Reviews of McConnell golf properties

[extrastiff]

Hey! Just joined a McConnell golf club which gives me access to twelve total around me. Just looking for course experiences, rankings, reviews. I will also post reviews as I play each course. Plan on visiting a few in the coming week. Thanks in advance!

[BNGL]

I played the Cardinal Am a couple of times at Sedgefield Dye Course, I enjoyed it. Holes that stand out to me are the par 3s, particularly 11 it was like 215-220 with water all up the left and around with no bailout right and the railway ties on the slope leading down to the waters edge. Greens were stupid fast one time too. Not much of a clubhouse or practice area but I think they redid since the last time I was there. Good solid golf course!

[extrastiff]

Thanks! That one’s definitely at top of the list, was hoping around Wyndham this year but oh well.

Hopefully some others can chime in with experience at any of the other 12

[sunbeltgolfer]

I've played Musgrove Mill in Clinton, SC. Great layout and the condition was impressive for an early Spring round after a rough Winter. We only saw one other group on the course during our round and the staff was very welcoming. The greens were firm, fast, and true. If you could read the putt you could sink them from anywhere. Nice practice area and they have cabins on site for member use. The restaurant had good service and food for lunch after the round with a nice view of the course.

[Poser]

I play wakefield a good bit I like the layout. Raleigh country club is short but, greens are tough. Also Treyburn is nice. Thats the only ones I've played on the list

[bazinky]

If you like classic designs, get to Holston Hills stat! It's a great old Donald Ross course. If I still lived in Knoxville (grew up there), I would defintely be a member.

[extrastiff]

How would you rank the three of those as far as Best condition and hardest test?

sounds like all the courses are great, if you guys are interested in seeing Me post reviews, pics, scorecards of as many of them as I can get to, Lmk

[ArtMBgolf]

Grande Dunes + Reserve in MB are good.

[Mitch Jordan]

I've been fortunate enough to have played six of them in Carolina Golf Association events. Those were: The Reserve, Old North State, Musgrove Mill, CC of Ashevlle, Treyburn, and Grande Dunes Members. Musgrove was one of the hardest courses I've played. I really liked Old North State and CC of Asheville.

[caniac6]

I worked at Raleigh CC while in Turf school at NCSU. This was 30 years ago, and the course was I financial trouble. It is the last course built by Ross, and had a great layout, and was a lot of fun to play. Mc Connell really upgraded the property, and it was beautiful the last time I saw it. It is being renovated again. I hope it keeps it's Ross design. Some pictures I've seen look a lot different from what it was.

[extrastiff]

cc of Asheville is fun but short .. with the prerequisite of good to great greens, which of those would be the most fun for a long hitter? Doglegs are fun For reference sake cause I can take it over trees

[extrastiff]

Matter of fact , I’ll just use this thread to rank The order I’m gonna play them this summer (hopefully). Found a list I could copy. Right now pretend this is the order, and I will edit this post as I decide on orderRaleigh Country Club, Raleigh, NCTreyburn Country Club, Durham, NCOld North State Club, New London, NCSedgefield Country Club (Dye Course), Greensboro, NCSedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, NCThe Reserve Golf Club, Pawley Island, SCTPC at Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, NCMusgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton, SCCountry Club of Asheville, Asheville, NCBrook Valley Country Club, Greenville, NC Grand dunes

Porters neck

Holston hills

[sui generis]

Don't miss out on Holston Hills. ?

[CJW0911]

I've played a handful of these!

Wakefield: I played the week after the Web.com even and WOW it was tough in those conditions! Overall, my friends didn't enjoy the course but I was a large fan and could play it often

Brook Valley: The course I've played the most while going to ECU. Not the hardest of courses, but it was always a really enjoyable round

Old North State: Probably one of my favorite courses. I can't put my finger on why I liked it so much, but I hope to go back again soon

 

I'm hoping the play RCC, Treyburn and Sedgefield sometime in the near future. Let me know if you ever want a playing buddy

[Drwoods2017]

I'm a member of the Sedgefield courses. I love both of them. They're two completely different animals though. Ross course plays like a ross course. Greens are massive, slick, and sloped but the course itself isn't overly long. The dye course has a great layout with smaller greens. The par 3 12th hole at the Dye is great. Dye even called it the hardest par 3 he's ever designed. As far as the other courses i'm playing Old North State this weekend so I'll have an update after that.

[cacophony82]

I've played all of them but Asheville CC, Musgrove and Brook Hollow.

 

Rankings of what i've played:

Holston Hills (back nine is special)

Sedgefield Dye

Old North State (play in the fall...greens are slow during the summer)

Raleigh CC - cant wait to play the remodel

Treyburn CC

The Reserve Club

TPC Wakefield

Sedgefield Dye <--better course then the last two - but its an inexpensive daily these days

Providence CC - one of my least favorite courses (havn't played since the most recent renno)

Grand Dunes - Medicore golf in a highend course desert (myrtle beach)

 

Asheville CC and Musgrove would likely rank 5th and 6th....brook hollow likely just above Providence CC

[cacophony82]

[naws-golfer]

I've only played Holston but I can't imagine there's a better course under their management.

I wonder what a national membership would run?

[willywads]

Ive played CC of Asheville and Providence (pre renno). Both were very enjoyable and wouldnt hesitate to go back to either.

[hollabachgt]

I've been thoroughly disappointed with the redesign at the Country Club of Asheville, but I also have a long history with the course before McConnell. The work that was done to the course was in stark contrast to what was there previously, specifically the subtle and complex greens were replaced with much more abrupt and formulaic putting surfaces. The end result is a course that is substantially more difficult to a higher handicap player and easier to a low handicap player. That being said, my impressions would be dramatically different from those that have only played the course since the redesign and wouldn't know what was there before.

For those who have played CCA, did you play the course before the redesign, after, or both?

[driveandputtmachine]

I was a member at Raleigh CC for quite a few years. From roughly 92-99. While I was in High School and college, and it was in 92 that they underwent a major redo of the greens. The course is not long from the tips, but it isn't short either, par 71 at 68 or 69 hundred yards.

I played it a few years back and the major changes from when I was a member to a good ways into McConnell......

How the course plays wise

New back tee box on Number 2New back tee box on number 6Ability to put a tee box on number 10 where the old putting green wasFarther back tee on number 11Other Course stuff.

raised many of the tree area ground levels (not as many root issuessculpting of some of the water visuals 6, 5, and Number 1Bunkers changed on number 12Tennis courts gone and the driving range actually is a driving range now. We used to fly balls over the net onto Donald Ross Dr.

The bunkers used to be sand in the bottom grass in the face, so that all lies in the bunkers were flat. That made the sand part easier, but the long grass in the faces were brutal, I hear they are getting rid of that feature and are making a bunch of changes to the course and it's bunkering. It will be interesting to see if it retains it's bones as a Donald Ross course or is bastardized into some new thing.

[sui generis]

While there are members who share your disappointment, there are many improvements, too. The course is still good and fun, just a little different.

[extrastiff]

Only after, and as a long hitter, it is far too easy some days. There are a couple spots there I’d add a tee box and stretch it out to 6700 or so.

[jshel]

I was a member at Raleigh CC pre-McConnell. As others have mentioned, it’s a very solid old Ross with a bunch of good holes and solid green complexes. The problems there were always geography and not the course. The course was built east of downtown long before the Research Triangle Park was ever built. But when RTP was built west of Raleigh and between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, that’s the direction all the growth went.

The neighborhood when I was there was safe, but it was middle class at best and I can’t imagine many members live within a few miles of the club.

That said, it’s a great place to spend a day.

I have also played Musgrove Mill. It’s a very good golf course that is definitely difficult. You better bring your A-game.

I have not played Holston Hills, but everyone I know who has played there speaks very highly of the place.

I think the portfolio of courses is quite strong and the ability to get on other courses seems like a nice benefit.

I interviewed for a job in Charlotte last year and was doing the mental gymnastics of where I would want to play if I moved there. I think I would have still joined Carolina Golf Club as it is more my kind of place, but would have at least considered Providence post-renovation in order to get McConnell access.

[extrastiff]

Awesome stuff guys thanks so much

here is how the order is looking so far.

1.holston hills

2.sedgefeild courses

3.asheville

4.muscgrove

5.providence

6.treyburn

thats based on Your comments and proximity to me. We will start there’s and then decide on order for the rest of them. Hoping to play one of them every two weeks , more if possible. I’ll post reviews and pics, maybe even scorecards if I don’t choke

 

[CJW0911]

Can't wait for pics are reviews. For Treyburn or Sedgefield, let me know if you want a playing partner!

[extrastiff]

Yes to both

[Drwoods2017]

Played Old North State yesterday. I would definitely put it up there as the best with Holston and Sedgefield. The views on the back 9 make the course worth the fee. Pretty open course also with smaller greens. Overall I would definitely recommend it.