West End, NC—Katherine Perry of Cary and Logan Harrell of Huntersville have been named the 2009 N.C. Junior Players of the Year by the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA). The N.C. Junior Player of the Year award recognizes one girl and one boy who have had the most successful year in amateur and junior golf events at the local, state, regional and national levels.

Perry, a 17 year old high school senior at Athens Drive High School, had one of the most successful summers for a junior golfer winning the NC Women’s Amateur Championship and competing in the US Women’s Open. In the past year, Perry has won the NC High School Athletic Association’s 4A Girls’ Championship while leading her team to a second straight state championship, the CGA’s Vicki DiSantis Girls’ Championship, the Precision Golf Girls’ Championship, the Peggy Kirk Bell Tour Invitational along with four Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Tour events.  Perry also competed in the US Junior Girls’ Amateur where she finished 31^st in the stroke play qualifier and reached the match play portion of the national championship.  Of the 19 events used for the NC Junior Rankings, Perry finished in the top ten 16 times with eight first place finishes.  Perry represented the Carolinas in the Mid-Atlantic Girls’ Challenge Junior Team Matches at Mid Pines Inn and GC.   In September, Perry was awarded the WRAL Extra Effort Award for her efforts on the golf course and in the classroom.  Katherine has signed to play collegiate golf for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Harrell, an 18 year old high school senior at Hopewell High School, placed in the top 10 ten times out of the 13 events he competed in that are used for the NC junior rankings.  In the US Junior Amateur Championship, Harrell was the sectional qualifying medalist and reached the semifinals of match play in the national championship.  Along with playing in the US Junior, Harrell also qualified for and competed in the US Men’s Amateur.  In the Carolinas Men’s Amateur Championship, Harrell reached match play and advanced to the round of 16.  Harrell also finished tied for second in the AJGA Cliff’s Championship, finished fourth in the Carolinas-Georgia Junior Championship, seventh in the Donald Ross Junior Championship and tied for ninth in the AJGA Foot Joy Invitational.  Harrell represented the Carolinas in the Carolinas-Virginias Men’s Team Matches.  Logan has signed to play collegiate golf for the University of South Carolina.

The Player of the Year awards were determined by a combination of each player’s tournament scoring differential and the total points earned in the TYGA NC rankings events from December 1, 2008 through November 30, 2009. These outstanding juniors, along with the 2009 All-State Girls’ and Boys’ teams, will be honored at the N.C. Junior Golf Night Awards Banquet on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at Little River Golf and Resort in Carthage, NC.

Our winter edition is full of great golf discounts and specials from the Sandhills aka: Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen. Check out some of these great specials.

The Pit: 2 days of unlimited golf and a night lodging, $119…see details

Pinehurst Resort: Play Pinehurst No. 2, accomodations and breakfast, $222…see details

Sandhills Golf Association: Specials at 13 different courses starting at $29…see details

The Inn at Hyland Hills: Winter Special two rounds of golf and one night lodging at $102…see details

Legacy Golf Links: Winter Special two rounds of golf at Legacy and one night lodging at $99…see details

Tobacco Road Golf and Travel: Winter Special two rounds of golf and two night lodging at $169…see details

Pine Needles and Mid Pines: Golf Lovers Package unlimited golf and accomodations at $135…see details

By Leo Derrick 

        To play for pay … or teach and stay?  That’s the decision two Southern Pines golfers faced at critical junctures in their careers and both are convinced their choices were professionally and realistically sound.

          LPGA stalwart Donna Andrews made her move in 2006 when she was appointed head golf instructor at Pine Needles Resort and Lodge in Southern Pines, turning her back on lucrative playing and television analyst careers. 

          And Pat McGowan, the PGA’s Rookie of the Year fresh out of college in 1978, made a similar decision in 1993 after 15 years on the play-for-pay circuit when he took the position of director of instruction at Pine Needles….read more

Six-Time LPGA Tour Winner and Two-Time Solheim Cup Team Member, Donna Andrews, to Speak at Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour Function

            The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour will play its season opener at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club this weekend with a full field of 60 players.   Donna Andrews, successful LPGA player and well-known golf instructor, will be a featured speaker at a round table forum to be held on Saturday night from 7-8:30pm following the first round of play.

Andrews was an outstanding junior and amateur golfer, capturing numerous championship titles, and played collegiate golf at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.  She is a six-time winner on the LPGA, two-time member of the U.S. Solheim Cup Team, and Captained the 2007 U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team in Sweden.  Andrews now resides in Pinehurst, NC where she has been the head golf instructor for Pine Needles since 2006.

Andrews will lead the forum by speaking about her experiences through the different stages of her career to inform the audience about what great opportunities can arise through the game of golf.  Other forum speakers at the event include:

·         Robert Linville, Two time National Collegiate Coach of the Year and Director of Instruction at Precision Golf School

·         Chris Haarlow, US Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teacher in America and Director Instructor for Precision Golf School

·         Ellen Lapierre, LPGA Professional, former Head Coach of Women’s Golf at UNCG & Recruitgolf.net Coordinator

·         Ted Bonham, Certified Titleist Performance Institute Instructor with Precision Golf School

·         Jonathan Dudley, former All-American collegiate golfer at Greensboro College and PKB Tour Director

·         Jessica Hauser, former Academic All-American at East Carolina University and Lead Instructor with the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf of Winston-Salem

The event promises to be very informative through participant driven discussion and the presence of a very successful and experienced panel.  Cost of the event is $5 per person, which includes pizza and beverages.  For more information, please visit http://www.tygf.org or call (336) 510-4653.

Paul Simson of Raleigh, NC caps his 2008 season with his third Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year award and third consecutive Carolinas Senior Men’s Player of the Year honor. Simson, an insurance executive, previously garnered the 1998 and 2005 Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year awards. The 57-year-old had an outstanding year on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean that watched him claim four victories and compete in the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur. His two-stroke victory at the British Seniors Open Amateur Championship in Kent, England highlighted Simson’s year. This was his second British Seniors Open Amateur title in three years. A 17-time CGA champion, Simson won the weather-shortened Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship, National Senior Hall of Fame Championship and Eagle Point Amateur Invitational. He finished T2 at the North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship, 7th at the Coleman Invitational, T13 at Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship and round of 32 match play finishes at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, Carolinas Amateur Championship and North-South Amateur Championship.

Patty Moore of Charlotte, NC sweeps the women’s awards for the second consecutive year. The 58-year old wins her third Carolinas Women’s Player of the Year title and fifth consecutive Carolinas Senior Women’s Player of the Year honor. Her 2008 season included three victories and participation in two USGA national championships. Her three victories were at the Carolinas Women’s Senior Championship, Carolinas Women’s Match Play Championship and North Carolina Women’s Senior Championship. Moore advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Other top finishes included a second place showing at the Women’s Carolinas Amateur Championship and a seventh place finish at the North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship.

Haley Stephens, an 18-year-old high school senior from Greer, SC, captures her second-straight Carolinas Junior Girls Player of the Year award. Stephens’ 2008 tournament highlights include victories at the Carolinas Junior Girls’ Championship, South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship and Joe Cheves Junior Invitational. She finished second at the Vicki DiSantis Junior Girls’ Championship, third at the Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship and a T3 at The Blade Junior. Stephens will attend the University of Texas this fall on a golf scholarship.

Mark Joye, an 18-year-old high school senior from Columbia, SC, is the 2008 Carolinas Junior Boys Player of the Year. Joye’s 2008 tournament season includes a victory at the Carolinas PGA Junior Championship, second at the Carolinas Junior Championship, third at the CPGA Charles Tilghman, T6 at the SCGA South Carolina Junior Championship, T10 at the Bobby Chapman Invitational and qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.  He has signed a letter of intent with Wofford College to play collegiate golf this fall.

The 2009 Ultimate Triad Golf Discount Card is now available online for sale at www.triadgolf.com/card . The card has $100’s of discounts for area golf courses for the low price of $20. The proceeds will be used to support junior golf programs in the area as well as area high school golf programs. The offers are present online and you can check them out at the about link. This would make a great Christmas present for the golfer in your family or for a friend. …

The Wyndham Championship earned the award for “Most Improved Event” for its seamless transition to Sedgefield Country Club. Despite the challenges of moving to a new course, the Wyndham Championship put on a first-class presentation for players, spectators and sponsors. Players heaped praise on the Donald Ross-designed Sedgefield Country Club and spectators were treated to convenient parking, improved on-site experiences and enhanced fan viewing areas. The title sponsor exposure and product display at the Wyndham Championship was also cited as a top reason for the “Most Improved Event” award. …

Jessica Neese of Southeastern Guilford High School has signed a letter of intent to play golf for High Point University for the year 2009. …

Josh Nichols of Salem Baptist has signed a letter of intent to play golf for Appalachian State University for the year 2009. …