7 Lakes Golf Club: Seven Lakes

Review

“In a region filled with heralded and expensive golf courses, evaluating Seven Lakes Golf Club presented an opportunity to go where the locals play. I was not disappointed. This par-72 designed by Peter Tufts III in 1976 will never have the pedigree or acclaim of better-known courses in the sandhills. Nor does it have the requisite polish, but Seven Lakes does provide a very satisfying golf experience made even more-so by reasonable greens fees that include a golf cart and lunch. That’s fun factor with an exclamation mark, especially when one considers the course design and execution, beginning with the choice of five different sets of tees. Rough around the edges? Yes. Engaging? Even more. From the 1st through the 18th, every hole is good, challenging, and instantly memorable if not also beautiful in some cases. The par-4, 261-374 yard par-4, 4th requires a strong tee shot left of a lake, then over the lake to an elevated, two-tiered green. Many other holes on the course require strategy and also precision in execution. The looped, links design plays uphill, downhill, right and left. It challenges our proverbial, “every shot and club in the bag.” The holes are interesting. They’re quirky. They’re inspiring. They’re blind. Or, they’re all laid out in front of you. Seven Lakes is so engaging that after awhile I neglected evaluating the course, and just played it. This is a great course for regular folks. It is rustic. It's tight in places. At 74.1/144 from the tips, it is no easy walk through the park. It’s a good round compared with any course, anywhere. My numbers may surprise you, but this quirky potential gem (if they ever get around to investing money) deserves some love."

2021