The Preserve At Jordan Lake, Chapel Hill, NC

The Preserve at Jordan’s Lake is a course that features strong visuals and a consistent lack of even footing, complemented by a variety of hazards, including quite penal rough; this course requires you to combine target golf and bombing distance off the tee to score well.

On the upside:
- The course is visually impressive, with significant elevation changes, water, and ravines throughout
- The pace of play has been good every time I have visited, which have been weekday and weekend mornings; the regulars seem to play at a brisk pace
- There is a practice green for pitching and bunker work right beside the clubhouse, a nice amenity
- The greens are subtle and fast, especially when they are dry/recently mowed
- The staff is numerous and helpful
- The clubhouse is top tier, fully stocked with everything you will need

On the downside:
- The prices are a bit higher than the Raleigh average
- Even good tee shots typically result in second shots in which the ball is above or below your feet, and/or uphill or downhill lies
- Due to the numerous environmentally sensitive areas, water hazards, in-play ravines, strong tree lines, and deep rough, this track requires an accurate game to score; if you are not comfortable playing to a spot, be prepared for a grind
- In several places, the homes that line the fairways are very close
- You cannot hit woods on the practice range, a killer given that this course demands long, accurate drives
- The course plays seriously long (6600) from the blue tees and brutally long (7100) from the black tees; you will need your driver and your fairway woods/long irons humming to score from either

Overall, this is an intensely demanding course with striking views and persistent topographical challenges. My sense is that the course has been over-engineered to match the evolving ideal of what a modern course should look like. This takes some of the fun out of the experience, as I don’t like to grind every round. Still, definitely worth the occasional visit to test your precision and focus.

i give this 4.75 stars. This is truly a tough and beautiful course. Plenty of variety here. This is one long course from the tips. You get some help with a few downhill holes but some elevated greens take that back. I remember only one hole where i did not take the driver, but the hole is a pretty one and requires an accurate tee shot no longer than 230-250(depending on if you get lucky and run it down a small slope to a flat area at the end of the fairway beyond the bunkers, you really have to get lucky). Other than that let it rip but avoid the rough at all costs. The Bermuda grass just eats up balls. I could not find my ball for 5 minutes a few times when i just missed greens. It covers the ball right up. My only gripe was that the greens were a little slow due to aerating them the week before, although they showed no signs of that. The heat was also excessive and cutting them short after aeration with that heat would fry them. They rolled true. The course was empty on a Tuesday late morning-early afternoon. I played through a few groups with no problem too. August special was $30 and i would of payed double if i had to. Houses do not take away from scenery of course either. Nice friendly staff.

Good Course, watch make sure to look for specials online because they will not offer at the club house. Good course for the price, but over crowded.

Great course. Practice facility is good. Greens are fast and great fun to putt. Layout is fun with plenty of variety. Several of the holes feel like Augusta (large trees, elevation changes, quick greens). I played several courses in the Durham area while there for a wedding. This is the one course I would make a point of going back to.