Dormie in Pinehurst

[John Shimp]

Has anybody heard about what type of course Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have planned for Pinehurst?  I've recently heard that it is to be named Dormie, is a non real state development private course that is walking only.  Not heard anything about status, location, piece of property quality, early work, etc.

[TEPaul]

John:

I did hear something about it but I'm sorry to have to say I guess I promptly forgot what I heard. This kind of thing definitely is a sign of the wear and tear of time and tide, I guess.

You know what---It seems to me that always in the back of the minds of Ben and Bill is to be able to do a golf course in most of the great old time golf regions of America.

This would include Long Island, Boston, Philadephia, Pinehurst, Chicago and perhaps either Northern and/or Southern California. Maybe Florida too.

[michael j fay]

The Dormie Club is a very high end, very private course that will be seeking a national membership. Although there will be little or no housing on the course itself there is a substantial adjoining property that is zoned for low density housing. To my knowledge, the housing will be some golf cottages and large lot homes. I believe the zoning is complete.

The property is a wonderful site and Bill Coore will not have to move much dirt to get a great course built. The Clubhouse is slated to be modest, yet ergonomic.

This will be a walk only Golf Club.

[Tim Bert]

You know what---It seems to me that always in the back of the minds of Ben and Bill is to be able to do a golf course in most of the great old time golf regions of America.

This would include Long Island, Boston, Philadephia, Pinehurst, Chicago and perhaps either Northern and/or Southern California. Maybe Florida too.

You must have accidentally left Nashville off that list!  

[Evan_Smith]

Does anybody know where this course is in relation to the Pinehurst Clubhouse, i.e. North, East, South etc.  

When Club Corp built #8 in 1999, soon after they started building #9 and had plans for #10.  #9 was to be located South of the Clubhouse on Hwy #5, a little north of The Pit.  It was cleared, and some of it was even seeded but my Dad and I couldn't find any entrances to it to see more of the course.  I'm pretty sure it was abandoned a few years ago.  I believe that #10 was to be located across Hwy #5 (on the west side) but I don't think it was ever even started.

It would be interesting if the C&C course is located on what was going to be #9.  It makes sense to build there so that they wouldn't have to clear much land, if the original routing was good.

[wsmorrison]

The Dormie Club is the brainchild of a couple of Philadelphians and is a project we ought to keep our eyes on.  I'm not sure where it is, but given that the permitting was recently approved, I don't think it was on grounds that Club Corp intended to develop.

The future head professional of Dormie Club will be sorely missed around these parts.  I think trying to cure my swing problems drove him from the area  

[Kyle Harris]

The head professional will be sorely missed around these parts.  I think trying to cure my swing problems drove him from the area  

I use the same excuse.

[John Shimp]

It is evidently a very lightly publicized project.  I have a long-time friend who is well connected in Pinehurst and is in the golf business.  He had barely heard of it which surprised me.  Should be interesting.  

I'm not sure where the Charlotte Observer newpaper got their tidbits of info.  Their info is often inaccurate too!

[Craig Disher]

I believe the course will be built on the property NE of the intersection of rte 73 and Beulah Hill Church Rd. This area is undeveloped farmland and there were discussions in the county government over whether to permit rezoning. I don't know what the outcome was but if the club is being discussed here, the owners must have obtained permission to build.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I believe the course will be built on the property NE of the intersection of rte 73 and Beulah Hill Church Rd.

I knew the course was in this general area, but based on what Craig stated above as the exact location, this land has already been visited by thousands of us (including myself), as the front section of it was the Red (spectator parking) Lot for the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Opens.

[michael_j_fay]

I believe the permitting process has been completed. Course should be built next year if all goes well.

[JR Potts]

From an e-mail I received:

Dormie Club is a private club located on a thousand acres in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Located just a few miles from the Village of Pinehurst, Dormie is a walking only single membership club that will honor the traditions of the game.

A Coore-Crenshaw design, Dormie will reflect a sandy rustic feel consistent with classic architecture from the past.

Dormie will also house one of the most important private golf collections ever assembled.  The collection, with pieces from the 1600's to the early 1900's will allow Dormie to showcase the rich history of golf.

Dormie will also honor the legacy of E Harvie Ward. A room in the clubhouse will pay tribute to both the champion and the man. The room will display photos of him as well as his US Amateur, British Amateur, and Walker Cup trophies. Dormie will also host a mid amateur invitational tournament in honor of Harvie and amateur golf.

The club also owns Dornoch Cottage. Dornoch Cottage was the private residence of Donald Ross until his death in 1948.  Located on the famed Pinehurst #2 golf course, it will be available for the private use of our members.

Private cottages and a limited number for private home sites will be available to a selection of our members.

[grandwazo]

Ryan
Do you have any contact info for the developers or the club itself?
Feel free to IM me.
Thanks
Jeff

[Steve Kline]

I'm signing up for that tournament.

[Tony Petersen]

Ya gotta love Google...

1. Despite objections raised by one environmentalist, the Moore County Board of Commissioners has approved an agreement with the Dormie Club developer in connection with a $500,000 grant from the Rural Center.

2. The Dormie Club development is not open for residency, but 23 streets already have official names.

The Moore County Board of Commissioners has approved the names, along with four new roads in the proposed Peacock Farms development off Youngs Road. The request from the Board of Planning and Community Development required the calling of a public hearing, but no one signed up to speak when the commissioners opened the hearing at their Feb. 18 meeting. Approval was unanimous.

Dormie Club is a golf course-centered subdivision being developed on a 1,000-acre tract off Beulah Church Road near N.C. 73.

Addition of roads, whether private or public, requires an amendment to the county's road naming and addressing ordinance, established to support the 911 emergency communications system.

Names adopted are: Dormie Club Road, Cheape Place, Cobb Court, Coore Drive, Crail Lane, Crenshaw Court, Dormie Drive, Dunn Circle, Ellie Lane East, Ellie Lane West, Everard Lane, Hodge Drive, Hopkins Drive, Leeds Circle, Nicholson Lane, Perthshire Road, Raynor Way, Rosshire Lane, Strathaven Lane, T. Dunn Drive, T. Kidd Drive, T. Morris Drive, T. Patrick Drive and Tillinghast Lane 

Is the Pinehurst area somewhat skin to the Sand Belt of OZ in terms of terrain, topography & geology? It seems that pretty much the St. Andrews of the US, and then another classic inside of 5 miles? Are the options endless? Just curious...

[Rick_Noyes]

The property Evan Smith refers to does go along NC 5 and I last heard that the tract for what was supposed to be #9 is for sale.  The reason you don't see access from NC 5 is because I don't think there is any.  The active railroad line the runs parallel to NC 5 makes it very difficult to get a crossing agreement.

[Scott_Burroughs]

The property Evan Smith refers to does go along NC 5 and I last heard that the tract for what was
supposed to be #9 is for sale.  The reason you don't see access from NC 5 is because I don't think
there is any.  The active railroad line the runs parallel to NC 5 makes it very difficult to get a crossing
agreement.

I must have glossed over Evan's post, but here's the #9 land and once-cleared routing he talks
about.  You can see an access road at the very bottom center of the page, just to the left of The Pit's
entrance:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=pinehurst,+nc&ie=UTF8&ll=35.151039,-79.45909&spn=0.013194,0.026994&t=k&z=16

[Rick_Noyes]

Scott,

I didn't realize they were using that.  I thought that was just the access during the Superfund clean-up operation.  Interesting though, there is access through The Pit.
There is an access easement that runs between 6 green and 7 tee and 1 green and 2 tee.  On the link you posted, you can see where the entrance road to The Pit turns 90 degrees to the right.  The access easement would be straight through that turn.

R

[Tim Nugent]

If Tony P. has correct infor, that puts it 5 mi NW of Pinehurst.  It's nice to see C&C will be able start from scratch and not have to be confined to a pre-concieved routing.  Looks like there is a big tract of virgin land SW of NC 73 and Beulah Church Rd with a couple of ponds on it.

What's the background/connection on the #9-superfund site?

[Rick_Noyes]

Tim,

The site was cleaned several years ago.  There was some old fertilizer plants on NC 5 a long time ago that buried stuff between NC 5 and The Pit.  There are monitoring stations set-up and filration plantings below where the excavation occurred.  Some of the excavation went out onto #6 at The Pit but I don't believe there was anything excavated on the #9 site.  To my knowledge, there is no connection.

[Tim Nugent]

Rick, thanks. Since you know the area so well, do you think the 4th hole at the Pit is as good as I do.  What a test!

[Rick_Noyes]

Tim,

I do like #4.  From the very back though it's almost impossible.  I like all the "pit" holes, the holes that are actually in the old sand quarry (#'s 8,9,18, 3 and 4).  Some of the trees have been cut back in recent years for sunlight and playability.  About two years ago, Dan added some tees to various holes (further back and/or different angle) and called it the "scratch" course.  They prefer you to be at least close to a scratch player to use those tees.  It also has it's own seperate score card.

R

[Tim Nugent]

Usually those are the kinda of tees I visit, dream, and then go up to something I can handle.

[Tony Petersen]

Is the Pinehurst area somewhat skin to the Sand Belt of OZ in terms of terrain, topography & geology? It seems to pretty much be the St. Andrews of the U.S. and then another brand-spankin new classic inside of 5 miles? Are the options endless? Just curious...

It just seems like a nirvana of sorts... Ever any thoughts to a Dixie Cup making a stop around Pinehurst

[Willie_Dow]

All I can add is that the land is the greatest for a new course in Pinehurst.  It will give a variation to what is presently available.