CAMP LEJEUNE
Renowned golf course architect George Cobb was stationed at Camp Lejeune and was a scratch golfer at the time, so the Marine brass commissioned him to build a golf course. As the story goes, Cobb was unsure of his design ability at the time, so he enlisted Fred Findlay to help, leading to an ongoing difference of opinion over who gets the design credit.
Either way, the 36 holes require two different tests of golf. The Gold Course is of championship caliber, while the Scarlet layout is less than 6,000 yards and is pure target golf with a series of doglegs that will challenge your mental game.
Johnson normally steers golfers with 24 or under handicaps to the Gold Course, like former club champion Capt. David Cook. The 28-year-old logistics officer has been playing golf since high school.
“I am still stressed out when I come to the golf course because golf is important to me, but for the Marines who don’t take golf as seriously as I do this is nirvana for them because they in a peaceful, serene area,” Cook said. “They may have some big-time baggage from their military experiences and golf is just a great place to release some positive energy.”
Some of the greats of the game — Betsy Rawls, Patty Berg, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead – have teed it up here. In fact, the 432-yard 13th hole was nicknamed “Long Sam” after Snead failed to reach the par 4 in two.
The first course built here by is billed as the oldest 18-hole golf course in the Marine Corps.
Paradise Point Golf Course Scarlet (Camp Lejeune)
Architect: George Cobb
Year Opened: 1945
Worth Noting: At just 5,911 yards this layout is short and sweet but is quite a target-oriented test.
Best Hole: With all of the par-4s rather short, the 439-yard 12th hole will grab your attention … and the driver out of your bag after teeing off with mostly irons.
Paradise Point Golf Course Gold (Camp Lejeune)
Architect: George Cobb
Year Opened: 1945
Worth Noting: At more than 7,000 yards a true golfing test and the longest of all of the state’s military courses; the site of an Indian burial ground architect John LaFoy had to work around when he redesigned a few holes on the back nine in 2003.
Best Hole: The colossal 477-yard par-4 finishing hole, which features a scenic tee shot over some wetlands and then a long approach shot to a green guarded on the left by water and on the right by a bunker.
