Raleigh CC: Golf the Way It Was Meant to Be

BY LARRY JONES

Donald Ross may not have saved his very best for last, but there’s no doubt the legendary golf course architect knew he had produced a gem with Raleigh Country Club, which opened in 1948.

And in part to pay homage to Ross’ work, the Southeast Raleigh facility has completed roughly 75 percent of the work on a multi-million dollar, four-phase restoration project (only renovation of the practice range remains) that began in 1994 and has made the par-72, 6,782-yard course unquestionably among the Triangle’s finest.

“We think we provide the ultimate golfing experience in this area,” said Greg Stenzel, the club’s general manager. “We make available a tournament-conditioned golf course every day — I would challenge anyone to find a course in better shape on a daily basis. If golf’s your thing, this is the place to be.”

There is a catch, of course, and that is that only a limited number of folks can make it their place. RCC is a private club, and while a membership drive is under way — with some terrific payment plans being offered, including monthly dues of just $395 — Stenzel said the plan is to cap the golf-only membership when it reaches about 430, hopefully around the spring. As of early November, it stood at about 380, up more than 10 percent when the golf course renovation began eight years ago. Other memberships, including full ones with golf privileges, will remain available.

“The average age of our membership has come down, as has the average handicap,” Stenzel said. “Twenty-five percent of our members carry handicaps of 10 or less, and the average age is about 41. The membership has been extremely receptive to all of the positive changes that we’ve made.”

Those include the construction of a sparkling new pool, complete with five lap lanes, a diving area and a kiddie pool, and several dining area options under the direction of recently hired executive chef Mike Flood. Dazzling renovations were done to the clubhouse and men’s and women’s locker rooms, which encompass 22,000 square feet and lead to an impressive, yet comfortable, deck that overlooks the putting green and offers spectacular views of the course.

Ah, the course. The magnificent layout — imminently walkable with greens within a short distance of the following tee area — was the last of 413 courses that Ross originally designed. Among his credits are Pinehurst No. 2, Oakland Hills, Seminole and Oak Hill. The characteristics that make those courses supreme are evident at RCC: a traditional layout with rolling fairways and challenging turtle-backed, undulating greens.

“Golf courses like this aren’t built anymore,” said head professional Jeff Altice, who came to the club in 1991. “The trend nowadays is to build a golf course around the development of homesites. Here you don’t have to deal with that. Here you get pure golf.”

That was the goal when the course began renovating the golf course in 1989, a task that took nearly six years. No expense was spared and no details left undone. Course superintendent Michael Shoun, whom Stenzel hired away from the renowned Governors Club in Chapel Hill, said that adding proper drainage as part of a new irrigation system to the course was the first step of many.

“At the beginning of 1994, the membership adopted a three-year landscape plan,” he said, noting that the renovations cost approximately $1.6 million. Greens were rebuilt and seeded with USGA-preferred Crenshaw Bentgrass, and the fairways were sprigged with 419 Bermuda hybrid.

“Everything was done with the idea of making Raleigh Country Club the best place to play golf in this area,” said Stenzel. “Sure, if you want a great hamburger, we’ll serve you a great hamburger. But a lot of clubs can do that. And while we have all of the social offerings that anyone might have, we don’t feel that anyone else can match what we offer in terms of the ultimate golf experience.

“We like to say that we’re a golf club with country club amenities,” Stenzel continued. “For instance, the PGA Tour came and checked us out when we were going to host the Buy.com Carolina Classic (which the club hosted from 1998-2000 before the Tour-owned TPC at Wakefield Plantation opened). We asked them what we needed to do to get the golf course ready and they said, ‘Not a thing. You’re already doing it.’

“That made us feel good. It validated everything that we thought in what we were offering our membership in terms of a championship golf course.”

The club was further validated by the visiting touring pros. Keith Clearwater, who had been a regular on the PGA Tour before putting in a couple of years on the minor-league circuit, said that RCC offered the “best greens we play on all year on both tours.” Added Curt Byrum, who like Clearwater had experience on both tours: “There may be courses on tour that are in just as good condition, but none that are better.”

Shoun said the course’s condition is never compromised. “It’s a priority of ours every day,” he said. “We mow our tees at 3/8’s of a inch, and we keep the fairways cut at 7/16’s of an inch. We keep the rough maintained at two to four inches, and our greens roll at 10 or better on the Stimp meter every day.”

The daily maintenance is one reason that the course is always playable. “Except for hurricanes or snow, I don’t remember when the course was closed for a day,” said Altice. “That’s something we’re extremely proud of.”

The course has a rich history. In addition to hosting the Carolina Classic, RCC was home to an annual LPGA tournament from 1966-74. Among the golfing legends who have teed it up at RCC are Arnold Palmer, Julius Boros, Tommy Bolt and Kathy Whitworth.

“We’ve had a rich past,” said Stenzel. “What we’ve created now is a rich present that will lead to an equally rich future.”