I once had the opportunity to spend time around Jackie Burke, Masters champion and owner of Champions Golf Club in Houston. He described an analogy about tournament golf that has stuck with me: “Battlefields are special places because something historically significant happened on that soil. Similarly, that’s why tournament golf matters to courses.”

In that spirit, Wakefield Plantation hosted its 16th Rex Hospital Open in May. Trey Mullinax - a Birmingham native who played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama - was the champion of the event with a 14-under-par total. Wakefield’s own Web.com Tour players, Cameron Percy and Grayson Murray, each posted top-10 finishes. During the final round, there were only 14 total scores under par. We will have to see how the rest of the year plays out, but the 73.65 final round scoring average (par 71) might be the highest on the Web.com this year.

This annual golf tournament is about much more than the game. Rex Hospital has a longstanding commitment to PGA Tour golf in the Raleigh community, and this was the 29th professional golf tournament the health care system has sponsored. This year’s event proceeds will go to a new Heart and Vascular Center.

Over 450 volunteers helped make the event a success. Wakefield Plantation’s head starter Bob Bidwell was named the 2015 Web.com volunteer of the year and hit the ceremonial tee shot. Bidwell, a beloved part of the Wakefield community, also announced his 60th tournament this year.

Overall, it was another opportunity for us at Wakefield to witness history being made on our battlefield. We’re already looking forward to next year.

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Eight years ago, McConnell Golf launched its high school golf scholarship program. Young golfers are nominated by their high school coaches or local industry pros based on talent, need, and commitment to the sport, as well as their proven dedication and value to the future of golf. The innovative program offers limited membership opportunities to the chosen scholars, who often otherwise lack the opportunity to play challenging courses. Scholars earn access to all McConnell Golf facilities and enroll in a structured program designed to help them elevate their game. They usual­ly become familiar faces around their respective adopted clubs, and many go on to promising collegiate careers. Here’s a look at where a few scholar recipients — two former and one current — are today.

TRAILBLAZER

South Carolinian Hunter Nichols’ writing was on the wall: He lettered in golf at Clinton High School after placing third at the 2013 South Carolina 3A Champi­onships and earning four all-region hon­ors and two All-State selections. Nichols was a shoo-in for Musgrove Mills’ first scholarship. Today, he’s thriving at Fur­man University, where he is an asset to the men’s golf team.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Danielle Mirovich is a rising senior at Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina and she’s made her mark through golf. The Miroviches only arrived to Mount Pleas­ant a few years ago after losing their home in Hurricane Katrina. What kept them grounded was a dedication to the game: Two older Mirovich daughters are already playing at the collegiate level. Danielle is following in her sisters’ foot­steps with a scholarship at Old North State Club, which will last through next season. Her parents’ support is evident and has struck a chord with the entire community.

SPORTSMAN’S RESOLVE

Stephen Lavenets of Rougemont, North Carolina seized his scholarship at Trey­burn Country Club. It spurred him to win the Durham High School Invitational and cap off his tournament record with an eagle on the 18th hole at Treyburn — arguably one of the most difficult feats among all 12 McConnell Golf clubs. He joined the East Carolina Universi­ty men’s golf team, where a nagging hip injury led to major surgery almost immediately upon joining the team. It derailed Lavenets’ playing time, but revealed his true character. He emerged as a charismatic leader of his college team. Much like that difficult 18th hole, today Lavenets is on track despite his injury to graduate in four years with a finance degree.  

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To adapt for survival, a new business model for golf clubs has emerged — and McConnell Golf has set the standard.

Packing his luggage prior to February’s 2016 Carolinas PGA Merchandise Show in Greensboro, North Carolina, McConnell Golf Director of Golf Brian “Boomer” Kittler couldn’t help but chuckle.

Kittler was amused as he recalled the same industry show a decade earlier, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he could freely roam the convention center aisles in relative anonymity. “Ten years ago, I could get in the merchandise show and talk to everybody and get around in just a couple of hours,” Kittler says. “Now I’ve got to bob and weave. I try to hide in the corner sometimes. As soon as I get there … well … it’s hard to leave. Everyone wants a piece of you. McConnell Golf is a valued commodity in the Carolinas and people want to be a part of what we’re doing, so that’s exciting. It’s fun.”

Indeed, during an extended, challenging period in the golf industry that has adversely affected private clubs as much as any other sector, the growth of McConnell Golf and its impact has emerged as one of the game’s most positive stories.

The story dates back to early December 2003, when McConnell Golf became owner of Raleigh Country Club (RCC) and its centerpiece golf course, the final design in the storied career of architect Donald Ross. An avid low-handicapper and passionate golfer, founder and CEO John McConnell was not about to watch Ross’ final legacy be turned into a housing subdivision. “I had one of those divine interventions,” McConnell says. “It said, ‘Hey, you need to get involved with this club, because the last thing the city needs is to see this place become something other than a golf club.’”

In Raleigh Country Club, McConnell saw the opportunity to preserve an essential piece of golf history. Built in 1948, RCC had played host to many nationally and internationally recognized tournaments and was located just minutes from the downtown business district and state government complex. McConnell was fully aware that once the last Donald Ross course was gone, it would never be brought back to life.

“I knew it was a special deal,” says McConnell, who grew up on a 100-acre farm in Abingdon, Virginia, attended nearby Virginia Tech, and remains an avid Hokie. “It was just one of those things, with the legacy of Donald Ross and all the club’s history — from a marketing standpoint alone it had a special value in regard to remaking the club’s image.”

McConnell’s previous business successes in the medical software field have been well documented. “We enjoyed leading two great software companies that allowed me to start and expand our golf business,” he says. Now, in the 13 years since acquiring Raleigh Country Club, McConnell Golf has grown its ownership stable to include 12 premier private golf clubs in both Carolinas and Tennessee, while at the same time carving out a sterling reputation: The nearly 700 McConnell Golf employees provide the company’s 4,000-plus members a quality golf experience at each of its award-winning courses.

In addition, as one of the country’s fastest growing, independent private club ownership companies, McConnell Golf has carved a niche as an industry leader in numerous areas including tournament golf and junior golf development, charitable community giving, commitment to sustainability, and health and wellness.

“We’re hoping to prove that our model — our strategy — will work with multiple clubs,” says McConnell. “One thing I found out about golf is you’re dealing with physical properties, maintenance, etc. When you grow in software, you add a few bodies; it’s people and you who can control costs. It’s a little different in golf.” For McConnell Golf, the focus from day one has been providing the membership with a high level of service in each area of the club business, while also offering a quality product. The company’s main goal has been creating a convivial club environment for both the membership and employees so everyone is excited to come to the club every day.

“Every time someone turns into one of our clubs we want them to feel special,” says McConnell, who used his computer software marketing expertise to help spread the word and coin the McConnell Golf mantra: “Pure Golf for the True Golfer.”

Despite its relatively short lifetime, McConnell Golf has quickly gained a reputation as a player to be reckoned with in the golf industry. In an era of economic challenges for private golf clubs — including a market saturated with upscale public courses and residential golf communities — McConnell Golf has defied expectations by generously funding its clubs for capital improvements and upgrades — almost instantly transforming them into more luxurious enclaves.

In addition, McConnell Golf has recently added two new national memberships to its attractive menu of affordable, cutting-edge offerings. “McConnell Golf is focused on bringing value back to the private club experience,” says chief operating officer Christian Anastasiadis. “We pride ourselves on being the market’s best private club value.”

McConnell points to two major factors he considers most important when purchasing a club. “One is how many potential members or rooftops are in a 10-15 minute drive of the property. That is huge,” he said. “Second, what decisions did the boards make in the past that may have not been a good forecast, or decisions we can make now that can make a difference? Having financial capital to invest into the properties, to bring them up to more current status and add other amenities, has been very important, as well.”

In 2012, McConnell was named one of the North Carolina Golf Panel’s “Most Influential Figures in Golf,” a prestigious list compiled every five years that includes North Carolinians who influence the game throughout the state, nationally, and in some cases worldwide, whether in the spotlight or behind the scenes. “I have been truly blessed in that I get to see so many members having a great time when they come to our clubs,” says McConnell. “Our capital saved some great golf courses from extinction and that is a legacy for which we can be proud.”

Another of McConnell’s key strategies in building his private club empire has been to acquire courses designed by some of the world’s greatest architects, and clearly that mission has been accomplished. Holston Hills is the fourth McConnell Golf course designed by the legendary Ross, while the McConnell Golf stable of architects also includes Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer, and Greg Norman.

“This business started with no business plan, simply on a whim to preserve Raleigh Country Club from development,” says McConnell. “We have acquired great clubs during the worst economy in 70 years and continued to expand.” 

Kittler says that while having “deep pockets” supporting the company is nice, McConnell has another more important attribute. “Having the passion John has for the game of golf is the most important thing,” Kittler says. “He uses his money wisely to make clubs better. For him, it’s all about quality. Good people make a good culture and when people join, they’re joining because of that. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves.”

The appeal is broad. “Families want to join our clubs because there’s something there for everybody, and they believe they are getting the best value for what they are paying,” he says. “But at the end of the day, they’re just happy to be there because all of their friends are at the club. It’s a partnership. I think other clubs focus too much on themselves and the bottom line, and cutting corners. We just focus on the quality of the product. Get good members and let’s have fun.”

Kittler added that McConnell’s father was a farmer who lived on the land and focused on preserving the land. While John McConnell is not a farmer, he is contributing his fair share toward preserving green space. “Owning golf courses is another way he can see these great properties. Instead of them getting buried or bulldozed, he has the ability to preserve the land for the next generation of golfers,” Kittler says. “Instead of golf courses closing down, it’s neat to see someone going in a different direction.”

Along with the success has come an added notoriety in the industry. McConnell Golf representatives are regularly quoted or featured in Golf Business magazine, as well as other business journals and media outlets.

“Over the years there’s no doubt the McConnell brand is getting to be pretty significant around the Carolinas,” Kittler says. “There’s no doubt about it. There’s really no other organization around the Carolinas that is doing what we’re doing. To have privately owned clubs with a single owner, allowing the access we have, no one else is doing it. It’s neat to be in a market to ourselves. The key is to continue to enhance that and create more value within the membership. The long-term plan of what we’re doing has not changed.”

As with their courses, McConnell Golf will create value with quality at every level. “Our goal is to create programs for our membership that continue to separate us from the competition and also continue to grow the game of golf,” Kittler says. “We challenge our people to hire the best possible people, because the more quality people you have on your staff, the better your programs are going to be. I don’t think that’s any secret or inside information, but that’s what we do. Hire good people and get out of their way so they can do what they do.”

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The region’s top collegiate talent competed at McConnell Golf courses during two consecutive weeks this April for the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. Virginia took home the women’s title at Sedgefield Country Club on April 17 and Clemson won the men’s championship on April 24 at Old North State Club.

The Virginia women held off Wake Forest in the final round to repeat as ACC Women’s Golf Champion. With three of its golfers finishing in the top five of the individual leaderboard, Virginia posted a team score of 855, 11 strokes better than the second-place Wake Forest.

Leading the Cavaliers was tournament medalist Lauren Coughlin, who finished with a 9-under 207. Walking to the 18th green tied with Wake Forest freshman Jennifer Kupcho for the individual lead, Coughlin birdied the final hole to become the second Cavalier to capture the ACC individual crown.

The Clemson men shot a 25-under 839 on the weekend to claim the ACC Men’s Golf Championship. The Tigers posted rounds of 273, 284, and 282 to win the 10th title in Clemson program history and first since 2004. The victory came one year after matching the best team score in the field before falling to Georgia Tech in two playoff holes.

Every Tiger posted at least one round below 70 on the weekend, a first for Clemson in ACC Championship history, and all five finished at par or better. Austin Langdale and Bryson Nimmer led the way, tying for fourth at 7-under 209.

Louisville’s Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who tied for individual medalist honors last year, posted a 10-under 206 to claim the title. The junior from Rueil-Malmaison, France, entered the final round tied for sixth at 3-under, four strokes behind the leader, but shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday. Sciot-Siegrist is the fourth in league history to win back-to-back individual titles.

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Club dining offers a unique combination of classic favorites and creative dishes.

Ask Chef Mike Marques, one of McConnell Golf’s two corporate executive chefs, to describe the McConnell approach to club dining and he answers without hesitation: “Quality. Consistency.” After all, that’s how favorites become favorites - offering the same foolproof chicken-salad sandwich to hungry golfers year after year.

But McConnell Golf never stops at just achieving excellence; its properties constantly raise the bar. Quality and consistency define dining at McConnell, but it’s the variety that sets it apart. “You can look forward to things that you like at certain properties,” Marques explains. “It’s always going to be a little bit different depending on where you are.”

Standard of Excellence 

McConnell chefs understand the need to preserve tradition, and club menus reflect that. “There are certain things that you have to have at a country club,” says Chef James “JP” Patterson, Marques’ counterpart. “A wedge salad or cobb salad or chef’s salad at lunch, and you’ve got to have a steak on your menu at dinner.” Many members prefer the comfort found in knowing and loving certain menu items, and “members are the bottom line,” Patterson says.

He and Marques act as liaisons between individual club chefs to ensure the classics remain untouched. Now that their team includes 12 private clubs, they briefly considered streamlining recipes and offering the same uniform menu. “We’ve seen that we can’t do that, because clubs are different,” Patterson says. “It took away from the individual freedoms of each chef. Your chef knows what you want and we don’t want to take away from that.”

Creative Liberties 

Empowering each chef to cater to his own club has had tremendous — and delicious — results. “We’ve really left that creative door open for each chef,” Marques says, “and they deliver.” For Patterson and his home club of Sedgefield, that has meant an increased focus on wellness. “I grew up in the South,” he says, “and in Southern comfort food, full flavor means it’s full of fat. So I’ve been playing with substitutes that still give dishes that full flavor.”

At Marques’ home base, Grande Dunes, the thing to order is a pastrami sandwich. “We brine it in house, we smoke it in house, and serve it with homemade mustard. If you come here, try it. It’s a great thing that we do.”

Central North Carolina clubs tend to focus on refreshing American dishes – hazelnut crusted fish at Treyburn, pork loin over a baby kale and quinoa salad with a honey lime vinaigrette at Raleigh Country Club, and purple ninja radish on the menu at Wakefield. In the mountains, look for sliders or fish flown in from Hawaii. Recently renovated Brook Valley sometimes offers ethnic options, like confit pork tacos. And these are always alongside — not in place of — traditional steaks and salads.

To get the most from your dining experience, Patterson and Marques say the secret is to pay attention to the dinner specials. Chefs draw inspiration from what’s in season and available that week to create a dish offered only for one night or through the weekend.

Usually, the dish isn’t revealed until Thursday night or Friday afternoon. But it’s worth the wait: Patterson says the specials often outsell regular menu items on weekends. “Members see the menu every other night, but if they come on a weekend, they know they can get something special. We hit the market up. We use cheeses from across the state. We talk to fish purveyors daily.” 

“Specials are our window for creativity,” Marques says. A standout experience, indeed.

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I'm sitting in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona on a third-story patio admiring the purple glow of the McDowell Mountains. Chatting with friends over pulsating music and a cadence of “whoosh … ping” on the perimeter, I order appetizers and a round of cocktails. Moments later buffalo chicken sliders, crab cakes, and a myriad of margaritas arrive for the group.

Turning my attention to the “whoosh … ping,” I watch our host settle into his stance and send a golf ball soaring toward a netted outfield. It lands on its target, and a microchip within the ball instantly pings distance and accuracy data to a nearby monitor. The group cheers  and jeers as points are assigned and a new champion emerges on the leaderboard.

NEW FRONTIER

At this point, I’m half expecting a spaceship to cruise by on a routine connection between Sky Harbor airport and Mars. What strange planet is this? “It’s fun,” a friend tells me as she chooses from a color-coded rack of clubs, “but it’s not really golf.”

First arriving from the UK in 2005, TopGolf describes this scene as “golf entertainment,” and it has quickly become a popular urban hangout. (One can draw parallels to the evolution of the arcade hall that Dave & Busters spearheaded in the ’90s.) Though certainly not for everyone, it caters to the shorter attention spans of this modern “Age of Instant” and offers a new opportunity for entry into an otherwise less approachable sport. 

Whether mixing elements of the game into an altogether new experience, or amplifying teaching tools with video and Doppler radar, there’s no question that technology has crossed paths with our beloved, age-old sport.

MODERN ENHANCEMENT

Let’s travel now to a more utilitarian setting, the Golf Learning Center at TPC Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, North Carolina, where Director of Golf Josh Points puts his tenured teaching methods to work. Lined up across from a television screen, a student swings purposefully while a nearby camera records the motion. They review the footage together, and Points uses slow-motion to provide precise instruction.

“Our Learning Center lets us focus on improving longstanding fundamentals in a technology-forward environment that creates the ultimate student experience,” says Points. “Visual learning is by far the most efficient way to improve any type of motor skill, and we see it in practice every day with our students’ growth.”

Also equipped with FlightScope® technology, Raleigh Country Club and The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island, South Carolina are able not only to enhance lessons, but also help golfers determine their best set of clubs based on the club head speed and ball speed data it generates. Both Ross and Dye courses at Sedgefield Country Club and Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee use the TrackMan system for swing analysis. On the mobile front, members and pros across all McConnell Golf clubs use the V1 app on their phones or tablets to improve their game.

A GAME FOR THE AGES

So, what will a golf club look like in the future? Will a set of monitors showing member’s daily scores illuminate the walls? Will a hole-in-one become a push notification on our mobile devices instead of an in-person celebration at the 19th hole? Maybe someday.

But I don’t see anything replacing mankind’s 500-year-old passion for the game itself. At the heart of golf lies a connection with nature’s simplistic beauty and the physical and mental contest between a player, the landscape, and himself. These classic elements need no improvement.

“McConnell Golf is always looking for technology that brings our members real value. From operational efficiencies to learning tools, we focus on advancements that embody the spirit of the game and enhance the service we are able to provide,” says McConnell Golf COO Christian Anastasiadis.

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Wellness is the quality or state of being healthy: It’s that simple and that daunting. “It’s not just something that you do in the gym,” explains McConnell Director of Activities and Wellness Natalie Clemens. With a background in both resort and country club fitness, Clemens has seen members assume that a half-hour workout or a regular round of golf means living healthfully. While exercise is import­ant, so is proper nutrition and overall balance.

The Enjoyable Element

An active country club life fits seam­lessly into that balance by offering both social and physical outlets. While having fun and plugging in, you’re re­ducing stress and introducing balance to your lifestyle. To ensure well-rounded offerings, McConnell takes a team approach. “We’re thinking about fitness, chefs, and club managers,” Clemens says. “They’re all important to a wellness program.”

That means lighter menu options, athletic practice groups, and upfit­ting the gym facilities at many clubs — from a total overhaul at Wakefield Plantation to an aesthetically enhanc­ing de-clutter and rearrange at The Country Club of Asheville. The team approach has also spurred fresh choices. “We’re thinking outside the box to always change up what we offer,” Clemens says. Clubs are implementing 5K runs followed by a healthy breakfast, post-golf stretch classes, children’s yoga, and Tae Kwon Do for kids while adults learn self-defense. Look for expanded group fitness op­tions that go beyond basic cardio and weightlifting, including small-group boot camps and sport-specific classes.

Relationship Based

While innovative programming is exciting, it’s the in-depth service that stands out. Every McConnell club now has a designated activities coordinator or wellness expert. “You have some­body available who’s passionate about wellness and will get you the support you need from throughout the club,” Clemens says.

She encourages you to connect with your club manager or with a person­al trainer to be pointed in the right direction. “Our trainers and pros are all very different in how they train, but the common denominator is that they really get to know our clients. They are supremely skilled at getting to know members’ needs and wants.” Your club leadership will help you break down and understand wellness, whether it’s a bit more stretching each week or a complete lifestyle overhaul. “Wellness is at the forefront of culture right now,” Clemens says. “We all want to eat better, stay in shape, live longer, enjoy life more. It’s so important to people and it’s important to us too.”

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