Q&A with CGA President Rick Riddle + NC Golf Top 25

Welcome to the Two Down Press golf newsletter!

Golf weather is temporarily back (if you consider 50 and sunny golf weather) after last weekend’s fake snowstorm. Someone smarter than me needs to explain how the snow hit Dallas, Atlanta, and Birmingham but missed Charlotte.

We’re back this week with the second installment in our Q&A series, plus a quick follow-up on recent ranking news. Today’s conversation is with Rick Riddle.

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TWO DOWN PRESS Q&A

Meet CGA President Rick Riddle

Rick Riddle currently serves as the 59th President of the Carolinas Golf Association. Rick grew up in Durham but has called Charlotte home for 25+ years, where he’s had a successful career in the insurance industry. Spurred by a desire to give back to the game, he began volunteering with the CGA in 2002 and became the organization’s President in 2024.

I spoke with Rick last week to learn more about his start in the world of golf administration, the accomplishments he’s most proud of during his tenure, and his goals as President. This conversation has been edited for brevity and readability.

2DP: How was golf introduced into your life?

RR: I started playing when I was seven. My dad was a good athlete and learned how to play golf as a caddie. He had a homemade, really flat swing, but was a good enough athlete that he became a pretty good player – I think in his prime his handicap got down to two or three. He just loved to play.

I guess I inherited the love of the game from him. Our family moved to Durham when I was seven years old, and we lived right across the street from the fourth tee at [Willowhaven, now Umstead Pines]. It was about forty yards from the edge of the driveway to the fourth tee. There were a ton of kids in the neighborhood that played golf and became good players, so it was a pretty idyllic place to grow up.

2DP: How did you first get involved with golf administration?

RR: I had a little bit more time on my hands after I finished business school in 2001 - I realized golf had given me a lot, so I was looking for a way to give back. I started being a rules official for the CGA in 2002, which was totally voluntary. I knew a few folks involved with the CGA from playing [in their events] and got to know a few people on the Executive Committee. One thing led to another and Arnold Edwards, who was getting ready to become the President, called me and invited me to join the Executive Committee in 2007.

I became President in February 2024 and was the Vice President for two years prior. My predecessor, Mike Smith, is from Greenville, South Carolina. The officer roles are always rotating between North and South Carolina.

2DP: What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time with the CGA?

RR: We aren’t close to the finish line, but I’m proud of the work we’ve done so far to make golf more accessible, especially for young people, females, minorities, and [veterans]. The biggest beneficiary of our foundation is an organization called Youth on Course, which has been a great outreach tool for us. I’m also involved with the First Tee here in Charlotte - these organizations are bringing young people into golf that otherwise wouldn’t play absent these initiatives.

Another thing I’m proud of - when the U.S. Open comes to Pinehurst, the CGA does a ton of work on behalf of the USGA for those events. We have five or six staff members that scored high enough on the USGA rules test to be rules officials for the U.S. Open, which is no small achievement. We have volunteers serving as marshals, on the caddie committee, and [many other roles]. We provide a tremendous amount of support when the U.S. Open comes to Pinehurst.

2DP: I’m sure folks in Pinehurst are still buzzing about that event. What are some of your goals for your remaining tenure as President?

RR: One of the USGA’s big initiatives [that we share as an Allied Golf Association] is trying to double the amount of people in North and South Carolina that have a USGA handicap in the next five years. So, how do we do a better job appealing to those folks that don’t realize the benefits of having a USGA handicap? There are tons of benefits beyond being able to make a fair game with your buddies - the GHIN app has GPS for thousands of golf courses, greens maps, and lots of other features.

We are also going to undertake a strategic planning project over the next year to help support our new Executive Director, Andy Priest, in his new role. We’re looking at opportunities to do more with our foundation, use social media more effectively, improve our website, and continue to grow.

2DP: You’ve spent most of your adult life in Charlotte - what do you love about living here?

RR: It’s a pretty darn good place to raise a family, which was important to us. I like the weather, and there are a lot of really good golfers and golf courses. You get the big city amenities, but it doesn’t feel like a big city. We have an NFL team, an NBA team, and this year we’re going to have the PGA Championship. We really love Charlotte.

RAPID FIRE WITH RICK RIDDLE

Best Hole in Charlotte: Quail Hollow #18

Favorite Course in North Carolina: Pinehurst No. 2 (Grandfather runner-up)

Favorite Money Game: Bay Hill (Four-player teams, A, B, and C ball) - shoutout to the Kepley game at CGC

3 Words or Less to Describe Your Game: In Decline

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

RANKINGS REVISITED

In November, we reacted to the latest U.S. Top 100 rankings from Golf.com. The site quietly published additional data from its ranking process just before Christmas, including an updated list of the top 25 courses in North Carolina.

Going public: 7 of the top 10 are accessible to the public. I’m not sure how many states can say that, but I doubt it’s many and I’m glad it’s true!

Tot Hill Farm and Woodlake, whoa!: Two courses that didn’t make the last iteration of this list ranked 13th and 16th, respectively. Amazing what a renovation can do for you! While Tot Hill’s journey from $30 greens fee to social media darling has been eye-catching, Woodlake’s rise is arguably more shocking. Add another name to the must-see list in the greater Pinehurst area (which is home to 10 of the top 20).

3 from CLT: Quail Hollow, Charlotte Country Club, and Carolina Golf Club all make the top 25. Let the debate begin!

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