FrugalGolfDad

I played this course by myself (mostly - I was paired up with a two-some but let them go ahead since they were faster than me). It was the first time I had played the Preserve in several years except for an excellent “playing” golf lesson I took here. The natural environs have matured considerably. It is beautiful and serene, and also very well maintained, though I was there on a rainy day and the conditions were a bit soggy. If you are not a highly skilled golfer, it is a very, very tough course. If you are a beginner or even a purely recreational weekend golfer, and you want to enjoy yourself, stop in Chapel Hill on the way to the course at the big box store on 15-501 and buy a 24-pack of cheap golf balls or even a sack of low grade recycled golf balls and treat the course as a practice range. The course is long. There are many, many forced carries over wetlands and water hazards that seem to be strategically placed and have contoured boundaries so that you need both solid contact and good aim to get around them. There are tight doglegs and big elevation changes. There is thick, high (I think Bermuda?) rough that literally swallows golf balls. If you want similar environs but a much less frustrating experience, head on over to the excellent Chapel Ridge facility, which is not too far and is run by the same people. Honestly, I had a three-star experience at best but I can't put my poor playing ability on the Preserve. I can't imagine ever breaking 100 at the Preserve, whereas I do shoot in the mid-90's sometimes at other courses in the area, including Chapel Ridge. A suggestion, one easy way the management could make the Preserve course a little more welcoming for the average recreational golfer is to join the hundreds of courses in the U.S. that have recently removed or trimmed all their rough. There is nothing more frustrating than hitting your ball a yard or two off the fairway in the open and having to leave it there and take a penalty stroke because you don’t have time to execute a strategic search pattern and can’t see your ball unless you are standing over it. This happened to me at least twice. I felt like I was being punished for shots that for me were pretty good and would have been quite usable otherwise. There are lists of “rough-free” and “low-rough” courses on-line (I believe there is one on this very web site). There is a reason for that. Think about getting the Preserve on that list. It improves pace of play and helps with maintenance. (There are a lot of comments about slow play on here.) It might improve the patronage a little too, and I think more skilled golfers would still play and appreciate the other challenges the course has to offer.

Wow. I had played Chapel Ridge in the past, but was away from golf for over a year due to some medical issues. The course was gorgeous. The new management seems to be doing a great job on the upkeep. Really just as good as UNC Finley and more reasonably priced, especially with online specials, twilight specials, or senior/junior rates. (Be sure to check these over the phone before booking an on-line special if there are juniors or seniors in your group.) Staff was friendly. Then there is the course itself. I have developed as a golfer, received more instruction, and studied course management, and I really appreciate the layout at Chapel Ridge. It’s like two courses in one. It’s fairly straightforward for a recreational golfer to play it safe and strive for bogies, but if you want to be aggressive towards the pins to get pars and birdies the risk and required skill rise proportionately. A great course that caters to every level of player. I would probably give it four and a half stars if that were an option.

I have two reasons for not giving it five stars. Firstly, it is not a very walkable course as there are long distances between some of the holes. This doesn’t matter to me now, but during cooler months in good weather I like to walk. Secondly, there were some fire ants at the edge of one of the bunkers and a few got on the grip of one of my wedges that I had laid down. Fortunately I noticed before I put it back in my bag and got them off. I mentioned this to a groundskeeper we saw on the course and at the pro shop. I know golf is an outdoor sport, but hopefully the management is working to take of this. This is a minor issue once one is aware of the possibility, so Chapel Ridge will likely become my “go-to” course when I want to ride a cart for a round. Keep up the good work!

My daughter and I played this course on a visit to the area. This course is very beginner friendly and the staff is also very nice. Also, kudos to the ownership/management for having very attractive junior rates. There is no real rough other than certain areas planted with wild grasses and flowers. Some of this is visible in my photos. Most of the course thus has wide effective fairways, so it is easy to find and play wayward golfballs. That being said, there are gentle hills and slopes that can present some interesting holes and challenges. I agree with the previous reviewer that it is a mostly open course that needs some time for the trees to grow. All of the above characteristics give it a bit of a sterile look and feeling compared to what we are used to, although we were there on a cloudy day, which didn’t help. The lack of wooded areas also means that you need to be careful to hit towards the correct green, as there are some tee boxes where you can see two greens, and without the clearly delineated fairways you can make a mistake if you don’t check the scorecard map. As far as maintenance goes, fairways and “wild” areas were beautifully maintained. Greens were also very good. There was a brown patch on one of them, but other than that they were green and just the right firmness to where you could be a bit aggressive and have your ball travel as expected and not run off the other side of the green. Strangely enough, there were some weeds in some of the tee boxes. All-in-all though, a nice course, especially for juniors and beginners.

Maybe my expectations were too high due to all the hype and accolades that Finley receives, but my reaction to this course, given the price, is a resounding . . . meh . . .. Seriously though, the staff was awesome. Folks in both the shop and grill were very friendly. The starter was quite nice, greeted us as we started our round, and gave us useful tips and information about the course. The course layout is really nice and the fairways and mulched areas are beautiful. There is plenty of cold water available on the course. But the greens were slow and some had brown spots. The course was very noisy. There were big fans, which I guess is a plus in some ways, but also lots of groundskeepers in loud, motorized equipment everywhere, at times crossing fairways in front of us. It seemed a bit odd as I almost never see such activity at any of the other courses we play, I assume because the other courses try to confine maintenance to early morning and late evening. My biggest concern is the price. Even with a special, we paid $36/person for 9 holes. That's a whopping $72 for half a round with an adult and junior playing. We normally play for $15-$45 total with a cart, and that’s sometimes 18 holes. Courses with these low fees include some that are generally considered pretty high-end, like the Preserve and Chapel Ridge, right down the road, since juniors are free with many of their specials. Some other courses are a little more but at least have discounted junior rates at certain times. There would be no cause to complain if Finley was a for-profit, privately owned golf course, but it is at least nominally affiliated with North Carolina’s University System. As a public resource its management should have a duty to our citizens to keep it accessible. Despite all this, I recommend any serious golfer in the Chapel Hill area give it a try. The experience was good enough that I would play it again given a good opportunity. Book a tee time on-line to get as good a price as you can.

My youngest has been in some golf programs at this course so I decided to give it a try. The staff here is wonderful and I had experience with them prior to playing due to the kids golf programs that are based here. The grill has good reasonably priced burgers and sandwiches. No draft beer but a good variety of cans is available. You can play during a weekday for a around a buck a hole (a little more or less depending on cart use and how many holes), which is a great bargain. Greens are nice and they have a nice driving range. The only negatives are slow play due to lots of families on the course (though if you want to play with your family this is probably a plus), and the course is mostly open fields, so there is not much shade in the summer and there is some road noise to deal with. I haven't played holes 19-27, but based on seeing that part from the range and the scorecard map, I would guess it's a little more secluded. And you can play here at night, though the rates are higher. Finally, there is a porch around the clubhouse with rocking chairs. This makes a great place to sit and have a drink, or to converse before or after a round.

The front nine is a great run for beginners. Three nice par 3's but also a long hole or two. Even then, there are some big elevation changes to test you a bit. Two of the par 3's are to elevated greens. Course is set in rolling hills with trees and pretty views. Some water, and ponds are unusually beautiful with flowers, frogs etc. Extremely friendly staff. There are some negatives. There is no water on the course, so bring enough. There are not enough ball washers. Greens were too soft. No practice area save for a putting green, though they do allow chipping onto the putting green. These might often be enough to go down to three stars for an otherwise nice golf course, but given the extremely modest green fees and friendly staff, I think it earns four. In reference to one of the other reviews, there was no sign of any smells while we were there. Another plus, this course has visible, well-maintained yardage markers, another help for the beginning player, and a bit unusual. Even some nicer courses are letting these go, I guess on the assumption that most players have some sort of range finding device nowadays.

This is almost the perfect golf course for somebody serious about the game, but who because of age or stature is not a long hitter. The course plays relatively short but there is plenty of water, strategically placed bunkers, and elevation changes. Accuracy is key. Greens are large and several undulate and/or are bordered by berms. I began taking lessons again a couple weeks ago and so far have concentrated on pitching, chipping and putting, and this was the perfect course to try out my new skills. The small but welcomming Mallard Grill has good sandwiches and a variety of draft beers. It is a residential course, but the houses and yards aren't as obtrusive as with some, and the hills and water make for a picturesque setting on many of the holes. This course will be on our short list for when we want a break from our home course.

I consider this as the Preserve's "little brother." Very well kept course with similar amenities, but slightly shorter and easier. There are also lots of elevation changes and very interesting topography. There seem to be fewer houses right on the fairways compared to the Preserve and some other residential courses, making for more pleasant environs in my opinion.

This course is very well maintained and reasonably priced for non-members. It is not a particularly hard course, but there are some elevation changes and a number of water hazards, so there is some challenge for better players and fun for all. Frankly, the only nits I can find are heavy traffic noise where the course meanders near large roadways, and the fact that if you hook your drive on number 1 your ball is likely to be mixed in with range balls and lost. Overall though, this is one of the few courses outside our home course that my daughter and I plan to return to.

This course is in a beautiful location with rolling hills, ponds, meandering creek, and lots of trees. Staff is very nice and fees are low, and include some free range balls to warm up with. Greens are reasonably nice. Unfortunately, the fairways were in such bad shape that I can't really recommend this course. Not only was grass thin or non-existent in some places, but the ground was so hard it was almost impossible to make good shots from the fairways because you can't get under your ball. The course has full concrete cart paths and spots where you can see patches of bent or Bermuda grass, so it looks like it was probably a good course at one time, and it could be again I think. We will probably follow the course and look for news of any rehab or heavy rains that soften the ground before we play there again.

This is not a "championship course" by any stretch. No driving range and the pro shop is minimal. But I am returning to the game after a 23-year absence and have a pre-teen daughter who is just learning, and this course is a great place for beginners or any less-serious players like us. The fairways are mostly carved into the native North Carolina forest, so it has the feel of a hike in the woods. There is only one hole where you can see many houses (number 8), and number 6 and 9 overshoot the two small lakes from which the course gets its name with elevated tee boxes and greens, so this part of the course gives you very picturesque vistas. Players are sparse and the couple of times we let somebody play through they treated us like long lost relatives. We don't rally care if the fairways are basic lawn grass and there is the occasional patch of clover. The greens are kept in nice shape and that's the most important part. Price is very reasonable and the staff is very friendly. If you just want to go out and have fun in a lovely, natural setting with nice people, this is a great golf course. The course is also easy to walk, with all but one tee box quite close to the green of the previous hole.

This is a nicely laid out course and the greens and fairways are well taken care of. (Last time was on temporary greens, but we were told this in advance and price was discounted.) Staff is nice. It is a fairly long and difficult course - not the best for beginners. On the weekend anyway you also need to contend with noise from the many houses along some of the fairways, dogs barking, kids screaming, music, etc. There are also some long distances between holes so this is probably not a great course for walkers. All-in-all though this is probably a course a serious golfer should try.

My daughter and I played this course on a visit to the area. Staff was great. The course itself is maintained in first-rate condition. Fairways were like fine carpet and the greens were beautiful. A bit slow but I blame this on the misty weather. This is a great short easy course to give a beginner or casual player the feeling of an expensive top-drawer course.