Cary, North Carolina
Prestonwood Country Club brings regional prestige as the perennial site of the SAS Championship on the PGA TOUR Champions, serving up three sharply conditioned layouts led by Tom Jackson and modernized by Rick Robbins. While not a pilgrimage course, it’s a Triangle-area private hub defined by member camaraderie and recurrent tournament atmosphere.
Prestonwood’s architecture is a story of regional ambition: Tom Jackson’s original layouts wind through North Carolina pines and open parkland, stitched for member play and tournament spectacle alike. Rick Robbins’s renovation injected modern greens, strategic bunkers, collection areas, and tournament-grade conditioning, especially on the Highlands. The real architecture legacy here isn’t a single routing, but how the club can adapt with three full 18s for different events, always presenting expressive green complexes and well-defined strategy while catering to the area’s golfing elite.
A Tom Jackson creation thoroughly modernized by Rick Robbins, tailored for high-end private play and tour-level competition.
The newly redesigned par-3 eighth on the Highlands forces you to take aim at an intimidating island green fronted by bulkheaded water, putting your long-iron nerve to the test. The short-game challenge and risk-reward shot echo through tournament leaderboards.
Favor the middle of the green and resist attacking tucked pins; bailing left leaves a tougher up-and-down.
A slight miss right or short brings a watery grave; strong wind only magnifies the exposure.
Meticulous tournament-standard greens and bunkers, with fast putting surfaces thanks to recent renovations.
Efficient but deliberate—expect a championship-club pace, especially during events.
Classic private club conviviality, energized by regular tournament weeks and a strong community of members.
Private-club attire required; collared shirts and soft spikes only.
Practice lag putting and short-game shots from runoffs—many greens feature tournament contouring and demanding surrounds.
If visiting near tournament time, expect setup tweaks and noticeably faster greens—prepare for firm conditions.
The expansive range is built for serious pre-round prep, including full-length hitting areas and dedicated short-game zones.
Club opened with Tom Jackson's original design
First Jimmy V Celebrity Classic hosted
First SAS Championship held (PGA TOUR Champions)
Meadows Course fully renovated and reopened
Fairways and PGA Family Tee Course renovations
Highlands Course renovation completed
Highlands Course greens and holes renovated
Few clubs host a single PGA TOUR Champions event for over two decades, but Prestonwood’s annual SAS Championship is an autumn tradition in Cary. The event gives members front row access to the senior game's biggest personalities and championship match-play drama.
For 20 years, the Jimmy V Celebrity Classic turned Prestonwood into a star-studded fundraising festival, with Michael Jordan among the celebrity competitors supporting the V Foundation’s mission against cancer. It raised over $13.5 million while serving up legendary post-round stories.
The 2025 Highlands renovation embraced modern bentgrass surfaces, forgiving fairway approaches, and bold new short-game features. These changes came directly in response to player feedback and tournament demands.
Prestonwood’s three-course layout allows the club to craft unique championship combinations—a rarity among private facilities. The ability to blend nines and set up new competitive tests helps keep tournaments fresh and challenging.
Prestonwood has hosted the SAS Championship every year since 2001, one of the PGA Champions Tour’s longest event runs at a single site.
The club’s flexible three-18 layout allows for different tournament combinations, making each championship routing distinctive.
The Jimmy V Celebrity Classic at Prestonwood raised over $13.5 million for cancer research with huge celebrity presence.
The 2025 renovation of Highlands introduced A-1 bentgrass greens and creative grass hollows for added short-game challenge.
Michael Jordan, Bob Costas, and Kevin Costner have all teed it up at Prestonwood in charity events.
A premier Arnold Palmer design close to Raleigh, offering top-tier public access and dramatic university vistas.
A wild Mike Strantz masterpiece, famous for bold visuals and unforgettable holes—this is a must for adventurous golfers.
The definitive North Carolina bucket-list course, and a cornerstone of American championship golf.
A Coore & Crenshaw original with seclusion, artistry, and exclusive feel—available via resort stay.
Cary or west Raleigh for convenience to both private and public Triangle-area courses.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If Prestonwood Country Club is your kind of course, Hurstbourne Country Club is worth a look because it puts the same premium on presentation and demands the same precision once you reach the putting surface.
Why it matches: If Prestonwood Country Club is your kind of course, Apogee Golf Club is worth a look because it puts the same premium on presentation.
Why it matches: What links these two? Puts the same premium on presentation — a familiar feeling, expressed in Jupiter Country Club's own setting.
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