Top 10 reasons for slow play in golf
Plus: Top news of the week — CMPD officers suspended; Charlotte Symphony names new music director; Charlotte FC names new coach; BofA stadium will keep its name; Girl Tribe pop-up dispute
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Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by the 10th Anniversary Blumey Awards Celebration | Blumenthal Performing Arts (blumenthalarts.org), a one-night-only event and fundraiser benefitting the Blumey Inspire Fund. The 10th Anniversary Blumey Awards Celebration will welcome past and present Blumey Award participants to the Belk Theater stage for a benefit show filled with special guests, cameos, local talent and fun surprises. It’s the ultimate party for a good cause, 10 years in the making.
A Charlotte golf course marshal reveals how NOT to be that player who makes a round last 5 hours; let’s be considerate out there
By Jay Ahuja
As my dad taught me decades ago: It’s OK to not be a scratch golfer.
But it’s not OK to be slow.
Now that the days are shorter, fallen leaves line the fairways and balls can be tougher to find.
So, more than ever, it’s important to follow simple golf etiquette and mind your pace of play.
As a golf course marshal, my job is simple: ensure that players follow the rules of the course, keep them on track to play a round in 4.5 hours or less, and do so in a way that does not detract from everybody having a good time.
I don’t take myself or the role too seriously, until it becomes obvious that a player or group is being inconsiderate to others on the course.
Here are my top 10 observations of why a round of golf can exceed 4.5 hours — and what players should do to speed things up:
Spending too much time searching for balls. Unless it’s a competition, let it go. Even with a handicap to protect, do not slow down the next group. It’s pretty simple really: Keep an eye on the groups ahead of you and behind you. If the group ahead is out of sight, you’re not keeping up. If the group behind you is constantly waiting, you are the problem.
Not watching each other’s shots. It’s not unusual for a golfer to keep his head down and lose sight of their shot. Help them out and have them help you.
Mulligans are not OK. Maybe one on the first hole. Maybe one per nine. Anything more than that is too much.
In a casual game, triple bogey should be the max score. If you’ve hit 6 shots on a par-3, pick up your ball. Don’t feel the need to hole out.
You’re not spending any time on the driving range and putting green before playing. If you don’t want to hit a bucket of balls, drop a few scuffed-up balls on the range and hit a few wedge shots, 7-irons, 4-irons, and a tee up a few drives. Practicing on the course leads to slow, frustrating play for those you’re with and those behind you.
Playing from the wrong tees. Unless you’re a scratch golfer, hit from the white tees.
Use the cart wisely. Drop off the player who is away, let them take their practice swing while you drive to your ball. The away player can walk to your ball after they hit. Just be careful not to get in their way. Park the cart behind the green, so you are not walking back into the line of fire for the next group after holing out. Also, update your scorecard at the next tee box while another player tees up.
Read putts while others are putting. So long as you are not in the line of sight of the person putting, read the green and be ready to putt when they are done.
Failure to understand the notion of ready golf. Know your distance and how far you hit each club. Distances are usually marked by a pole in the fairway or a painted stripe on the cart path. There are also distance markers in the fairway on sprinkler heads. If you’re not certain, bring two clubs with you.
Showing up late for your tee time. Tee times are spaced out so there should be a group on the tee box and the green at the same time. By the time your group tees off, the group on the green should wrap up their putting.
Bonus tip: Some courses encourage you to phone in your grill/bar order when you get to the 9th tee box. Do it. You may even leapfrog the group ahead of you.
Jay Ahuja has lived, worked and played in Charlotte since 1986. He has one wife, two stepsons and two dogs. He’s had two sports travel guidebooks published and produced a documentary film, “Live From The Double Door Inn.” He works for WDAV 89.9FM, the region’s classical public radio station.
Today’s supporting sponsors are … …. and Crisis Assistance Ministry. Today at Crisis Assistance Ministry, 100 families will seek to avoid eviction or utility loss. You can ensure those neighbors maintain the hope, warmth and light of home this season.
… and The Mint Museum. Enjoy free museum admission at Mint Museum Uptown and activated spaces for the public opening of the exhibition Craft Across Continents, featuring contemporary Japanese and Western Objects from the Lassiter/Ferraro Collection.
This week in Charlotte: State auditor sentenced for car misuse; Tricia Cotham gets new challenger; new leaders at Charlotte Symphony and Charlotte FC; Rea Farms neighbors miffed at development plans
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
CMS board elects new leaders: (WFAE) The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education selected Stephanie Sneed as chair and Dee Rankin as vice chair at a meeting Tuesday. Both were elected to the board last year.
Private school leader out: (Ledger) Charlotte Country Day School has decided to “part ways” with its head of school, Marcel Gauthier, who was on the job for less than 18 months after being recruited from a school in Singapore. A letter to parents on Friday didn’t detail why the prestigious south Charlotte private school was making the leadership change, which took effect immediately.
Politics
State auditor sentenced: (WRAL) State Auditor Beth Wood pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of using a public vehicle for private purposes, resulting in a sentence of $1,064 restitution and a year of unsupervised probation. She had previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge related to a December 2022 crash. Wood resigned from her position last month effective Dec. 15.
Cotham gets challengers: (WFAE) Three Democrats have filed to run in N.C. House District 105, with the winner of the primary facing Democrat-turned-Republican incumbent Tricia Cotham in November. The three are Nicole Sidman, Yolanda Holmes and Terry Landsell.
Local news
Charlotte Symphony names new music director: (Q City Metro) The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra named conductor Kwamé Ryan as its next music director. Ryan, 53, was born in Canada and raised on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and has been an active guest conductor around the world, including in Charlotte.
CMPD officer suspended after arrest video released: (WFAE) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings suspended one of the officers involved in an arrest last month in which an officer repeatedly punched a woman who police said was smoking marijuana and struck an officer. Jennings stated that only the first three strikes were justified out of the 17 times he struck the woman.
Business
Home sales: (Canopy) The median sales price of a house in the Charlotte region fell by 0.8% in November compared with a year earlier, to $379,900, according to new data from Canopy Realtor Association. The number of closings fell 12%. In Mecklenburg, the median price rose by 2.7%, to $421,250, and the number of closings fell 15%.
Duke needs more energy: (N.C. Tribune, subscriber-only) Duke Energy says it is going to need the ability to generate more energy over the coming decade than it forecast as recently as the spring, as North and South Carolina have had success in attracting new plants that require large amounts of electricity. Demand for electricity in the Carolinas is growing at its fastest rate in more than 30 years.
Sports
New Charlotte FC coach: (Fútbol Friday) Charlotte FC announced Dean Smith as head coach Tuesday. The 52-year-old, known for leading Aston Villa back to the Premier League in 2019, signed a multi-year contract pending visa approval. Former Charlotte FC head coach Christian Lattanzio was fired in November.
BofA stadium naming rights: (Panthers) The Carolina Panthers and Bank of America agreed on an extension of naming rights on the stadium uptown, ensuring that it will continue to be called “Bank of America Stadium” for the foreseeable future
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Charlotte hospital systems won’t sell patients’ uncollected debt: Retired Atrium Health physician Chris Lakin faced obstacles in launching a RIP Medical Debt campaign to reduce patients’ medical debt in Charlotte, as major hospital systems Atrium and Novant Health were unwilling to sell or donate uncollected debt. Atrium and Novant both say they have generous financial assistance and charity care programs to help patients.
New wine bar inside Belk: Belk at SouthPark Mall has a new wine bar, operated by Arthur’s, a longstanding local restaurant in the store’s bottom level, as part of the growing trend of "experiential retail" where stores offer more than just shopping.
Neighbors upset over Pineville electric substation: Residents in a Pineville-Fort Mill neighborhood are protesting plans to build a new electric substation near N.C. 51. Electricities, the utility company involved, argues the substation is necessary to meet rising electricity demand in the area. Read the full story here.
Quotable from The New York Times: The opening of France's first Krispy Kreme in central Paris drew a crowd of 500 people, with doughnuts imported from North Carolina and new flavors tailored to the French palate.
Wednesday (🔒)
11 money moves to make by the end of 2023: As the end of the year approaches, financial advisors recommend actions such as reviewing tax withholdings, employing tax loss harvesting with stocks and making charitable donations in cash or stock.
Renderings of new OMB in Ballantyne: Construction is progressing on Olde Mecklenburg Brewery's new location in Ballantyne Reimagined, which is set to open in early April 2024. It will include a 2-story building, a 1-acre biergarten and plans to replicate popular events and menus from its original LoSo location.
Delta to open new lounge: Delta Air Lines officially confirmed the opening of its first Delta Sky Club airport lounge at the Charlotte airport next year, following earlier speculation and renderings of the lounge in the new Concourse A expansion.
Jewish hip-hop: American-Israeli rapper Nissim Black entertained 600 attendees with Jewish hip hop at a Hanukkah concert hosted by Chabad of Charlotte at Le Meridien Charlotte hotel.
Friday (🔒)
Building the Southern Lion marketplace: Sonja Nichols, owner and president of the Southern Lion, shares the journey of opening the retail store that features merchandise from dozens of local vendors and is filling a void left by the departure of Blacklion, which closed last January. You can listen to the full conversation on the latest episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast.
Girl Tribe holiday pop-up ends early: Charlotte boutique Girl Tribe faced criticism from vendors for canceling its holiday pop-up shop in Huntersville prematurely, citing "impassable differences" with select vendors. The company offered refunds to certain vendors but required them to sign nondisclosure agreements.
Larry’s analysis on new Charlotte Symphony director: Longtime Charlotte arts critic Lawerence Toppman gives his 5 takeaways from the recent naming of Kwamé Ryan as music director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Ryan is the organization’s first non-white music director.
Neighbors object to CMS/Childress Klein plans: Residents in south Charlotte's Rea Farms area are upset about a proposed development by Childress Klein and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, citing concerns about traffic and stormwater runoff. The rezoning plan includes 917 housing units and a new middle school.
Terry Simpson, founder of Terry Simpson’s Farm Fresh Produce, was part of many families’ annual Christmas traditions, as he loved interacting with them while helping them pick out their Christmas trees at his produce stand in Indian Trail. He died at age 66 of esophageal cancer, and his family is carrying on the family business.
Q&A on federal funding for high-speed trains: The federal funding for high-speed rail projects in Charlotte is a positive step, but the timeline for construction and operation remains uncertain, contingent on ongoing federal funding support, according to Jason Orthner from the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Last minute stocking stuffer: Charlotte-themed crossword puzzle book?
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We’re told there are only 6 left in stock, so act now! They’re $19.99 plus tax, with free shipping.
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