The Peninsula Club - North Carolina - USA

North Carolina has hundreds of miles of coastline with plenty of oceanic golf courses to match. Just because Charlotte, the state’s largest city, is rather inland doesn’t mean its residents haven’t found a way to create their own coastal golf experience. The location is Lake Norman, a large body north of the city, where Rees Jones and Greg Muirhead have constructed The Peninsula Club’s 18 holes on the title piece of geography.

At a more micro-level, a number of holes could individually be named “Peninsula.” The most telling example is No. 7, a short par three playing across a small cove to a green with water at the front, back and left of the hole. Although the shot itself is a mere 150 yards, players will need to walk almost double that length to get around the harbor!

The closing hole on both nines also take advantage of the Lake: Each is a reachable par five, shaped like a shepherd’s crook, that dares players to hit over the water and go for eagle. Those who choose to play it safe on No. 9 will actually need to hit it farther than the green, and then play backwards to the putting surface set off to the left.