Short Game Practice Facilities

by Brad King

 Apr 21, 2021 at 12:00 PM

Making Practice Perfect

McConnell Golf emphasizes short-game practice facilities

While gathered for the 2020 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, the PGA Tour competitors raved about the club’s new short-game practice area.

“A-plus-plus,” says longtime Wyndham Championship Tournament Director Mark Brazil, grading the new facility, which is adjacent to Sedgefield’s stately, Tudor-style clubhouse.

The two-acre practice area — designed by Steve Wenzloff, Senior Vice President of Design Services for the PGA Tour — made its debut during the spectator-free Wyndham event in August. Wenzloff, who also updated the short-game area at TPC Sawgrass in 2016, incorporated ShotLink technology to review data from every Sedgefield green complex.

Providing Sedgefield with five times more practice space, the new area features two Ultradwarf Bermuda greens that measure about 3,600 square feet apiece, along with a trio of bunkers, giving players the option of working on greenside bunker shots as well as 30- to 40-yard bunker shots.

The expanded space also features closely mowed areas off the greenside slopes and shoulders, where players can focus on putting the ball up the hill or practice a pitch shot up the embankment to a tight pin. The addition gives Sedgefield about 15,000 square feet of short-grass area, allowing a dozen or more players to hit shots from a variety of locations.

Brazil calls the new short-game practice area, which was financed by the tournament, “a huge upgrade for the Tour pros one week a year and for the Sedgefield members 51 weeks a year.”

“This upgrade will definitely help us attract and retain new members,” says Sedgefield’s PGA Director of Golf Rocky Brooks. “The layout and size of our new short-game area afford us the opportunity to work with multiple students [men, women or juniors] at the same time. This is a luxury most clubs don’t have the space for.”

The new amenity is a tremendous asset for Sedgefield Country Club as well as visiting members from other McConnell Golf properties.

“Anytime you give members time to improve their golf games, they’re much more likely to play golf and spend time at the club,” Brooks says.

Sedgefield’s PGA Head Professional Eric Ferguson agrees. “From beginners to advanced players, we’ll now be able to help players execute just about any shot they will see on the golf course,” he says. “For our junior golf programs, it is almost like we have our own two-hole golf course for them to learn on.”

The ability to improve one’s game is crucial to the pure golf experience. Sedgefield’s comprehensive practice facility, including TrackMan radar technology swing analysis, complements the club’s expert instruction from its Class A PGA Professionals.

McConnell Golf has overseen numerous enhancements to its stable of short-game and practice areas at more than two dozen clubs around the Southeast.

“One of the areas McConnell Golf will always focus on is the short game,” says Brian Kittler, McConnell’s VP of Golf Operations. “If you’re playing a McConnell Golf property and you don’t have a good short game, you might be in for a long day.”

Sedgefield’s new upgrade “is about as good as it comes,” Kittler says. “It enhances what we provide, the quality of the venue, not only from the golf course, and service at the clubhouse with food, etc., but practice facilities. Working with John (McConnell), you know that in time, when there’s opportunities to do some upgrades, he’s been willing to invest in the practice and short-game areas at the facilities.”

McConnell Golf performed a significant expansion to the Raleigh Country Club practice area in 2005-06, and golf course architect Kyle Franz has sketched additional plans for potential future upgrades to RCC’s short-game area.

In 2012, McConnell Golf completely redesigned the range and short-game area at the Country Club at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, North Carolina — while also modernizing the entire clubhouse — completing McConnell Golf’s trifecta of upgrades to its three Triangle practice facilities, including RCC and Durham’s Treyburn Country Club.

Wakefield’s golf learning center is 1,600 square feet, and includes two indoor-outdoor hitting bays, an indoor putting studio and the latest in game-improvement technology. Each hitting bay is outfitted with video technology and multiple flat-screen TVs, allowing players to monitor their improvement during private instruction. The Wakefield staff uses a Flightscope launch monitor to help members find the right equipment.    

Wakefield’s total practice facility measures approximately nine acres, with a teeing ground nearly an acre-and-a-half. The practice chipping green is 4,000 square feet, with a pair of practice bunkers around this green. There are five short-game pins between 75-125 yards for wedge game practice.

Several McConnell Golf properties boasted extensive practice facilities before joining the portfolio, including Old North State Club in New London, North Carolina; Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, South Carolina; and Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Other clubs had very minimal practice areas — and McConnell Golf has significantly enhanced these over the years.

“We upgraded The Reserve [Pawleys Island, South Carolina] about 10 years ago and added a short-game facility,” Kittler notes. “There was an open area by the practice facility that wasn't being utilized. Richard Mandell [golf course architect] went in there and created a short-game area, so you can work on your chipping and pitching, bunker shots, the whole nine yards. Just a neat little added touch.”

When the Country Club of Asheville was renovated several years ago, McConnell Golf added a short-game and chipping green to the left of the No. 10 fairway and to the right of the practice range.

“We acquired Providence Country Club in Charlotte and they had a really good short-game area out there behind the clubhouse by the 18 green,” Kittler says. “We converted them over to Bermuda greens. We did the same thing at Brook Valley [Country Club in Greenville, North Carolina], added a little putting green by the first tee and also a chipping green over by the practice facility. Even at the land-locked Cardinal [Greensboro, North Carolina], we were able to do a little bit of improvement there — adding a short-game green by the road.”

One of McConnell Golf’s recent acquisitions, Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington, North Carolina, possesses what might be the largest hitting tee of any club in the McConnell Golf collection.

“They have a really good, huge hitting tee, a short-game area and a big putting green,” Kittler says. “The neat thing is, there’s some land available. If we ever down the road want to upgrade that area, there’s room to do so. That’s the biggest thing – sometimes golf courses don't have the available land or areas to increase or improve their practice facilities and the short-game area. Luckily, the majority of the places that we’ve had, there’s been room and we’ve been able to make it work.”

McConnell Golf is also focused on incorporating technology and software to aid in teaching and club fittings.

“We’re good right now. We’re just looking to take it to another level,” Kittler says. “The goal is by having these tools, our members will get better and enjoy the game that much more. And because of that, they’ll play more golf. Everything we can do to help members out, is what we try to do.”

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McConnell Golf continues to dominate North Carolina course rankings in 2021

by McConnell Golf

 Apr 16, 2021 at 5:45 PM

For the first time in its 17-year history, Raleigh-based McConnell Golf propelled all 10 of its North Carolina courses into the state’s top 100 rankings, including a trio of layouts ranked among the state’s top 20.

Those three — Old North State Club on the shores of Badin Lake, near New London, Greensboro’s Sedgefield Country Club and Raleigh Country Club — all remained in North Carolina’s top 20, while the other seven helped McConnell Golf maintain its status in the state’s top 100.

A perennial state top 10, Old North State Club was ranked No. 9 in North Carolina, while Sedgefield CC — which annually challenges the world’s best golfers during the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship — moved into the state top 10 at No. 10. Raleigh CC was ranked No. 20 in the state.

In 2020, along with the addition of Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington to its portfolio, McConnell Golf unveiled a $5.5 million restoration of Donald Ross’ last design at Raleigh CC, overseen by architect Kyle Franz. Architecture experts predict RCC will jump higher in the state rankings following the modern-day reimagining of the iconic course.

In December, McConnell Golf expanded its footprint across the southeast with the purchase of The Water’s Edge Country Club in Penhook, Va., on Smith Mountain Lake.

McConnell Golf is an owner and operator built upon the concept of “pure golf for the true golfer,” focusing on enhancing both the individual club’s and its company’s overall membership value. The McConnell Golf collection of clubs throughout the Carolinas, Tennessee and now Virginia includes courses designed by legends Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Hale Irwin and Ellis Maples.

In the 2021 North Carolina Top 100 rankings, Durham’s Treyburn Country Club was ranked No. 31, followed by the Country Club of Asheville (48), The Cardinal by Pete Dye in Greensboro (52), Porters Neck Country Club (75), Charlotte’s Providence Country Club (79), The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh (81) and Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville (100).

The 2021 state rankings also included two specialty categories. Old North State Club was ranked No. 4 among the state’s “Fairest Courses to Play” (“regardless of overall difficulty, courses that best reward good shots and penalize poor ones in a manner that is reasonable”). Meanwhile, Sedgefield ranked No. 10 in the state for “Most Strategic Courses” (“the degree to which the course requires thoughtful planning and precise execution of shots from tee to green”).

“Our courses continue to merge history, beauty and opportunity for our avid golfing membership and their guests,” said McConnell Golf President & CEO John McConnell. “With the enhancements made at Raleigh Country Club and new projects planned at other McConnell Golf courses, I am proud of what we have accomplished in the past year and eager to see how the rankings play out in the future.”

Raleigh Country Club’s restoration project turned out to be a masterpiece and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the new layout.

The N.C. Golf Panel presented its 26th annual report on the state’s 100 best courses in the April issue of Business North Carolina magazine.

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Employee Spotlight: Justin Mathers

by Chad Flowers

 Apr 02, 2021 at 12:00 PM

Good Sport

Justin Mathers channels passion for golf into lifelong profession

The term “lifer” describes people who have committed themselves to a certain task or career for a long time. Enter Old North State Club Director of Golf Justin Mathers: the epitome of a lifer in the golf industry.

Growing up as an all-sport athlete in Michigan, Mathers enjoyed playing soccer, hockey and tennis, among other sports – but he didn’t pick up a golf club until a friend invited him to play at a local course during his junior year of high school.

“I was terrible, shooting around 100 the first time out,” he laments. “As an athlete I was determined to get better, and quickly. I worked at it all day, every day, all summer long. By the time we went back to school, I was shooting rounds in the 70s and actually broke par once. I was hooked and have not stopped playing and learning the game since.”

As he fell in love with the game, Mathers was convinced by his senior year of high school that he wanted to be in and around the game for the rest of his life.

“Luckily I lived in Michigan, home of the first – and in my opinion, the best – Professional Golf Management School in the country, Ferris State University,” Mathers notes. While in college he played soccer and hockey, and although he did not play golf for the school, he was around it constantly. “I was able to enjoy three wonderful internships all over the country and then take my first head professional job in 2003.”

The internships were at Boyne Highlands, The Heather Golf Course in Michigan; Cuscowilla in Eatonton, Georgia; and Desert Mountain (Outlaw) in Scottsdale, Arizona. He graduated from Ferris State University with a degree in Marketing/Business and Professional Golf Management.

Today, when not in the golf shop at Old North State Club, sending an almost daily golf course update through a whimsical email full of member nicknames and photos, Mathers and his family reside in Waxhaw, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte.

Mathers was “acquired” by McConnell Golf when Providence Country Club came on board, as he was PCC’s Head Golf Professional at that time. Transitioning into the role of Director of Golf at Old North State Club in July 2019 allowed him to enjoy a promotion while staying within the McConnell Golf family. However, the new job title and location have not come without sacrifice.

“My wife and daughter do not play golf but they have always supported my decision to be in the golf business, which keeps me away on weekends and holidays,” Mathers says. Regarding his family, his parents live in Michigan but visit a few times each year; he has sisters in New York and Oregon. Originally from Louisiana, Mathers’ bride of 11 years, Angelle, is a nurse with Atrium’s Health Risk Management team out of Concord, North Carolina. 

“Piper, our daughter, is my favorite person in the world! She is the true love of my life,” proclaims Mathers. “Piper lives and breathes soccer, the same way I did when I was her age [12], and she has even convinced me to be the assistant coach for her club team. I also have a three-year-old Double Doodle named Mr. Clark who has been a wonderful addition to our family. We like skiing [water and snow], fishing, cooking and watching sports. Well, Piper and I do at least!”

When it comes to golf, Mathers is a true lifer with lofty aspirations. “My goal is to one day become the PGA Golf Professional of the Year at the national level,” says Mathers. “Obviously, I would love to win the Carolinas PGA Golf Professional of the Year as well!”

While awards and accolades are accomplishments we all strive to achieve in our respective industry, Mathers’ true passion is fostering and growing the next wave of golf professionals while also keeping the golf program at Old North State Club exciting and fresh with new ideas.

“I look forward taking staff under my wing, developing and mentoring them in the hope that they will do the same if they stay in the business,” Mathers says. “I plan on keeping the energy level high here at Old North State Club while continuing to learn from some of the other great directors of golf employed by McConnell Golf. I have always strived to live by the saying, ‘It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it’s what you leave behind you when you go.’”

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Cookie of the Month: April 2021

by James Archer

 Mar 22, 2021 at 1:00 PM

Kentucky Derby Pie Cookies

Growing up in Kentucky, the first Saturday in May was always one to remember. Rather than the traditional Derby Pie, this cookie was always around during my childhood. So enjoy a Mint Julep, a Hot Brown, and a Kentucky Derby pie cookie while you cheer on your favorite horse! Riders Up!

Yield:  4 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cup Softened Butter

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar

1 ½ Cups Packed Brown Sugar

2 each Eggs

1/2 Cup Kentucky Bourbon

3 ½ Cups Flour

1 ½ TSP Baking Soda

1 TSP Salt plus extra for Finishing

16 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate, rough chopped

1 ½ Cups Walnut Pieces

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar together. Scrape down bowl. Add bourbon and eggs and mix until combined.

Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet mixture, in stages, scraping down bowl between additions.

Add walnuts & chocolate to incorporate. Let dough cool to allow butter to set back up.

Scoop heaping Tablespoon onto lined sheet pan.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost set.

Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and let cool.

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Cookie of the Month: March 2021

by James R. Patterson III

 Feb 26, 2021 at 1:00 PM

Crunchy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever thought about your favorite things to eat and then thought, “What if I combined some of these?” Cereal, chocolate chips, marshmallows, milk and butter, see the theme here? Well the folks at Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC made this dream come true for me… Here is our rendition of their famous “Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie.”

Ingredients:

8oz. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature                          1 ¼ Cups Granulated Sugar

2/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar                                                    1 Egg

1/2 TSP Vanilla Extract                                                           1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 TSP Baking Powder                                                          1/2 TSP Baking Soda

1 ½ TSP Kosher Salt                                                                3 Cups Cornflake Crunch (below)

2/3 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips                                                1 ¼ Cups Mini Marshmallows

Directions:

Using a paddle on your stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars in the bowl and cream together on medium-high for two to three minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg and vanilla, and beat for an additional seven to eight minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough comes together, no longer than one minute (do not walk away from the machine during this step, or you will risk over-mixing the dough). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Still on low speed, paddle in the Cornflake Crunch and mini chocolate chips just until they’re incorporated, no more than 30 to 45 seconds. Paddle in the mini marshmallows just until incorporated.

Scoop and roll 1 ½ oz. dough balls and place onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to one week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature — they will not hold their shape.

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of three inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans. Bake for 14 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. At the 12-minute mark, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown toward the center. If they still seem pale and doughy on the surface, leave them in the oven for an additional minute or so.

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage. At room temperature, the cookies will keep fresh for five days; in the freezer, they will keep for one month.

Cornflake Crunch

Yield: About 4 Cups

Ingredients:

6 Ounces of Corn Flakes

1/2 Cup of Milk Powder

3 TBSP Granulated Sugar

1 TSP Kosher Salt

9 TBSP Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:

Heat the oven to 275°F.

Pour the cornflakes in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt and toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the cereal and creating small clusters.

Spread the clusters on a parchment-or-Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.

Cool the cornflake crunch completely before storing or using in a recipe. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for one week; in the fridge or freezer it will keep for one month.

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American Heart Month

by McConnell Golf

 Jan 31, 2021 at 6:17 PM

Join us in fighting heart disease and stroke in millions of women across the country by showing your support and wearing red on Friday, February 5! McConnell Golf will serve a Heart Healthy Seared Ahi Tuna Salad in honor of American Heart Month and the Eat Seafood American Movement. A portion of proceeds will go to the American Heart Association.

Post your photos wearing red on social and tag McConnell Golf and your home club, in addition to using #EatSeafoodAmerica to show your support.

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Cookie of the Month: February 2021

by John Crawford

 Jan 25, 2021 at 1:00 PM

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroon Cookies

This has been one of my favorite cookie recipes for as long as I can remember. As a kid my grandmother would make these for us when we would come and visit. While all of the others would devour the chocolate chip cookies, I had these all to myself. If you like coconut and chocolate, this recipe is for you! With the toasted outside, creamy inside and smooth chocolate to tie it all together, it cannot get much better.

Ingredients:

16oz. Sweetened Flaked Coconut

1 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

6oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips

2 Large Egg Whites

Directions:

Start by mixing the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt thoroughly in a mixing bowl.

Next, separate the egg whites from the yolk and beat the egg whites until they form a stiff peak.

Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Using a small scoop, scoop the mixture onto a parchment lined sheet pan spacing each about two inches apart.

Place the macaroons in a 325°F preheated oven for 25 minutes, rotating as needed to prevent burning.

While macaroons are baking in the oven, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, stirring frequently.

When cookies have cooled completely, dip the bottoms in the melted chocolate and place them on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Enjoy!

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