The Cumberland County Golf Championship returns for its 58th year in October, welcoming novice and seasoned competitors to tee up and give their all toward winning the title of CCGC Champion.
Registration runs until Monday, Oct. 5, offering competitors several divisions to throw their hats in the ring, including Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s and Super Senior. Registration for the Men’s and Super Senior Divisions is $145, while the Women’s Divisions cost $115; service fees apply. Registrants can sign up at https://pci.jotform.com/form/232342638462153.
In the spirit of keeping the game accessible to as many competitors as possible, a major change has been implemented for this year’s tournament. The minimum age for entry has been lowered to 13 so more future golfing pros can enter the Champion and Open Divisions. Previously, the age limit was 15.
The field will be divided based on sex and age and limited to 96 golfers; players will be flighted within their divisions according to their 36-hole scores.
Gates Four Golf & Country Club, trusted venue of the tournament since 2017, will host all rounds of the competition. General Manager Kevin Lavertu works hard each year to provide the ideal sporting environment with an 18-hole course redesigned in 2011 by Kris Spence, a respected golf course architect. This effort is why Gates Four is considered a premier club among golfers.
For many, playing in the tournament is about more than just vying for a trophy.
“It is a Cumberland County tradition, and it’s the oldest amateur golf tournament continuously running in North Carolina,” said Tournament Director and Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman.
Up & Coming Weekly has proudly put on the CCGC for almost a decade since The Fayetteville Observer stepped away from hosting it. Regular sponsors include SERVPRO, Healy Wholesale and Valley Auto World, among others.
“It’s been a very exciting and rewarding event for this community,” said Bowman. “Up & Coming Weekly is very honored to have been asked to carry this Fayetteville/Cumberland County tradition forward.”
The tournament will be preceded by the Gates Four Champions’ Reception and Pairings Party on Thursday, Oct. 8, held at the country club. This get-together gives players a chance to mingle and see who they’ll be playing against. Attendees include Kirk deViere, chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners; Diane Wheatley, North Carolina representative for District 43; and other city and county representatives.
The game starts on Friday, Oct. 9 and will last until Sunday, Oct. 11, with 54 holes of individual stroke play. The Women’s Divisions will play 36 holes across Saturday, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11. The tournament adheres to rules set by the United States Golf Association; any local rules will be declared before the game begins. On the last day, golfers who make it to the Championship flight will play from the black tees, which will determine the CCGC Champion.
After the tournament ends on Oct. 11, the SERVPRO Winners Reception will be held at the country club’s pavilion around 4 p.m. to reward the best of the best. The chairman and state representatives will also be present at this celebration.
Alongside new golfers, there will be many familiar faces returning to ramp up the competition, including 2025 runner-up Billy West, Chase Suitt and 2025 CCGC Champion Chip Collins, who’s looking to score a three-peat after his 2024 and 2025 wins.
Each division has its winners in addition to the overall CCGC Champion. Here’s a look at who took home the trophies in 2025:
• Open Division: Tori Callaway (245)
• Senior Men’s: Steve Wheeler (231)
• Senior Women’s: Jennifer Eavenson (181)
• Women’s: Toni Blackwell (175)
• Super Senior: Larry Spivey (231)
Collins went pro after playing in the CCGC for many years and is now back to competing in our local championship.
“I didn’t really know how much I would miss playing in the tournament until I got back to playing in the tournament,” he said. “It’s nice to be back, and it’s nice to have won a couple after coming back as well.”
With new competitors signing up each year, including youth players, Collins anticipates that the old guard of repeat champions will eventually give way to the “coming of the new kids.” Until then, he looks forward to returning for the 2026 game and seeing past players, and he keeps his skills sharp by competing in other tournaments during the year.
“I play on two amateur tours throughout the year — the Golf Weekend tour and the APT tour,” he said. “Between those two tours and some other tournaments, I just play tournaments mostly on the weekend and practice when I can.”
In addition to offering a highly competitive game and a weekend of elite sportsmanship, the tournament also supports youth education through the Kidsville News! Literacy & Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The organization “provides free reading and educational resources to elementary-age students in Cumberland County schools,” according to Bowman.
When Up & Coming Weekly took charge of the CCGC in 2017, there wasn’t yet a charitable component.
“The tournament really was just a golf tournament, and I wanted it to tie in with our mission and our mandate,” said Bowman, referencing Up & Coming Weekly’s aim to elevate Cumberland County’s quality of life and media landscape. “I wanted it to be a tournament with a purpose.”
This goal is also shared by and reflected in the sponsors who have been supporting the CCGC since its 2017 revamp.
Spectators are welcome to come down to Gates Four at 6775 Irongate Drive to watch the golfers play and see who comes out on top. Be there from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11 to root for the players and witness the excellence of Cumberland County golfers. Contact Bill Bowman at 910-391-3859 for any questions about the event.

(Photo: Division and championship trophies are lined up ready for the top golfers in Cumberland County. Photo courtesy of Cumberland County Golf Championship)