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Carmel Country Club
4735 Carmel Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
www.carmelcountryclub.org

Carmel Country Club
The South Course
2011

“This is a true multiple option golf course.”
- South Course Architect Rees Jones, March 30, 2011
Carmel Country Club
4735 Carmel Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28226
www.carmelcountryclub.org

On March 30, 2011 Carmel Country Club’s South Course, redesigned by
renowned course architect Rees Jones, opened for play after a 15 month
construction and grow-in period. Ground was broken in October, 2009
and the South Course redesign turned out to be the largest golf course
renovation in the United States during 2010.
Originally designed by Ellis Maples, the South Course first opened in 1969, expanding
Carmel’s golf facility to 36 holes. In the 1980s Rees Jones led an initial South
Course reconstruction of tees, greens and fairway bunkers on what he calls a “very
nice piece of ground”. But it was this current redesign of the South Course that gave
Rees the palette to bring his artistry to every aspect of the course. The Board of Directors
challenged Rees Jones to “look at the property and design the best possible
course given our land”, remembers Jim Anderson, 2005 Carmel President. Asking him
to “redesign the course without interference from the club leaders”, says 2010 Carmel
President Ted Barnes, allowed Rees “carte blanche to develop the best possible
golf course he could on the land we owned.”
Known as “The Open Doctor” for his celebrated redesigns of US Open sites, Rees
Jones has remodeled and created original designs for many championship-caliber
courses worldwide. His career began in 1964, working for his father, the late Robert
Trent Jones, Sr., and in 1974 Rees opened his own firm, Rees Jones, Inc., based in
Montclair, New Jersey.
The Rees Jones team worked closely with the Carmel Greens Department, led by
Director of Greens and Grounds Bill Anderson, further strengthening the strong professional
relationship Rees and Bill have enjoyed for many years. Construction was
done by Medalist Golf, while course and greens shaping was handled by Cal Golf,
Inc. During the process the total amount of grassed area went from 143 acres to 157
acres and the course is now over 7500 yards, making it one of the longest courses in
the Carolinas.
Along with a renovated South Course, this chapter in Carmel’s evolution also includes
new turn rooms, improvements to the Golf Shop and creation of a bag drop area,
further enhancing the golf experience for all.
The new South Course was designed and built to be fun and challenging for golfers
of all calibers as well as a worthy championship test. As Rees Jones said during Carmel’s
opening celebration for the new course, “You’re going to have a place people
will enjoy playing every day. The South Course is perfect for a private club because
the variety of hole locations, combined with the changing elements, will cause it to
play differently every round. This golf course has something for everyone.”

“People ask me if the South Course has
a signature hole. I tell them that every
hole is unique; they combine to create a
signature golf course.”- Rees Jones
Golfers familiar with
the former South
Course immediately
notice significantly
increased grading and contoured
fairways that “really flow”
says course architect Rees Jones.
A clean, uncluttered landscaping
scheme offers open vistas
and compliments the beauty of
the natural terrain. Previously the
18th hole, this long par-4 has
one of the bigger greens and
a large open entrance. There’s
a bailout left of the green and
a “saving bunker” to the right
protecting the downhill slope.
According to Rees, “Being the
first hole, you’ve got a little more
room for error” as you begin play
on Carmel’s new South Course.
~ Championship Yardage 494 ~
#1 hole

Starting off on the par-4 former 3rd hole, notice that the new tee complex can
be repurposed to use on No. 17. Further changes are found in the elevated
landing area, the green which was shifted left, and a new bunker also added
left. Here, the bailout right of the green is planted in the rough, with Celebration
Bermuda grass. Most bailouts on the course, along with the collars and fairways
are Zeon Zoysia grass, making Carmel’s South only the second course in the Carolinas
featuring this particular cultivar. It’s a great-looking, hardy, flexible grass that benefits
golfers through both its playability and appearance. An “excellent choice” for Carmel
says the USGA; Zeon Zoysia was selected after many years of testing and research
by Carmel’s award-winning Greens Department. ~ Championship Yardage 396 ~
Most bailouts on
the course, along
with the collars and
fairways are Zeon
Zoysia grass, making
Carmel’s South only the
second course in the
Carolinas featuring this
particular cultivar.
#2 hole

This striking par-4 hole has another open
entrance to the green, which is flush to
the fairway, one of the elements allowing
golfers to play their ground game
as well as their air game. Throughout the new
course, golfers now enjoy greens with much
more variation in shape and size. These are
longer, more angled greens and are planted
with A-1 Bentgrass, known for tolerance
of extreme weather, exceptional beauty
and overall ability to provide a superb putting
surface. The tee was shifted right, allowing
improved visibility to the green. A grass
pocket right of the green keeps golfers a
little closer to the action, and bunkers left are
also new. ~ Championship Yardage 453 ~
#3 hole
“Many of the approaches to the greens tie in flush to the existing
fairway grade. It’s a popular feature for the membership to have the
alternate shots, where you can bump it in or fly it in, depending on
what kind of shot you want to hit.”
- Rees Jones

The old No. 5 is a reasonably long par-5 and offers
a variety of shot options. According to Rees
Jones, it’s after the tee shot that the hole gets really
interesting, posing increased challenges for
managing your game. The element of water comes in
for the first time, so golfers not inclined to flirt with the
bunkers left will favor the right side of the fairway and
then contend with the water. On this hole, landing
behind the green is not much of a hazard because
there’s a swell which carries all the way around the
back. Watch out for pin placement. When the pin is far
right, it’s much more important to get as far down the
left side as possible. ~ Championship Yardage 596 ~
“There are multiple shot options on this golf course.”
– Rees Jones
#4 hole

This strong par-3 has bunkers right, between the green and the water, and a bailout left. Hitting into
the wind, which will frequently be the case with this hole, means golfers may wish to hit left, knowing
the fairway there tilts toward the green. Hit the proper spot, and feed your ball onto the green. Miss
your shot and still have the option to bounce it in. What golfers won’t see here - and everywhere
grass meets water without a wall in place - is the sophisticated erosion control product buried under the
turf. Resembling an inner tube and filled with recycled bunker sand, this tool eliminates erosion along
#5
the lake perimeters, allowing
hole
play up to the very edge of the water. ~ Championship Yardage 227 ~

A
long par-4, No. 6 also works as a drivable par-4 when the forward tee is put into use. The newly
elevated green also has a lake added to the right, and an accommodating open entrance
with plenty of shot options to get there. In this case, golfers may wish to cut the corner, and
then contend with the fairway bunker right, but also potentially get closer to the green than
by choosing to play the dogleg and take the safer route. Pockets right contain and can save you from
the water, but hit it long and you’re wet. For Charlotte Observer golf writer Ron Green, Jr., “The sixth
is on the short list of the most difficult holes in the Charlotte area”. ~ Championship Yardage 474 ~
#6 hole

At first this may seem like the old seventh hole, but subtle differences here
count for a lot. Strategically positioned pockets and bunkers mandate
a strong aerial approach on this par-3 hole. The hardest position to chip
from is immediately in front of the green. During construction, subsurface
plating was added in front of all the greens by layering recycled greens mix underneath
the turf. This was enhanced with supplemental drainage, creating firm and
fast-drying approaches. Here golfers enjoy a large green with contours which offer
a greater reward the closer you are to the pin. The green is deeper to the left,
but the grass pocket left, which is rough, moves the ball farther away because in
#7
this case there is no forgiving
hole
slope on the far end of the pocket. Pin position, says
Rees Jones, “will make this like two different holes”. ~ Championship Yardage 198 ~

This uphill par-5 has an easy flow offering plenty of options to get on the green. Significant
fairway grading during reconstruction means golfers now tee off to reach
an elevated landing area. Fairway bunkers left save you from out of bounds and
the wooded, downhill sloping rough. Grass pockets throughout are saving pockets,
while the area right of the green kicks the ball back, and the pockets contain balls
straying even further right. Around the green itself, golfers won’t find a whole lot of trouble.
Rees Jones advises that “most people are going to probably want to play either
short of the cross bunker or past it because there’s less of a problem hitting an errant
shot there. And you can actually kick it off the hill, too.” ~ Championship Yardage 552 ~
“Now par-5s because the ball goes
so much farther, they’re par 4s for
the stronger players, par-6s for the
shorter hitters. They’re the hardest
holes to design. So now we’ve
got more thought-provoking second
shots at each one of your par-5s.”
– Rees Jones
#8 hole

The par-4 No. 9 was the last hole shaped
and according to Rees Jones, “we just kept
getting better”. For Rees, the beauty and aesthetics
of the South Course, including bunker
style, water features, and the Piedmont terrain,
make it fun to play even on an off day. Here the
big hitters may want to cross the bunkers right, and
shorter hitters will more likely play left and may
ultimately have a better angle in. During construction,
the tee was brought farther left, opening up
the hole more, and the green is sharply angled
from the bottom left to upper right sections. So
from your landing area, pin position can make a
couple clubs difference as you go for the green
on the new No. 9. ~ Championship Yardage 392 ~
“The South Course features the best of the Piedmont
terrain and the neoclassic design elements that keep the
golfer’s interest.” – Rees Jones
#9 hole

No. 10 is a downhill medium length par-4 and for Rees Jones
the bunkers bracketed on both sides are a nod to notable
mid-20th century course design, including that of his late father,
Robert Trent Jones, Senior. The square tees are another
neoclassic design element found on the course. Hit it down the middle
to reach the green in two. Play right for more of an open entrance
and avoid the long bunker shot left. ~ Championship Yardage 446 ~
#10 hole

“There is something going on at every
green that will make you think all the
way around the golf course.”
- Rees Jones
The shortest par-4 on the golf course changed dramatically during construction
and offers unusual features to thwart the big hitters. While it’s
tempting to try to cut the corner, bunkers not visible from the tee wait in
the landing area right. The green is shallow overall, but very deep in the
center, and the two wings are hard to access, giving the golfer plenty to consider
based on the spot their drive lands. Behind the green, lots of recovery
room plus good turf means a fairly playable shot coming back. “And we’ve
done that with a lot of holes,” says Rees Jones. ~ Championship Yardage 388 ~
#11 hole

The only uphill par-3 on the South Course also features the deepest
bunker on the course, right of the sizeable green. While the old course
bunkers were generally round with mounding, these new bunkers are
shaped to more naturally integrate with the lay of the land. They involve
much more movement around the edges with the addition of many grass
fingers, creating sharp definition between sand and grass. Use of G-Angle
sand, with its interlocking coarse silica sand particles, decreases “fried-egg
lies”, and increases playability of all bunkers. On the new No.12 pockets
left of the green contain shots, allowing recovery, which also helps speed
up play. Nuanced elevation changes and a reworked slope into the green
add challenge and keep you thinking. ~ Championship Yardage 208 ~
#12 hole

“What we’ve created is a
golf course for everyone
to enjoy.”
-Rees Jones
Another one of the most markedly changed holes, the renovated
13 is the longest par-4 on the course. It features significant
elevation changes along with slopes and bunkers
which penalize a shot to the degree that it’s missed. Start by
hitting downhill to an ample landing area. The long fairway bunker
left typically feeds the ball toward the center. Since that allows you
to go for the open entrance green, it’s more what Rees Jones will
term a saving bunker, or a half-shot penalty. A chipping area right of
the green will also save you, containing shots which are close. Recoverable
shots are found throughout the South Course, adding to
the fun for players of every caliber. ~ Championship Yardage 517 ~
#13 hole

The noticeable elevation change on this beautiful par-4 hole
comes primarily from dropping the fairway ten to twelve feet.
During construction of the new South Course over 200,000
cubic yards of soil was moved, and a total of 478 semi truckloads
of sod were put down over the 157 acres grassed, up from
143 on the old course. On the serene No. 14, golfers that carry
the cross bunker to the left of the green will enjoy a slope with
an easy kick to the green surface. ~ Championship Yardage 449 ~
#14 hole

#15 hole
The second shot on 15 is arguably
the hardest shot on the
course, requiring the golfer to
carry over water. This hole demands
precision and a long drive to
reach the widened and recontoured
landing area, which then allows for
a short iron across the water. During
construction the green was lowered
and brought closer to the lake, and
the bunker added behind further challenges
and asks for even more precision.
The cart path was also moved
to allow play even closer to the water.
~ Championship Yardage 400 ~

This go-for-it par-5 with open landings areas, but a pond left and narrow entrance to the green, offers shorter hitters multiple options to manage their
game. Land was added during construction, filling in part of the pond, and creating more options for the long shot. A large bunker complex right
makes a play-it-safe second shot that much trickier. Lowering the wall to four feet below the putting surface means a miss could get you wet, although
a pocket behind the green will capture you. The Rees Jones risk-reward equation on this hole lets bigger hitters go for it, knowing that the pocket
protects their shot. Drift right, however and you’ll have to hit a bunker shot back toward the water to get on the green. ~ Championship Yardage 532 ~
#16 hole

This beautiful par-3 rewards golfers for hitting their target, as
bunkers to the right and water left require accuracy. Green
contours then mandate nuance on the narrow, long green
directly beside the pond’s wall. There’s room to recover, however,
thanks to the turf behind the green. Over 2500 individually
controlled sprinklers allow for targeted, optimal care of the entire
grassing scheme. During construction, once shaping was complete,
substantial additional internal drainage was added to ensure runoffs
and collection areas dry very quickly. Maximizing playability
through all seasons and weather conditions was the driving factor
for the many significant, cutting edge agronomic features and innovations
found on the South Course. ~ Championship Yardage 191 ~.
#17 hole

This longest par-5 on the South
Course favors long hitters for the
first two shots, as golfers hit uphill
off the tee. Significant elevation was
added here, which Rees Jones considers
the ideal way to build a par-5, since hitting
into a hill is really the only way to ensure
a three-shot hole. Bunkers right will
most likely come into play more than the
bunkers left, which golfers will try to avoid.
Once you get close enough to the green
the surrounding chipping area contains
you. “If you’ve gotten up there in two it will
be worth your while” says Rees. A unique
feature of this hole, not found anywhere
else on the South Course, is the Zoysia
chipping area surrounding almost the entire
green. ~ Championship Yardage 590 ~
#18 hole

All hole renderings can be found online at
www.carmelcountryclub.org - Golf
Photography by Marcos Aspiazu
www.maspiazuphotography.com
Renderings by Keith Evans of Rees Jones, Inc.
Writing by Elizabeth Malcolm - Carmel Country Club
Layout Design by Diane Willi - Carmel Country Club

“You have a golf course that gives you options on every shot. You have options
depending on what you did off the tee, depending on what tees you play, depending on
where the hole location is. This is going to be a very changeable golf course
season-wise, wind-wise, cold weather, warm weather. This is a golf course, that will
be of never-ending pleasure.”
– Rees Jones