Country Club of Landfall (Nicklaus)

The Country Club of Landfall offers 45 holes of golf for fortunate members. The first 18 of those holes came from the pen of Pete Dye, at his titular "Dye" course, and the other 27 came from his friend Jack Nicklaus. The “Marsh” and “Ocean” nines are most often combined as the “Nicklaus Course,” the more celebrated 18 from the Bear (he also designed the newer “Pines” nine).

Although finding land seems to be the theme suggested by the club’s name, the “Ocean” nine makes a line for the coast right out of the gate. It finally meets the ocean on No. 4, a short par three tucked around a marsh. On the following holes, players will need to choose whether to shoot for the shorter or longer fairway, with a watery grave being the punishment for choosing poorly. No. 8 is the final coastal hole, requiring a long hit over open water on the way to this 230-yard par three’s green.

As the “Marsh” title suggests, players will be no more safe from drink on the back nine at the Nicklaus. No. 16 features one of the most daunting greens in the architect’s collection: a skinny shepherd’s crook that reaches back into the lake the players drove over to reach the fairway. Many will opt to “lay up” to green’s entrance...which is ironically behind the green.