Home Care In McConnells, SC

Wilson Country Club opened in 1915 and features a Willard Byrd-designed golf course that was renovated by John LaFoy in 2005. McConnell Golf, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is the region’s largest owner of premier private clubs with a portfolio across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, now including 14 18-hole, private golf courses, two semi-private courses and one 27-hole public course.

RALEIGH, NC (June 1, 2023) — Raleigh-based McConnell Golf has expanded its eastern North Carolina presence with the acquisition of Wilson Country Club.

“Over the years, we’ve been keeping a keen eye on municipalities that have strategically invested in a community’s growth plan and are in close proximity to metropolitan strongholds like the Triangle,” said McConnell Golf Chief Operating Officer Christian Anastasiadis. “Furthermore, the highway and road infrastructure from Raleigh to Wilson is outstanding these days, opening the city of Wilson to accommodate the future growth of the Triangle.

“While it is our belief that the city will not only continue to grow positively, it will also continue to retain its small-town charm. The city council has done a great job laying out a map for the future in 2019 and we want to be a strategic part of its future growth.”

Wilson Country Club opened in 1915 on the site that is currently known as Willow Springs Country Club. The club grew at a rapid rate following World War II and the size of the membership eventually grew too large for its initial home. Unable to expand the facilities, the club moved across town to its current site in 1973.

The club’s new layout was created by golf course architect Willard Byrd, who designed and remodeled more than 100 golf courses during a career spanning nearly five decades. His work at Wilson CC received rave reviews for its beauty and overall playability. The club has hosted eight Carolinas Golf Association majors: 2010 NC Men’s Amateur, 2009 NCWGA Ladies’ State Amateur, several US Open qualifiers, Web.Com Tour qualifiers, the club’s annual Two Ball Invitational and its annual Pro-Am Invitational.

Wilson CC underwent a renovation in 2005 to modernize the course and improve the putting surfaces. Architect John LaFoy was chosen to do the renovation and work began in May 2005. LaFoy has redesigned more than 100 golf courses throughout the country including many classic layouts such as those of architects A.W. Tillinghast, Alistair Mackenzie, Seth Raynor, Charles Blair MacDonald and numerous Donald Ross designs.

“There is a good reason why Wilson CC had been the host site to thus far eight Carolinas Golf Association majors – like the 2010 NC Men’s Amateur, the 2009 NCWGA Ladies’ State Amateur, US Open qualifiers,” said Anastasiadis. “The Willard Byrd design is outstanding, and our investments in improving the course will make it an absolute ‘must-play’ in our portfolio.”

McConnell Golf, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is the region’s largest owner of premier private clubs with a portfolio across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, including 14 18-hole, private golf courses, two semi-private courses and one 27-hole public course.

McConnell Golf is the only individual golf course proprietor in the world that owns four Donald Ross-designed courses including Greensboro’s Sedgefield Country Club, which annually plays host to the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, Raleigh Country Club, Ross’ last design and the current host site of the Korn Ferry Tour’s UNC Health Championship, and Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn., annual host of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Visit Knoxville Open.

“We always strive to be part of a community, especially when we get a chance to make it stronger and rebuild. It is just part of our DNA,” said Anastasiadis.

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About McConnell Golf

McConnell Golf, founded in 2003, is currently the largest owner of private clubs in the region. McConnell Golf’s stable of premier private clubs (comprised of 14 18-hole private golf courses, two semi-private courses and one nine-hole course) in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee include Raleigh Country Club in Raleigh, N.C., Sedgefield Country Club and The Cardinal by Pete Dye in Greensboro, N.C., The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, N.C., Old North State Club in New London, N.C., Treyburn Country Club in Durham, N.C., The Reserve Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C., Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, S.C., Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville, N.C., Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington, N.C., Country Club of Asheville in Asheville, N.C., Providence Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., Wilson Country Club in Wilson, N.C., Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, TN., The Water's Edge Country Club in Penhook, VA. and Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech in Radford, VA.

Media ContactsMartin Armes (919) 608-7260, [email protected]

Brad King (336) 306-9219, [email protected]

North Carolina sports betting to begin this year, Underdog is one of nine potential sportsbook operators in the state; North Carolina requires sportsbooks to partner with an in-state entity; North Carolina will be Underdog’s first state for its sports betting product

BROOKLYN, N.Y., January 23, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Underdog Sports, the fast-growing sports gaming platform, today announced a partnership with McConnell Golf as part of its application for a sports betting license in North Carolina. Sedgefield Country Club, a private club, located in Greensboro, and host of the PGA TOUR’s Wyndham Championship, appointed Underdog to host, manage, operate and support the Underdog branded online gambling services in the state. McConnell Golf, through its ownership, operates Sedgefield Country Club.

"Underdog is thrilled to launch our betting games in North Carolina in partnership with McConnell Golf," said Jeremy Levine, founder and co-CEO of Underdog Sports. "We’ve spent the last four years building our own technology so we can give sports fans in America new and different ways to enjoy the sports they love. We’re excited to be able to offer that to North Carolinians and look forward to evolving the experience with them."

"McConnell Golf is thrilled to welcome Underdog Sports as our official sports betting partner," said McConnell Golf COO, Christian Anastasiadis. "Underdog is the fastest growing fantasy sports company ever – that is impressive."

Anastasiadis notes that it was important for McConnell Golf to find the right partner that could provide a completely different approach to sports competitions and tournaments.

"We too believe in thinking differently and challenging the status quo, and there is a lot of star power behind the Underdog Fantasy app," said Anastasiadis. "I truly believe we found the right partner."

"This partnership was conceived with fans in mind. We’re looking forward to working with McConnell Golf to bring people together to experience their premier club properties," added Levine.

To date, Underdog is one of nine operators to submit applications to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, which is overseeing the rollout of the state’s sports betting market. North Carolina legalized online sports betting after Governor Roy Cooper signed HB 347 into law in June 2023. Underdog’s sports betting platform will be part of a strong, competitive market for sports wagering in the Tarheel State that will benefit sports, sports fans, and all North Carolinians.

Time is running out. These beauties won't last long.

MCCONNELLS, S.C. — Families and photographers are flocking to a little piece of heaven in York County to capture that perfect summer photo before it's too late.

The sunflowers at Draper Wildlife Management Area in McConnells, South Carolina are in full bloom. But you'd better make plans to visit soon because they won't last very long.

"They’re at peak right now. They’ll probably last another week and a half. I’m not going to make any promises," said wildlife technician Jordan Moses. "But right now, they’re pretty and full."

Moses planted about 25 acres of the bright, yellow flowers in two mourning dove fields back in April. The process is quite an undertaking.

PHOTOS: Sunflower fields in South Carolina

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WCNC

Sunflower fields at Draper Wildlife Management Area in McConnells, S.C.

Moses takes soil samples from each field to the extension office in York County. From there, they are sent to Clemson University's Agricultural Service Laboratory.

"They’ll give you recommendations as far as fertilizer," said Moses.

Then it takes about a week to get the fields ready.

"You really need to get it really smooth, free of debris," he said. "You wanna try to plant right before a good rain."

“There’s all kinds of tricks for this stuff," Moses added.

The wildlife technicians usually tell people the crop should be ready around the 4th of July; at least, that's the goal. But that doesn't stop people from asking about them earlier.

"Our office gets a lot of phone calls about the sunflowers," said Moses.

Over the 4th of July holiday weekend, plenty of people came out to see the fields of gold. So many, in fact, Moses lost count.

"I have no idea. A lot. A lot of people," he said. "But some people will come two months down the road looking for sunflowers. We just tell them they’ve already done their thing."

You don't want to come out empty-handed. Bring your camera or cell phone for that must-have summer selfie. Bug spray, sunscreen, and water are good to have on hand, too.

Some folks even pack a lunch.

"I’ve seen people out here picnicking, so that’s allowed. Just make sure you clean up your mess and take out what you brought in," Moses said.

There are many benefits derived from planting sunflowers, but the wildlife technicians' main focus is attracting mourning doves for the upcoming hunting season in September.

"Sunflowers are great for mourning doves. We also plant other preferred grasses and things like that that doves love," Moses said.

For now, Moses is reaping what he sowed and enjoying smiles on the faces of picture-taking tourists.

"I really enjoy doing this type of work. Just try to keep everybody happy," he said.

Draper Wildlife Management Area is open during daylight hours year-round. The address is 1080 Brattonsville Rd. The phone number is 864-427-5140.

Once you turn into the entrance, at the end of the road you'll find a large parking area with gates on the left and right. The big field is on the left; the small field is on the right.

You'll want to stay weather aware if you plan to visit Saturday or Sunday. Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said the sunflower viewing forecast for this weekend will be steamy and possibly stormy.

"The humidity will be a tad lower this weekend but still pretty hot and humid but more typical levels than recently. The storms chances are much lower as well just isolated to scattered storms late in the day and evening," said Panovich.

Credit: WCNC

The hanging sign out front at Sweet Caroline’s restaurant in McConnells lists food, family and friends as hallmarks of the business. After becoming a viral sensation, the owner may want to consider adding Facebook.

The western York County smokehouse known for its brisket, smoked prime rib and custom cheesecakes flavors brought back a dessert it introduced about this time last year. Sweet Caroline’s posted a photo on Facebook of a cheesecake inspired by the popular Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.

Within days the social media post had more than 4 million views and 17,000 likes. As of Monday morning that also included about 5,600 comments and 7,700 shares.

“It kind of overwhelmed us at first because within two days I had 250 requests to ship the cheesecakes,” said manager Steven Brousseau. “And that’s when I kind of had to come in with the second post and explain we’re a tiny restaurant in a town of 300 people.”

Commenters wanted cheesecake in Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon, California and Washington. One decided to change Christmas plans from an Orlando to a Spartanburg family gatheringADD, still about an hour away, to swing by for cake. On Friday afternoon Brousseau skipped out to the post office to mail a t-shirt and birthday card to a new fan from North Carolina who wanted it for his wife, Caroline.

Then, there are the locals. They hunger for it too.

“As many as we can get into the restaurant,” Brousseau said of the Christmas tree cheesecakes, “they’re gone.”

Brousseau and baker Paula Nance worked together at Grumpy Brothers near the hospital in Rock Hill. It was a burger joint known for its cupcakes that closed during COVID, about the same time Sweet Caroline’s opened in McConnells.

Sweet Caroline’s is a fusion of talent from some of Rock Hill’s best known eateries like Michael’s Rock Hill Grille, Ebenezer Grill and the White Horse.

“It’s almost more of a cult following out here,” Brousseau said. “We have a lot of people who come out here considering how far away we are from everything. The closest towns to us are 10 miles away.”

Sweet Caroline’s is next to a weekend flea market, a gun shop and plenty of open land. Even the 15-minute drive from Rock Hill to McConnells typically parallels and bypasses its stretch of Chester Highway.

“People make the drive out here because the food is good,” Brousseau said.

Some drive up from Georgia. Some reroute family visits to eat there. Still, it’s a challenge to stay top of mind for potential diners. The restaurant routinely posts daily specials online.

“It’s Facebook and word of mouth,” Brousseau said.

So why did one cheesecake post go viral?

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m guessing it was just people seeing it and sharing it. It’s that time of year when the Christmas cakes are coming out and some people just love those Christmas tree cakes.”

Last year Nance made six cheesecakes a week. The past two weeks she’s made about 50. Another 20 through the weekend, Brousseau said Friday, another 20 Thanksgiving week and 20 more for Thanksgiving day are on the schedule just from people ordering whole cakes.

Nance typically works in the kitchen and bakery, but had to cut the kitchen hours to focus on Christmas tree cheesecakes. Nance can make up to 20 a day.

Brousseau said there will be plenty of cheesecakes for dine-in guests. The plan is to have them through New Year’s. Sweet Caroline’s won’t, however, be shipping slices or cakes across the country.

At $45 for a 12-slice cake — slices are $5.99 in the restaurant — the shipping for a dairy product in need of refrigeration makes shipping unreasonable. Brousseau said some folks online said wanted one and they’d pay whatever, but $130 for a cheesecake was too rich for him.

“Whether they want to pay it or not,” he said, “I would feel guilty about it.”

Plus, there are logistics for a restaurant that already pre-ordered 200 boxes of Christmas tree cakes that can be hard to find this time of year. “There would be no Christmas tree cakes in the area,” Brousseau said. “We would have to buy them all.”

There are plans for something new, if Sweet Caroline’s can handle another cheesecake frenzy. They haven’t posted it to the restaurant site yet but a chocolate version will follow.

Brousseau braces for what that announcement might bring.

But Sweet Caroline’s isn’t about the likes, clicks, shares or even the burgeoning business a viral trend might grow, he said.

“Our goal here isn’t so much to get rich in the restaurant industry,” he said. “It’s to help make people’s day better, make their lives better.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2023, 10:24 AM.

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Dorchester County residents will be voting in November on whether to continue paying a “transportation penny,” a one-cent tax that funds road improvement projects.

There are dozens of projects waiting for funding including one, in particular, looking to help alleviate traffic congestion from Highway 61, especially the area from Paul Cantrell Boulevard in West Ashley.

“It’s been pretty rough,” says Adam Ruffin, who lives off of Hwy 61. “Basically single file line of cars and standstill traffic.

Ruffin and his wife live off the two-lane road and know it’s only going to get worse with all of the development going up. One person who’s working on some of the new neighborhoods is Paul Cook who has to drive 61 every day.

“I can’t believe people don’t find an alternate route to take because the traffic here is horrendous both going in and out,” Cook says.

“Certainly, I’m no expert in the field of traffic but something definitely needs to be done to alleviate some of that traffic out there,” Ruffin says.

A plan is in the works to extend Glenn McConnell Parkway. The parkway currently ends at Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley. But if the proposal goes through, it will keep going into Dorchester County where, according to maps, it would intersect with Old Beech Hill Road and connect to Wright Road, essentially running parallel to Highway 61.

“It will definitely help with people getting to and from work and alleviate a lot of the smaller back roads,” Gregory Maute, who lives along Wright Road, says. “But then if it’s tying in here, it’s going to impact my neighbors and myself and the people that live down the road.”

Maute says this was the first time he was hearing about the project and can see some positives and negatives.

“It would make us more accessible,” Maute says. “But then yes, if they’re widening this road and you know doing two or three lanes each way, that becomes from a country road to a well-traveled road -- a lot of traffic and all that so it’s can be a little bit of a double-edged sword.”

The big question: How would it be funded? Dorchester County says the 1% sales and use tax would generate approximately $735 million. The county’s Capital Improvement Plan calls for nearly $168 million to be allocated for the Glenn McConnell Extension.

Dorchester County leaders say the Public Works director would be happy to talk if the tax is passed by voters in November.

Meanwhile, Maute says he thinks the tax shouldn’t be funded by people who already live there.

“I believe that if it’s going to be funded, it needs to be impact funds on the hundreds of homes that are going in across the area,” Maute says. “Seventy-two people a day are moving here. So we need to not foot the bill.”

Dorchester County residents already pay one cent towards road improvements and have for nearly 20 years. This vote in November would be to continue that tax.

Charleston County officials say they are not currently a part of the extension project.

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