It is fitting that one of the best (and best endowed) universities should have a fine golf course. I had played the Duke University Golf Club a few years ago, but when I had the opportunity to give it another go last week, I jumped at the chance. The course is public and the green fees are surprisingly reasonable ($75 with cart on weekdays, but you can walk at $55). If you find yourself in the Chapel Hill/Durham, NC, area for a couple of days, book tee times at both Duke and Finley Golf Club, the University of North Carolina’s course. They are not only fine golf courses but they will also give you an education in the contrasting work of Tom Fazio (Finley) and Robert Trent Jones, Sr and Rees Jones (who renovated his father’s original design at Duke).
The Duke course is characterized largely by blind tee shots to often tilted and tree-lined fairways and by mostly elevated greens well protected by bunkers. The premium at Duke, whose course rating and slope from the blue tees (6,565 yards) are 70.9 and 129, respectively, is on course management. The longest holes tend to play downhill; length off the tee is not nearly as important as calculating the correct side of the pin at which to aim. Short-siding yourself tends to be especially penal at Duke.
Course conditions were excellent, although a little more speed in the smooth greens –- they were medium speed -– would have made for some especially interesting downhill putts.
Duke Golf Club, Durham, NC. Men’s par, 72; women’s par, 74. Yardage: 7,136/6,868/6,565/6,182/5,460. Rating: 73.9/72.6/70.9/69.6/66.6. Slope: 141/135/129/122/118. Designed by R. T. Jones, Sr (1957) and Rees Jones (1993). (919) 681-2288. www.golf.duke.edu.
Note: The Triangle area of Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh offers as much to golfing retirees as any area of the southeast, including major universities, a large international airport, world class shopping and restaurants, and convenient escapes to mountains and oceans. If you would like more information about the golf communities in the area, please contact me.
The par 3 12th at Duke has been redesigned a few times in the last two decades.
The approach to the par 5 9th, with the Washington Duke Inn behind.
From the tee at the par 4 3rd hole at Duke.