This Sunday, 11-year-old Simon Myers becomes the second McConnell Golf member to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., the annual site of the Masters Tournament.

On Sunday, April 7, 11-year-old Simon Myers becomes the second McConnell Golf member to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., annual site of the Masters Tournament.

The 10^th annual Drive, Chip and Putt finals will be broadcast live, prior to next week’s start of the 88th Masters. Conducted in partnership with the USGA, the Masters and the PGA of America, Drive, Chip and Putt is a free, nationwide youth golf development program open to boys and girls, ages 7-15, in four age divisions. The three-pronged competition tests the skills essential to playing the game – accuracy in driving, chipping and putting.

Local qualifying began last May and was held at hundreds of sites across the country this past summer. The top three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys and girls divisions, advanced to subregional qualifiers in July and August. The top two juniors in each age/gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including multiple U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

Simon, the son of Linda and Tim Myers, who are members at Treyburn Country Club in Durham, N.C., won North Carolina pre-qualifier events at Mill Creek Golf Course and Duke University Golf Course, before traveling to Nashville, Tenn., for the regional qualifier.

At The Golf Club of Tennessee outside Nashville, Simon ran away with the Boys 10-11 title, his 152 points giving him a 23-point victory over the next-closest competitor. Simon sported an Augusta National polo shirt during his regional win, a gift from his friend and fellow golfer, Simon Hall. At this year’s subregional qualifier, Hall placed third and gifted the shirt to four-time regional qualifier Myers as a good luck charm.

Simon is one of 80 junior golfers representing 31 U.S. states, one Canadian province and Australia to have earned an invitation to compete at Augusta National this year. One champion will be named from each age/gender division. Each national finalist will be scored based on a 30-point system, offering the player with the best drive 10 points, the player with the closest cumulative chips 10 points and the player with the nearest cumulative putts 10 points, in each separate skill. The highest total composite score will determine the winner.

“I’m excited about the competition,” said Simon, who is a fun follow on Instagram (@simonmyers2012_golf). “The whole experience has been incredible.”

In 2016, another McConnell Golf member, Alyssa Montgomery from Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn., was 15 years old when she won her Drive, Chip and Putt division at Augusta National. She went on to earn All-ACC Academic Team honors during her four-year career at Virginia Tech, before joining the team at the University of South Florida as a fifth-year senior.

Simon — whose father played golf at Mississippi State and later tried his hand in professional developmental tour events — is the middle of three boys, and has played golf since he could walk. He regularly competes in Tar Heel Tour events, along with PGA Junior League, the US Kids North Carolina State Championship, and has participated in the US Kids World Championships since he was 6 years old.

This was Simon’s fourth Drive, Chip and Putt qualifying attempt, having made it as far as Duke during his three previous efforts.

Simon was able to meet his favorite golfer, Max Homa, during the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow. Homa reached out to congratulate Simon on social media after he qualified for the finals at Augusta National, and Simon hopes to see his idol again this weekend, along with some of the other Masters competitors who will be on hand.

Augusta National provides each competitor with clothing to wear during the event, and Simon requested Masters green. He also received a custom Ping bag embroidered with his name.

“I’m really excited about seeing the course and meeting the pros,” said Simon, who added that he has reviewed TV footage from previous finals at Augusta National as part of his preparation. 

Tune in to Golf Channel or NBC Sports digital platforms from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. ET for live coverage of the National Finals. Check out the live leaderboard on DriveChipandPutt.com.

For more information about Drive, Chip and Putt, please visit www.DriveChipandPutt.com.

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Treyburn Country Club’s new Wellness Center inspires healthy lifestyles

Know the feeling of being stuck in a workout routine? Or worse, not really having one? The new Wellness Center at Treyburn Country Club is helping members shake things up with modernized offerings and a burst of inspiration.

With the former gym space offering only 832 square feet, lacking natural light, and suffering from bad air flow, it was time for an upgrade. Considering Treyburn’s location 11 miles north of city center, McConnell Golf wanted to provide a well-rounded, modern, and welcoming facility that’s close to home.

On June 1, Treyburn opened the 1,748-square-foot facility to the membership with all-new strength and cardio equipment. The ceremonial day was full of activities, free classes, raffles, and a sampling of healthy snacks.

Repurposing a former dining room, the new space enjoys natural light from two walls of windows, while an exterior door will allow key-fob access outside of clubhouse hours after phase two of the project is completed in 2020. Balance is a key factor in designing a gym, and this one strategically offers equipment for the entry-level exerciser to the seasoned athlete.

This being McConnell Golf’s sixth expanded or new fitness center project in seven years, Treyburn benefits from the expertise that comes with designing offerings to fit each club’s unique needs. Members need both machines they are already comfortable using as well as new options to mix things up. For the project, McConnell Golf partnered with Dave Marsic, owner of Prosource Fitness Equipment.

“The new fitness center has its roots in the tried and true machines that build the base of any competent fitness facility,” Marsic said. “We wanted to include equipment that is popular for members with varying degrees of exercise experience.”

Joining the ranks at Treyburn, a full-time wellness and activities director as well as contract personal trainers will be available to help members get the most from their new gym. Additionally, a variety of group fitness classes will be offered during peak hours and will include everything from Pilates and yoga to strength and conditioning classes.

McConnell Golf Chief Operating Officer Christian Anastasiadis summarized the effort nicely: “The quality of life that active lifestyles ensure is long-lasting and centers on wellness as a whole. In its mission to build ‘clubs of the future’ McConnell Golf is committed to providing members access to modern fitness and wellness offerings through golf, tennis, nutrition, and fitness.

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Catching up with collegiate standouts: Jessica and Sarah Spicer at Virginia Tech.

In January, Virginia Tech junior Jessica Spicer fired a 2-under 70 at Pinewild Country Club’s Magnolia Course in Pinehurst to win the 10th Carolinas Young Amateur championship. Spicer’s identical twin sister and Hokie teammate, Sarah, tied for sixth in the championship with a 75.

As she typically does, Jessica consulted with her sister the previous night.

“I just tried to do what I always do, which is focus on my own game, shoot the best score I could shoot, and see how it ends up,” says Jessica, who won the 2017 contest as well. “We’re so fortunate to have so many good players from the Carolinas.”

The sisters are the daughters of Michael and Maria Spicer, who have been Treyburn Country Club members since 2006. Jessica and Sarah first excelled at synchronized skating, which they started at age five. They took up golf two years later, and by their mid-teens realized that golf was their sport for the future. They played on Durham’s Northern High School boys’ golf team and earned all-conference honors.

In her sophomore campaign for the Hokies, Jessica finished fifth on the team in scoring average. Her best tournament of the season came in the fall, when she finished 16th at the Lady Paladin Invitational.

Sarah is a redshirt sophomore at Virgina Tech. She did not appear in fall 2017, but competed in two events in the spring, making her collegiate debut at the Hurricane Invitational in March. Sarah finished tied for 36th place with, among others, Jessica.

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Treyburn Country Club’s Rachael Rice, 18 years old, has been playing tennis since she was only eight, and it all started at Treyburn’s tennis camps. At age 10, Rachael began taking one-on-one lessons from VP of Tennis Operations Kyle Thorsten, who has helped develop her skills as a competitive player.

“You hear coaches talk about a dream player to coach, and that’s Rachael,” says Thorsten. “She gives 100 percent effort every time she walks on the court. She takes instruction seriously and applies it until it is perfected. I am so proud of her and cannot wait to see her play at the next level.”

Rachael’s hard work led her to star on her middle and high school tennis teams. She won the North Carolina Regional 2A High School Tournament twice, made it to the semi-finals in the State Tournament, and she’s currently ranked 25th among USTA junior girls in North Carolina.

And her tennis success doesn’t end there. This fall, she’ll be playing tennis at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She plans on majoring in pre-health and biology, with a minor in foreign languages.

“I enjoy the competitiveness and physicality of the sport … and there is nothing like the smell of a freshly opened can of tennis balls!” says Rachael.

We look forward to hearing more great things about Rachael on and off the court.

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There’s never been a better time to have dinner at the club. Executive Chef Pedro Villasana dishes on everything from locally sourced ingredients to the best entrée and wine pairings.

With 20 years at Durham’s Treyburn Country Club under his belt, Pedro Villasana has crafted countless dinner menus.

“We change the menu monthly to give priority to local items,” he says. “I talk to the purveyors to see what’s available in the coming weeks. This allows us to be creative, plus keeps things interesting for regular diners.”

Villasana’s Mediterranean-inspired menus rely on straight from-the-coast seafood, which he orders from a local company.

“I make the order the night before, and it arrives the next morning,” he says. “We do a lot of North Carolina shrimp, plus black bass, grouper, trout … all of our seafood pairs well with Juslyn Vineyards’ sauvignon blanc.”

Villasana’s affinity for the fresh, light flavors of Mediterranean cuisine can be found in dishes like flatbread with pesto, grilled peppers, Kalamata olives, and roasted artichokes, or seared trout with toasted almonds and grilled vegetable couscous.

But ultimately, it’s Chef’s love of good food that dictates what Treyburn diners can look forward to at their next meal.

“I love food!” he exclaims. “What I like is what I put on the menu. When a member of a country club tells me ‘I come here for the food!’ … that’s the best thing they can tell me.” 

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Improve your Health with Outdoor Cycling

As Spring blooms, fitness and good health become a priority for many. One of the increasingly popular trends in fitness is cycling, and McConnell Golf offers a variety of options for spinning your wheels, whether it’s out on the open roads or in a spin class at your club.

On the Road Again

The “spinning wheels” of life take us all on different journeys. If traditional cycling on the open road is your passion, long-time Treyburn Country Club member Russ Barringer can share his life-changing experience as an avid road cyclist. Barringer has been involved in cycling since the early 1990s. Soon after he begin biking, he and his wife grew their family, which now includes two college-age sons and two daughters in high school.

As many new parents know all too well, a fitness routine can easily fall by the wayside when raising children. Barringer encountered this “new parent” crisis as well. While on a family trip in 2002, he found a scale in his room and decided to take a peek. The numbers were not as expected. So he jumped on his bike and began to pedal.

“With each mile, my health improved and I was losing enough weight to revisit my serious cycling days,” he recalls. “From there, I began taking long distance trips on my bike.”

His dedicated family followed him on these trips, allowing for memories they’ll never forget. His first long distance ride was from Durham to Myrtle Beach. He completed the 185-mile trip in under ten hours, and he helped to raise more than $50,000 for Duke Children’s Hospital.

Barringer has now completed five long-distance rides taking him to 32 states. When he’s not on the open road, he takes a page from Sedgefield’s spin book, riding on his new Peloton indoor bike, a Christmas gift from his wife. Since 2008, he has completed more than 85,000 miles, a feat one can most certainly be proud of at the age of 60.

“If you ever dream of doing something, do it,” says Barringer. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.” 

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