By HOWARD WARD

Tom Graber, the veteran golf professional who had seemed like an immovable object as he guided Foxfire Inn and Country Club through 19 years of turbulence before moving to The Carolina in January, is making a second move.

Graber, who assumed head professional and general manager duties at Arnold Palmer-designed The Carolina on Jan. 1, has accepted the head professional position at Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville. His final day at The Carolina was May 6.

Graber’s move from Foxfire, where he had been since Harvie Ward hired him in 1982, was considered controversial by some Foxfire members. But GolfMatrix, which had purchased Foxfire and assumed management of The Carolina and Woodlake Resort and Country Club, maintained that the move was simply part of a realignment of personnel.

"I would like to stress that GolfMatrix has been very good to me," Graber said, "and they’re making some changes that are very good for the company. I just consider the move to Brook Valley a step forward in my golf career. The job description really fits what I’ve always wanted.

"Brook Valley is a private club with 450 members. It’s an Ellis Maples-designed course and will have a $3-million clubhouse opening soon. It’s a great setting in a nice town with a lot of activities. We’ll be getting tickets for all the East Carolina football and basketball games. I’m already thinking Purple and Gold."

Graber’s wife, Kim, worked for Pinehurst Area Realty and they have three children, ages 17, 13 and 11.

"There were some tears at first about leaving the area," Graber said, "but everyone is looking forward to it now.

"The Carolina is a beautiful place, we have a great staff here, the course is in great shape and we were having a great year through April. But I’ll be able to do some teaching at Brook Valley and they want the pro to play and interact with members. I missed the relationship with the members at Foxfire."

Wiggins Resigns: Phil Wiggins has resigned his position as vice president and regional manager for GolfMatrix, the management company that acquired Foxfire and Beacon Ridge from GolfSouth a year ago.

Wiggins, who has more than 11 years of experience in multi-course management, was overseer of all aspects of the six courses in the Sandhills that GolfMatrix had labeled its Carolina Collection courses.

Wiggins spearheaded the $5-million renovation of the two Foxfire courses and implemented the resort’s Fox Hunt theme. GolfMatrix assumed management of the two Woodlake courses and The Carolina last year.

Wiggins was also president of the Sandhills Golf Association, a non-profit marketing consortium of 16 courses and 20 hotels in the Pinehurst area. He is reportedly preparing to begin a career as a golf course consultant.

Pines Invitational: The Southern Pines Jaycees will hold their annual Pines Invitational Golf Tournament July 28-29 at the Country Club of Whispering Pines.

The entry fee is $130 for the two-man better-ball event and the field will be flighted following Saturday’s round. This includes golf and cart fees, lunch on Saturday, beverages on both days, a welcome bag, trophies and prizes. Gift certificates will be awarded to winning teams in all flights.

Proceeds will benefit the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, N.C. Jaycee Burn Center, and Boys Home of North Carolina.

The field is limited to 124 golfers and the deadline for entry is July 14. Preferred pairings will be honored for the first round. For information, call Bill Saelinger at (910) 949-2552, or Rick Noyes at (910) 295-7315.

Moore Women’s Am: Legacy Golf Links, which hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur Publinx Championship a year ago, is the site of the Moore County Women’s Amateur Championship June 12-13.

The event is open to all women are residents or members of clubs in Moore County who are at least 18 years of age.

A field of 104 players will be pre-flighted by handicap, with eight players per flight.

Patty Moore of Charlotte, a member of Pinehurst Country Club and a part-time resident of Pinehurst, was a runaway winner in last year’s event, held at Plantation Golf Club.

The entry fee is $70 and includes cart fees as well as lunch on Wednesday. Entry forms are available at area golf shops. For information, call Vi Schlup at 673-0554.

North and South: The 99th North and South Women’s Amateur Championship will be held at Pinehurst Resort June 25-29.

The 101st North and South Men’s Amateur will be played July 2-6. Both events are match play.

The 23rd North and South junior is being held July 17-19.