Local golf courses have been blanketed by snow and ice for more than two weeks, but golfers have been playing again the last few days.

Most courses have been closed since the first snowfall early in the morning of Jan. 18. A few were open briefly the following Saturday.

“It’s the longest we’ve ever been closed,” said pro Toby Lawson of the Country Club of Salisbury. He’s been pro at the club since 1989.

The course was open Saturday with three holes closed on the front nine and three on the back nine.

“We probably won’t be fully open until Tuesday of next week. There are places that are shaded that won’t go away,” Lawson pointed out.

Crescent Golf Club was basically closed since Jan. 18 until opening eight holes on Friday, when 10 groups played. Fifteen holes were open yesterday, when the course was pretty busy.

New pro Ross Desmond said eight holes were open on Saturday, Jan. 22, and one member walked those holes before sleet and snow started falling again.

Warrior Golf Club was closed from Jan. 18 until opening up the full 18 holes on Friday. Pro Brian Lee expected about 180 golfers to play yesterday.

Kannapolis Country Club opened back up a little earlier than Salisbury courses, getting nine holes ready on Wednesday afternoon. The course had a busy day on Friday with all 18 open.

McCanless Golf Club had 13 golfers play on Jan. 22, then was closed again until Thursday, when nine holes were opened. The full 18 was open by Friday.

At Rolling Hills Golf Club, golfers played on Jan. 22 with two men braving the elements and finishing 18 holes. The course was then closed until Friday, when all 18 were open.

Corbin Hills Golf Club had some play last Tuesday, when the front nine was open. All 18 were open by Friday.

Foxwood Golf Club has been closed for 18 days. The course had all 18 holes open on Saturday.

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AMATEUR TOUR: The Carolina Blonde Amateur Golf Tour has released its 2000 schedule, and Crescent Golf Club will be one of the stops.

It’s the third year of sponsorship by Mooresville-based Carolina Blonde beer. The tour experienced strong growth the first two years, and founder Dennis McCormac plans to continue expanding in 2000.

“The tour is known now. It’s established,” McCormac said. “If you really want to compete, no matter what your left of golf, this is the place you go to test yourself.”

The tour is open to all amateur golfers, and each tournament is a low-gross event flighted by handicaps. The four flights are championship (0-5), A (6-10), B (11-15) and C (16-20). Gift certificates fromPro Golf Discount, along with Carolina Blonde product, are awarded the top three finishers in each flight at each event. Closest-to-the-pin awards are given on all par-3 holes.

Players also vie for a points championship in each flight.

The tour’s Charlotte division will play a 20-event schedule beginning Saturday at Charles T. Myers in Charlotte and concluding Oct. 7 at Charlotte National. Other stops include Birkdale, Rocky River, Regent Park, Verdict Ridge, Stonebridge, Firethorne and Crescent.

“Without a doubt, the 2000 tour has the best grouping of courses ever,” said McCormac.

Annual membership is $70 per person, which includes tour merchandise, sponsor gifts and a tour kickoff party. Entry fees range from $65 to $85 per event.

Tour participants are also eligible for the two-day, 36-hole tour finals. The top 10 from each flight in each market area advance to an overall tour championship Oct. 28-29 in Myrtle Beach.

For information on the Charlotte tour, call McCormac at 704-365-0563 or visit the Web site at www.macproductionsltd.com.

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