Golf Course M&A Market Heating Up?!

Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

We missed our normal Thursday morning window this week, but not because we were sitting on our hands waiting for news to materialize. In fact, it’s been an action-packed week in Charlotte and Carolinas golf, so much so that all my rambling golf opinion pieces keep getting punted to future newsletters.

In this week’s 2DP, we’re covering the… golf course M&A market?!? Sometimes a story jumps up and surprises you, which was the case this week with multiple stories of courses changing hands. We also have a special spotlight on a recently revitalized local golf tournament, our usual slate of tournament updates, and a plug for our presenting sponsor. Without further ado…

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINE

Mallard Head Golf Course Acquired, Rebranding as Lake Norman Golf Club

What could be a more Charlotte story than a golf course M&A deal?! The George Cobb-designed course, which was listed for sale in 2024, is being purchased by the Lake Norman Racquet & Social Club per a post on the club’s Instagram earlier this week. While details of the operating model (including public access) are still to come, the new owners are already stating their intentions to make significant enhancements to both the course and clubhouse.

Wild card: I didn’t envision a local racquet club as the prospective buyer when I first heard about this course hitting the market. In hindsight, the marriage makes total sense - the facilities are only 4 miles apart, and I’m sure adding golf to the club’s list of amenities is hugely attractive to the existing membership.

Take-private: I’m keenly interested to see if LNGC becomes truly members-only or retains an avenue for public play. Given the location, demand for private club membership in Charlotte, and the rarity that is a new private club opening close to a major metropolitan area, going fully private seems like a viable option for the new regime.

Local media flashback: My mind immediately went back to Ted Williams’ classic Charlotte Agenda article proposing a merger between Myers Park Country Club and Carolina Golf Club. Still a good idea!

TOURNAMENTS

Revitalized Forsyth Championship Returns with Strong Host Slate for 78th Year

It’s probably obvious from our near-weekly updates on the subject that we love the Charlotte City Am here at 2DP, but you may be wondering - why? While some may see it as meaningless competition, we see a cultural cornerstone that unites the local golf community, gives people something to practice for and aspire to, and provides top players a chance to earn bragging rights and the title of city’s best. It’s also an event (credit to the organizers) that doesn’t settle for average, insisting on taking the tournament to the city’s best courses despite all the obvious barriers to doing so.

Given this affinity for local golf, it’s no surprise the 2024 Forsyth Championship caught our attention when the Winston-Salem-area city tournament announced it would be hosting its final round at Old Town Club. Securing a host site of this quality and prestige didn’t happen by accident - in fact, it was the first time OTC had hosted the event since 1962!

“The tournament was really popular back in the 90s - we had over 200 players,” said Bill Jackson, Vice President at Parrish Tire, the tournament’s presenting sponsor. Over time, however, a combination of factors led to the tournament’s gradual decline, including the closure of several traditional host courses and the event’s reputation for slow play. “By the late 2010s, they were basically begging people to apply. There just wasn’t a lot of interest,” Jackson explained.

The problem was twofold - local clubs had lost interest in hosting as registrations and potential guest fee revenue declined, which led to diminished player interest in signing up to play lower quality venues. The turnaround ultimately started when Jackson and Parrish Tire stepped in to create a win-win outcome for all involved. “I said, why don’t I put some money into the event so we can guarantee greens fees regardless of the number of registrants?”

In addition to sponsorship, the biggest victory for the event’s new patrons was securing hosting commitments from Old Town Club and Forsyth Country Club. The county’s two best courses, both private, had both hosted in the event’s early years, but civil rights protests in the 1960s led the city to move the tournament away from the still-segregated clubs. Going forward, OTC and FCC will alternate as the championship’s final round venue, with the highly desired slots going to the top 16 players after 36 holes.

While the 2024 event was notable for OTC’s return, the 2025 Forsyth Championship is more than a one-hit wonder. This year, all registrants will get to experience rounds 1 and 2 at Tanglewood’s Championship course, host of the 1974 PGA Championship, and Maple Chase Golf and Country Club, which recently reopened after an extensive renovation. The 2025 slate represents a true return to what this event should be, with 3 high-quality, diverse venues stepping up to deliver another great edition of the historic championship. “For the size of the county, we have a lot of really good golf courses,” said Jackson. “It’s just a great opportunity to showcase what we have.”

Live in Forsyth County and want to get involved? Register now for the 2025 Forsyth Championship.

STORIES TO TRACK

74 (+3) Gets Through at July 7th Charlotte City Am Qualifier: Scoring was solid at Pine Island (GGID BEY6JJ) during the first of two qualifiers for the upcoming city championship. Short rough, soft greens, and hot weather made for good scoring conditions, with Raintree’s Scott Hamel taking the medalist spot with a 67 (-4).

Carolinas Amateur Concludes Today at Pinehurst No. 7: Multiple time CGA/SCGA champions Davis Womble and Chandler Mulkey lead at -12 with one round to go, sitting 3 shots clear of Peter Bowie and Gray Mitchum. Lots of big names in the top 10 still vying for one of the biggest prizes in Carolinas golf, including Nic Brown, Garrett Risner, and Brett McLamb. Follow live scoring here.

Mid Pines/Pine Needles Parent Company to Acquire 2 Pinehurst-area Clubs: More golf course acquisition news this week! After recently announcing plans for major hotel renovations, the resort’s owners have now acquired 2 additional 36-hole facilities in Foxfire Resort & Golf and The Country Club of Whispering Pines. The latest deal brings the resort’s total number of courses to 7 across 5 properties, as it continues to position itself as a true rival to Pinehurst proper.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Our presenting sponsor, Twilight Golf Club, is hosting the 2025 Twilight Open on July 29th at Reynolds Park Golf Course in Winston-Salem! The festivities begin at ~5 PM, and registration includes food, drinks, and all the golf you can play until the sun goes down. Super unique event focused on building community and raising money for the First Tee - Central Carolina. Register here!

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