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Member Clubs
Cause for Celebration
Reflecting on Roanoke Country Club ’ s 125-year legacy and bright future
by MICHAEL J . STOTT
It ’ s already been a momentous year for Roanoke Country Club ( RCC ). The club lost constant presence and long-time member Ned Baber , who passed away in April . A 6-time VSGA champion , Baber was a founder and executive director of the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame . “ I consider Ned as family ,” said Tim McAfee , club general manager .
In late June , RCC held a well-attended one-day festival of all club activities to commemorate its 125th anniversary . The following month saw member and 2023 VSGA Junior Girls ’ golfer of the year and Junior Solheim Cup player , Kathryn Ha , win the 2024 VSGA Junior Girls ’ title . The victory earned her entry into the USGA ’ s Girls ’ Junior championship , where she reached the round of 16 .
That said , the 2024 reiteration is not the Roanoke Country Club of the past . Impressive in appearance and amenities , the club offers numerous racquet sports , including outdoor tennis and pickleball , swimming , and dining options .
Formed 125 years ago , Roanoke Country Club is one of the Commonwealth ’ s oldest clubs . In recent years , it ’ s produced two VSGA junior champions , Samir Davidov ( left ) and Kathryn Ha .
“ We are a 27-hole country club for family and avid golfers ,” McAfee said . “ And we have made a lot of golf course improvements recently .”
Those enhancements represent the first major golf reinvestment since the late 1990s , when the club hired Lester George to oversee a general overhaul of the golf course and practice facility . Back then , the club had just developed a much-needed , well-fed water source and made some modifications to greens and tees on the Dogwood nine .
“ What was done was acceptable at the time but certainly not all George recommended , in part because money was redirected to a major addition and renovation to the clubhouse ,” said Barry Wolfe , RCC LLC board member and former VSGA president .
Fast forward to the present day : serious changes have been afoot over the last five years .
COURTESY ROANOKE CC ; KATELYNN BROWN ( DAVIDOV ); CHRIS LANG ( HA )
10 V IRGINIA G OLFER | S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2024 vsga . org