Kyle Franz to renovate Raleigh Country Club

[Philip Hensley]

Announced about 6 weeks ago to members, Kyle Franz will be renovating Raleigh Country Club starting next February. The club said it expects to have a master plan for member review by late spring.


From the club, "None of our current staff...have a definitive total vision yet as to how the final project will turn out. That is the architect's expertise and why we trust him to create greatness while we stay out of the way."


What will be done for sure:


-New irrigation system
-Bunker and greens restoration
-Addition of new tees
-Tree removal


RCC is one of the best (if not the best) course in the Triangle area. While still very nice, the turf conditions have suffered in recent years because there are too many trees on the property.


There was a funny line in the letter to members about the new greens grasses. "...we plan to go with a sandy, oil based surface, as that can withstand any summer heat or winter cold coming our way and roll at least a 7 on the stimpmeter!"

[Tommy Williamsen]

Well that is a surprise. Rich Mandell did a renovation a number of years ago. It has been a couple of years but I played the course a few times every year for many years. John McConnell always had the course in prime condition. The greens were fast and firm, in fact it is the greens that make the course. It flies under radar but is a wonderful course that I liked very much.

[Paul Carey]

Are they going to switch to an ultradwarf Bermuda?  The bent greens can get pretty soft there.

[Sean_A]

Very, very fine. Raleigh is in need of a critical eye with the power to act.


Ciao

[Philip Hensley]

Nothing has been announced to members but the rumor is that they are staying with bent.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Is the tree removal and the greens going to be the two biggest aspect of the work? I believe Richard Mandell's resto/reno of Raleigh back in the mid 2000's was focused around the bunkers and tee's but they were listed here as areas of focus for this round as well.

I love what Franz has done and Pine Needles and Mid Pines, so I'm excited to see what he does here. But I'm curious as to how he was selected. As this is a McConnell property and Richard Mandell has done a lot of work for McConnell in the past one would think Mandell would get the nod. I wonder what lead McConnell to select Franz for this one?

[Philip Hensley]

Is the tree removal and the greens going to be the two biggest aspect of the work?I believe Richard Mandell's resto/reno of Raleigh back in the mid 2000's was focused around the bunkers and tee's but they were listed here as areas of focus for this round as well.

I love what Franz has done and Pine Needles and Mid Pines, so I'm excited to see what he does here. But I'm curious as to how he was selected. As this is a McConnell property and Richard Mandell has done a lot of work for McConnell in the past one would think Mandell would get the nod. I wonder what lead McConnell to select Franz for this one?

I believe that is the case but have not seen the master plan, if it is even available yet. I also don't know the process of selecting Kyle, but as you said, his work at Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and other places is fantastic, and speaks for itself.


I have heard about a project happening from members for about 2 years now, with different possibilities regarding the size and scope depending on who was telling the story. But tree removal was a constant subject and seemed to be a point of emphasis. The letter to members said they were going to rely on the expertise of Kyle to guide the project.

[Tom_Doak]

Well you should spell his name right - there is no “e” in Franz.

[Bill Crane]

For those in the GCA club here who have played Raleigh - is it good architecture?  There seem to be few old courses with interesting layouts and fun old school character in the Research Triangle area.
There are some unusual half-par type holes on the card and some interesting roll to the terrain from the few photos I can quickly find.
Could it be Doak Scale 6 or better with good work ?
My wife and I are considering spending a lot more time in NC in the future.
Tom Doak's Top 100 Ross course posts seem to indicate it is, with it listed in the 40 - 63 group.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Bill, I think the course has a lot to offer. The first hole is probably the weakest hole on the course. It is a par five that plays downhill. It is eminently gettable but doesn't demand much. It is nice gentle handshake. The second hole is a dogleg right that leaves a short iron to a very sloping green from back to front. If you get above the hole just hang on and hope for two putts. The third hole is a par three about 180 yards that demands hitting the shot on the correct side of the hole. Hit is right and you're in the woods, hit it left and the up and down is difficult. Four is a short par four and five a longish par four. The holes go left and right up hill and down vale. The greens are small, have a lot of slope and usually are fast. The best hole might be 18 a long par four that goes over two valleys. If there is a weakness it is the par fives, which are only ordinary. The threes and fours are excellent. I probably have played the course a couple of dozen times and really enjoy the course. Whenever I have finished I went right out and played it again.

[Jeff Shelman]

I was a member here when I lived in Raleigh. It has a soft spot in my heart as it was the place where I really started getting interested in GCA.


It is a good golf course. As a club it struggled pre-McConnell because all of the growth in the Triangle went the other direction in the second half of the 20th century. It's a fairly flat piece of property with a little movement, but there are some cool green complexes.


I only played it once after Richard's work and thought he did a nice job. I haven't played absolutely everything in the Triangle, but Raleigh and Hope Valley would be the two places I would most like to be a member.

[A.G._Crockett]

I'll keep my comments to generalities, as I've only played Raleigh CC once.  But I loved it.  It struck me as a course that one could play every day and not tire of playing it, and the conditions were perfect, as McConnell courses almost always are.
I don't know what Franz will do, or even if that has been determined; I assume that McConnell has something particular in mind, or he wouldn't be headed that way.  My understanding is that Raleigh CC is where McConnell got started with all of this, and I would imagine that he has a soft spot for the golf course anyway.
Given that, plus the time that Franz has apparently spent in Pinehurst studying the Ross archives, it's hard not to suspect a full-on "restoration" of some sort.  Of course, I have zero idea how different Raleigh CC is from the original design.

[Tommy Williamsen]

It is a good golf course. As a club it struggled pre-McConnell because all of the growth in the Triangle went the other direction in the second half of the 20th century. It's a fairly flat piece of property with a little movement, but there are some cool green complexes.

Jeff, I never felt that Raleigh was built on a "fairly flat piece of property." There are a few flatish holes on the back nine but I think the terrain is pretty rolling.

[Jay Mickle]

  Of course, I have zero idea how different Raleigh CC is from the original design.

I suspect that the original did not have a waterfall.

[Chris Buie]

I interviewed Ellis Maples' son Joe for the Ross bio. We touched on RCC a little bit. You can listen to the excerpt here:
https://golfclubatlas.com/life-and-times-of-donald-ross-interview/

[Edward Glidewell]

Is the tree removal and the greens going to be the two biggest aspect of the work? I believe Richard Mandell's resto/reno of Raleigh back in the mid 2000's was focused around the bunkers and tee's but they were listed here as areas of focus for this round as well.

I love what Franz has done and Pine Needles and Mid Pines, so I'm excited to see what he does here. But I'm curious as to how he was selected. As this is a McConnell property and Richard Mandell has done a lot of work for McConnell in the past one would think Mandell would get the nod. I wonder what lead McConnell to select Franz for this one?

I think Kris Spence has done as much if not more work for McConnell as Mandell, but I suppose McConnell picked whoever he felt was best for this particular job.

[Kris Spence]

Edward,


I was not interviewed for the Raleigh project,   I look forward to seeing what Kyle can do for that property. 


I am working across town on the Oaks course at North Ridge CC, doing my part to add some significant and interesting golf architecture to the Raleigh market.


Things are looking up in Raleigh!!!


Congrats to Kyle Fratz, I wish him all the best😎

[ChipRoyce]

Might be interesting to see if we can set up 2 outing for Raleigh area GCA'ers if RCC will have us?
Play before and after as a group? possibly come on site during the project and see how the sausage is made?
May make for great discussion and education!