Tuesday, November 25, 2014

McConnell Golf Adds Mountain Course with Acquisition of The Country Club of Asheville (NC)

With its acquisition of, first Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville and now The Country Club of Asheville, McConnell Golf has the Carolinas well covered

(RALEIGH, N.C.) — In October, Raleigh-based McConnell Golf added a ninth club to its membership value with the purchase of Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, N.C.

Now, McConnell Golf has announced it will be acquiring its long awaited “mountain course” by the end of the year, after the members of The Country Club of Asheville (CCA) recently voted to join the McConnell Golf organization.

Once CCA joins the organization, McConnell Golf will own ten 18-hole, private golf courses plus one nine-hole course around the Carolinas. McConnell Golf is the largest owner of private clubs in the Carolinas.

“We hope our members can enjoy all our clubs as they travel throughout the Carolinas for business or pleasure,” said John McConnell, founder and president of McConnell Golf. “These are quality venues that will only get better. With the zero cost that members enjoy playing these other courses in our network, this is the best value of any competitive offering.”

McConnell founded the company in 2003 with the acquisition of Raleigh Country Club. McConnell Golf’s stable of premier private clubs in North and South Carolina includes Sedgefield Country Club Ross Course and Dye Course in Greensboro, N.C., TPC at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, N.C., Old North State Club in New London, N.C., Treyburn Country Club in Durham, N.C., The Reserve Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C., and Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton S.C.

McConnell Golf also manages the prestigious Grande Dunes Members Course and Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach for LStar Development.

The Country Club of Asheville is the oldest private club in North Carolina, its origin dating back to 1894. The club features a Donald Ross-designed golf course, and is located seven minutes from The Omni Grove Park Inn. The golf course at the Grove Park was at one time owned by CCA, which moved to its current location in 1976 when it purchased its present course.

“Many of our members vacation and attend conferences each year at The Grove Park Inn,” said McConnell. “The Country Club of Asheville acquisition gives us three Donald Ross courses, which is the same number of layouts he designed at the Pinehurst Resort.

“We will be making substantial improvements to the clubhouse and golf course over the next two years to make this a special venue in a beautiful setting and wonderful city.”

Meanwhile on the eastern edge of North Carolina, Brook Valley CC in Greenville opened in 1966 with an Ellis Maples-designed golf course. Maples was Raleigh Country Club’s first head golf professional when the club opened in 1948 and later focused his career on golf course design after working and learning from the legendary Donald Ross.

McConnell said Brook Valley CC would remain closed until March 1, 2015, as McConnell Golf makes enhancements to the golf course and clubhouse.

“Again, our vision of purchasing clubs whose golf course was designed by a famous architect has been maintained with this addition,” said McConnell. “We are going to make major investments into Brook Valley CC to upgrade it to a McConnell Golf type facility.”

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