Trace Wood Carver is WORLD CHAMPION

DMG Media Group highlighted an article in The Daily Times, Eastern Shore, about Rich Smoker winning the World Championship Title in Wood Carving. Rich Smoker, Carolina Trace Country Club's visiting Wood Carver recently won the 38th annual Ward World Championship at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. More than 1,000 carvers participated in the exhibit. Participants and visitors come from all across the world for this championship. CTCC's wood carving class taught by Smoker will be held October 13-16 at the Morris Chapel Fellowship Hall. Details to sign up for the class will be distributed this summer.

Congratulations Rich.

To read the article click here.

(Alan Pinon photo)

Nine and Wine

A new event at CTCC is Nine and Wine. During the tournament you could sample different wines on four of the nine holes. For some players the wine improved their game, for the majority, there were high scores. After the tournament, members gathered at the pool for scoring, refills, and our world-famous camaraderie. First place winners with a score of 25 were the Shand's and the Tulio's. Head Pro, Mike Krick and General Manager, Brad Bourret presented Ray and Lalia Nuzzolo with a special gift and sincere thank you for allowing the golf professionals to modify their RV as the temporary Pro Shop after the major fire damage. Our members love golf, and nothing stops them from enjoying the game.

The event was so successful more variations of Nine and Wine will be offered with entrees, select beers, and additional drinks.

Governor's Ball

The annual Governor's Ball was held last Friday with the unique theme of "Trace In Bloom". The elegant evening was attended by more than one-hundred members and guests who enjoyed one of Chef Marty's first-class dinners coupled with dancing into the late evening with music from The Vision Band.

Trace Players receive Standing Ovation

The annual musical theatre revue group, Trace Players, performed Greasepaint and Sawdust on April 24th and 25th to sold out crowds. A cast of talented CTCC members put on a show under tough circumstances as they were not able to practice on the stage they would perform on. In addition to dinner and a show, members in attendance were delighted to socialize with a large group of fellow members. Special accolades go to Evie Dooley, responsible for production, musical selection and accompaniment; Master of Ceremony, Monty Rowe; Stage Manager, Ann Karrer; ACT I Choreographers, Tana Boerger and Alana Davidson; ACT II Choreographers, Judy Colwell; ACT III Choreographers, Carolyn and Scott Schaeffer. If you have never been to a Trace Players production you really have no idea what you are missing. To watch members in their “acting and musical elements” not only provides a great night of entertainment, but reflects more of the family-friendly atmosphere that our members value most. Congratulations to the ensemble and crew for a top-rated production.

PRO SHOP!

Have you stopped by the Pro Shop? The temporary Pro Shop is up and running until it reclaims its home in the new clubhouse. Head Pro Mike Krick and Assistant Pro Brock White have done a wonderful job working many late hours (7:30a-9:30p) to get the shop open as soon as possible. The Pro Shop is open 7 days a week, stop by and view the new apparel and let Mike and Brock know what a great job they did. Also meet Shop Assistants, Anthony Cicogna, Curt Burns, and Shane Garner. Back by popular demand is the Hot Dog machine! The Pro Shop features four offices, tournament rooms, sign-up sheets, men's and women's bathrooms, and some of the latest equipment and golf fashion. Demo Days: Ping Golf will be here on April 22 from 11-3; Nickent Golf on May 13 from 11-3; Cleveland Golf on May 17 from 10-2; and Cobra Golf on May 27 from 11-3.

MGA Member-Member

The MGA two-day Member-Member Tournament concluded today with the overall winners with a score of 11.3 went to Jim Hey and Roger Brown. Also, congratulations to first flight, first place winners, Scott Schaeffer and Alan Dirk (score of 10.2); second flight, first place winners, Russ Bosch and Jim Morris (score of 10.1); third flight, first place winners, Bill Towson and Stephen Smith (score of 4.9); fourth flight, first place winners, Gene Pasztor and Bill Inzerillo (score of 9.0); fifth flight, first place winners, Phil Kirol and Hal Cleavinger (score of 6.6); sixth flight, first place winners, Ron Elder and Dean Thorndike (score of 6.7); seventh flight, first place winners, Tom Magyar and Harry Evans (score of 9.8). Members still had fun after the tournament with the keg!

Rally for the Cure!

Our 18-Hole Ladies came decked out in their pink outfits on Tuesday, April 15th for their annual Rally For The Cure tournament to raise contributions for breast cancer awareness and research. Flo Kaisen won the Closest-to-the Pin on Hole 8 for the grand prize of a pair of golf shoes. Lyona Beck and Sharon Morris won the drawing for a free golf lesson donated by Mike Krick. Eighteen ladies won golf balls for staying on the green on Lake 8. Many thanks to the 64 participants in this year’s event who contributed $1,280 with their entry fees. An additional $345 was raised in raffle money that will be directed to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. A special thanks goes out to the women and MGA men who purchased raffle tickets as well as Barbara Berman, Marsha Connor, Sue Hodges, Flo Kaisen, Jan McDonald and Marjorie Schmidt for donating lovely handmade items. Our total contribution to Rally For The Cure was $1,625!

More than just golf...Sara's day out

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.

Trace Classic 1st Place Winners

The WGA's Trace Classic was held on April 8th and 10th. The players enjoyed a competitive tournament along with the usual camaraderie enjoyed by Tracers. Congratulations to first place winners: flight 1: Sue Hodges and Diane Conti (score of 129); flight 2: Bibi Brown and Connie Puklavetz (score of 133); flight 3: Jane Riordan and Ann Ashton (score of 127); flight four: tie among, Helen Woodside and Marilyn McNamara and Florence Kaisen and Marjorie Schmidt (score of 134).

(Brown/Puklavetz)

(Riordan/Ashton)

(Woodside/Schmidt/Kaisen/McNamara)

New Logo Coolers

The Pro Shop has new soft-sided travel coolers for sale. You can purchase a cooler and/or have it filled with soda or beer too. This also make a great gift idea. The inside cooler holds 6 soda cans, has two side compartments that easily fit a cell phone or large water bottle, and a front pouch for other items. Stop by the Pro Shop to pick one up.