This year, the ACC contested its Men’s Golf Championship at Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, S.C., following 15 consecutive years at McConnell Golf’s Old North State Club in New London, N.C.

Duke University emerged on top of the leaderboard, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament for its first league title since 2013.

The Blue Devils won for the eighth time overall, managing a 14-under-par score of 850 at Musgrove Mill. Duke finished with a 12-shot advantage on runner-up Clemson. Sophomore Alex Smalley led Duke with a 4-under 212 for a fifth-place tie. Teammate Jake Shuman tied for eighth place at 214. Matt Oshrine and Alexander Matlari tied for 10th at 215.

Wake Forest placed third at 3-over, followed by Florida State (4-over), North Carolina State (9-over), Virginia (10-over), Georgia Tech and North Carolina (both 19-over), Virginia Tech (29-over), Notre Dame (36-over), Louisville (41-over) and Boston College (57-over).

The individual champion was Jimmy Stanger of Virginia at 5-under 211, winning a playoff with North Carolina’s Ben Griffin, Wake Forest’s Paul McBride and Clemson’s Bryson Nimmer. Wake Forest’s Will Zalatoris and N.C. State’s Stephen Franken tied with Smalley for fifth at 4-under.

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When Jeff Tallman was in Junior High School, his mother would often drop him off for the day at a golf course. “If it was sunny and summertime, I’d be out there,” he recalls. “I loved every minute.”

Years later, Tallman still gets a thrill out of spending his days on the golf course. But as the Director of Golf at Musgrove Mill Golf Club, actual golf is just a portion of his job. In addition to running the day-to-day operations of the club, he works to make guests feel like family, spending time with each group that comes to play.

Tallman got into the golf business out of school, starting at a couple of clubs in Indiana. After he married, he moved to Augusta, Georgia and worked as an assistant golf pro. A few years later, a position opened at Musgrove Mill Golf Club. The Tallmans, who had an eight-month-old at the time, saw great appeal in Clinton, South Carolina’s tight-knit community and soon made the move. 

“Musgrove Mill’s intimate setting helps us stand out,” Tallman says. “We really take the opportunity to connect with our members.”

Tommy Parrish is one of Musgrove Mills’ original members, and says Tallman is a people person who has done great things for the club: “You’re always glad to see him, and he’s always glad to see you.” 

It was spring when the Tallmans first arrived to Clinton. “The azaleas were blooming, Presbyterian College was abuzz, and we found a home in the center of town,” recalls Tallman, who is the father of three nearly-grown girls. “It’s been a true pleasure raising a family here.”

Family is a theme that motivates much of his business practice, too. “We’re golf professionals; we’re not professional golfers,” he explains. “We can play good golf, but what we’re always thinking about is our members - not our game. What can we do to make their day better? Every time they pull in through the gate, they can enjoy what we call the ‘decompression chamber.’ They can reconnect, relax, and refocus.” 

Seeing the sport change over his time in the business, Tallman says he still hates to hear folks say golf takes too long. “I like to think of golf as quality time you can’t get back,” he says. “The four hours someone spends with their dad or mom on the golf course - they’re some of the best times of their lives.” 

His father was an avid golfer, and would take Tallman along from the time he could walk. In high school, he had a particular fondness for golf. His college team even finished 16th in the NCAA. 

“I got into the golf business for the golf - but I don’t think this is a business that you can just acquire a taste for,” Tallman explains. “I think it has to be in your blood. You have to love getting up and out there ... And you have to have a family that understands all of that. This is a service business and it takes a lot of give. You either have it or you don’t - and I’m so glad I do.”

A Tip From the Pros

From Musgrove Mill's formidable #7, Tallman discusses weighing the risk/reward of a challenging hole. 

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When it came time to plan a recent guys’ weekend, we knew it would be a golf trip. But that was only the beginning. We wanted our stay to really feel like a getaway - we needed to escape our daily grind, a little bit of adventure, and an off-the-beaten path kind of setting.

Musgrove Mill was therefore a natural fit.

The Arnold Palmer designed course, nestled at the base of the Appalachian Mountain foothills and etched along the banks of the Enoree River, is a property with facilities that are serene and comforting.

Settling In

Driving through the rolling hills of upstate South Carolina into The Mill felt like entering an enclave. A few wild creatures greeted us — deer, turkey, and even a fox — during our mile-long drive to the main clubhouse. The staff upstaged them, though: we were immediately and warmly greeted and given the keys to our spot for the weekend, Lee Cottage. The Mill offers two cottages adjacent to the driving range, as well as two suites adjoined to the clubhouse. Surrounded by pine trees, our home away from home was idyllic and cozy. We had four bedrooms, two private bathrooms, a huge shared living area, a full kitchen, a large-screen satellite television, a screened-in porch and – perfect for a guys’ weekend – a pool table. Delighted with our accommodations, we returned to the clubhouse to secure a 1:30 p.m. tee time.  

A Feast For The Senses

You know you’re on vacation when all you have to think about is golf and food. With time before our golf game, the staff again surpassed our service expectations by telling us it was time to think about dinner — a request well received among a group of always-hungry men. We decided to grab lunch in the clubhouse, which was top-notch, simple cuisine served in a relaxed ambiance.

Over lunch, we perused menus for the real dining highlight: Cottage Dinners. You can elect to have on-site chefs provide most of your meal for you, leaving the seasoned main course for you to prepare for yourself in your cottage. We went with what is the crowd favorite, the Musgrove Mill Original Steak and Shrimp Dinner.  

The Centerpiece

Bellies full but mouths already watering for the next meal, it was time to hit the course. Dubbed “the most challenging course you’ll ever love,” Arnold Palmer took inspiration from the site’s backcountry location when designing the layout. The Mill’s 6,940-yard, par 72 course often changes elevations; each hole is an entirely different experience. Fortunately, this bodes well for golfers of every level like us, as Palmer created a variety of tees.

We couldn’t stop marveling at the unpredictable elevations and landscapes. It was as if we were in the lowcountry marsh on hole number eight and then suddenly a highlands course on hole number ten. The Mill’s signature hole is number seven, considered one of the most demanding in the Southeast. Let’s just say the 190-yard shot over a bend in the Enoree gave us a good run for our money and leave it at that.

Thanks to its variety, it was in fact a course that challenged us in a very satisfying way. Plus, fairways of lush Bermuda grass made it a sight to behold around every bend. Every hole was so unique, it seemed like you could play this track all day and never get tired of it.  

Tradition Worthy

Wonderfully exhausted from our time on the course, we returned to the clubhouse for a round of drinks before it was time to see what those Cottage Dinners are all about. We arrived home to a shrimp cocktail appetizer, salad ingredients, and baked potatoes with all the fixings. No prep work required. There were also, as promised, seasoned steaks waiting for us to cook, so we cracked open a few beers and fired up our grill.

Afterward, sitting on the porch and re-hashing the day’s activities, one of my friends declared our trip one of the best he’s ever taken — and we had only finished day one! We planned for another round of golf the next day, as well as a little downtime spent enjoying our cabin and some fishing.

By the weekend’s end, we felt as rejuvenated as we’d hoped, and then some. We were so glad we had come to stay at Musgrove; inimitable service and unbeatable amenities made for a worry-free three days. Add in the friendship and community formed around golf, and this will likely become an annual tradition.

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Late Musgrove Mill member Doug Mahan once kindly wrote about his favorite hole at the Mill, which was and still is #5. “Musgrove Mill is dear to my heart. It’s a phenomenal golfing venue. It’s a true golfer’s golf club,” he began, before continuing humbly. I can’t say I knew the man from reading his article, but after witnessing the “Battle at the Mill,” a memorial celebration for Doug Mahan, I feel as if I knew him well. 

On April 29th, 70 players from six different countries met together on the fairway of #5 at Musgrove Mill to continue celebrating Doug Mahan’s life seven months after his passing last fall. Close family of Doug’s were already waiting 75 feet above us on the tee box with one revolutionary war cannon ready to blast off. As the crowd on the fairway was getting bigger and bigger, mist began turning into rain, setting the tone for an emotional and amazing ceremony.

As we awaited the beginning of the ceremony, I gazed across the fairway which was packed with all of Doug’s friends from around the world and I thought, “Wow this is amazing.” I then could overhear one agree with another that “this was exactly Doug.” All of a sudden without warning, the cannon master approached the edge of the tee box, stood up straight and yelled, “Aim… Fire!”

Kaboom! A loud cannon blast shook throughout Clinton, SC as Doug Mahan became one with Musgrove Mill. After a few seconds of this surreal moment, someone broke the silence in the fairway with a “Wow” followed by another “Wow” as we watched Doug’s ashes linger above us. Then, a man in a Scottish tartan came in our view and began to play Amazing Grace beautifully on his bag pipe. At that point, all 70 players in the fairway cheered loudly for Doug and his family above us.

Once the ceremony came to a close with bad weather upon us, everyone was ready to begin what they always enjoyed with Doug - playing golf. This occasion was very special as it heralded the first “Battle at the Mill” in honor of Doug with six teams playing against each other and representing their home countries. All of his mates from Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Holland were there to fight it out all day. But as usual, the Americans prevailed.

After their round, everyone gathered for dinner on the back deck of the clubhouse, which was the most amazing part of the day to me. All 70 players plus Doug’s family were sitting at the same table with an incredible view of the sun descending upon the golf course. The promising noise of spring filled the air with frogs and crickets chirping louder and louder as the sun lowered. Initially, we thought the event was in jeopardy with bad weather. However, we felt nothing but peace as night fell.

I really began to get to know Doug when his good friend Dr. Bruce Bode stood up and commented “This is a phenomenal day. The weather held off, and his whole family was here. I would like to toast to Doug in his memory, to a very phenomenal person that changed so many people.” After many clinks from the wine glasses and shouts of “Here Here!” and “Cheers!” each country would have one person to talk about their great friend Dougie. I heard so many incredible things about this man from so many different accents. The Australians got things started by saying, “It didn’t matter whether you have known Dougie for five minutes or five years, you were still awarded with the same enthusiasm from him.” Later, the English pointed out, “You always felt like you were special to Doug. He always had a bit of time for you, and he made you feel really good to be around. You judge a man by the company he keeps, and I think this group says everything about Doug.” Big smiles filled the table as more stories about Doug were expressed, especially how the Dutch put it: “He was larger than life.”

What really came clear to me was when the South Africans said “He was a great connector, and he connected all of us.” Everyone then stopped for a moment to take a look at each other across the table and to truly agree. With our full attention on the South African Ambassador, he finished his peaceful words with, “In African folklore, when the rains come down at a memorial or ceremony, it’s a welcoming. And Doug was welcomed where he has gone--and then he turned the rain off so we could play golf.” I felt chills going down my back as others had both smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Many truly believed this, as we were dealing with tornado warnings the morning of what became a beautiful day.

The dinner continued with laughter and sadness. Regardless, I learned so much about Doug Mahan and life in general--I wish I could fit it all in this article. But another amazing moment was when Doug’s longtime friend spoke and told us how Doug once said “God gave us a memory to have a second chance to happiness,” which would lead him to say “So through our memories of Doug, we second that chance of happiness.” Of course, this was followed by many more rounds of “Here Here” and “Cheers!”

Eventually, Doug’s brother Alex took the table and would go on to say “If you asked what made Doug a great man…it wasn’t his stature, it wasn’t his height [the shorter brother joked], it wasn’t his strength because he was a strong guy; but it was the stature of his name that made him great.”

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