Today’s question:

Dear Relocate Clayton,

I just moved to Clayton from outside Boston, MA, and I’m looking for something to do - maybe a team sport or even watching some sports live somewhere.

What do you suggest?

Tom M.

Dear Tom,

Er um, have you checked out the Clayton Parks and Rec Department? They have a ton of indoor and outdoor activities and they’re responsible for several parks in the area. They also put on youth, and some adult, sports programs. Call the Clayton, NC Parks and Recreation Department at (919) 553-1550. Tell them Relocate Clayton sent you. They’ll wonder what the heck you’re talking about.

If you want to get back to nature, try Clemmons Educational State Forest. Not only will you get to meet a real live Park Ranger, you can do some hiking and picknicing. Get some friends together (if you have friends…I don’t know Tom that well) and try some group camping. You need to make reservations for this though. You cal call (919) 553-5651 for more info.

Coincidentally, the state forest is located near the site of the former Crazy Horse. So if you could get to Crazy Horse, you can get to the state forest.

Oh, and if you golf, there are plenty of places to golf. I don’t have time to golf, but my neighbor (pronounced Nay-Bah) is a member at The Neuse. He says it rocks if you’re looking for some place that’s not pretentious as all heck. I’m not saying other places like Pine Hollow and Riverwood are pretentiuous…my Nay-Bah simply hasn’t golfed there.

In terms of teams sports, Clayton isn’t that far from the MudCats minor league baseball team. For other outdoor activities, try Jordan Lake, Falls Lake, Harris Lake, Kerr Lake, and Relocate Clayton Lake. Ok, don’t try the last one, it’s actually just some standing water I have in my yard.
Thanks.

The Staff at Relocate Clayton

The Country Club of Johnston County is just one of the many golf courses in the Johnston County.

Offering a lovely year-round climate and near picture-perfect greens and fairways, Johnston County offers avid goflers a year-round golf buffet for eastern North Carolina.

The 6‚600-yard lakeside course in Smithfield was started in 1936 and is the home of PGA player and Johnston County native Neal Lancaster.

Because it’s a smaller‚ private course‚ members  of the Country Club of Johnston County feel at home when they’re at the course to play or socialize. Golfers are able to play the course whenever they wish and can generally play a lot faster than at other courses, including public courses.
Golfers can also enjoy three semi-private golf courses in nearby Clayton, NC.

Pine Hollow Golf Club‚ located on the Wake and Johnston county border recently under­went a $3 million renovation. The challenging 6‚500-yard course is easy to walk and is very senior-friendly. Guests can find just about anything they need for their game in the large pro shop‚ while younger, up-and-coming golfers can build their skills in Pine Hollow’s junior golf clinic.

Riverwood Golf and Athletic Club is Clayton, NC’s only 27-hole course. The 7‚100-yard golf course opened to the public in 1997 and currently has over 2‚000 members. In 2007‚ Riverwood hosted a North Carolina Amateur Golf Sectional Qualifier and held its own amateur tournament that same year. The course winds along the scenic Neuse River and offers golfers great views from every hole.

Clayton also is home to The Neuse Golf Club. The Neuse features an 18-hole 7‚010-yard championship course that was designed by John LaFoy.

The Neuse was awarded four-and-a-half stars by Golf Digest magazine, and was rated as one of the top five golf courses based on course conditions, and one of the top 10 courses for service in all of North Carolina.

Located just minutes from Interstate 95‚ the semi-private Cardinal Country Club in Selma offers recently renovated greens‚ tees and cart paths. Tall pines‚ ponds and sand bunkers create an appealing chal­lenge for golfer of just about any levels at the 6‚600-yard course.

Cardinal Country Club often hosts corporate and group events for tourists and locals‚ while its 300-plus members can take advantage of standing tee times.

Reedy Creek Golf Club in Four Oaks has been named the top course in Johnston County by readers of The Smith­field Herald for nine years straight. The 6‚426-yard public course offers smooth‚ cham­pion Bermuda greens‚ as well as chipping‚ putting and driving ranges. Tee times are readily available at Reedy Creek‚ where more than 35‚000 rounds are played each year.