Raleigh

Albemarle, NC- Fox Chase:Close to being great and with a few key changes it could be. Well maintained, clean, signs, tees. Signs sometimes wrong- by length and showing a long tee that just IS NOT THERE. I wonder if they are planned but never got made. Massive hilly wooded terrain, several very steep climbs. Begins with 2 must have dueces, then a tricky 420' hyzer along woods to a basket on a hill, followed by a 500' straight shot lined with rough. The last 2/3 are all in old forest on hills, with one creek. Narrow tunnels and longer placement holes with an over 500' #18. Variety. Needed changes: Fix signs to show true tee positions (or make the missing tees). Adjust the angle of #9's teepad, it's silly for a RHBH to stand on the far left corner and still have to wiggle a shot down the narrow fairway, needs a better approach angle. #10 doesn't have a reasonable fairway. #13 seems unfinished. #14-15 don't need solo trees in the middle of the already narrow fairways to divide it into two miniscule fairways. #18 - some trees about 300' up on the right side should be thinned out. These changes would bring it up to top notch, while a great course as is.

Sanford, NC- O.T. Sloan:Short and tight, some holes offering no route but throw and hope, and a few semi-open along a fence. One 400' hole, most around 200-250'. Slightly hilly woods, minimal rough. Dirt tees but #2 has cement for some reason. Signs, easy to follow, small area. Must be able to sidearm.

Raleigh, NC- Buckhorn@Harris Lake County:A lot of tight holes, nearly all narrow tunnels, while mostly clear in the middle, very demanding to get down the fairway and punishment is severe. 6 water hazard shots including 3 highly RHBH favoring shots over water in a row- with little to no other options or ways to play it but being able to throw over the water, while great for me, design wise it's not a good idea and not fairly balanced. Another short hole with a black pond uphill behind the basket on a thin ridge at water's edge. Another long shot downhill far over the pond to clear water or lay up short, risk of trees by water's edge on both sides. Several 500' holes. Well marked- cement tees but some with ruts that will catch your shoe if you drag your feet.