Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

Short one this week, but you know we can’t let the week go by without getting you a 2DP! I’m heading to the North Carolina mountains this weekend for a little golf getaway - if the weather accommodates, I’ll be checking out a few new courses and loading up the content backlog for the next couple months… Fingers crossed!

Our headline this week comes from, who else - Candyroot Lodge. Covering the developments at the South Carolina resort has been one of our hobby horses the last 18 months, so you know details about preview play are going to make the 2DP weekly agenda. We also have updates on the SCGA Amateur championship taking place this weekend, as well as a follow up on one of our recent Golf Biz stories. Read it all below and if you’re enjoying 2DP, share it with a friend!

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINE

Grassing is underway at Candyroot Lodge, as shaping has been completed on the first of four planned golf courses at the new destination resort just over an hour from Uptown Charlotte. The latest batch of photos show a course truly starting to take shape, with defined golf holes and grassing lines making it easier to understand how the final product might look and play.

Preview play on architect Mike Koprowski’s first solo design is set to begin October 28th. Details on access have also started to emerge - players will be able to book an all-day pass for $175 on the Candyroot website, but preview play will be limited to ~40 players per day. This model, which seemingly worked well at nearby Broomsedge, will allow players to get a first glimpse at the long-awaited project while helping the course generate some early cash flow

My two cents: It’s getting real! The latest batch of drone shots and a calendared opening day have me itching to plan a trip. It’s been a fun ride covering the development of this project - from the early days of Downbonnie to real golf holes in the ground, it’s been a winding road but a super exciting story to track. We’ll continue to have the latest here at 2DP and look forward to bringing you a full course review!

PRESENTED BY TWILIGHT GOLF CLUB

The 7th Annual Twilight Open will take place on Tuesday, August 4th at Reynolds Park Golf Course in Winston-Salem! The Twilight Open is TGC’s signature event and annually attracts 120+ players for an evening of casual golf (pick your group and starting hole, play in groups of 8+), food, and fellowship.

The event begins at 5:30 PM and runs until dark, with putting, par 3, and long drive contests beginning as the sun starts to set. $60 to participate, with proceeds going to support the First Tee - Triad chapter. The Twilight Open raised $10,000 for the First Tee at last year’s event - will 2026 top that goal?!

Register here and join us for what should be another awesome night.

STORIES TO TRACK

95th SCGA Amateur Underway at Quixote Club: Crawford Reeves and Ashton Eubanks are tied at -4 after the opening round at Quixote Club in Sumter, SC. The Kris Spence redesign is holding up well early on, with only 11 players in the 140+ person field shooting under par on Thursday. Follow the action this weekend.

Parwalker Sells Out of Initial Inventory: Congratulations to our friends Trent and Grace Bailey for selling out of their initial batch of product! This Charlotte golf startup went viral on Instagram this spring with the launch of The Dangler, the first beverage holder specifically designed for walking golfers. Excited to celebrate the success of a local small business and see what these two come up with next!

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