cabernets from Howell Mountain, the Mondavis, BVs and Berringer Private Reserves, the Penfolds Grange and many, many, many more.  

The few growers/producers who have continuously received 5-star ratings are indeed those who make the world’s finest wines and they have been selected because:
· They make the greatest wine of their particular viticultural
· They are remarkably consistent and reliable, even in mediocre and poor vintages  

Then, there is the Robert Parker Rating System, a scale from 50 to 100. Any wine that Parker rates above 85 is very good to excellent and any wine that Parker rates 90+ will be outstanding for its particular type. Parker uses specific standards for wines sold to consumers—standards that full-time wine professionals recognize, and these are benchmark wines to which others are judged.  

However, today’s wine rating systems found on labels are not any different from those found screening ratings from Amazon, Netflix, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Vudu. It is simply “Corky” and very dangerous. The rating systems are not only for marketing purposes, but also shape the consumers’ tastes as to what is to be considered good, excellent and outstanding.              

Wine has made major contributions to the quality of life in many societies of the world for millennia, and it continues to do so. It has always had its critics, some misinformed, others genuinely concerned. Cut through the noise; experience, keep an open mind and, most of all, enjoy! There is much to be enjoyed and appreciated. If wine and food combinations still perplex you, your best strategy may be to learn some of the greatest pairings, as well as some of the worst. Remember that in the final analysis, a good wine served with a good dish to good company is always a good taste—“à votre santé!”  

McConnell Fine Wine LLC was founded upon the simple principle of introducing single, small vineyards and innovative winemakers to our membership under one private label, presented as the M Signature Series. This private label is only offered through our clubs and the winemakers are selected for the following reasons:                 
· They produce some of the greatest wines from a particular region
· Their wines are remarkably consistent and reliable
· They are innovative—and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo  

This year, McConnell Fine Wine introduces exclusively from the following winemakers and vineyards:     
· Chris Corley, Knollwood Vineyards: Right Bank Red Blend
· Juslyn Vineyards: Pinot Grigio
· Kerr Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon

Our Right Bank Red Blend is nothing short of a perfected blend of Merlot/CabFranc/Cab that can only be experienced at Pomerol, Bordeaux. Although, nowadays Pomerols’ are 100 percent Merlot, Chris Corley remained a traditionalist and it paid off. My notes: Experience this wine with dinner (anything grilled with sautéed vegetables or rosemary roasted baby potatoes). You will be pleasantly surprised just how powerful this creation is with dinner, trust me.

In closing, there are many exceptional wines to experience; I mean truly exceptional ones. These resemble experiences such as playing at Pine Valley, Cypress Point, St. Andrews or Shinnecock Hills, but there are also many more varietals, blends and crafts that are part of our civilization. I encourage you to be bold and explore the beauty of Vino—it is truly rewarding!  

Christian Anastasiadis

Chief Operating Officer at McConnell Golf

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The fastest-growing sport you’ve never played – but should

OK, let’s be honest. Could the sport have a sillier-sounding name – Pickleball? And it involves a nostalgic sphere of childhood typically associated with plastic bats and neighborhood bragging rights: the whiffle ball.

Yet from this odd pairing comes the fastest-growing recreational sport in America that almost 3.5 million players are rushing to the court to enjoy.

“Today’s the club championship,” exclaims John Hambel, a pickleball enthusiast and member at Porters Neck Country Club. “We’re finishing up the ladder league and I’m playing in the mixed doubles finals.  I started playing about three years ago. It’s very addictive.”

Porters Neck is one of many McConnell Golf properties featuring pickleball. In fact, nine clubs have retro-fitted tennis courts or dedicated pickleball courts, and host either formal or informal play, from open-morning sessions to community-wide leagues. 

“I’m proud we’re on the front end of this sport,” says Kyle Thortsen, Corporate Director of Tennis Operations at McConnell Golf. He admits he was initially hesitant, but has witnessed the sport take off like an overhead smash from the edge of the kitchen (that’s pickleball lingo for the non-volley zone). “It’s coming and it’s coming fast. It’s getting a whole new group of membership involved, people who weren’t involved on the tennis courts before.”

Last year marked the 55^th anniversary of pickleball, a sport that showcases elements of tennis, racquetball and Ping-Pong, as well as whiff of badminton.  Pickleball’s popularity has soared in recent years, especially with aging Baby Boomers who want to remain active – indeed, 34 percent of those who play are 55 and older.

The short, 15-minute games usually feature high-cardio, low-impact and lots of social interaction.  

“My wife and I have been at Wakefield for 14 years,” says Patrick Newton. “I could count the number of times I’d been on the tennis courts on one hand. But I attended a Saturday morning pickleball clinic for beginners, and was hooked! I now play with several regular groups and we just finished our first season with men’s, women’s and mixed couple’s leagues.”

The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation boasts more than 100 pickleball players.  Thortsen says the attraction is the game is so easy to learn. 

“Pickleball is a sport that you don’t have to be the best athlete to play,” he explains. “Anyone can pick up a paddle, have fun and learn in 20 minutes, which is not something you can say about most sports.” 

Depending on intensity, play can be easy on the body too. “I’ve had a lot of surgeries on my knees and feet,” chuckles Newton. “My joints can’t participate in traditional high-impact sports, but this is something I can do. It’s fun, competitive and not overly physically demanding. Pickleball is truly fun for all ages, from little kids, to teens, to senior adults.”

As for Hambel in the Porters Neck Club Championship? Win or lose, he knows he’ll be back for more.  

“With short games, you’re always switching partners and meeting people,” he says. “It’s extremely social. You’ll make great friends. My whole social circle is now predominantly pickleball players. We’re all different levels and on our favorite night, we finish around 8:30 and go to the pub.”

No doubt to share stories of victory on the court.

ORIGINS OF THE GAME (AND NAME)

In 1965, three families were visiting Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, when the dads grabbed left-over sports gear to entertain their bored children. They lowered the badminton net, and invented a game using whiffle balls and Ping-Pong paddles. 

As for the conception of the name? Some recall one of the moms on the island commenting on how the game’s genesis reminded her of the “pickle boat” in crew that uses oarsmen left-over from other boats, while others recall the family dog Pickles always chasing the ball and running away with it.

PLACES TO PLAY

• Brook Valley Country Club
• Country Club of Asheville
• Holston Hills Country Club
• Old North State Club
• Porters Neck Country Club
• Providence Country Club
• Sedgefield Country Club
• Treyburn Country Club
• Country Club at Wakefield Plantation

THE REAL DILL

• 64 percent of “core” players, who play at least eight times a year, are 55 and older.
• The South Atlantic is the fastest-growing region of players, with an average annual growth rate of 19.5 percent.
• USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body, tested and approved 134 paddles and 10 balls in 2019.
• Paddles are about twice the size of a Ping-Pong paddle. Early paddles were plywood. Today, paddles range from $8.88 at Walmart to $2,950 for Chanel’s Black Wood “CC” Paddle Ball Set.

IN THE KNOW

• Gear: All you need is a paddle, a ball and place to play.
• The Kitchen: The non-volley zone that extends seven feet off the net on both sides. Players cannot volley (take the ball out of the air) inside this area.
• No-Man’s Land: The area between the kitchen and baseline. Try to avoid getting stuck in this area, as it opens up angles for opponents to strike the ball past you.
• Scoring: Typically, games are played to 11, with a team gaining a point each time they win a rally while serving. Scores are called with a series of three numbers: the serving team’s number of points, the receiving team’s number of points, and the team member serving. A score called of 6 - 3 - 2 means the serving team has six points, the receiving team three points, and the second server on a team is serving.

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Founded in 2007, Folds of Honor's mission is to provide educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members. Their motto says it best: Honor their Sacrifice. Educate their Legacy.

To display McConnell Golf’s commitment to these families who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms, members of the golf professional staff at each of our properties will play a golf marathon from sun-up until sun-down beginning on Tuesday, June 1, and on select dates in June and July. Each golf professional has committed to playing at least 100 holes!

To learn more about what your club is doing to get involved and raise money for Folds of Honor, click on your club's link from the list below.

Brook Valley Country Club (June 1)

The Cardinal by Pete Dye (June 1)

Country Club of Asheville (June 1)

Grande Dunes Members Club (June 21)

Holston Hills Country Club (June 1)

Musgrove Mill Golf Club (June 15)

Old North State Club (June 1)

Porters Neck Country Club (June 1)

Providence Country Club (June 1)

Raleigh Country Club (June 1)

Raleigh Golf Association (June 14)

The Reserve Golf Club (June 1)

Sedgefield Country Club (June 1)

Treyburn Country Club (June 7)

The Water's Edge Golf Club (June 1)

The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation (July 5)

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