What a day I had today. This will be one of the rare times I create a post in first person. Do you know what a yamaguchi is? Or, how about a greenie? I played golf for the first time in my life on the Creek course and learned more than just golf.
Roger van der Horst from the News and Observer in Raleigh came to Trace to meet the Sandhills Ace Machine, Diane Conti. Conti’s foursome included Betty Cox, Marie Inzerillo, and Ginny Breuer. We started late morning on the Creek course at the Red tee box. This fabulous foursome decided that Roger and I should play with them. Luckily, Roger brought his clubs. But I swapped irons with the foursome who also gave great coaching lessons. If I had known I were to golf on such a beautiful day-- a clear blue sky with a gentle breeze at 85 degrees--I might have worn shorts and a visor, and not my Steve Madden pumps—but I was assured we’d all have a great time.
Before we teed off, Betty Cox explained the ‘game within a game’. Every player contributes $1.65, (exactly--one dollar bill, one quarter, and four dimes). There are five ways to win the pot, known as the yamaguchi, chip-in, birdie, one-putt, and greenie. 
I won’t reveal all of the secrets to the ‘game within a game’ but for example, the greenie pot can be won by hitting closest to the pin on the green on each of the par 3’s. Trust me, when you play with Betty Cox, she watches for the ‘money-balls’!
The foursome treated Roger and me like any other CTCC member who had been a part of the Conti group for years. Not only, did I enjoy a beautiful day and received some great golf tips, I got to witness first-hand how friendly our members are to guests as well as how much fun you can have with them.
We finished on the 4th hole and headed back to the Pro Shop where Roger interviewed Head Pro, Mike Krick on the “Diane Conti 15 ace phenomena”. Later, I stopped off at the Cook Out, which Marty and Jenny do a wonderful job at putting the event on three days a week, and met prospective members from New York, a large group of golfers from Virginia, and shared a cold beer and today’s special, crab cake sandwich, with the MGA group.
A day in the life at Trace… “a little piece of heaven” mentions Conti, is filled with genuine people who create a true sense of community by fostering a fun, friendly and supportive culture.
