Hole #16

 

Legacy Golf Links:

Jack II's Playable Pinehurst Routing

Posted by Alistair Orr

Aderdeen, North Carolina, a mere 15 minute drive from the Village of Pinehurst, and home to a wonderfully playable Jack Nicklaus II design. Although The Legacy Golf Links was Jack II’s first solo design effort in the United States he was no rookie to the golf course design game having previously penned several courses overseas and worked alongside his father at Nicklaus Design for years. This up-market daily fee course can be characterized as gently rolling with tree lined fairway corridors and water hazards aplenty. However, Jack II crafted a very playable, aesthetically pleasing routing that takes advantage of the natural topography incorporating numerous hazards to create a challenging test for low handicaps from the back sets of tees while positioning a forgiving set of front tees for the shorter hitters.


Nicklaus seemed to be striving to create an experience where you will be challenged with difficult shot making on some holes while offering a breather on others. For the most part the fairways are generous, the rough kept at a sensible length and the greens are accessible to a ground game. The putting surfaces are averaged size where you will be faced with moderate slopes which will keep you on your toes while not being overly penal. There are fewer bunkers on the design than you will find at most courses with 14 of the holes featuring one green side trap and several holes have no bunkering at all. On the front side water hazards only come into play on the par three’s fifth and ninth holes, however, on the back side the aqua plays in integral part of the design on seven of the nine holes. The end result is a course where players of all abilities can have a really enjoyable day.

 

Editor's Shot Maker's Picks at Legacy

 
Hole 5
Hole 9
Hole 11
Hole 17
Par
Par 3
Par 3
Par 3
Par 3
Black
175
177
181
171
Blue
154
162
170
151
White
141
142
165
134
Gold
137
127
161
130
Breen
90
123
107
102
HCP-Men
15
17
18
16
HCP-Women
17
15
18
16

 

Feature Holes Descriptions:

The design of Holes 8, 16 and 18 are certainly worth a special tip of the hat to Jack Junior. The gentle dogleg left 8th hole may be short in stature topping out at 387 yards but it requires a delicate drive through a shoot of pines over the crest of a hill. This is followed by a downhill approach that must carry a large waste area before finding the wide but shallow green complex set into a hill. Sixteen is a gem of a par five offering a risk/reward opportunity for the long hitters. To cash in a reward on this hole the approach must negotiate a right side hazard and fronting creek before coming to rest on the dance floor. Jack II saved the toughest for last at Legacy. The 18th requires your Sunday best drive up a steep hill leaving a lengthy approach shot which must carry the lake and a rock wall that fronts the green. The brave soul can take dead aim at the pin while the wiser player may opt to bail out short left and try to tame the hole with a tidy up and down to finish off the round.

 

Hole #18

 

As noteworthy as the aforementioned holes may be the short holes at Legacy are superb and I opted to name all four par 3’s to the Editor’s Shot Makers collection. Water plays an integral part in the design of each of these holes and if an error is made in club selection or execution you will find yourself reaching for the ball scoop all too often.

 

The first three-par in the collection is the nerve wracking 5th hole. Playing slightly down hill a mid-iron is likely the club of choice. The successful approach must contend with a bunker and a rock walled pond that abuts the entire left side of the green while a green-side swale will catch the bail-out right. The green also contains multiple swales so proper club section is paramount to locate the correct area where the pin resides. The front nine closer is another medium length one-shotter, however, if the facing prevailing wind kicks up club selection can be tricky and reaching for a club or two extra may be the wisest choice. A well struck approach must carry a large cove and fronting bunker to find happiness on the putting surface. The 11th hole middle and back tees are situated on a peninsula with wetlands front and back. The approach must carry wetlands and avoid the lake that sweeps up the right side to find the long narrow tiered green complex. Nicklaus positions the front tees forward to avoid a water carry for the higher handicaps.

 

At the 17th players must once again contend with one of the numerous water hazards found on the back nine. An approach hit left or short will find nothing but nastiness for a lone bunker flanks the side of the green and the pond will swallow any left side shot that misses the bunker. The right side miss is no picnic either for numerous humps and bumps will make chipping to this multi-tiered sloping green a challenge. It's a certainty that four 3's marked on the scorecard at Legacy will see you gaining ground on the field and give you something to brag about in the lounge after the round.

 

Course Stats:

Par 72
Yardage
Rating/Slope-M
Rating/Slope-F
Black
7004
73.2 / 132
-
Blue
6495
70.8 / 124
-
White
6021
68.5 / 116
-
Yellow
5551
66.9 / 112
-
Green
4946
-
68.7 / 120

 

Opened
 1992
Designer
 Nichlaus Design, Jack Nicklaus II
Access
 Public daily fee and through golf packages.
Drive Times
 15 minutes from the village of Pinehurst.


Contact:

Lagacy Golf Links

12615 US HWY 15-501,

Aberdeen, NC 28315

800-314-7560

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