SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – The 2007 rankings are out and National Golf Club is once again among the elite golf courses in North Carolina.
For the fourth straight year National is ranked No. 14 among the state’s Top 100 golf courses. The rankings, compiled annually by the N.C. Golf Panel, appear in the April issue of Business North Carolina magazine.
The survey covers all the estimated 550 or so golf courses in North Carolina, putting National in the top 3%. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course received 2,982 points in voting by the panel’s 135 members.
"When you consider all the new golf courses being built and the millions of dollars spent renovating courses across the state, to maintain such a high ranking is an accomplishment," said Tom Parsons, director of golf. "We consider it a great honor to be ranked No. 14."
The club’s par-3 ninth hole was also recognized. It was voted the second-best par-3 in the Sandhills by the panel.
National Golf Club is a Nicklaus signature course that opened in 1988. It measures 7,122 yards from the back tees and is known as a strong test of golf. The USGA has twice selected National to host U.S. Open qualifying, and the PGA Tour has held the first stage of Q-School at National twice in the last few years.
The course enters 2007 in great shape under superintendent Dave Bowbliss, who’s been touching up the layout and making minor improvements since coming to National in 2005.
"Dave is very proud of the golf course and he stays ahead of the game of seeing what needs to be done," Parsons said. "It’s fun to consistently get compliments about the course."
A complete list of Top 100 courses in North Carolina, along with an explanation of the ranking system, is available online at www.ncgolfpanel.com.
Contact:
Craig Distl
(704) 377-8622
