Teeing it up in the Triad

By Shane Sharp,
Contributor

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- For years, North Carolinians have known something that most the golfing world doesn't - the Triad region of the central Piedmont is one of the most golf-rich urban areas in the U.S. No mountains, no beach, no problem. The Triad's modus operandi is its gently rolling hills, deciduous Carolina hardwoods, ultra competitive price points and appreciation for the game's traditions.

The region garners its name from the three towns that flank its borders -- Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem - but most golfers and geographers will tell you that the westernmost town of Burlington is also part of the lineup.

The Triad's two landmark facilities bookend the spectrum of daily and resort golf. Venerable Tanglewood Park in Winston-Salem is still regarded as the best public access golf facility in the state, despite having opened its first 18 hole course over 40 years ago. The Championship Course has hosted the PGA Championship (1974) and the Senior Tour's RJR Championship. The Grandover Resort on the southwestern edge of Greensboro is the Triad's top "got next" candidate, sporting two highly ranked resort courses, a state-of-the-art spa and a behemoth resort hotel. Sprinkled between these two monoliths are legions of affordable, daily fee facilities with layouts designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye, and Mike Strantz.

The Lineup

The Grandover Resort -- The Grandover Resort sits on the north side of Interstate 85 on 1,400 acres of land replete with an opulent resort hotel, two 18-hole courses ranked in the state's Top 100, and brand-spanking-new day spa. The East and West courses are hands-down two of the best-conditioned tracks in the Triad and the design credits go to Gary Panks and David Graham (a rare East Coast appearance). The East Course is the older of the two, and its severely undulating nature and length (7,100 yards) have earned it the reputation as the more bullheaded track. The West Course is a bit newer, a bit shorter (6,800 yards), but no slacker in the quality department.

Tanglewood Park -- Home to two picturesque Robert Trent Jones designed courses, the Championship and the Reynolds. Both courses were built pre-1965, but both underwent major renovations in the 1970's. Both courses have at one time or the other appeared in Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Courses list, and the Championship Course hosted a PGA Championship in 1974. Together, the courses sport over 120 bunkers and continually give low-handicappers and local pros with all they can handle. Year after year, Tanglewood Park is one of the most popular daily fee golf venues in the Carolinas. The quality and challenge of the product offered has a lot to do with that, but so does the price: $48 on weekends for the Championship Course and $30 everyday for the Reynolds Course.

Tot Hill Farm -- Tot Hill Farm is situated a strong 3-wood from Greensboro in Asheboro, but worth the deviation. Strantz designed the course, which meanders through the ancient Uwharrie Mountains the same way Paul Bunyan and his ox Babe "meandered" through the forests of Minnesota. The course's massive rock formations and severely contouring fairways easily make it one of the most visually stunning layouts in the state. Proponents of minimalist course design will undoubtedly cry foul, but Tot Hill Farm is worth the infraction.

Bryan Park - Home to a traditional George Cobb design, the Players Course, and a modern Rees Jones course, the Champions Course. The former was outfit with new L93 bentgrass greens and new cart paths in 1999, and Jones even stopped in to rework a few holes. A new practice facility opened in 1996 and is easily one of the best in the region. The kicker? This 36-hole facility with massive driving range and putting green in owned by the city of Greensboro. Jones also made some modifications to the Players Course, most of which came in the form of his signature mounding.

Greensboro National - You'd be hard pressed to find a better bargain in the Triad. The course opened in 1995 and was designed by Don and Mark Charles. The course has a bit of a MacKenzie feel by way of the bunkering and the tucked-in-the-woods style greens. The course is lauded for its playability, but it backs up to 7,200 yards from the tips. "National" as it is referred to by locals, is also known to have best hotdog in town.

Oak Hollow Golf Course - Pete Dye designed the course in 1971 - a rare Piedmont appearance. Bill Coore, who now teams with Ben Crenshaw to form the dynamic duo of minimalism, cut his teeth helping Dye design it. As of a couple years ago, Oak Hollow was the only Dye designed course open to the public in the entire state. Not a linksy course, by any means, but the crafty greens and creative collection areas worth experiencing at least once.

Oak Valley Golf Club - Some golfers seek out Ed Seay/Arnold Palmer designed courses with reckless abandon, and the Triad obliges the hunt with the Oak Valley Golf Club. The course is around the corner from Tanglewood, so there's an excellent opportunity to fit in 54 holes in a day and a half. Oak Valley has gained a reputation as a thinking man's course. Most of the track's par 4s and 5s have a couple options off the tees, and most greens have a one "bailout" area and one side only the pros could recover from.

Meadowlands Golf Course - Designed by Hale Irwin and Stan Gentry, the Meadowlands Golf Course is regarded as one of the most aesthetically pleasing tracks in the Triad. Gentry is making a name for himself around the Carolinas with some thoughtful, playable designs. Also located in Winston-Salem just a smooth 5-iron from Tanglewood and Oak Valley.

Salem Glen - Salem Glen is a Glen Day and Jack Nicklaus designed course that's a local favorite. The course opened in 1997 and is set along the Yadkin River banks in Clemmons. Day counts Jack Jr. among his good friends, thus his opportunity to work with the Golden Bear on this layout. Much of the course's challenge stems from the four and half miles of creeks that run through the property.

The PGA Tour in the Triad

Part of the Triad's rich golf tradition includes the area's annual PGA Tour stop, now dubbed the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. Beginning this year, the CCG will forfeit its precarious late April position behind the Masters and the immensely popular Heritage of Golf in Hilton Head. The third oldest PGA Tour event east of the Mississippi will be played October 16-19 this season as part of a four-year extension with its title sponsor. The CCG will replace the Michelob Championship on the Tour schedule, and the Greensboro Jaycees hope the switch will bolster profits, which have dropped 83 percent over the last six years. The tournament will be played October 14-17 in 2004, September 29 - October 2 in 2005, and October 5-8 in 2006.

Stay and Play

The Grandover Resort's hotel will place you firmly in the lap of luxury. All guest rooms have a marble entry foyer, marble bathroom, custom tapestry designed exclusively for the hotel. Each room has its own area rug inset in the carpeting to make guests feel at home (we should all have homes like this). A spa, whirlpool, racquetball, indoor-outdoor pool, and fitness facility also grace the property.

Odd and ends - Korner's Folly

If you can tear away from the links, be sure to check out the bizarre Victorian mansion, "Korner's Folly." The three-story brick house is located in Kernersville, midway between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The edifice has been dubbed the "strangest house in the world" because of its seven levels, 22 rooms, narrow passages, low ceilings and outrageous furniture. For directions, hours and admission information, log on to www.kornersfolly.org.

October 6, 2003

Shane Sharp is vice president of Buffalo Communications, a golf and lifestyle media agency. He was a writer, senior writer and managing editor of TravelGolf.com from 1997 to 2003.