McConnell Golf has added Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington, N.C. to its portfolio, bringing the number of high-end private clubs that it manages in the Carolinas and Tennessee to more than a dozen.
“Porters Neck Country Club is a strategic acquisition for us, as it is an ideal fit that enhances membership values for both Porters Neck members and all our McConnell Golf members,” said John McConnell, President and CEO, said. “Porters Neck has all the qualities of a first-class facility on the North Carolina coast. We see an opportunity that will enhance both the club’s and our company’s overall membership value.”
Porter Neck Country Club is located minutes from historic downtown Wilmington. It is nestled along the Intercoastal Waterway and minutes from beaches. The club’s centerpiece is its Tom Fazio-designed golf course that debuted in 1991 and has played host to multiple Carolinas Golf Association and Carolinas PGA championships.
In the last three years, Porters Neck Country Club has added a new restaurant and lounge, four pickleball courts and two additional tennis courts, while also converting the golf greens to Champion G12 Bermuda.
“We are first and foremost an owner/operator that was built upon the concept of ‘pure golf for the true golfer,’ and a company that has set its vision on building clubs of the future,” said Christian Anastasiadis, McConnell Golf Chief Operating Officer. “We see things differently than other clubs or operators, focusing on the little nuances that make a trip to the club memorable for the customer.”
With the addition of Porters Neck, McConnell Golf owns or manages 15 golf courses in the Carolinas and Tennessee, including a trio of private, coastal golf layouts along U.S. Highway 17 — Porters Neck, as well as The Reserve and the Grande Dunes Members Club in the Myrtle Beach area.
McConnell Golf is the only individual golf course proprietor in the world that owns four Donald Ross-designed courses. The addition of Porters Neck adds a third Fazio design to the management portfolio.