Once The Reserve Club is completed, this successful Coastal North Carolina community will boast 81 holes of golf
SOUTHPORT, NC (April 2, 2003) — Nicklaus Design, the world’s leading golf course design firm, has been retained to create the newest course in the Coastal Carolinas–The Reserve Club at St. James Plantation.
Jay Atkinson, president of St. James Properties LLC, made the announcement today, confirming plans to develop a full 18-hole course in the community’s newest neighborhood, The Reserve. Earlier plans had called for just nine additional holes, but the growth of St. James Plantation and the demand for more quality golf as an amenity, led to the group’s decision to upgrade to 18 holes and bring in Nicklaus Design.
The Reserve Club will bring to 81 the number of golf holes available to the members and guests of St. James Plantation, making it one of the largest residential golf communities in the Coastal Carolinas. The golf course will be located in St. James Plantation, 4 miles west of Southport, North Carolina.
“I’ve seen the initial plans and routings done with Nicklaus Design, and I’m already excited,” Atkinson said. “The site is beautiful, and with Nicklaus Design’s reputation for tying in the existing, surrounding natural environment, The Reserve Club will look on opening day as if it has been there for years. I can’t wait to play this one and I’m sure our members will feel the same way.”
The Nicklaus Design team will be led by Michael Nicklaus, the youngest of Jack Nicklaus’ four sons – all of whom are involved in the course design business.
“We’re excited to be involved in such an established golf community as St. James Plantation,” Michael Nicklaus said. “The Reserve Club will be a nice complement to the three existing golf courses, yet at the same time, it should be unique in its characteristics and design strategy. In short, the course will fit nicely there but also stand out.”
The Nicklaus Design team said the par-72 layout will play more than 7,100 yards from the back tees, but will offer enough tees to accommodate all skill levels of player. Nicklaus added that the site is a good one from a designer’s perspective because the terrain is rolling and is made up of sandy soil, which is ideal for building golf courses. The team went on to compliment the abundance of native vegetation and the variety of wooded wetlands.
“I think you will see a golf course that is traditional in nature, one that will be enjoyable and playable for all levels of golfers, but challenging for the better players,” Michael Nicklaus added. “At Nicklaus, we’ve always placed a higher premium on precision rather than power, but you will see enough holes that place an emphasis on power and precision. You will also see a fair share of risk-reward holes.
“Still, we are in the very preliminary stages of the design process, so it is difficult to be specific. As we open up the land and start to see more of what is there and what the site has to offer, the property will dictate the design and the course itself will evolve.”
About St. James Plantation
Ideally located along the North Carolina coast, near Wilmington, Southport and Myrtle Beach, St. James Plantation offers homes, home sites, and private amenities in a gated community that’s ideal for retirement and active adult living. Residents enjoy the North Carolina coastal setting, signature golf courses, private beach club, and an Intracoastal Waterway marina. To discover the golf, waterfront, and coastal lifestyle of St. James Plantation, the Number One Selling Community in the Coastal Carolinas, visit www.stjamesplantation.com or phone: 800.245.3871.
