Southern Land Company has announced plans to develop a 1,271-acre master-planned community featuring a private golf club in the Raleigh metropolitan area.

Located in the town of Pittsboro, approximately 30 miles from North Carolina’s capital city of Raleigh, the new project sits within the larger Chatham Park master-planned development. Chatham Park is being delivered by Preston Development Company, co-founded by Julian “Bubba” Rawl and Tim Smith.

The planned private golf club will feature an 18-hole full course, a 9-hole short course and state-of-the-art training facilities. Architect Tom Fazio, founder and Principal Designer of Fazio Golf Design, has been appointed to lead the course design. Over a six-decade career, Fazio has created more than 200 courses globally, focusing on integrating natural surroundings with accessible playability.

“Creating a great community is more than just designing and building beautiful houses—it’s about creating a sense of place and an experience that people are proud to call home,” said Tim Downey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Land Company. “Chatham Park gives us an incredible opportunity to bring that vision to life alongside Preston Development Company and Tom Fazio, and we’re excited to develop a truly special master planned, mixed-use community that will become a lasting part of the region.”

“North Carolina is an exciting market for Southern Land Company, and Chatham Park presents a unique opportunity to create a community within one of North Carolina’s most dynamic growth submarkets within the Southeast,” said Brian Sewell, President and Chief Operating Officer, Southern Land Company. “We’re excited to bring a Southern Land development to the incredible community that Preston Development is building. Their deep expertise in community building and dedication to excellence makes this project exceptional, and we look forward to creating a destination that will stand out in the Research Triangle for years to come.”

“We’ve always envisioned Chatham Park as a community made up of vibrant and diverse neighborhoods with varying amenities, experiences, and settings,” said Julian “Bubba” Rawl, Co-Founder of Preston Development Company. “Bringing a company like Southern Land Company and Tom Fazio to the project brings an extraordinary level of expertise, creativity, and vision to that aspiration. We’re excited to welcome this new community to Chatham Park and look forward to seeing it take shape as a truly distinctive destination that will enrich the region for generations to come.”

Local municipal leaders welcomed the economic investment in Pittsboro.

“Chatham Park continues to bring high-quality projects and significant investment to Pittsboro. This new Southern Land Company community and Tom Fazio-designed golf course are another example of the caliber of development taking shape here. It is exciting to see this level of investment in Pittsboro while we continue to build on the strong sense of community, historic downtown, and quality of life that make our town distinctive in the region,” said Kyle Shipp, Mayor, Town of Pittsboro.

“With our deep connection to the Southeast through hundreds of projects and Southern Land Company’s vision, commitment, and successful track record, we believe this site gives us a rare opportunity to create a truly distinctive golf course and community,” said Tom Fazio, Founder and Principal Designer, Fazio Golf Design. “Our goal is to create a course that is visually spectacular, fun to play, and deeply connected to the natural character of the land. We can’t wait to get started on what is sure to be an unforgettable experience that will define this community for generations.”

“Fazio Golf Design’s collaborative team brings decades of collective experience and a shared commitment to creating distinctive golf environments that are both beautiful and enduring,” said Gavin Fazio, President, Fazio Golf Design. “Opportunities to create something of this scale and vision, in a place we know and care about deeply, don’t come along often. We couldn’t be more excited to be part of it.”