Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

Folks - predicting things is hard. My hot takes for Quail Hollow got a little off-the-rails last weekend, as Rory flopped and Alex Fitzpatrick absolutely rubbed it in my face. The crowds following the final group on Sunday did look a little sparse on TV, so we’ll chalk that up as a minor victory. No more prognostication from me for a while…

Full slate this week with both our Day Trips and Golf Biz series returning to action. We begin with a breakdown of 5 public short courses within driving distance of Charlotte. Most of these places would be worth a dedicated trip, but we’ll be sure to give you some regulation recs as well. We also have updates on ParWalker, a local golf startup building products designed for walking golfers, and their debut product “The Dangler.” Let’s dive right in.

DAY TRIPS

Short courses are all the rage these days - they are fun, social, quick to play, and less expensive to build! Often forgotten in the discourse, however, is that they are typically publicly accessible. Sure - there are a few notable par 3’s affiliated with private clubs or otherwise locked behind closed doors, but most of the current stock and new development is taking place at resorts or other public facilities.

We’re lucky in the Carolinas to have a slew of quality shorties in our backyard. In today’s Day Trips piece, we’re breaking down 5 of the best short courses you can visit in the Carolinas and sprinkling in a few big course tips along the way. Enjoy and let us know what we missed!

It’s funny to call The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort “the OG” considering it opened in 2017, but when anyone talks par 3 courses in the Carolinas, it’s the first thing that comes to mind. Built by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner during their renovation of Course No. 4, The Cradle was the spark that lit the flame and began the trend of short course development at golf resorts around the world.

The Cradle is the cherry on top of any Pinehurst-area golf day, and while it’s become a bit more difficult to get on these days (most tee times are reserved for resort guests), don’t be afraid to show up to the starter’s hut and grovel in an attempt to snag a spot.

Speaking of trendsetters, the Bigfoot Pitch and Putt is another example of a concept that forced golfers to think about the game differently. Set on a wooded hillside, Bigfoot features a synthetic turf green surrounded by 10 different tee box locations. The putting surface is wild, undulating, and is surrounded by trees and bunkers. Designed for small groups to book for the day, Bigfoot is somewhere between a golf course and a skate park - a place to let your imagination run wild and focus more on trying shots than carding a score.

The concept of Bigfoot and the use of synthetic turf pushed the boundaries of short course design and seemingly inspired the new Matchbox course at Tobacco Road. The process for getting on is a bit opaque but involves submitting a form on the course’s website. Next time you jaunt up to the Highlands/Cashiers area for a summer getaway, be sure to throw in a request and see if you can spot the elusive Bigfoot.

The newest entrant onto the Carolinas short course scene is Old Field in Mocksville, which is technically yet to open. Architect Colton Craig of Smyers, Craig, and Coyne transformed a relatively featureless, sloping hillside into a beautifully shaped, 6-hole par 3 course packed with fun and variety. The course threads the needle of being a draw for both golf nerds and beginners, featuring interesting design, a unique setting, and a casual, welcoming atmosphere for players of all ages.

The course, which is set to open to the public on May 29th, is conveniently located between Charlotte and Winston-Salem right next to Colin Creek Golf Club. Old Field is worth a trip on its own, but there are plenty of great options if you’re looking to pair it with a big course. The Triad is home to some of the best affordable public golf in the state, including places we’ve profiled like Reynolds Park, Lexington Golf Club, and Oak Hollow.

Aiken is the hottest place in modern golf development, but when rattling off the list of high-profile courses in the area, don’t forget the “Pine Valley” of Par 3 courses! This walking-only short course was designed by Jim McNair, owner and restoration architect of the Aiken Golf Club, the public course adjacent to downtown Aiken that has gained national acclaim in recent years.

Built in partnership between USC Aiken and the local First Tee chapter, the course features an incredibly unique landscape and some flashy visuals. It recently opened to the public after several years of limited access, and tee times can now be reserved online.

This is a bit of a sentimental pick for me! The Par 3 at Tanglewood probably won’t wow or inspire many, but it’s everything you need and nothing you don’t. 18 par 3 holes in a wide-open field next to a lake is a simple but rare offering. It’s the ultimate “2 wedges and a cooler course,” featuring short green-to-tee walks and little to get in your way in terms of hazards. For less than $10, it’s the perfect way to cap off a day at Tanglewood’s Championship Course, which hosted the 1974 PGA Championship.

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GOLF BIZ

Enjoying a cold beverage on the course has long been part of the game in the United States, but it has always been logistically simpler from the comfort of a golf cart. For those that enjoy tackling the course on foot, the pleasure of enjoying a drink mid-round is often cancelled out by the inconvenience of finding a place to put it between shots.

This conundrum is what pushed avid walker Trent Bailey to create ParWalker and The Dangler, the first beverage holder designed for walking golfers. A few years back, Trent and his wife Grace started walking the course regularly, often bringing a drink along for their evening loop. Every time he found himself in the rough - which, he'll admit, was often - he'd have to nestle his can in the grass, only to see it tip over or accidently get left behind. He thought there had to be a better way.

As any tinkerer would do, Trent went home and grabbed a clip-on fan designed for a baby stroller and clipped it to his golf bag. It seemed to hold, which got his gears turning on the idea that would become The Dangler. Even Grace, who was used to listening to Trent’s off-the-wall business ideas, thought he might be on to something.

From there, Bailey, a digital marketer by day, got to work building the product. He connected with an industrial designer and locked in 3 non-negotiables: it had to fit all can sizes, it had to be packable, and it couldn't interfere with pulling out your irons. 8 prototypes later, The Dangler was ready.

Here's how it works: The Dangler clips onto your bag right below your irons and hangs down below your clubs. A gimbal-style mechanism keeps your drink upright and stable as you walk, so it's not sloshing around between holes. It collapses flat when not in use and it's sized to fit everything from a standard can or craft beer tallboy to a skinny can like a High Noon.

ParWalker has been more than a business venture for the Bailey family. On the day Trent came up with the initial concept, Grace was diagnosed with breast cancer. What started as a simple product idea became something bigger - a shared project that gave them something to work on together through treatment and recovery.

"Whether it was during her treatment or late at night, we were just chit-chatting," Bailey said. "All right, what if we change the product this way? Could we do this? Try that?"

The launch itself went sideways in the best way possible. Bailey had planned to go live Monday, May 11th, but on the Thursday before, his Instagram account caught fire - 2.5 million views and 90,000+ reshares on his latest reel. He and Grace stayed up until midnight turning on pre-orders, firing off an email campaign, and responding to comments. Orders quickly started coming in from around the world, including Canada, the UK, and Norway. By Tuesday, they'd already sold over 500 units.

Grace, whom Bailey half-jokingly calls the COO, has fulfilled every single order herself. "After 2.5 years, seeing people love it - we couldn't sleep Thursday night," he said. "It was super cool."

ParWalker is more than just another golf accessory company riding the recent wave of interest in the sport, it’s a brand built for walkers. Bailey sees a real gap there - a lot of brands make stripped-down carry bags, but nobody's really building a full ecosystem around the walking golf experience.

That's where things get interesting for ParWalker. A second product is already in development: a magnetic hub system that mounts to your bag and can hold your accessories. Long term, Bailey wants to build a full golf bag that is featured, purposeful, and designed from the ground up for people who walk.

For now, The Dangler is live and shipping. You can grab yours at parwalker.com. If you're a walking golfer in the Carolinas who's ever left a cold can sitting in the rough somewhere, check them out and support a local small business!

STORIES TO TRACK

Truist Championship Announces Ron Green Journalism Scholarship: At a press conference last week, the Truist Championship announced the Ron Green Scholarship to be awarded annually to a student attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It will be given to a student enrolled in the Hussman School of Journalism that has a “demonstrated interest in sports communications.”

The scholarship honors Ron Green, Sr., the legendary Charlotte Observer journalist who covered 60 consecutive Masters Tournaments, 25 Super Bowls, and 26 Final Fours before his passing in 2024, and his son, Ron Green, Jr., a senior writer for Global Golf Post who also spent much of his career with the Charlotte Observer. Congratulations to the Green family on this tremendous honor and thank you for your contributions to the Charlotte golf community!

NCAA Regionals Headed for Bermuda Run: Several prominent teams are set to tee it up outside of Winston-Salem beginning May 18th as NCAA Regional action gets underway. ACC champion Virgina is the top seed, with Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and NC State among those also set to compete over BRCC’s Ellis Maples layout. If you can get away from your desk, cruise on up I-77 and check out the action.

U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Starts on Saturday: Several Charlotte notables in the field at Desert Mountain Club, including Chad Wilfong, who won this event with Davis Womble in 2022, John Eades and partner Matt Schall, and the Raintree Country Club team of Scott Hamel and Paul Fitzgerald. Full tee sheet here.

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