• 1967 February 28 E. N. Richards announced the building of NRCC at Carolina CC. By this time the golf course was already built, expected to be ready for play late summer or early fall. (Project $ 1.5 million)

Three miles from North Hills Shopping Center.

Oak Island at Southport

Croisdale in Durham

North Ridge is his 50^th course.

Club house designed by Leif Valland.

• 1967 March 1 Planned: One 6800 yard Championship golf course. 1000 Acres.

Near Falls of Neuse and Sandy Forks Road.

Par: 36, 36, 72

Middle markers: 6565 yds

Front markers: 5610 yds

Clubhouse, Teenage Lodge. Tennis and swimming facilities.

Founders membership $ 400 for the first 200 who join the club

Initial monthly dues $ 30 (when facility is ready for use)

Planned: Minimum of 600 members

• 1967 December 2 300 members are waiting for the course to open

Now: The cost is up to 1.7 Million. Including clubhouse cost of $800,000

(The course and supporting aspects: $900,000)

An exactness is strived for and is the reason the course is not open yet.

Christmas ('67) is hoped for, but it could be early Spring.

Course opening will be decided by Mashburn and Worthington.

• Hole by hole description in article (as of Dec. 1967).

• 1970 January 10 Grand opening Jan. 29 1970, but club has been open since Nov. 25, 1969.

Interior Designer: Alice Fenner Pratt of Pinehurst and NY.

Food service is important. Rene Bouteillie is Chef, recently from Greenville SC.

Women will have a sauna as the men do (this is 1970!).

Men have a 19^th hole lounge of their own.

Teen lounge on the ground floor.

560 members

Club President: Bert Jones

• 1970 January 30 Formal Grand Opening, including a pro-celebrity golf tournament.

Les and Phil complimented the acoustics of the L-shaped ballroom.

350 guests -- including former Gov. and Mrs. Dan K. Moore

It rained.

• 1972 May 24 A dinner guest filed suit in Wake Country Superior Court against NRCC alleging damages totaling $75,000, claiming he was painfully and permanently disfigured by burns he received when a flammable liquid was spilled onto his clothing by a bowl of flaming cherries jubilee.

• 1972 Sep 10 First mention of the Bluebird. 500 people, black tie affair. The music -- presented by Sound Unlimited, back for the 3^rd year, entertained members and guests from 15 states. Theme: Festive Casino Night.

• 1973 March Samuel Kelley Rawls, manager of NRCC, was arrested for not having liquor labeled with an owner's name and stored in an individual cabinet. The arresting detective testified in court "On the night of March 7, he and two other members of the vice squad visited the North Ridge CC. We found 13 bottles of liquor on the bar and 11 of the bottles had no name or other markings to identify the owners. After issuing Rawls a citation we checked the stockroom. We found 13 bottles of whiskey, 10 with no names or numbers on them. We then asked Rawls if the club did not have a room that was called the 19^th hole". The detective testified that he was led downstairs where there was another bar located. He said that he found 5 more bottles of whiskey there, and 4 of the 5 had no names on them to identify the owners. John Shaw, attorney for Rawls, moved to dismiss the charges, saying the law was not clear. Judge Edwin Preston denied the motion saying: "The law is very specific to me…".

• 1973 April North Ridge had to appear before the ABC board about the March matter. The "brown bag" permit was suspended for 30 days.

• 1973 July The state alcohol board of control poured the last round, for awhile, at NRCC. All the pouring was done over the sink drain. ABC agents arrived at the country club, took possession of the facilities' liquor permit, and disposed of any alcoholic beverages remaining on the premises. Club president Charles M. Johnson apprised members that the club will hold "A very gala evening to celebrate the end of this suspension" next month.

• 1973 October Minibikers and adventurous motorists vandalized NRCC greens, leaving 20' gashes on some of the greens. NRCC personnel and club officials pursued the vandals in their golf carts, but were not able to catch them. A few days later employees reported that a car damaged the 15th green by car, leaving twice as many tracks as the cyclists did. Damage was several thousand dollars.

• 1975 June Several break-ins were reported by the Raleigh police department. NRCC was one of these. The thieves did not steal fancy golf equipment; they stole a television set valued at $440.

• 1978 February The Beaux Arts Ball, a bi-annual black tie event, sponsored by the North Carolina Art Society in support of the North Carolina Museum of Art was held at NRCC. Entertainment was the 19 member-strong New Orleans-based Jubilation! Band. A $450 Boehm figurine donated by Mr. And Mrs. Henry J. Young of Jolly's Jewelers was donated as a door prize.

• 1979 December Gordon Skoog, new NRCC Executive Chef arrived from Pinehurst.

• 1980 April The Twin Michelob Pro Am at NRCC was a day for businessman and professional golfers such as Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, and Sandra Post. Pro Vicki Fergon won $280.

• 1980 April Amy Alcott was expected to defend her championship at the American Defender-WRAL LPGA $125,000 Classic at NRCC. Other players expected were Jan Stephenson, Laura Baugh, Pat Bradley, Kathy Martin, M. J. Smith, Sally Little, Beth Daniel, Kathy Whitworth, Hollis Stacy, Debbie Massey, Sandra Post, Dot Germain, and Donna Caponi.

• 1981 May NRCC offered $3,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of persons who damaged five greens by driving a lightweight vehicle over the greens.

• 1983 January NRCC offered $3,000 reward for damage to three fairways, one green (Oaks #10), for information leading to the arrest of persons who damaged the grounds and one outbuilding. Damage was severe to the green, with play expected to be affected for a year.

• 1983 June NRCC was hit again by vandalism. Motorcycles hit fairways, greens, sand traps on five holes. No suspects.

• 1983 December Ronnie Reitz is leaving North Ridge after nearly 13 years as head golf professional.

• 1984 March An early morning fire caused extensive damage to the linen room at NRCC. Linens and a washer and a dryer were damaged. Costs were not known.

• 1984 June NRCC once again was damaged by motor vehicles. About $4,000 damage to #8 on the Lakes.

• 1984 June Thirty two tennis professionals were to participate in the WRAL-Michelob Lite Pro Tennis Championship. They will be competing for $5,000 prize money, with $3,000 for singles participants, $1,000 for doubles, $1,000 for pro-am play.

• 1984 July John Toepel, head golf pro at NRCC, won low pro honors in a Carolinas Sectional pro-am at Macgregor Downs CC. More than 200 golfers participated. Second, was David Thore of Reidsville. Toepel had a 69, Thore had a 70.

• 1984 September The Old North State Golf Association for Senior Women tournament was played at NRCC. Mary Hubert of Greensboro and Louise Bick of Wilkesbero took low gross honors with a low gross of 72..

• 1985 June Men's pro tennis tournament: WRAL-Michelob Lite tournament was held June 20-23 in Raleigh. Favorites were Charlie Owens of Pinehurst, Ken Whitaker of Chapel Hill, Bob Koury of Raleigh, and North Ridge's Pro J.L. Stacks.

• 1985 June Wake Counties 14 golf courses were rated by a number of local and national golf professionals. Comments on the topic included Gene Hamm (designer of the outside 18 at North Ridge) who said "It is easy to make a course hard. You just make it long and the average golfer cannot handle it. The average score for a round is something like 106, so any hole over 375 yds. Is beyond the reach of most players. The key to designing a golf course is to make it versatile enough to be enjoyable for the weekend or twice-a-month player and yet capable of challenging the very good player".

• Oaks #9
• Oaks #4
• Oaks #11

• 1986 February Sammy Brewer, one of the Carolina's PGA Section's most popular professional and one of its best players is changing jobs. Brewer, 36 (born in 1950) became head professional at North Ridge CC. Brewer replaces John Toepel who went into private business. Brewer's move to North Ridge was somewhat of a homecoming: he was the assistant pro under Ronnie Reitz in 1972-5, before Sammy went to New Zealand to try the pro circuit for a year. In New Zealand he won money in a couple of tournaments and returned home to play in the Florida mini-tour, he considered qualifying for the PGA tour; however, at the same time he was offered the head-pro job at Roanoke CC in Williamston. Sammy considered both offers -- but his wife said "I have something to tell you, to help you make up your mind: I am pregnant!" So, Sammy became the head pro and said "I have never regretted the choice of career". Sammy had won the Wake County Amateur in 1967 and was on scholarship at Wake Forest before transferring to Campbell. He was named NAIA All-American three straight years in leading Campbell to 3^rd, 1^st, and 3^rd finishes in the NAIA. He has done well in Carolina events, winning low pro honors in at least one Carolina section pro-am each year (other than one) since 1972.

• 1986 July Lightening sparked a blaze that engulfed a golf cart shed at the North Ridge CC, causing more than $400,000 damage. The club lost all 100 of its electric powered carts when a bolt of lightening struck a 4000 sq. ft. shed where the carts were being re-charged. Club manager Frank J. Margarella said that the carts cost about $3,500 each and the cart shed was about $50,000; all costs expected to be recovered through insurance.

• 1986 September The 28th annual Raleigh Wake County Ladies Golf Association Championship was held at NRCC. Players included Sandra Stephenson, Myrtle Magnum, Rebecca Stephenson, and Marta Weaver.

• 1986 September At the team championship of the Mid-South Mid-Amateur 4-ball golf tournament, North Ridge CC placed second when Al Cole sank a 6-foot putt for birdie in sudden death to break a three-way tie with Biltmore Forest CC of Asheville and Caberrus CC of Concorde.

• 1989 August Michael Hetzer of the Raleigh N&O wrote an article in the Cityscape column, summarizing a Thursday morning visit at NRCC. It was ladies day and the first group on the tee was a foursome of Thursday "regulars": Linda McGee, Dinae Carlson, Marta Looke, and Mary Hartsema. Ms. McGee walked the first nine, saying "I like the exercise". On the first hole, the players ended up playing poorly and blamed the disappointing performance on the presence of a reporter. "This foursome had three pars and a bogey on this hole last week; the best score today was a bogey 5 from Ms. Hartsema. What else could it be?"

• 1989 June The sixth annual Wake County American Heart Association Golf Classic was held at NRCC. The team of John Jeffries, Bob McCann, Garland Haynes, and Troy Haynes posted the winning score of 122. Jeffries shot a 66 to win low gross honors.

• 1991 April Award winners for the Carolinas PGA Section, 1990, included Sammy Brewer of NRCC as Private Club Merchandiser Award.

• 1991 May Sammy Brewer and Jerry Gregory of NRCC took 3^rd place in the Pro-Pro invitational at Nags Head Golf Links. The prize money was $400 and they won with a 67, 66.

• 1991 May The Fourth Annual REX Classic LPGA pro-am golf tournament was held at NRCC. Hall of famer Kathy Whitworth (winner of 88 LPGA titles) was joined by a number of LPGA pros including Marlene Floyd and Michelle McGann. Gov. Jim Martin, Jim Hyler (First Citizen Bank) and Dick Daughterty (IBM) joined a number of amateurs in play at NRCC.

• 1991 July Rusty Cummings, Tennis Pro at NRCC won the Greater Wake County Amateur Golf Tournament at Prestonwood CC. He had an easy 6-and-4 victory over Pete Waters.

• 1991 October Rusty Cummings, Tennis Pro at NRCC continued his winning, by winning the national golf championship among tennis pros, at Hilton Head SC. He was 2 under at the tough Shipyard course in windy conditions. He won by 8 shots.

• 1991 November In the past year North Ridge CC has rebuilt and redesigned their greens to conform to USGA specifications. Why the more costly USGA method? "Put simply, because it works", said Butch Sheffield (then, 42 years old) greens superintendent at North Ridge for the past 5 years. "They are good and they last". (At this time, the original nine holes on the Lakes was completed). Cost was about $40,000 per green. "It was cheap compared with rebuilding a green that was not done properly. New greens don't happen overnight; two to three months are required, depending upon the weather. Sheffield previously was greens superintendent at Keith Hills CC in Buies Creek NC. An additional comment from Sheffield was: "Now, after all the work was done, the result is truer greens, more consistent putts -- and I wish the USGA could now just make all golfers fix ball marks".

• 1992 May For the 5th time, the Rex Classic golf tournament was held at North Ridge CC. Kathy Whitworth comes every year, even though the LPGA does not directly participate. Other pros coming will be Donna Andrews (Pinehurst), Marlene Floyd, and North Carolina residents Nina Foust, Cathy Johnson, Mindy Moore, Kate Peterson-Parker, Kathy Postlewait, Donna White, Maggie Will, Mary Beth Zimmerman. Marlene Hagge of the LPGA will also play.

• 1992 May Area tennis buffs will miss North Ridge CC pro Terrell West, who is leaving May 24 to teach physical education at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock.

• 1992 June Mark Byrd, a former East Carolina netter, was named the new head tennis pro at North Ridge CC.

• 1992 November State Senate members and lobbyists' expense reports, show that North Ridge CC is the 4th preferred place to stop for a steak. The rankings were:

1. Vinnie's Steak House and Tavern, North Raleigh
2. 42 Street Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill
3. Cardinal Club
4. North Ridge CC
5. Glenwood Grill

• 1992 December North Carolina Governor Jim Martin, a 16 handicapper, had a hole in one at the 185 yd. No. 3 (it was not reported as to which course…) as part of a round of 88. It was his first hole in one. Jim Martin, keeping to his fiscal conservative reputation, skipped the traditional penalty for a hole in one: buying a round at the bar in the 19th hole.

• 1992 December North Ridge member and radiologist Don Detweiler shot a record round of 62 on the Lakes at North Ridge CC. He played with Matt Armistead, Rob Armistead, and Tom Myers. Detweiler had 3 eagles, reaching 3 of the 4 par 5s in two. He had to scramble only a time or two during the round. "At one point", Detweiler said, "I started thinking about what it would be like to shoot a 59".

• 1993 June The annual one-day Rex Classic LPGA Pro Am has raised more than $1,000,000 for the Rex Classic in five years. This years' tourney will feature Val Skinner (recent winner of Lady Keystone Open, where she won $60,000). Other pros will be Rosie Jones, Lisa Walters, and Jane Crafter. North Carolina players will include Cathy Johnson-Forbes, Donna Andrews, Nina Foust, Lori West, Maggie Will, Mary Beth Zimmerman, Marlene Floyd. Kim Byham makes her professional debut. Kathy Whitworth, Marlene Hagge, and Shelly Hamlin are also expected.

• 1994 January North Ridge CC gets an exemption from the strict, new, sign ordinance passed by the city council.

• 1995 September Ex-North Ridge CC assistant pro Ronnie Casper is returning to competition on the Hooter's Tour, starting with the tourney at Myrtle Beach SC. Ronnie is leaving the Raleigh Golf Association (RGA) to start the tour. "The RGA board of directors wants me to play, my wife wants me to play, and I want to play", Casper said, "I am hitting the ball as well as I ever did. It is just a matter of getting playing time". Casper recently went on a 1800 calorie a day diet and lost 85 pounds.

• 1996 January The Raleigh News and Observer reported that North Ridge CC paid almost $270,000 in sales and property taxes last year. The also reported that the next assets grew from $3.7million to a little over $5million.

• 1996 September Fran arrived. The area golf courses were no match for Fran. The Oaks Course at North Ridge CC is closed indefinitely and the Lakes is expected to be open in a couple of weeks.

END of provided-by Raleigh News and Observer articles.

A reminder! - Send your updated information or other comments to: Dave Shogren.

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