How Troon is Improving Charlotte Municipal Golf

Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

My lawnmower got its first action of 2025 earlier this week, which means turf across the region is popping and courses are leaving behind the familiar beige hue of dormant bermuda. I was shocked to see green fairways at my home course during a recent visit.

Our lead story this week is one I wasn’t sure I was going to write - I sincerely thought we’d wrapped up our Improving Municipal Golf series back in January, but the opportunity to speak with an insider pulled us back in for Part 4!

We also have a spotlight on the CGA One-Day schedule for those looking to dabble in competitive golf, plus a quick round of tournament updates to close out this week’s 2DP.

IMPROVING MUNICIPAL GOLF

Part 4: How Josh Anderson and Troon Golf are Working to Improve the Charlotte Muni Experience

Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this series appeared in previous newsletters.

I admit to feeling a bit sheepish after sharing my takes on the Charlotte muni scene over the last couple months. While I tried to be fair and well-researched in my critiques (not all criticisms) of Charlotte municipal golf, it’s fair to argue that I haven’t worked hard enough to get the other side of the story… until now!

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Josh Anderson, the Regional General Manager at Troon Golf charged with overseeing all aspects of the Mecklenburg County golf courses. Anderson is an experienced leader in the club and course management space, having spent 10+ years of his career as a Golf Professional and private club GM.

Anderson certainly sees the opportunity to improve the playing conditions, customer service, and the overall golf experience at our city courses - in fact, it was one of the biggest reasons he took on the role in January 2024. “We have four fantastic properties that have the potential to be really special, and I want to see that all the way through,” said Anderson. “There is a lot of work to be done, but I think the final product is going to be something we’re all really proud of.”

Anderson and his team at Troon are actively working with stakeholders from the county on both short and long-term improvement plans across all four courses. “As the experts hired to manage [the county’s] asset, we make recommendations on where we see the best return on investment,” said Anderson. Once Troon gets approval, they’re able to leverage their resources as the world’s largest golf management company to help make these plans come to life.

Improvements to date have included a significant bunker project, which began last fall and recently concluded. Every bunker at Sifford, Harry Jones, Charles T. Myers, and Sunset Hills was renovated or repaired, with the vast majority getting all new sand. The project was executed by well-known golf course construction contractor Landscapes Unlimited and the internal Troon team led by Regional Superintendent Pat Franklin.

Troon has also made significant progress upgrading critical course infrastructure like cart paths and irrigation systems. “We’ve earmarked about 1.5 miles of cart path repaving at Harry L. Jones and are about 50% complete with that project,” said Anderson. “On top of that, there have been tons of irrigation upgrades that will help us manage water better. People aren’t going to get super excited about irrigation, but if you can’t water grass, you’re not going to be able to grow it.”

As we wrapped up, Anderson was able to shed some light on how these projects get funded. “We lease these properties from the county, and our lease payments go into a capital fund that gets circulated back into the facilities for major capital improvements.” This confirmed my suspicion that money allocated to these projects was already designated for the purpose of golf course improvements, not siphoned off from other parts of the county budget.

My two cents: After speaking with Josh, I’m optimistic about the future of municipal golf in Charlotte. While the overhaul likely isn’t going to be as dramatic and immediate as I described in my no-budget plan for Charlotte golf, Troon’s long-term approach and pursuit of incremental improvement is likely more prudent. It’s long overdue that the Mecklenburg County courses have a competent, well-resourced operator keen on helping them achieve their full potential.

Want to hear more from Josh?: Check out this interview he did last fall with Ryan Cummings of Palmetto & Pine.

TOURNAMENTS

CGA One-Day Tournaments: What to Know and Where to Play

If reading 2DP’s coverage of local and regional amateur events has you looking to get your tournament golf feet wet, a CGA One-Day Tournament would be a great place to start. These 18-hole individual or four-ball events (schedule is a mixed bag) offer CGA members a chance to experience tournament jitters (i.e. having to hole your 3-footers) in a casual, low-stakes setting.

As the weather turns and the season gets going, here are a few tips, tricks, and takes for those intrigued by the One-Day lineup.

The draw: Beyond being a great entrée into tournament play, the biggest appeal of these events is access. There are a number of highly regarded private clubs on the schedule, as well as prominent resort courses where the registration fee for the One-Day is cheaper than the standard rack rate for a tee time (i.e. financial accessibility).

Snag a spot: Registration for these events typically opens 30-45 days prior, but keep an eye out for tournaments marked “Lottery Registration.” Demand for the higher-profile courses like Southern Pines, Country Club of Asheville, and Tot Hill Farm typically outstrips the supply, so there is no guarantee you’ll get in even if you sign up immediately.

The carrot: While these events make great day trips or one-off outings, they do not exist in a vacuum. There are season-long standings tracked on the CGA website, with the top finishers earning a spot in end-of-season championship event at Caledonia and True Blue in Pawleys Island.

CLT-adjacent C’s: Peruse the schedule and make your own list, but three events jumped out to me - Camden Country Club, Cheraw State Park, and Colonial Country Club. All four-ball events at courses within 2 hours of Charlotte and all non-lottery, meaning you can simply sign up and play. I’ve heard good things about each of these places if anyone is looking for a partner…

STORIES TO TRACK

Registration Open for Carolinas Four-Ball: Sign-ups opened Monday for the 74th edition of the event hosted annually at Camden Country Club. This year’s tournament runs May 1st through 5th.

David Yowell Medals at Highland Creek Carolinas Mid-Am Qualifier: Carolina Golf Club’s Yowell shot a 2-under 70 to claim medalist honors at Monday’s qualifier for the upcoming championship at Waynesville Inn and Golf Club. Pine Island’s Garrett Cox finished 2nd at -1 to lock in his spot, while 15 players total qualified for the event with scores of 76 or better.

Charlotte Juniors Co-Medal at HV3 Invitational Qualifier: Local lads James Hoefling and Walker Shull joined two others at -1 at the River Bend YMCA Golf Course in Shelby. Harold Varner’s junior tournament takes place this weekend, with hosting duties split between Cramer Mountain Club and Gaston Country Club.

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