Group plays at Tobacco Road

More than fifty members made the trip to play the very challenging Tobacco Road. Everyone had a great time and there was excellent golf played as well. The format for the day was best ball gross and best ball net. Closest to the pin prizes were awarded. The winners for the day are as follows: Closest to the Pin winners were Ron Carhart, John Marston, Joyce Gilliam and Brian Mathis. 1st place gross with a score of 64 was the team of Bill Fox, Bill Guwang, Richard Daniel and Head Pro, Mike Krick. 1st place net was the team of Dave and Penny Turner and Fred and Barbara Brown with a 49, 2nd place was the team of Ginny Seeger, Bibi Brown, Sue Palmer and Laila Nuzzolo with a 54, 3rd place was the team of Ray Nuzzolo, Gary Peterson, Jim Morris and Scott Schaeffer with 56. The 4th place team of GM Brad Bourret, Director of Golf Course Maintenance,Tim Hart, Ron Carhart and Bob Carlson also shot 56 but lost on match of cards. Thanks to Tobacco Road for a great day.

A visit from Santa

94 members came out to the Holiday Potluck at the Marathon Bar on Sunday. They enjoyed a crackling fire, caroling, great food and drink specials, and a special visit from Santa "Brock" Claus.

Top Ranked Private Golf Course

The Triangle Business Journal recently ranked Carolina Trace Country Club in the Top 25 best private golf course list. Arguably, one of the biggest attractions to CTCC is the two golf courses, Lake and Creek, designed by legendary architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. During his career, Jones, Sr. designed or re-designed nearly 500 courses in at least 40 states in the U.S. and 35 countries around the world. At Carolina Trace Country Club, members are fortunate to have two courses designed by such a world renowned architect. Jones, Sr. worked with golf legend Bobby Jones on the Peachtree course in Atlanta and again on the Augusta National course, the home of the annual Masters Tournament. Robert Trent Jones, Sr. became a national celebrity with his complete re-design of the Oakland Hills South course for the U.S. Open Tournament in 1951. He immediately became the "Open Doctor" and in quick succession re-designed such major venues as Baltusrol-Lower course, Olympic-Lake course, Southern Hills, Oak Hill and Congressional Country Club. Among the many courses Jones, Sr. designed are: Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, Bellerive in Missouri, Hazeltine in Minnesota, Shady Oaks in Texas, Upper Montclair in New Jersey and Spyglass in California. In addition to these accomplishments, Jones, Sr. helped found the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and was the first golf course architect inducted into the Golf World Hall of Fame.

MGA Year-End Event & Major Winners

The Year-End Championship has come to a close. The top 38 MGA players and Mike & Brock from the Professional staff played their hearts out for two days of match play, Ryder Cup Style. Day one format was fourball match play (better ball of two vs. better ball of two) on the front nine. Back nine was foursomes match play (alternate shot vs. alternate shot). Day two we played singles. Each match was worth three points, one for the front, one for the back and one for the overall match. The Trace Legends were down by two points to the Carolina Outlaws going into the second day. The Outlaws put the hammer down and won 51.5 to 38.5. Representing the Carolina Outlaws: Brock White, CTCC Assistant Golf Professional, Ron Elder, MGA Tournament Chairman, Roger Brown, Jim Morris, Rich Pruchnik, Fred Heins, Jacques Miller, Tony Palmer, Phil Kirol, Frank Buczny, Gene Pasztor, Mike Losquadro, Ray Rahn, Lou Gobeille, Don Nedza, Bob Salasko, Jerry Venice, Denny Drew, Fred Brown and John Gloeckler.

Major Winners: left to right Norm McVicker, Presidents Cup Winner Paul Garver, MGA Championship Flight 3 Winner Rich Pruchnik, MGA Championship Flight 1 Winner Gene Pasztor, MGA Championship Flight 2 Winner Ed Colwell, President’s Cup First Flight Runner-Up Not Pictured: John Kopta, President’s Cup First Flight Winner Frank Buczny, President’s Cup Runner-Up

MGA Annual Event

The MGA held their final event before the Year-End Matches. The weather and the golf course was spectacular—sunny skies at 75 degrees while playing golf in the peak of vivid fall colors. Recap from Pro Krick: Eighty players participated in the scramble format and many great scores were turned in. Among the best was the team of Dale Roberts, John Puklavetz, Jerry Venice and George Keep (pictured). They scored a 59.5 which won first place honors. Closest to the pin honors went to Scott Schilz, #6, 11’ 10”; Ralph Martin #8, 6’ 5”; Dick Brown #13, 6’ 11.5” and Al Frangipane #15, 8’ 7”. The staff jumped in and played as well. The team of Brad Bourret, Mike Krick, Brock White and Adam Gordon carded a smooth 58. Another perfect day at Carolina Trace Country Club.

Sunday Couples Championship

The Sunday Couples Championship was conducted on October 25th & 26th. The first day couples played a modified Pinehurst format. Each person drives, hit each others' drive, select the best shot and alternate until the ball is holed out. The weather had light showers on-and-off with comfortable temperatures. After a few “I am sorry’s,” the field turned in some great scores. Leading the first day in the gross division was Ron and Chris Heppell with a 74 (pictured on the right). The first day net was lead by Tim and Jeanette Bloedorn (pictured on the left) and Ed and Margaret Arnold with a 64.6. Players enjoyed beautiful fall weather on day two of the tournament and the scores were just as good. The format for the second day was better ball of two. The Heppell’s hung on to their lead and shot a second round 76, total 150 to win the gross division. The Conti’s finished second with a two day total of 162. The Bloedorn’s continued their great play and won the net division with a two day total of 127.6. Finishing just out of the lead was Russ Bosch and Chris Jussume with a 127.8. The total championship event included forty couples. Nice job by the Fox’s and the Hodge’s for chairing the season-long events.

CTCC wins 1st place in Mid-Carolina MGA

[Pictured, center, President Ed Zieglar presented the winner’s plaque to CTCC representative Fran Remington (right) and CTCC Assistant Representative Ron Carhart (left).] The Mid-Carolina Men’s Golf Association ended its season at Bayonet on October 20th. A very tight race concluded with Carolina Trace Country Club emerging as the winning team, breaking the stronghold that Pinewild had on first place for the past two seasons. Richard Bago, Anderson Creek, took Net honors with a 63. A four-way tie for the low Gross of 75 was held by Cliff Hickey, Pinewild; Rodney Koons, Foxfire; Dick Skobo, Beacon Ridge and Bob Watt, Pinewild. Congratulations to the CTCC MGA golfers for winning first place.

Couples Member Guest

The Twentieth Couples Member Guest Tournament was played on October 2-4 under warm sunny skies. Both members and guests expressed delight with the relaxed informal social gatherings around the pool and enjoyed the fun, but competitive golf. The participants gathered for food and drinks on Thursday night for the mixer-cocktail party; on Friday after play for a grilled lunch; and on Saturday after play for an awards social. Everyone stayed to talk and enjoy the sunshine long after the planned events. Special thanks to Chaircouple Ed and Judy Colwell.

(pictured from left to right, Judy Colwell, Ted and Ginny Breuer)

CT Street Fair

Sales are final, and many of the 2008 Street Fair vendors made more money than ever before. 2008 CT Street Fair was held in the parking lot of the Club with 30 booths and 6 boot sale vendors. Street Fair is an annual event open to all Trace residents to enjoy a fall festival with unique items on display for purchase. Perfect Carolina weather contributed to the large crowds and CTCC's outdoor grill cooked-up Trace hamburgers and hot dogs too. The CT volunteer fire department was on-site providing residents with educational material. 103.1 FM radio station provided easy listening music all day long adding to the carnival atmosphere. The most popular booths were the women's 9-hole book sale and "Just a Growin' Produce" with their tasty strawberry cider. Also, local artists had several pieces available to purchase, as well as, Longaberger, Mary Kay, Sterling Silver, hand made bird houses, hand crafted wooden items and floral arrangements, the WGA sold lost and found items from the Pro Shop, Shoppes of Steel Street and Sanford Antique Mall were some of the highlighted vendors. Another community-focused festival for all Trace residents sponsored by the CT Country Club added to the treasured sense of community.Special thanks John and Susan Thorn for organizing the Street Fair this year.

1st Annual Lake Fest

2008 Lake Fest was a fun and festive event for all Carolina Trace residents. Carolina Trace Country Club and the CTA-CTCC Joint-Lake Committee (JLC) sponsored the event. Tracers could enjoy pontoon rides, kayak rides, a performance by the Temple Teens from Temple Theatre, face painting, water balloon contests, take your best shot to hit the pirate ship, watch a remote control boat reach 60 miles per hour, fishing contests, darts, Trace Jeopardy, Head Pro Trick Shot demonstrations, putting contests, hit balls at the driving range, swim in the Club pool, purchase CT cookbooks, commemorative tile, CT history, aquatic plants for Lake Trace, a 50/50 drawing and many prizes were given away every 30 minutes. There were also information tables throughout the venue where residents could learn about the exciting projects of T.U.F.F. and the JLC, wellness efforts, meet the on-site brokers and landscaping team at Carolina Trace Gated Properties, receive a special membership offer from the Club, and enjoy a cook out on the Country Club outdoor grill--to name a few activities.

Special thanks goes to Lee and Max Mortensen Amcher, Libby Bibb, Tim Hart, local corporate sponsors, and more than 200 volunteers to make this event possible.