Q&A with 3-time City Am Champ John Eades

Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

Introducing our Q&A series, where we’ll explore Charlotte’s golf community through conversations with some of our most prominent and interesting local golfers. Today’s conversation is with John Eades.

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TWO DOWN PRESS Q&A

Meet CEO and 3-Time City Am Champion John Eades

John Eades is one of North Carolina’s most accomplished Mid-Amateur players. He is a 9-time USGA Championship participant and has captured titles including the 2017 Carolinas Mid-Amateur, the 2019 North Carolina Amateur, and three Charlotte City Amateur championships. He is also the CEO of LearnLoft, a leadership development training company. A Charlotte native who played college golf at University of Maryland, John now resides in his hometown and seeks to strike the delicate balance of family, career, and competitive amateur golf ambition.

I recently sat down with John to learn more about his golf career, what keeps him motivated, and life in Charlotte as a competitive Mid-Am. This conversation has been edited for brevity and readability.

2DP: After playing college golf and pursuing professional golf for a couple years, you quickly transitioned to competitive amateur golf once you got your status back. Did you always want to remain competitive?

JE: I always knew I would play amateur golf because I loved the competition. Knowing there was high-level amateur golf made quitting professional golf easier - it's unlike football where you will never wear the pads again.

I had a good college career, but when I turned pro, I started thinking I needed to be perfect. We were all watching Tiger back then and thinking you had to be able to draw it, fade it, and hit it high. I developed a two-way miss, and you just can’t play golf like that.

Toward the end of of my professional career, I went and got a lesson with Bruce Sudderth at Gaston Country Club. He watched me hit a few balls - he wasn’t using a launch monitor or anything. He told me I needed to start hitting it with my body again. That lesson was what got me interested in playing competitively again. At that point I stopped chasing perfection and started chasing progress.

2DP: How would you describe your golf game today?

JE: Consistent. Not flashy, just consistent. I love the quote “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” My mental game is by far my biggest strength. I don’t go out there to not win.

2DP: You’ve achieved a lot in your career. When you look at your calendar at the start of the year, what tournaments are you most excited for?

JE: The City Am has been great. Braxton [McClennan] has been amazing in organizing it each year. It was such a good idea to create an opportunity for the best players in Charlotte to play against each other. I love competing against Brett [Boner], [Stephen] Woodard, Chad [Wilfong], and all those guys.

USGA qualifying for the Mid-Am and Four Ball as well. You get a chance to qualify to play at world class venues - that’s tough to beat.

2DP: You manage to run a company and play golf at a high level. What is one thing you’ve learned from golf you can apply to your career?

JE: You’re not going to accomplish anything important in life without doing hard things. Hard things are, by definition, hard - most people can’t do it or won’t do it. When things get hard [at work], I can look at my golf accomplishments and know I can do it.

2DP: You’ve lived in Charlotte your whole life barring your time away for college. What do you love about living here?

JE: I love how clean it is! It’s a nice city. You’re in the South but still have that big city feel. I also like the people that live here and the people that are moving here - they are family-oriented, faith-focused, and have strong value systems.

RAPID FIRE WITH JOHN EADES

Best Hole in Charlotte: Quail Hollow #7

Worst Hole in Charlotte: Carmel North #2

Most Underrated Course in Charlotte: Cedarwood (from the Black tees)

Favorite On-course/Post-round Drink: Tito’s Soda Splash of Lemonade (always in a styrofoam)

Favorite Money Game: Scotch (6-point team game)

Suggestions for future Rapid Fire questions or Q&A guests? Email us!

STORIES TO TRACK

Economic Impact of Pinehurst U.S. Open: According to a USGA report, the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst #2 delivered $242.5 million in economic impact to North Carolina.

• Why we care: Don’t look now, but Charlotte is hosting a major in 2025! With the PGA Championship returning to Quail Hollow in May, the state will again reap the benefits of hosting one of golf’s biggest tournaments. My thesis is bigger market = bigger impact but certainly a datapoint to track.

Five Iron Golf Targeting Charlotte Expansion: The New York City-based indoor golf entertainment chain is pursuing growth in the Charlotte market per The Charlotte Observer (subscription required).

• My two cents: The golf simulator industry is booming and making headlines. The New York Times recently lamented the number of indoor golf venues in NYC, while club management software provider Whoosh announced a partnership with Foresight Sports to deliver a software/hardware package for this market. I don’t know exactly where we are on the growth curve, but big players like Five Iron seem to think there is still room to run.

• What’s next for CLT?: Charlotte has already seen a flurry of openings with places like Tempo Golf Club, Under Par Golf Lab, Intown Golf Club, and X-Golf recently setting up shop. Most of these businesses are opening in Charlotte suburbs, so I’m curious to see who will be the first mover on a location closer to the city center. Turns out the now closed Topgolf Swing Suite in Uptown may have been ahead of its time…

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