The Triangle is a true golfer's dream. The seasonal splendors that unfold on the courses add to the beauty of the perfect golf shot, or the elusive birdie. You will find the public and semiprivate clubs to be as challenging as the private courses. Except for an occasional hurricane or deep winter freeze, golf in the Triangle is virtually year round.  

  Prestonwood Country Club-Cary, North Carolina

If your preference is to walk the 18 holes, you will be limited in your selection of courses - call ahead if you are an avid walker who refuses to ride. Certain restrictions often apply to the busiest days of the week. 

Green fees are reasonable compared to other North Carolina metropolitan areas, coastal resort courses or the famed Pinehurst. While you will find weekday discounts, fees are typically elevated on Fridays, though lower than the weekend rates.
 

Newer golf courses have joined the list of options. In fact, golf course communities are becoming quite popular in the Triangle area. Devil's Ridge in Holly Springs and The Neuse Golf Club in Clayton, designed by John LaFoy, are two such courses built around housing developments that opened in 1991 and 1994 respectively. Golf Digest recognized both as top new courses in the '90s.
 

The well-known golf course community of Wakefield Plantation, just north of the city, offers 2,200 acres of gorgeous North Carolina countryside to golf lovers. This all-inclusive area gives residents plenty of reason to relax and call the community home with world-class golf, swimming, tennis, and plenty of clubhouse activities for adults and families alike. Finley, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which opened in 1950 and was designed by George Cobb, underwent a facelift recently under the direction of Tom Fazio.

Wakefield Plantation
 

Crooked Creek in Fuquay-Varina is another newcomer to the selection of courses. Opened in late 1995, it offers golfers a traditional design by Chuck Smith. As the name implies, you will find several holes that will test your skill with severe doglegs. And as soon as you are certain that you have mastered your precision, scattered bunkers will grade your approach shot.
 

Considered one of the most popular golf courses in North Carolina, Hillandale Golf Course in Durham plays more than 50,000 rounds per year. Opened in the early 1900s, this course was redesigned by Perry Maxwell - a former banker who rebuilt the putting surfaces of August National, Pine Valley and the National Golf Links. The golf shop at Hillandale was voted the "Nation's Most Outstanding" by the PGA of America. It is one of the best-stocked and largest shops in North Carolina.
 

Looking for a little family tradition with your round of golf? You will find it at Duke University's course. Washington Duke Golf and Country Club in Durham, considered one of the finest in the Southeast, opened in 1957. Rees Jones redesigned this Robert Trent Jones original in 1993. Cut out of Duke Forest, the grounds are ablaze with color at peak season. Spend the night at the inn adjacent to the course to soak in the splendor around you. This weekend retreat will confirm your relocation plans to the Triangle area.

Another local favorite is the Tom Fazio Golf Course located in North Durham at Treyburn Country Club.  Sculpted into the rolling hills of northern Durham, Treyburn is currently ranked as the #9 golf course in North Carolina and #1 in the Triangle area. The course's unique design and blend of community life has been rewarded with the recognition as one of the top 100 golf/residential communities in America.

One of the most difficult golf courses in the area is located at Governor's Club in Chapel Hill.  This golf course, established in 1988, has 27 holes of punishing golf.  This course, designed by Jack Nicholas, has endless sandtraps so beware!!

Brier Creek

The latest golf course to join the ranks is Brier Creek Country Club. Opened in 2001  the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature golf course has moved into the top 40 of North Carolina Magazine's list of the best courses in the state.

Another golf course realty opportunity that we recommend is Hasentree, which is just minutes from I-540 and Raleigh itself and will be opening in 2008. Located near Falls Lake Park, Hasentree itself is big on open space. Whether you enjoy exceptional golf on the Tom Fazio-designed course or fishing for bluegill, Hasentree offers it, while still offering the amenities of Raleigh right nearby.