Gates Four Country Club is readying itself to host the oldest continuous golf tournament in North Carolina. Now heading into its 56th season, the Cumberland County Golf Championship will highlight Cumberland County’s best golfing talent from Oct. 11 through the 13.
Bill Bowman, publisher of the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper and CCGC tournament director, spoke of the event’s impact: “The CCGC has nurtured some of the finest amateur golfers and professional golfers in the country.”
He referenced past and current CCGC participants from the community as “celebrities in their own right,” listing names such as PGA Professional Chip Beck, seven-time CCGC champion Gary Robinson, and 10-time CCGC champion Billy West, last year’s winner who will be vying for his 11th Championship win.
“Originally from Fayetteville, PGA golfing professional Chip Beck won the tournament in the sixties, paving the way for dozens of local amateurs to go on tour, turn professional, and pursue careers in the golfing industry,” Bowman shared. “The CCGC trophy bears some very prestigious names of local golfing legends.”
Bowman initially took the reigns as tournament director for CCGC after the local daily newspaper Fayetteville Observer abandoned the event after 47 years. Because of its long, proud history and tradition of being the longest continuous golf tournament in North Carolina, Bowman did not want to see it end and accepted responsibility for what he later described as a “huge undertaking.” After the first year, Gates Four Golf and Country Club stepped up to assist with the details and logistics vital to maintaining the golfing standards, challenge, integrity, and dignity of the nearly five-decade-old tournament. In the third year, Gates Four CC was made the “official” home of the CCGC under the supervision and direction of General Manager Kevin Lavertu.
Gates Four Golf and Country Club is known to be one of the finest 18-hole Championship Golf Courses in eastern North Carolina. It was designed in 1967 by Willard Byrd, with a 2011 redesign by Kris Spence.
“It challenges you from all aspects,” Kevin Lavertu, General Manager of the Club, shared. “Looking historically at the CCGC scores, if you shoot even par for three days out here, that will leave you somewhere in contention.”
In the past, the tournament was played over several area golf courses. The transition to Gates Four Golf for the three-day event has been seamless and more convenient for the participants.
“The course is in beautiful shape and ready for the competition,” said Bowman. “Kevin and his talented crew work diligently at maintaining it to the highest standards.”
Traditionally, the CCGC tournament is played according to official PGA rules: gross scores and flighted.
“Golf is a mental game as well as a physical game, and success depends on how well you manage the course,” Bowman commented on its difficulty level. “It’s not for everybody.”
DeeDee Jarman, 2023 Senior Women’s Division Champion, Deputy Director of Athletics at Methodist University, and 2024 contestant, agreed.
“Every time I go out on the course, I want to improve my game — shoot better than in previous events. Gates Four is a very challenging course, so I go out and play the course to the best of my ability.”
Jarman said her journey with golf began when her husband introduced her to the sport on a hometown par-three course. Even before that, sports had played a significant role in her life. She played softball from 5th grade until she was 27 years old and built relationships with people that continue to impact her life.
The CCGC donates money to the Kay Yow Cancer and the Friends of the Cancer Center Foundation for each female contestant in the Women’s Division, which Jarman greatly appreciates.
“She was my mentor,” Jarman said of Yow, the Women’s Basketball Coach at NC State for 28 years. “She’s a person that will never be erased from our memory.”
Jarman would love to see more ladies come out and play in support of women battling cancer and is happy that the CCGC tournament focuses on giving back to the community.
Billy West, the 2023 CCGC champion and ten-time title winner, said that his connections through sports were also important to him.
“I could sit here and name names all day long of people with whom I have close friendships that originated with this golf tournament,” he said.
West attended North Carolina State University from 1993 to 1997 on a golf scholarship. Born and raised in Cumberland County, his father was a casual golfer who introduced him to the sport at the age of 9. At 10, he competed in his first golfing competition. He was 16 when he entered his first CCGC tournament and has only missed one year since then.
“I played in the US Amateur in 1994 and the US Junior Amateur in 1992,” West explained. “But…my local county’s Golf Championship has always been the most significant tournament to me.”
After 40 years of competitive golf, West described CCGC as the only tournament he’s been playing his whole golf career.
“It has been a constant in my life throughout the years.”
West looks forward to the event each year.
While eager to win an 11th victory, West commented on the honor it would bring to any contestant.
“Obviously, I want to win. That goes without being said. But at the same time, I am happy for whoever wins because I know how significant it is.”
West encourages cross-generational involvement, saying his son now plays golf. “I think golf is a great game for young people.” West shared. “Teeing up in a tournament where a 16-year-old or a 65-year-old player could win is a rare experience. That’s unique to this tournament. I can’t think of another tournament that I’ve competed in that has that dynamic.”
Angelique Seymore, 2023 Women’s Division Champion and 2024 contestant, appreciated that similar dynamic. Seeing the senior and youth divisions compete motivates and inspires her to keep improving.
Seymour began playing golf at 13 with her family. After a brief hiatus while in college, she recently started playing again and perfecting her game. The break gave her time to consider how she truly feels about the sport.
“It made me realize that I am in love with golf, and I love the game. I had to find my way back to it and be sure that this is what I really wanted to do — and something to invest my time in,” she said.
As an artist, Angelique finds parallels between golf and her creative pursuits. She said it takes practice, patience, and dedication to be good, and there are plenty of good and bad days.
“I think golf is a reflection of life.” She expressed. “You’re never going to have a perfect day.”
But just like painting, she’s never satisfied with the outcome, which fuels her game. “There’s inspiration everywhere. I think that keeps me going — wanting to get better.”
The 56th Annual Cumberland County Golf Championship promises a weekend of exciting golf competition. The event starts with a Champions Reception on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Gates Four; the Men Divisions tee off on Friday the 11, and the Youth and Women play on Oct. 12 and 13. Registration is open online at www.cumerlandcountygolfclassic.com for all Divisions: Championship Division, Men’s Division, Senior Div., Super Senior Div., Women’s and Senior Women’s Div. and Youth Divisions.
CCGC supports Cumberland County School children and teachers through the 501(c3) nonprofit Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation. For more information, contact Bill Bowman, tournament director, at bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com or call 910-391-3859, Kevin Lavertu, General Manager at Gates Four Country Club, at 910-425- 6567, or Judy Stapleton with Up & Coming Weekly at 910-484-6200.

(Photos: Top: Local golfing legend Gary Robinson, left, and Billy West stand at Gates Four Country Club during the Cumberland County Golf Championship in 2015. Photo courtesy of Billy West.  Bottom: The winners of the 2023 CCGC pose with their hard earned awards. Photo courtesy of Dee Dee Jarman)