What is so fab about tobacco road?

[Sean_A]

-The entire 1st hole is somewhat funky/borderline dangerous.
-The tee shot on two-a pull is into the 3rd tee and a straight shot may hit into a group in the fairway as the green is not visible, the 11th tee is also in play from the 2nd tee.
-The 7th tee shot is blind and I also want to say the green is not visible from the tee either
-13 is blind for those trying to take it over the corner, but not when playing the hole like its supposed to be played.
-15 tee shot is semi blind to the left fairway and totally blind to the right.
-and the 18th tee shot is blind.
The 16th tee shot is blind as well, but since the carts are not allowed in the fairway, its easy to see when the group clears. I have to go with what Tom Doak said to me one time (Tom-thanks again for the help) that blind shots tend to be dangerous on public golf courses. Again though, these wierd/funky/dangerous shots do not at all take away from my liking of the course, it just makes the course difficult/nearly dangerous to play on crowded days with people who have not seen the course before.

J

Interesting take.  In most most of your scenarios danger can be avoided. 

#1 -  Its pretty easy to see the group ahead walk away after their 2nd shots.

#2 - If you are going for the green you can wait until the group ahead is on the next tee.  This is one of those routing deals I don't like - walking back on yourself because it slows down play.  You are right about driving into #2 tee, this is potentially dangerous, but not more so than on most courses.

#7 - Its pretty easy to wait until players appear after thier 2nd shots.

#13 - Yes, it can be dangerous to take it over the trees.  This is a case where the group ahead needs to congenial and keep someone in sight and range out to the left until all their players are clear.  Obvious place for a bell imo. 

#15 - Yes, it can be dangerous to hit especially over the right trees.  Again, obvious hole for a bell.  This is the one hole where I think it can be reached by the flat bellies which also means the 16th tee is in danger.  Even a bell may not save someone from a knock on the head or likely a nib to the shin (it is quite a poke you know!)

#16 - You should be able to see players climb the hill after their 2nds.  Another obvious hole for a bell.

#18 - Its not really blind, but it could use a bell as well. 

There could be enough bells on the course to call it The Bells!

Ciao

[CJ Carder]

#7 - Its pretty easy to wait until players appear after thier 2nd shots.

There could be enough bells on the course to call it The Bells!

Speaking of bells, don't they have one on #7?

[Tony_Chapman]

I've been waiting to chime in on this thread. First, I love Tobacco Road. My parents are lucky enough to have a condo down in Pinehurst and I've just been down there two times, but TR is the only course I wanted to play again after the first go round. Two reasons:

1. It was absolutely a blast to play, and
2. I think it's a heck of a value.

Growing up in Nebraska we don't have elite private clubs (save maybe Sand Hills and Dismal River, now) and being the son of a pair of teachers, the value aspect of things always enters into the golfing equation for me. That said, the two best values I have ever played (and would consistently pony up the $40-50 it cost me to play) are Tobacco Road and Wild Horse.

I just found myself hitting so many fun shots at Tobacco Road. It's like everytime you get over the ball you go to yourself, "This is a cool shot."

That said, it has some flaws. Part of me thinks the par-3's get a bit monotonous, especially by the 17th tee. Ran said it best to me when we met at SPCC (after I had played 18 at TR in the morning). If they'd blow up 17 and put a 200 yard hole between 12 and 13 that would make the place a lot better.

You can bite off as much as you want to chew around Tobacco Road, though there are plenty of safe routes that you might not see. I remember standing on the first tee and going, "Where do I hit it?" and then getting out there and seeing a bunch of room.

And, I've never hit a more exciting 100 yard shot than this one:


The 13th at Tobacco Road

So, I guess, Darren that's what's "fab" to me about tobacco road.

[John Moore II]

They may have a bell on 7, but either way, you can't see the group in the fairway, and I honestly don't remember being able to see the green from the tee, at least not the back tee. But the problem with bells is, how many people use them? I've been lucky enough to play TR only on days where it was not busy. Overall, I have said I greatly like TR, but I simply feel that at times it is dangerous.

[Brian Joines]

I've only played Tobacco Road once and I loved it. I can't imagine anyone describing that as "forced" golf. I'm also suprised that some would choose to play Pinehurst #8 over TR. #8 did very little for me and was far less enjoyable and exciting as my round at TR.

[John Moore II]

Brian--many people would play #8 before Tobacco Road simply because of the name. Pinehurst brings out some mystical quality in a golf course that sometimes I do not understand. Even #2 I feel is sometimes held in higher esteem than may be deserved. That is not a knock on #2 by the way. But I feel that for shear enjoyment and even to a point architectural merits, Pine Needles is a finer golf course.

[Steve Lang]

 
to me, one doesn't travel to isolated locales on a vacation or outing to lay up.. tr says let's go hit the ball and see what happens, once the initial mystery is gone, it says execute your shots to be rewarded and have a little fun along the way, eh?

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