Edgewater Golf Club - Play Best Golf Courses in Charlotte, NC

Area Featured CourseOld North State Club Preserving Tradition By: Sam SmithWhen golfers venture toOld North State Clubat Uwharrie Point thisspring, they will find a golf course thathas new life and new forward-lookingownership with a history of golf traditionon golf courses designed by DonaldRoss, Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, and ArnoldPalmer.At the end of the 2009 golf season,John McConnell, a former Raleigh techexecutive-turned-golf entrepreneur,added Old North State Club as the fifthgolf course to his McConnell Golf , LLCholdings adding a center-piece to the‘McConnell Golf Trail.’“This is a very good fit geographicallywith what we are trying to accomplishin creating a regional companydedicated to championship golf.” Mc-Connell says of the course.The 18-hole Tom Fazio course is 50miles north of Charlotte off N.C. Highway49. The piece of land known asUwharrie Point was developed and in1992 the golf course bearing the historicname for North Carolina “Old NorthState.” opened for play. The coursequickly gained a reputation with golfersfrom across the nation and that year wasawarded the #2 spot in Golf Digest’sranking of best newprivate courses inAmerica.With Mc-Connell, an avidgolfer in control aftera winter of re-tooling,Tom Ducey, Directorof Golf sees thechanges adding to theenjoyment of this historicclub.“Mr. McConnelllikes the traditionalfeel of a golf coursewith the touches ofmodern day upgrades“,said Ducey.“We have narrowedthe fairways to makeaccuracy pay biggerpremiums, and the10-year old bent grassgreens have becomemore consistentin size and speed.”Fazio designedcourses have gained aA picture perfect Sunset falls on 17th hole at Old North State Club.The 3 finishingholes at OldNorth StateClub, Badin, NCreputation as playable and scenic. OldNorth State is no exception; the elevationchanges are dramatic for a peninsula ofthis size. And, according to it’s designer,Old North State has a very stickingpersonality.“It reminded me a little bit of theMonterey Peninsula in California, whichrises above the Pacific Ocean betweenCarmel and Pacific Grove with its manysteep elevations and contours that providesuch interest inthe golfing terrain atPebble Beach, CypressPoint, SpyglassHill, and the otherfine golf coursesthere.” says Fazio.McConnellGolf, LLC addedtheir first Tom Faziocreation to his championshipcourse portfolio earlier with theacquisition of Treyburn Country Club inDurham in 2006, the same year they acquiredthe Pete Dye designed CardinalGolf & Country Club in Greensboro.Arnold Palmer was added to the list oflegend designers in 2007 with the natureinspired course, Musgrove Mill GolfClub in Clinton, SC.McConnell founded his companywith an eye to golf history. He acquiredRaleigh Country Club, Donald Ross’ lastdesign, on December 1, 2003 to revivethe stately club to it’s rightful status asthe “jewel” of Raleigh golf courses.From that beginning, and now with theOld North State Club added to his list ofcourses with rich pedigrees, starting withthe RCC....McConnell Golf is leadingthe way in preserving some golf treasuresof the Carolinas.26 - CAROLINA GOLF JOURNAL - SPRING 2010______________________________________________________________________________