Welcome to Cape Fear National®

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Welcome to Cape Fear National, one of Wilmington’s most celebrated golf courses and the crown jewel of the Brunswick Forest community. This award-winning championship course offers 18 holes of premium golf set against unmatched natural beauty. Brunswick Forest residents can enjoy membership, granting them access to this exceptional course right in their community.  Throughout the year the club features many social activities, tournaments, and charity events as well.

 

Uniquely Designed To Dazzle The Eye

Designed by the acclaimed golf course architect Tim Cate, Cape Fear National is as dramatic as the landscape it inhabits. Cate’s signature bunkers, which extend the entire length of holes 5, 13, and 16, add a unique challenge to the game. The course meanders through heavily undulating terrain, crosses picturesque bridges over wetlands, and features three stunning waterfalls. With beach bunkers and native Southeastern North Carolina grasses and wildflowers enhancing its beauty, Cape Fear National offers an unforgettable golfing experience.

From the bag drop until the last drop at the 19th hole, our sole focus is on an exceptional end-to-end golf experience.

Experience It

cape fear national

As part of the Brunswick Forest community in Leland, Cape Fear National is just six miles south of historic downtown Wilmington and 45 minutes north of the golf mecca of Myrtle Beach, SC.

Additional Amenities

In 2023, Cape Fear National underwent a significant renovation, unveiling an expanded outdoor patio with dining, casual seating, and fire pits. The Forest Restaurant in the Cape Fear National clubhouse, a favorite spot for members after their round, now boasts a new bar and updated dining room decor. This updated facility offers a full menu and a stylish pro shop, and its adjacent event lawn provides the perfect setting for any gathering. Call for hours of operation and reservations: 910-202-5810  

Cape Fear National offers a variety of practice facilities to refine any game. Warm up before or work on something after your round on the all-grass tees driving range with target greens. There is also an expansive putting green as well as a full short game area with a practice bunker and approach area.

Course Designer

Cape Fear National Golf Course Architect, Tim Cate

Tim Cate is a renowned and revered golf course architect, registered landscape architect, and land planner based in Sunset Beach, North Carolina. With more than 23 years of experience designing and building golf courses, he has always been associated with projects with high standards of quality and layout.

Through total dedication and attention to detail, his golf courses, including Cape Fear National, are recognized as places to appreciate the game truly. Tim has garnered some highly prestigious awards, including Best New Golf Course in both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine and America’s Best New Course from Golf Digest.

A Q&A With Tim Cate

What sets Cape Fear National apart from other golf courses in the Wilmington area?

“Detail application, both on the golf course and in the areas that surround the golf course. I started as a landscape architect, which helped me present the golf course and the surrounding areas in a very sophisticated, upscale manner. Many hazard areas are aesthetically pleasing, featuring colorful plants and native grasses.

Can you describe Cape Fear National in a couple of sentences?

“A challenging, visually-stunning golf course designed to use the natural areas encompassing the golf course to enhance the course aesthetics, and the golf course design to enhance the natural areas around the course.”

“Cape Fear National is a fun course to play and is aesthetically unmatched in the Wilmington area.”

What features are consistent with Tim-Cate-designed golf courses?

“I only work with high-end golf courses. Quality is always of the utmost importance to me; if that is not the number-one priority of the client, I will pass on the project. I pride myself on designing golf courses that provide an aesthetically pleasing, memorable experience to all levels of golfers. “Every shot needs a challenge, visual interest, and difficulty level.”

Were you given any specific directions regarding the design of Cape Fear National?

“The client gave me simple instructions: “Build us the best golf course in the Wilmington market.” Then they provided the resources to accomplish their goal.”

Which do you feel is the signature hole on the first eighteen?

“My goal is to make each hole spectacular and memorable. If I were to pick my favorite hole, I would pick hole number 13. It’s a par four, dogleg right that plays 400+ yards from the back tees. “There is a giant berm that runs along the far-right side of the entire hole. That berm features native grasses, wax myrtles, and wildflowers that make it stand out. A waste bunker runs between the fairway and the berm until about 60 yards out from the green, crossing between the fairway and the green. The cypress marsh also frames a couple of the holes on the course. Golf carts travel through the waste area for most of this spectacular hole, with a pond running along the length of it.”

“However, all the following holes would be considered contenders for the signature hole designation: five, eight, nine, fifteen, and seventeen.”

Contact Us

We are happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.

Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest
1281 Cape Fear National Drive
Leland, NC 28451
910.383.3283