THE RIVER REPORT
PETE DYE RIVER COURSE OF VIRGINIA TECH
YOUR CLUB
HOURS OF OPERATION
PRESTON’S RESTAURANT
Monday I CLOSED
Tuesday I CLOSED
Wednesday I 11:00am - 5:00pm (Bar 10:00am - 7:00pm)
Thursday I 11:00am - 5:00pm (Bar 10:00am - 7:00pm)
Friday I 11:00am - 8:00pm (Bar 10:00am - 8:00pm)
Saturday I 11:00am - 5:00pm (Bar 10:00am - 7:00pm)
Sunday I 11:00am - 5:00pm (Bar 10:00am - 7:00pm)
GOLF SHOP
Monday-Thursday I 8:00am - 6:00pm
Friday-Sunday I 8:00am - 6:00pm
PRACTICE FACILITIES
Open 30 minutes prior to first tee time
Closes at dusk
CLUB NUMBERS
Main Office Golf Shop
Restaurant Special Events
CLUB CONTACTS
CLUBHOUSE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
Michael Abraham | General Manager mabraham@petedyerivercourse.com
Fran Davis | Business Manager fdavis@petedyerivercourse.com
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Kari Kendall I Front of House & Catering Manager foh@petedyerivercourse.com
JC Botero I Kitchen Manager / Lead Chef chef@petedyerivercourse.com
GOLF
Michael Abraham | PGA Director of Golf mabraham@petedyerivercourse com
DJ Shively | Assistant Golf Professional dj shively@petedyerivercourse com
GROUNDS
Greg Caldwell | Golf Course Superintendent greg.caldwell@petedyerivercourse.com
THE CORNER OFFICE
Dear Members,
Pete Dye River Course is BACK! As you see with the picture on the cover, we may have had a celebration in April! After seven long months, nearly to the day of when the flooding from Hurricane Helene turned our world upside down, The River Course opened all 18 holes. We had a great ‘Grand Re-Opening’ that saw the local news providing coverage of three Chambers of Commerce (Montgomery County, Pulaski County, and Radford) joining forces for an amazing ribbon-cutting event. There were over 100 people in attendance who listened to several guest speakers talk about the importance of Pete Dye River Course to the area and how fantastic it is that we’ve overcome such an incredible challenge. The best part of this day was being able to recognize and celebrate the efforts of Greg Caldwell, our superintendent, and his staff for all their dedication and hard work. We would not be where we are today without the leadership of Greg and how his team stepped up to the plate and delivered for us.
As we enter May and June, we get to celebrate other events: graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and Father’s Day. Take a moment to recognize the achievements of those around you. Celebrate each moment, no matter how big or small. Personally, my twins will be graduating from first grade in June, and I know they’ll be wanting to celebrate with a big ice cream sundae on that day! And you know what? I’ll take them out and join them because I’ll be celebrating the fact that I’ve gotten two kids through first grade!
I hope everyone has a great couple of months and can’t wait to see you here at The River Course for golf, food and fun!
Michael Abraham,
PGA Master Professional General Manager / Director of Golf
The Pete Dye River Course mabraham@petedyerivercourse com
ON THE LINKS
We are excited, as I'm sure you are, that the course is back open on all 18 holes We thank each of you for your support over the last 7 months With every hole open, that means we can start posting scores again!
Tournament season is upon us! We will be hosting several outside events over the next couple of months Be sure to check the weekly emails, as those events will impact tee time availability We will also begin our Men's League on Thursday evenings this month Be on the lookout for more information about this Men’s Match Play qualifying begins in May with the bracket tournament starting in June! A new tournament will be held on June 28th We are calling this The Poker Golf Tournament and will have more details to come
As you are getting the golf clubs out and preparing for summer play, let us know if you are in need of new grips We can order and install thor just put them on if you already have the grips
Thank you all, and I look forward to seeing you on the course!
DJ Shively
Assistant Golf Professional dj.shively@petedyerivercourse.com
Member-Guest
July 10 -12
(Thursday to Saturday)
80's Theme!
$250 Johnnie-O Welcome Package!
New putting competition on Stag Night
Special ‘Sudden Death Sunday’ Competition for those interested!
Men’s League Starts May 8!
Thursdays throughout the spring and summer
Different formats each week! Weekly Payouts!
Season-long points competition!
Men’s Match
Play
Qualifying from May 1 - May 31
Players can play a maximum of three qualifying rounds, counting their two best net scores.
Lowest net qualifying score will be the Top Seed in the bracket.
Friday Fun Golf
The end to a long week sounds like a great time to get out and play 9-holes! Join us for our ‘Friday Fun Golf’ this summer.
Open to members and public. 5:30pm shotgun starts
First event is May 16!
February
March
April
Pete Dye River Course
2025 Golf Schedule
8 – Super Bowl Golf Tournament
3-4 - Aerification 5 – Hokie Ball
9 – Master’s Par 3 Shootout 25-27 – Member-Member
3-4 - Aerification 28 – Poker Golf
June
July
August
10-12 - Men’s Member/Guest
9-10 – Club Championship
18-19 - Aerification
September 20 - Ryder Cup
November 28 - Turkey Shootout
*Some events are subject to change
Thursday Night Men’s League
May 8
May 15
June 12
June 19
June 26
July 17
July 24
July 31
August 7
August 1 4
All times starting at 5:30pm Weekly formats!
Friday Co-Ed Golf
May 16
May 23
June 13
June 20
August 1
August 8
August 29
September 5
September 12
All times starting at 5:30pm Weekly formats!
TURF TALK
Wow, what a difference a few months can make! From bare soil to new turf, March and April were gone in the blink of an eye. So here we are, preparing for summer already. The spring weather has been great so far for growing in new turf. Our goal is to grow roots as deep as possible on our new greens and fairways before summer stress. The height of cut on the new greens will be lowered slowly, and topdressing sand will be added frequently to smooth out the surface. I enjoyed the process and am pleased with the results. Please enjoy these pictures of the work our crew and others completed.
Regards, Greg Caldwell Superintendent greg.caldwell@petedyerivercourse.com
#15 Short of the Green
Laying New Sod on #15
Fairway Sod on #3
Fairway Sod on #3
Finished Green #8
WHAT’S COOKIN’?
Have you met our new Chef?
Chef JC joins our team at Pete Dye River Course, having started in mid-March If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, make sure to stop by and introduce yourself.
JC was born in Medellin, Colombia where the beauty of nature was his playground The
early years of his life were filled with curiosity and exploration, learning from the culinary world around him. His family, although not wealthy, provided him with a rich foundation of values, ethics, and the importance of education
He pursued his higher education at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, majoring in a field that intrigued him the most. The school years were a blend of rigorous academic training and enriching experiences He was involved in numerous projects that challenged his intellect and broadened his perspectives, laying the groundwork for his professional career
More on Chef JC to come in future editions!
Upcoming Events
May 11 - Mother’s Day Brunch
May 16 - Birthday Night
June 6 - Live Music: Wildwood Band
June 13 - Live Music: Cat & Banjo
June 15 - Father’s Day Cookout
June 20 - Live Music: Dean Trimble & Boone
Birthday Night
Steaks & Stogies
June 27 - Live Music: The Woogemen
Spring is finally here at The River Course, and I couldn’t be more excited to step into my first full summer with all of you. Growing up, my family always had gardens blooming and outdoor activities filling our days My parents had a real knack for growing vegetables and canning what we harvested, and those early experiences sparked my own love for the outdoors, especially during this vibrant time of year There's something so energizing about longer days, fresh air, and the chance to connect with nature and community.
With all the fun events coming up in the next couple months, we warmly invite you to come by and be a part of it all Friday nights are always a highlight, with live music on the terrace drawing a great crowd. Pair that with Chef JC’s amazing menu and ever-changing specials, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an evening under the stars with friends, good food, and great vibes
We cannot wait to spend the summer with you, at The River Course!
Kari Kendall Front of House & Catering Manager foh@petedyerivercourse com
DATE
Steaks & Stogies Friday, June 20
Join us for a night with Steaks and Cigars! Three different cuts of meat will be cooked to your liking on our outdoor grill along with a baked potato bar and vegetable. An array of cigars will be available for purchase.
Yoga on the Green Saturday, June 28
We’ll be working with Sweetgrass Yoga Studio on this one! Join us for a 6:30am sunrise yoga class outside on our events lawn! Enjoy the sunrise along The New River! More details to come.
Con-GRAD-ulations! To Three Staff Members Who Have Graduated From Virgin
Degree
Biochemistry
What’s Next?
Applying to Dental Schools
Degree
Business Information Technology with a focus in Cybersecurity Management and Analytics
What’s Next?
Working as a Cybersecurity consultant at FTI in their forensic & litigation segment.
COOKIES OF THE MONTH
MAY
Degree
Marketing Management
What’s Next?
Moving back to New York City to look for a job in commercial real estate
JUNE
Strawberries and Cream Cookies by Todd Jackson, Executive Chef at The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation
Blueberry Honeycomb Cookie by The Culinary Team at Pete Dye River Course
Dylan Gil
Sarah Woodward Stef Grammatica
INSTRUCTION
In this edition, I’d like to focus on The Rules of Golf. How well do you know the rules? Do you know how to apply them? Do you know how to search the rules book to quickly find an answer to your question?
The Rules of Golf can be a very daunting and intimidating book The book is divided into several sections: the table of contents, the rules, definitions, and the index at the end While viewing the book, any word that is in italicized font is considered to be a ‘definition’ and can be viewed at the back of the book for more clarity on its meaning
The first thing a player should do when trying to come to a ruling is focus on the facts of the case and identify:
The form of play (i.e., stroke or match)
Who is involved (the player, partner or caddie, the opponent or their caddie) In what area of the course did the incident occur?
What actually happened
What were the players' intentions (what was the player doing, and what did they want to do)?
The timing of the incident (Is the player still on the course? Has the player returned their scorecard? Has the competition closed? etc.)
Being able to answer the questions listed above will give you a much better chance of navigating The Rules of Golf. Let’s do one together. A player, in stroke play, believes their ball is embedded in the fairway. What are they allowed to do? First, we know the form is stroke play Second, the player is involved Third, the player is in the fairway, which is also known as the general area Fourth, the ball is embedded If you’re like me and don’t know what the rule number is off the top of your head, you can flip to the index in the back of the book and look up ‘Embedded Ball ’ You’ll find that you need to flip to Rule 16 3 You’ll find when relief is and is not allowed under Rule 16 3, how to determine whether the ball is embedded, and finally how to take relief if the ball is actually embedded. See! Nothing to it!
As many of you may know, Nick Boyea took a tremendous opportunity at Fincastle Country Club to be their Director of Instruction. We are extremely grateful and proud of Nick for all the time and effort he put into growing the Op36 program here at The River Course.
We are also excited to announce that DJ Shively, the Assistant Golf Professional at The River Course, will be taking over the Academy. DJ will be coordinating the spring, summer and fall programs. Please keep an eye on the Op36 app for details on upcoming programs as well as the 9-hole play dates
For more information on camps, please visit pgajuniorgolfcamps.com or contact DJ Shively at dj.shively@petedyeriverc ourse.com
Mother’s Day Brunch
Wayne Zellers Tournament Radford Chamber Golf Tournament
Chamber Golf Tournament
Father’s Day Cookout
PDRC buzz
Never miss out on a club event, the latest McConnell Golf news or the chance to share your member experience. Stay connected to Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech and McConnell Golf on social media and join the conversation today.
@petedyerivercourse @mcconnellgolf @rivercourseofvt
@maggie.arrendondo Asher’s first of many golf days with mom and dad
TOP 5 HOLES AT PETE DYE RIVER COURSE
Watch Here: Bit ly/Top5Holes
Highly regarded as a top collegiate course in the country and one of Pete Dye's finest designs, the Pete Dye River Course offers five sets of tees ranging from the championship at 7,665 yards to the forward at 5,142 yards Join us for an aerial tour of our five favorite holes at Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech and subscribe to McConnell Golf on YouTube for more exclusive content
@7atfour
Hometown Veterans: Honoring Our Heroes
Thank you to Sheila Zellers and Michael Abraham for coming on the show to talk about the Wayne Zellers Memorial Golf Tournament! This tournament not only honors the life of Vietnam Veteran Wayne Zellers, but also helps wounded veterans!