The Preserve at Jordan Lake (Chapel Hill, NC)

Davis Love is a North Carolina fan thru and thru, so what a great opportunity to be able to design a course in the heart of Tar Heel country, Chapel Hill.  The Preserve at Jordan Lake is a high end, upscale residential golf course. 

(Short par four seventh shows off the hilly and dramatic topography at Jordan Lake. Here the green is wide but shallow with traps guarding the front and rear. It's imperative to be in the fairway to spin it enough to stop.) 

The topography at Jordan Lake is quite hilly, with wetlands, creeks, and streams throughout. The routing takes all these natural features into account, and holes play over the hazards, up the hills, and across the slopes. 

Love's biggest obstacle was the wetlands, and the environmental restrictions. He used them as hazards for the second shots on the two par fives on the back. Coincidentally, these two holes get the most criticism from the short hitters who have trouble crossing the wetlands. However, it's the long hitter who is consistently being asked to reign in his power, and not just here but on several other holes as well. I counted nine holes where this is the play. Some are hazards that cross the fairway, and others are short par fours where laying up (like #7) is the design. 

(The par three fifth is a dramatic shot over scrub and rock outcroppings. There's plenty of room between the rocks and the green.)

The best holes in my opinion are the long par fours. I specifically speaking bout eight and ten. Eight is a great par four that falls from the tee, twists to the right, and flows into the green. It's a natural looking hole. Ten is super cool because the green is across the valley from the fairway, and hitting that long iron/hybrid shot really makes your heart race. 

The par threes lack the bite that most long golf course possess. Two of them are short/mid iron shots. Three is probably the toughest one. The green is so difficult, sloping front right to back left, that you have to be able to work it both ways. Five is a visually intimidating hole, but plenty of room to get it close. Eleven has some length. And seventeen is the easiest one of them all. If you need a birdie, there's an opportunity here!

All in all, Jordan Lake is a well designed course. It's a management type place. Know the distances, where to layup, when to take chances. I give it a 5 (good).