By Alex Smith |
Tobacco Road, the Mike Strantz-designed course in Sanford, North Carolina, is set to be joined by a 12-hole short course, The Matchbox, designed by Lee Marshall and Justin Carlton of Carlton Marshall Golf Design. Scheduled to open in August 2026, the design of the course has been driven by a desire to honour the style of Strantz.
“Our inspiration came from Mike Strantz and his masterpiece, and we’ve incorporated similar design features and philosophies for Matchbox,” said Marshall. “Strantz was a master of scale and well ahead of his time, which is visible everywhere you turn at Tobacco Road. Our routing focused on preserving the major contours flowing from Tobacco Road and one particular unique carved feature that Strantz created himself, which now forms part of hole eleven.”
Marshall and Carlton let the terrain dictate the layout. “We did not route the course to a specific number of holes; we simply found the best available green locations on the property that offered the most variety from hole to hole, ultimately landing on 12,” said Marshall.
Matchbox will also include an extra hole, connected to the eleventh via a shared double green. “Tobacco Road golfers typically have a long wait because of a shorter par five, which is right next to hole eleven,” said Carlton. “The owner, Mark Stewart, wanted a diversion for players waiting on the main course and asked for them to experience the Matchbox by adding an alternate hole to play in the interim. We thought it was a brilliant idea.”
Holes move between enclosed and open areas, with elevation change and water features influencing shot selection. “We intend to keep the golfer intrigued as they navigate the course: a few secluded holes are nestled in the forest, then the landscape suddenly opens up with multiple holes and green settings around a bright blue lake,” said Marshall. “Holes four and eight play uphill, while the finishing hole is severely downhill. Some holes feature ‘shoots’ through trees or earth while others require forced carries over water or railroad tie bulkheads.
“We also routed and designed two main tee locations which provided yardage variety, then found as many alternate shots in the field as possible, creating some double tees and diabolical situations.”
Tees and greens will feature synthetic surfaces. “Because the synthetic turf doesn’t need sunlight to grow, we strategically designed the course to ‘play within the trees’, which is one of its most unique features,” said Carlton. “There is no maintained turf, no irrigation, just pure nature and a bit of synthetic turf. Our company has over 45 years of combined experience in golf design and construction but recognised many years ago the desire for synthetic turf applications. We have continued to research, develop and design the best golf experiences in that space, and have proven it with the Matchbox.
“The overall concept for the short course is to keep it fun with bold features and heroic shot values but also provide a short-game challenge for those who really want to test their wedge game. The contours on the green will focus more on shot execution and less on the type of shot the player decides to execute. This will provide a different experience each time the course is played, even without moving the pin to alternate locations.”
The project is being constructed by Land Innovations Construction, led by Mark White, one of the original Tobacco Road shapers. “Mark White is what we would call a unicorn,” said Marshall. “Not only are he and Land Innovations a world-class golf course contractor, he also provides experienced knowledge of Mike Strantz’s original vision, which we are utilising in the design of the course.”