J. Ryan Montgomery
J. Ryan Montgomery
J. Ryan Montgomery
J. Ryan Montgomery
Governors Club: Lakes & Foothills
Governors Club: Lakes & Foothills
11000 Governors Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
United States
About
Awards
ranking history:
Best in State: Ranked inside the top five, 1993. Ranked inside the top 10, 1995. Ranked inside the top 15, 1997-'99, 2009. Ranked inside the top 25, 2001-'03. Ranked inside the top 45, 2025-'26.
Previous ranking: NR.
2025-'26 ranking: 45th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Governors Club in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is a Jack Nicklaus signature design and consists of 3 nine-hole layouts with the Lakes to Foothills being the premier 18. Playing at 7,062 yards from the back tees with a course rating of 75.0 and a slope of 143, Governors Club is a stern test with two disparate 9s. The Lakes nine is relatively flat with abundant water while the Foothills is a typical North Carolina rolling hill topography. There is a good bit of variety throughout both nines with a good blend of short, mid-length and long holes. The short 330-yard 15th is severely uphill and not drivable and the par 4 5th, 8th, 16th, and 18th are all over 440 yards with a little bit of downhill help. The par 3s are a nice mix from the 163-yard 9th to the 202-yard 4th. The par 5 3rd and 13th are reachable with two well-struck shots and the 7th and 17th are good 3 shot holes for all but the longest players. Greens complexes are quite diverse with several being terraced while others were undulating. Governors Club is a bit of an atypical Nicklaus design as there are more dogleg lefts (7) rather than dogleg rights (2), so a draw is the preferred shot shape rather than the normal Nicklaus fade. The greens are generally well-defended through sand, hollows, mounding, or water. Approaches to most holes require a lofted approach with a small number of greens accommodating running shots to limited portions. The challenge of Governors Club is multi-faceted. Elevation changes make club selection very important. Tree-lined, tight fairways reward accuracy rather than erratic length. Quick, sloping greens make two putting from above the hole quite difficult. Greenside bunkers, forced carries over water, hollows and mounds around the greens add to the challenge of rescuing par if a green is missed. Meandering through an upscale 1600-acre neighborhood, Governors Club is an attractive course offering pleasant views of ponds, streams and wooded areas. While there are no “wow” moments, the overall impression is of a very good, enjoyable, and fun golf course offering a wide variety of holes. Conditions at Governors Club are very good. Fairways are firm, fast and consistently offer a good lie. Greens are quick, receptive, and roll very true but are deadly from above the hole. Bunkers are consistently well-sanded, firm, but not hard and well-maintained. Playing conditions at Governors Club are exactly what you would expect to encounter at a well-regarded, private club. Governors Club is a fun round of golf and well worth playing. Challenging, but fair, the Lakes-Foothills combination offers a different experience switching between 9s. Conditioning is very good and there is enough variety in the two nines to keep the round interesting for even the best players. If there is an opportunity to play Governors Club, it should be taken."
Read More2025
Review
“The facility has 27 holes, each numbered sequentially. Each is unique and memorable, though the forced carries over water on The Lakes feel somewhat redundant. Many, but not all holes, favor fades. The Foothills is the more memorable nine. The pacing? Uneven. The nine? Very hilly and not walkable for most players due to the spacing and slopes. I particularly liked the 333-438 yard, par-4, 11th on The Foothills. It's long and narrow requiring two very good shots. Look back from the green on the 149-199 yard, par-3, 12th, and admire the slope. Don’t go short on this very constructed hole. The 108-182 yard par-3,13th, is also downhill, requiring a straight shot to avoid a hill and bunker on the left, and a rocky creek to the tight. Good one. The 427-513 yard, par-5, 13th is a head scratcher the first time around. The do-or-die third shot flies across a ravine to a steeply-faced green. There would be little chance of recovery from a short miss. It’s a recurring theme on the course. This hole, in particular, really makes a person think the first time around. After that, just a matter of execution. Combined, the Foothill nine is an utterly complete nine holes, warts and all because the severely uphill, par-4, 207-330 yard 15th is likely an acquired taste. If ever. Not only is the hole blind, but buried boulders around the complex could potentially bounce a shot anywhere. My favorite hole anywhere? It’s on The Lakes, the 353-441 yard, downhill, par-4 5th. The right-to left sloping green green capes left, with bunkers and a severe drop in front. That’s a cool second shot, especially with a back left flag. Loved the options for getting close. I went direct. My buddy landed a draw from the front right and rolled it down. It was spectacular. What an inspiring hole. Same with decisions we faced approaching the par-5, 425-506 yard, 3rd. A lake guards the front of the green. The complex may scuttle shots short shots into the water. The 388-463 yard, par-4, 8th feels like a par-5. It's a brute of a hole into a breeze and quite beautiful in a subtle way. All around, it’s typical of early Nicklaus to create second-shot dramas."
Read More2022
Review
“This Jack Nicklaus designed course features 27 holes. Typically the 18 most often played are the Foothill and Lakes nines. The course has significant undulations and also water hazards that come into play on various holes. Wide fairways minimize issues off the tee but raised greens often with traps fronting the greens put importance on the quality and length of approach shots. Extensive tree lined fairways help to improve the aesthetics of the course."
Read More2021
Review
“The course had most of its shot options in and around the greens, with not a flat landing surface to be found. Chips/putts and approaches all provided different optionality. Off the tee many of the wholes lacked risk/reward options with the exception of a couple of the par fives (either off the tee, hole 3; or on approach, hole 13). Scores can be made due to wide fairways and not so penalizing rough, but up and downs on these greens are hard to come by should one miss GIR. The par 3s were all quite distinctive and had features separating themselves from the other holes on the course. The course had some truly remarkable aesthetics holes, especially the par 3s (hole 4 may be one of the best in the state, spanning water and looking back upon a small waterfall), but throughout the course the holes were designed to maximize aesthetic of the surrounding area. The mown fairways and rough right into pine straw is a beautiful touch. The course is in outstanding condition. The greens are firm, yet receptive and roll true. "
Read More2021
Review
“Difficult piece of land, compromised more by the houses getting higher dry land and a fair number of holes that sit down in a valley with the houses above the golf course on both sides. This also leads to wet conditions. Course has some really good holes, but a fair amount of poorer holes. Trees have really grown into some of the tee shot lines and will continue to make a tight course tighter. The tightness is it’s big defense, few fairway bunkers."
Read More2019
