Fat Guy's Raleigh/Durham NC Golf Weekend

  Neuse GC #14

I have fairly limited firsthand knowledge of Raleigh/Durham golf (I spent one party weekend there in 2009), but I do have a good buddy from high school, Mark, who’s lived down there for the better part of the past 15 years. Here’s a few notes from some knowledge I gleaned from both, as well as a few web and magazine recommendations…

Orientation: In central NC, the twins cities of Raleigh and Durham are about 30 minutes apart from downtown to downtown, connected by US-40 & NC-147. Raleigh is about 35 miles west of I-95. I-540 is a beltway around Raleigh, and I-85 passes through Durham from the North or West. It’s also only about 90 minutes from Wilmington and Wilmington Beach. NC State’s main campus is in Raleigh, and R/D makes up two sides of The Golden Triangle, along with Duke in Durham and UNC in Chapel Hill.

Raleigh/Durham is a pretty transient city from what I understand, with a diverse cultural backdrop that combines local Southern culture with a growing Hispanic population and a pretty large influx of folks who’ve relocated from the NorthEast. Overall the place has a “new” feel to it, with sprawling suburbs and new office and shopping complexes everywhere, as the area has continued to grow despite the economic downturn. Even many of the older, split-level 1970’s residential developments have been well-kept, re-landscaped, and re-modeled. So you can find every chain store/ restaurant/ etc. imaginable here, along with some local flavor, like plenty of Carolina barbeque. Translation: Traffic moves fast and aggressive when it’s not parked at one of the 4 million suburban sprawl stoplights, while overall service and attitudes are much slower.

When To Go: Temps get ugly hot from about late June through early August, averaging in the upper 80’s and higher. May and September average right around 80. April and October may be the best golfing weather, with average highs around 70 degress. March and November hover around 61, and Dec-Feb is barely playable, averaging in the lower 50’s to upper 40’s.

Where To Play: In Raleigh, we played a great value round at the Neuse GC in Clayton, about 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh and 40 minutes from the airport. A few holes run near the Neuse River, named after a local Iroquois tribe, although it’s barely in play on a couple holes unless you’re really spraying it. Golf Digest rated Neuse GC at 4 ½ stars for 3 years running back in the early Ott’s, but that’s a slight overrating to me. It also earned GD’s #1 Value in NC, and I might agree with that one. It’s a sporty little track routed through a housing development, making great use of the hilly ground running down towards the river, and the housing isn’t too obtrusive on most of the holes. The pictures on Neuse’s website (www.neusegolf.com) are a bit misleading, as all but 2 or 3 holes lack the unique character of the rocky outcroppings featured on the signature hole pic on the homepage. The front 9 has an above-average housing development course feel, revealing a very playable core with somewhat minimal fairway bunkering, and challenging but hardly brutal green complexes. The 8th is a tough down-and-up par-5 with water at the bottom, and could be a round-wrecker if you get too aggressive. The front 9 greens were bouncy and slow the day we played, but green conditions improved on the back 9. #10 is a roller-coaster par-5 with a tough, well-bunkered uphill approach that announces a step-change in difficulty on the back. My only complaint: a small sinkhole above #10 green hidden by the thick Bermuda rough caused me to sprain an ankle. The course takes on more character starting at the short downhill par-4 13th before the signature rock-laden par-3 14th. The routing builds to a crescendo, with the uphill 18th providing a birdie opportunity only for the most accurate of approaches, as the kidney-shaped green bowls around a large swale, making for some interesting options on long chips and boomerang putts to back pin placements. Conditions were pretty good outside of the bumpy front 9 greens, and it was well-worth the $42 afternoon rate we paid ($62 prime time in ‘09). Pace of play was excellent for our Saturday mid-afternoon round (we never saw another soul on the back 9), but we played right after an NC State home football game under gray skies and an off-and-on light drizzle. The grill room is small, casual, and homey, with 2 large screen TV’s, NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN College Game Plan, $2 hotdogs, and beer on tap, but no bar to belly up to.

With this being the Golden Triangle, there’s always an emphasis on the UNC/Duke/NC State angles, even when it comes to golf. Online blogs I’ve read about the best of R/D golf quickly mention the Finley Course at UNC and Duke’s golf course. Finley seemed to get the most nods from locals after a Tom Fazio overhaul a few years back (despite pricey fees for non-alums), and I believe the Duke Course by Robert Trent Jones Sr. may have been redone by Pete Dye? Fred Couples’ Chapel Ridge and DL3’s The Preserve also got recommendations from locals.

Not being overly familiar with NC geography, I was surprised to learn that Raleigh/Durham is only a little over an hour north of Pinehurst and the Sandhills golf region. Normally I wouldn’t recommend driving upwards of an hour from any metropolitan area to play if there are other options closer, but with Pinehurst #2 (or #8, or #10, etc…) and Fat Guy’s favorite U.S. public Tobacco Road being about 50 miles down the road, they’re easily worth the drive from Raleigh/Durham if you have a full day to kill. One of my buddy Mark’s friends bragged up the value at Woodlake’s Arnold Palmer and Dan Maples 18’s (www.woodlakeCC.com) near Pinehurst, saying he often makes the drive down to play 36 holes for around $60, but you have to sign up for their email specials.

Best Bar Nearby, Raleigh: We hit a nice little sportsbar/restaurant in Raleigh called Falls Tap Room (5009 Falls Of The Neuse Rd, http://beerandburgers.com/Restaurants/FallsTapRoom/tabid/999/Default.aspx). 8 massive plasmas, about 35 beers on tap, good Reubens, and a rarity in the South… a decent, non-breaded, fairly spicy “wet” buffalo wing! Although, my buddy Mark (a Western PA native who knows a good wing when he eats one) says the best wings in town are at a place called Buffalo’s American Grill (7504 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, www.buffalos.com). With so many NorthEastern transplants living in the area, apparently Raleigh/Durham is the rare Southern exception to finding a decent wing south of the Mason/Dixon line.

Reviews from TheUltimateStripClubList.com rated Teaser’s in Durham as the area’s best, with an unusually high average rating of 9.12/10, though my buddy Mark says it's pretty rough. Web reviews raved about the talent, value, and service, but their raves were slightly offset by a tough-to-find location, off-premisis garage parking, and a floor-level “stage” set-up. In Raleigh, The Men’s Club got top marks for strong talent, although a few points below Teaser’s rating.

MBA Jungle mag says head for downtown Raleigh in the Historic City Market, and check out Greenshields (214 E Martin St, 919-829-0214, www.greenshields.com), a quaint brewery, pub, and performance art space. Choose from a selection of the brewery’s own lagers, ales, and stoudts. Grab a seat on the outdoor patio, and watch the New South amble by.

Near the Neuse GC, try The Barmuda Triangle (11514 Hwy 70, Clayton) for jumpin’ crowds and good bands. The Flipside (408 E 2nd St, Clayton) has good food, big-city loft ambiance, exposed brick walls, low-lighting, outdoor patio dining, good desserts, and top-notch live music, but I read two bad reviews about brutally slow service online. Sinners & Saints Saloon (11692 Hwy 70, Clayton) has a great name and sounds promising, but the website pix make it look like a so-so small-town Southwestern-themed live music venue.

Good news: Smoke-free regs at the bars finally come to this tobacco stronghold in January 2010.

Where To Grub: Rachael Ray recommends Chapel Hill’s The Barbeque Joint (630 Weaver Dairy Rd, 919-932-7504). OR rub elbows with the Golden Triangle’s elite biz giants and politicos at upscale steakhouse and watering hole Angus Barn (9401 Glenwood Rd, Raleigh, 919-781-2444). The chef recreates the last meal on the Titanic amidst 25,000 well-aged bottles in Angus’ famous wine cellar. T&L Golf likes Magnolia Grill (Southern cuisine) in Durham (919-286-3609). This inviting bistro serves sophisticated cuisine with a Southern slant. Or, try Bullock’s Barbeque in Durham (919-383-3211). It’s hard to beat this emporium of eastern North Carolina-style barbeque: pulled pork slathered in a tangy vinegar-based sauce. There’s just one catch; they don’t serve alcohol.

Near the Neuse GC, try Smithfield Chicken & BBQ (10414 Hwy 70, Clayton). Google reviews say it’s family friendly and serves good BBQ, but slightly pricey for the down-home surroundings.

Further Distractions: The obligatory fruitless stab at getting UNC/Duke basketball tickets aside, you may need something to occupy your golf widow while you hit the links. Send her to the New South’s re-defintion of the outdoor mall, Main Circle at North Hills in Raleigh. European-feeling architecture and J. Crew-esque crowds combine with a super-convenient underground parking deck and a nice blend of local restaurants and national chain stores, along with special events like outdoor bands and weekend farmer’s markets. There’s even a 14-screen multiplex if it rains. We grabbed pork BBQ sandwiches from The Q Shack (www.theqshack.com) here, but I’d call them just OK. The meat was too fatty, and I’m not in love with either of the Carolina styles of BBQ sauce.

Movies To Watch Before You Go: Refresh your mental stash of Bull Durham quotes before you go, then go catch the real live Durham Bulls at Athletic Park (Blackwell St & Jackie Robinson Place). Check the home schedule at www.durhambulls.com.  See also: Fat Guy’s Bull Durham Golf Weekend.