Not long after the club was opened, in September 1964, an 18-hole exhibition was played here featuring some of the game’s greats—Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Bob Charles. Such an event helped place Cedarwood on Charlotte’s map of outstanding golf courses.
Cedarwood was designed by noted golf course architect Ellis Maples and was built by Alex Guion as a public golf facility. In 1972, the course was sold to real estate developer Charles Ervin, who planned to use the land as a housing development. American Cyanamid Corp. bought the Ervin Company before the real estate plan could be carried out, thereby saving Cedarwood and allowing it to eventually become a real player in the Charlotte golf market. American Cyanamid sold the course to Grady Shumate, who had been director of golf for the Ervin Company. In 1976, the club was sold to Luther Creel and Harold Jordan who continued to operate Cedarwood as a daily-fee course. In July 1979, they made the decision to take the club private and invested $800,000--$700,000 for a clubhouse, pool and tennis courts and the rest for course renovation.
In 1984 the membership took control of the club operations, leasing the property from Harold Jordan, owner of C&J Enterprises. That relationship continues today. Club members have built a harmonious bond with the owner that has allowed Cedarwood to grow and become a fixture in south Charlotte.
Long considered one of the best layouts in the Charlotte, Cedarwood Country Club has undergone a number of changes that has made it the premier mid-priced club in the area. In 1997, the club built a spacious course maintenance facility to take care of the ever-changing needs of a championship golf course.
In 1999, Cedarwood took a big step forward to enable the greens staff to keep the course in top condition all year by installing a Toro irrigation system that covers the entire course. In 2000, the club made the next leap by building a stylish and attractive clubhouse that not only serves the members’ needs, but gives the club tremendous curb appeal. The swimming complex was renovated in 2003 and a new grill room was built.
In 2005, the club’s members approved $1.8 million capital improvement that entailed a complete restoration to the course’s greens complexes and bunkers. Kris Spence, quickly gaining a national reputation as an expert in renovating Donald Ross and Ellis Maples courses in North Carolina and Virginia, took on the project of restoring the Maples design at Cedarwood.
Green surfaces, which had shrunk over the years, have been increased 30-35 percent. That allows for more strategic pin positions and an additional challenge to golfers of all skill levels. The bunkers had become shallower over time and Spence restored them to their original character. The course has been stretched to more than 7,000 yards with a par of 71 and from the championship tees is as stern a test as any in Charlotte. In 2012 all tee complexes were laser leveled and sodded with TifGrand Bermuda. In addition to the laser leveling of tees several new tees were added and all green surrounds were improved by replacing a six foot fringe of TifGrand around all putting surfaces.
The results have been met with widespread approval, not only from the members but from skilled players from all over town. As a result, Cedarwood is ready to take its place among the premier courses in the Metrolina area. Cedarwood has hosted the Charlotte City Amateur, the Mecklenburg Four-Ball and, in more recent years, the Metro Amateur. In 2006, Cedarwood hosted qualifiers for the Wachovia Championship (Class A PGA members), the N.C. Amateur Championship and the N.C. Junior Championship. Since 2008, Cedarwood has been proud to be apart of the best private Clubs in the area to resurrect the Charlotte City Amateur Championship. Cedarwood joined a rotation of clubs including Charlotte CC, Myers Park CC, Carmel CC, Quail Hollow and others to make our City Amateur Championship one of the premier amateur events in the Carolina's.
In 2016 improvements have continued for the course. The project included a transition from bentgrass to untradwarf bermudagrass on the putting surfaces and the rebuilding all bunkers utilizing “The Better Billy Bunker System”. This project is complete, and our members have been very satisfied with the outcome of the enhancements. These improvements will elevate the standards of our course for many years to come. Our course is currently ranked sixty eighth in the state by the NC Golf Panel, www.ncgolfpanel.com . Over the past several years, the Panel has also recognized Cedarwood in numerous categories for the Charlotte Metro Area including: 2015 – #1 “Best Bang for the Buck”, 2016 & 2018 - #1, “Hidden Gem”, & 2017 & 2019 – #2 “Most fun Course to Play”.
Finding inviting and relaxing spaces to enjoy spending time with family and friends been has never been more important than today. Cedarwood can fill these needs by providing a first-class country club experience for the whole family. Our facilities promote fellowship and serve as a stimulus for social interactions among our members and guests, making our Club not only a special place but an everyday place. After twenty years of enjoying our Clubhouse, we are proud to have completed upgrades to all our dining areas and facilities in 2020. The improvements completed includes furnishings, wall & floor coverings, new service bars and décor.
Not only has Cedarwood enjoyed a rich history, but the club is poised to move into the future as one of the best values in the Charlotte area.