SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - On April 26, 1989, Jack Nicklaus christened his only golf course in the Sandhills of North Carolina with birdies on the first three holes en route to a four-under-par round of 68.

Twenty years later, National Golf Club remains the only Nicklaus signature course in this famous golfing destination, and the comments by the Golden Bear that day still ring true.

"It sits in the terrain beautifully, so naturally. Every hole is unique," said Nicklaus. "I was asked to build something special at a special place, and I hope I have done that."

Nicklaus did indeed create something special on this 507-acre tract of land just east of Hwy. 15-501. It has evolved into one of the premier communities in Moore County, and serves as a resort destination for golfers from across the world. PGA Tour Q-School has twice visited this challenging 7,122-yard layout, and it has twice hosted U.S. Open qualifying.

Over the years, a small number of talented golfers have bested the Golden Bear's original course-record 68, but not many. This is one layout that has stood the test of time.

"We have hosted two U.S. Open qualifiers and two PGA Tour Q-Schools. Throughout those four events, par was a very good score," says Tom Parsons, director of golf. "That says a lot for this course. When you look at the caliber of players who have come through here, they've all said it is a very good test of golf - at times difficult, but very pleasing to the eye."

The charm of National Golf Club is its unique topography. While many Sandhills courses have the sandy forests and iconic longleaf pines that epitomize the area, few have National's scenic combination of lakes, ponds and elevation changes. It was this setting that caught the eye of Nicklaus 20 years ago, and it continues to catch the eye of members and guests today.

"Almost everyone who plays here for the first time comes in the golf shop and tells us, 'What a great golf course,' " Parsons says.

Nicklaus took great care to make his 61st design memorable. He spent countless hours on site, traversing its hills and swales and gently placing a course into the terrain. The goal was to make National Golf Club as natural as possible. When all was said and done, Nicklaus and his crews moved only 180,000 cubic yards of earth for the entire project, a paltry number for modern golf course construction.

"This is the least amount of dirt we've ever moved. It's one of the most natural-looking courses we've done," Nicklaus said at the time. "You get a piece of property like this and your job is to complement it."

In 2006, the Golden Bear returned to National Golf Club to play 18 holes and review the layout with one of his chief design associates. Nicklaus recommended the removal of two bunkers in front of the first green and another in the third fairway, but little else.

"Mr. Nicklaus was very happy with the overall design and how the golf course had matured," said general manager Ken Crow. "He felt there didn't need to be much changed."

Interestingly, the golfer in the 66-year-old Nicklaus that day was still evident. He played from the back tees and shot in the mid 70s.

The design philosophy at National is to give players an open look and plenty of room off the tee. From there into the greens, the degree of difficulty increases.

"The layout is generous off the tee. You can make some mistakes and still have a shot," explains Parsons. "It is the approach shots, the short game and the putting surfaces that make this golf course a challenge."

The course has a signature design element - four hand-placed stone walls that front the greens of the fifth, ninth, 10th and 18th holes. However, it's impossible to pick a signature hole.

"Many courses talk about how they have one signature hole. I feel all our holes have signature status," Parsons says. "Each hole has its own character. I can name four or five right off the bat that would be signatures holes, but virtually every hole is memorable."

National Golf Club offers memberships, stay-and-play packages and a limited amount of outside play. For more information, call (800) 471-4339, or visit www.nationalgolfclub.com.





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