Egret/Heron at Carolina National Golf Club

Carolina National Golf Club's Egret/Heron combination draws from twenty-seven holes designed by Fred Couples in collaboration with Gene Bates and Kipp Schulties. The facility opened in the late 1990s in Bolivia, North Carolina, positioned in the coastal lowcountry between Wilmington and the South Carolina border. The three nine-hole loops—Egret, Heron, and Ibis—allow for varied eighteen-hole configurations, with the Egret/Heron pairing representing one of the standard tournament rotations.

The design reflects the natural characteristics of coastal Carolina terrain, with routing that incorporates wetlands, native grasses, and stands of longleaf pine. Elevation changes remain modest, typical of lowcountry topography, while water features and marshland areas influence strategy on multiple holes. The layout emphasizes playability from forward tees while presenting length and strategic bunkering for accomplished players from the back markers.

Couples, a major champion known for his playing career, brought a player's perspective to the design process, while Bates contributed extensive regional design experience in the Carolinas. The course serves a daily-fee market in Brunswick County, an area that developed significantly as a golf destination in the decades surrounding the turn of the century. The Egret and Heron nines combine to offer a representative example of accessible resort-style golf in the Cape Fear region, with conditioning and pace of play suited to visiting golfers exploring the area's numerous public and semi-private facilities.