Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

A couple shoutouts to open this week’s newsletter: First, congratulations to our friends at Twilight Golf Club for another fantastic Twilight Open! This was the 7th installment of TGC’s flagship event, and it looked like a blast despite some iffy weather. The club also gave out 3 $2,500 leadership grants to HBCU golfers and donated over $8K to the First Tee - Triad. Congrats to all involved!

Second, big shoutout to our local golf YouTuber (Jerell Fields aka The CharLit Golfer) for having Steph Curry on the channel for his 1v1 series. Great video and really enjoyed watching them take on Myers Park Country Club!

In today’s 2DP, we’re shining a light on Waynesville Inn & Golf Club, a mountain destination that makes for one of the best value-for-money golf trips in the Carolinas. We also have tee time news ahead of next weekend’s Charlotte City Amateur, updates on U.S. Mid-Am qualifying, and more! Let’s get to it.

DAY TRIPS

I’ve been fortunate to go on a golf trip with my college buddies almost every year since we graduated 10+ years ago. We’ve sampled destinations from across the spectrum - from driving-distance venues to high-profile national resorts. If I’ve learned one thing about golf travel from our various excursions, it’s that the cost of these trips has risen tremendously in the last decade, which is why I was so shocked when I saw the bill for our recent visit to Waynesville Inn & Golf Club.

Rates are not published on the website, as public access is typically available as part of a stay-and-play package, but 2 nights in the hotel and 2 rounds of golf on our recent trip came out to right around $800. While any quick Google search will tell you this compares favorably to most major golf resorts, the point is not that Waynesville is a “cheap” place to play golf, but to say that the quality of the total package - golf course and off-course amenities - was an absolute bargain for that number.

As it should be with any golf destination, the course is WIGC’s raison d'être. After new ownership acquired the course and hotel in 2021, Bobby Weed completed a major redesign and created the Waynesville we know today. Weed employed a variety of design processes throughout the course of the project, taking a lighter touch to the front 9’s original Donald Ross features (more of a restoration or historical renovation) while doing a wholesale redesign of what is now the back 9. Weed’s work also included the development of various new practice facilities, including the short game area and out-and-back wedge course between 1 and 18.

The front and back certainly have their own unique look and feel, with the understated “Ross 9” set on lower, flatter ground and the rollicking back 9 featuring more elevation change. Despite these distinct characteristics, the routing doesn’t feel disjointed. Weed did a great job creating a cohesive transition between the different areas of the property, with the central plot containing holes 10, 18, 1, and 9 serving as a bridge between the 2 sections.

The common theme throughout: a great mix of challenging holes and scoring opportunities. Long par 4s and stout par 3s are mixed in with thrilling par 5s and a couple par 4s that can be reached from the tee. The sequencing of holes at Waynesville is extremely well balanced and creates a great flow to the round, keeping players engaged and attentive from start to finish. Standout holes include the drivable par 4 2nd, the shared-fairway par 5s at 10 and 18, and the par 3 17th, where Weed fully leaned into his Pete Dye roots (pictured above).

While most newer resorts are pushing for a multi-course model for the obvious business benefits, having just a single course works at Waynesville. It feels more like visiting a private club than a golf resort, and the architecture is such that repeat play allows golfers to slowly uncover more of the course’s nuances over time.

The cherry on top is that WIGC’s off-course attributes are almost on-par with the golf on offer. The place is blessed with an incredible natural setting surrounded by some of the biggest mountains in the Carolinas, and the restaurant was fantastic! I’m not going to try to explain how good the Turkey Club sandwich was - you’re just going to have to take my word for it.

P.S. - if you’re looking for more golf in the area, there are plenty of options, but we thoroughly enjoyed our rounds at Springdale Resort! Another fun mountain routing with a great price point and an unexpectedly impressive food and beverage operation.

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TOURNAMENTS

It’s hard to believe that we’re only a week away from the start of the 2026 Charlotte City Amateur, which gets going next Friday morning (August 13th) at Pine Lake Country Club. The tee sheet is live for Round 1, with Pine Lake member Charlie May presumably set to hit the opening tee shot at 8 AM.

The low 50 players and ties will advance to Round 2 at Cedarwood Country Club, while the top 24 will have the opportunity to compete for the trophy on the final day at Carmel Country Club. 2-time defending champion Pearce Lucas will not be in the field to defend his title, nor will any of the other winners since 2018, so the door is wide open for a new champion to emerge.

I’ve been burned in the past for naming featured groups, as many of my astute readers are in the field and will certainly call out their exclusion! I’m saving my selections for our full Round 1 preview next week, so tune in next Friday morning to see who makes the prestigious list.

STORIES TO TRACK

U.S. Mid-Am Qualifying Schedule Ramps Up: We’ve got a big Mid-Am audience here at 2DP, so August is always a fun time of year as we look to see who can punch their ticket at our local qualifiers. 68 (-4) was the number earlier this week at Columbia Country Club (view full scoring), with Josh Fickes of Charleston and Robb Kinder of Lugoff, South Carolina taking home medalist honors at -5.

Next up is Benvenue Country Club on August 10th and Greensboro Country Club on August 18th. Tons of familiar names vying for a trip to Sand Valley in September! We’ll have all the results in upcoming newsletters.

Registration Now Open for Carolinas Invitational: The fall four-ball tournament is returning to Broomsedge for the second consecutive year! Entries are open now through August 31st, with the tournament scheduled to be contested October 24th and 25th. $1,000 per team for 54 holes (includes a Friday practice round) at Broomsedge, plus food, drinks, and tee gifts is a great value!

Round of 32 Begins Tomorrow at U.S. Women’s Amateur: UNC Charlotte’s Pinky Chaisilprungruang is set to take on Raegan Denton of Australia at 8:20 AM Friday after winning her Round of 64 match 2 and 1. Wake Forest’s Macy Pate was headed to extra holes but wasn’t able to complete her match against Ana Sofia Murcia. They’ll finish up Friday morning, with Pate trying to hold on and become the only North Carolinian to make the Round of 32. View full scoring.

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