On a golf course in eastern NC, we discovered a big red spider about the size of a half dollar.?

Question

the spider had the shape and size of a very large black widow and was a bright orange / red in color. can anyone id?

Answer 1

It sounds like a bug people call a "cow killer" .  They can't really kill a cow, but they will sting you.  They are actually in the wasp family, but are wingless wasps.  They are all over the south.  Some are black and orange, the ones I grew up around (eastern NC) are red and black.  

Answer 2

What's a half dollar?? You mean 50 cents? And where's NC?

If it was black with a red or orange stripe, it is probably a redback spider.

Answer 3

I hope you let it play through.