[Chip Gaskins]

I am just back from my annual Pinehurst trip with my normal group of guys. As always, Joe Gay and his staff rolled out the red carpet and the course was in fantastic shape as you can see from the pictures.

Tobacco Road is so different from the rest of the courses in Pinehurst and it has really carved out a nice niche for itself as a must play while you are there.  I have never been shy about my love for Tobacco Road...I just think it is one of the most visually intimidating yet immensely fun courses I have ever played.

[Matt Varney]

Tobacco Road has tons of fans including myself.  Mike Strantz has a very impressive portfolio of courses like Tobacco Road, Tot Hill Farm, Caledonia, Moneterey CC.  I love the game of golf and when I hear people at tournaments and at local courses about being tough or too long, I think about Tobacco Road.

TR is a true test but it also is very unique and stimulating to the eye.  This is one of the reasons why the course has created a niche as a must play.  If you make them tough enough people stand in line to play them for the challenge.  If you are ever in the Pinehurst / NC Sand Hills region make plans to play this place you will never forget the experience.

[Greg Krueger]

Chip, thanks for the great pictures! Where else did you play? Would love to see a full report.

[Gary Daughters]

Chip,

Thank you posting the pictures.  Please tell us about the greens at TR and other Strantz courses you have played.  A critic whose name I can't recall wrote that Strantz's greens were his Achilles heal.  Going only by photos they seem to be, well, overwrought.  But that's without having seen how they work with the rest of what's there.

Thanks.

[Dean Stokes]

I've got to admit to having put this on my 'must play' list. This set of pictures seems to do it more justice than the last one's I saw - when I admit to thinking it looked 'not much fun'.

It does look like a challenge which I always want. I don't mind the odd blind shot which it looks to have. But the greens do look to have major undulations which I am not always a big fan of.

Am I even nearly correct on some of my thoughts? Maybe this year when I'm at the US Amateur

[Tim Bert]

Chip,

Thank you posting the pictures.  Please tell us about the greens at TR and other Strantz courses you have played.  A critic whose name I can't recall wrote that Strantz's greens were his Achilles heal.  Going only by photos they seem to be, well, overwrought.  But that's without having seen how they work with the rest of what's there.

Thanks.

The only set I've played are the ones at MPCC Shore, and they are fabulous.  I find them wild and exciting at the right pace.  Wouldn't want to face them at "tournament" speeds. 

The greens in these pictures look pretty cool to me.  If the entire course is as wild as the greens, then I think I'd have to go in prepared to put up a lot of strokes!!  I love greens where I can aim chips, pitches, and putts away from the hole in order to see how well I've assessed the situation.  It looks like you could do that all day here.   

[Kyle Henderson]

Some favorite shots of my favorite course from my personal stash...


1st tee


5th green looking back


My dad sticking one three feet from the pin at #14 (you can see his ball if you look closely)


The panoramic 17th


18th tee shot. Does golf ever get more intimidating?

[Michael Dugger]

Awesome pictures Kyle!!!

[cary lichtenstein]

Thanks for sharing, great great golf course, a must play in my playbook

[Jay Flemma]

Chip, those are some of the best photos of the course I've ever seen.  That one of one is fantastic.  You should send those to the course and to Forest Fezler.

[Dan Chapman]

Great photos, can't wait to get back there.

[Jay Flemma]

Chip, what green is the sixth picture down?  Thanks

[David Schofield]

Jay,

I believe that is 18, from the front left.  The background is the 12th fairway, in my best estimation.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Your Dad looks like another lover of TR from Baltimore having a moment during his trip there a few months back. I believe he goes back there monthly to buy more shirts and logo balls and just smell that TR air.

[Kyle Henderson]

Your Dad looks like another lover of TR from Baltimore having a moment during his trip there a few months back. I believe he goes back there monthly to buy more shirts and logo balls and just smell that TR air.

My dad? He's a native Californian -- he's only been to TR the once.

[Kyle Henderson]

Chip,

Thank you posting the pictures.  Please tell us about the greens at TR and other Strantz courses you have played.  A critic whose name I can't recall wrote that Strantz's greens were his Achilles heal.  Going only by photos they seem to be, well, overwrought.  But that's without having seen how they work with the rest of what's there.

Thanks.

There are some extreme slopes separting the pinnable areas (e.g. 3,7,16,) but the greens are large enough to support these features for the most part. Subtlety was not Strantz's style, but the slope of the greens pair well with the wide, flowing nature of his fairways. As long as the greens are kept at a 9 or less on the stimp, they're "fair"ly fun.

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