The course is noticeably Reese Jones - generous corridors, well-placed deep bunkering, and a mix of undulating and subtle greens. But the North Carolina setting is equally present, with pines, pine straw, and (mostly) decorative long grasses.

The conditioning is impeccable, with top-notch Bermuda greens and Zoisia fairways (new in 2022). From the back tees it’s a real test, from the member “green” tee longer hitters will have plenty of birdie opportunities.

All par 5s are interesting, with holes 1 and 14 standing out as interesting go/no-go decisions. The strongest par 4s include the 4th (a beast from the back tee) and the 13th.

The only weaker holes are the two shorter par 4s, the 3rd and the 16th, which have the potential to offer great risk-reward but fall slightly “short”

Should you ever receive an invitation to play Old Chatham, allow yourself plenty of time to arrive early and enjoy the many amenities. The driving range is absolutely massive and immaculate, and the chipping green nearby provides the rare opportunity to practice half and three-quarter swing wedge shots. While sophisticated inside, the locker room and food areas at Old Chatham manage to walk the fine line of being lavish with an air of casualness. For a club this exclusive and prestigious, I found every member and staff member at Old Chatham to make me feel quite at home – like one of their own.

In my mind, the most essential element to the Old Chatham success formula is its unbeatable conditions. Of my 99 courses played in North Carolina, Old Chatham has the most impressive maintenance I have encountered. The course is firm throughout which lends to strategy on many holes. Additionally, by keeping the rough at a modest length, players are penalized for missing the fairway without having to spend hours looking for their ball. This keeps the pace of play up, another bonus.

Holes which stand out to me at Old Chatham include:

• #1: The par five opener tests a wide range skills. From the tee, it is possible to shape a shot between two flanking bunkers to gain a distance advantage. This may come at the price of a downhill lie. Players must be careful to avoid additional bunkers on the lay-up, and to not miss long on this hard sloping back-to-front green.

• #3: Among my favorites on the course, the short par three third may be drivable depending on your tees. Most, however, will opt to find a guarded, canted fairway and hit their favorite wedge yardage into this undulating green.

• #4: With some classic architecture taste, the fourth green complex is a stunner. Unlike the previous three holes, players can run balls up to this green from the left. However, one must be careful to avoid a tough chipping area long-left, and a sharply sloping fall-off on the right.

• #9: The ninth sits on a really fascinating piece of the property. Turning sharply to the right, this hole almost feels like a racetrack, banked into the hill. Turning the ball from left-to-right here can provide one with some serious distance advantage but beware, the best angle to most pin placements will be from the left portion of the fairway.

• #10: The short par four tenth presents options. The fairway is fairly wide for a more conservative tee shot, but pinches closer to the green. The putting surface is perched and blind from the fairway, and is quite shallow, so playing to a controlled wedge distance far exceeds the importance of hitting a bomb with driver.

• #14: On the surface, the par five fourteenth appears to be a brute. With massive bunkers off the tee and a pond down the left side of the approach, there is plenty of trouble to avoid. However, there are still options for the average player. One can take advantage of the gentle downward slope off the tee and on the approach to pick up extra yardage, there are some wider portions of fairway in the lay-up landing zone, and the green welcomes run up shots.

• #16: Many holes at Old Chatham roll over the natural topography gorgeously, and in doing so, visually intimate the player. With a massive pronged bunker left and a knoll, the tee shot at the fifteenth is enthralling without unnecessary manmade construction.

In so many ways, Old Chatham is an anomaly. It is convenient to every city in the Triangle yet feels totally secluded; hole corridors are cut from forest yet never feel narrow; the layout is bold and brawny yet is a very gentle, enjoyable, and short walk; and, the hospitality and relaxed atmosphere feels more like a community than an elite retreat. For these reasons and so many more, Old Chatham is a model course and private club which captures the most important elements of the spirit of our game.