[Chris Buie]

I played #1 Course and photographed it again Sunday.  It has been changed less through the years than #3 or #5 Course.  #1 is a shorter course with a lot of mounds and fairways that slope pretty sharply.  It has a good amount of rolling, somewhat hilly terrain which give it enough character for me to find it interesting to play.  With a few exceptions the green complexes are mild - with less severe "roll-off" areas.  I think it is a good not great Ross course.  I am interested to know what the advanced analytical minds make of it and what stories you may have about it.

Ross give you his characteristic wide first fairway.  Those are horse barns in the background.  This was originally the second hole.  


The 4th is a 464 yard "par-5" which bends to the right.


I like the use of mounds rather than bunkers here.


A closer look at 4.


From short right of the par-3 5th green. 170 yards.


The 375 yard 6th.


The elbow of the 6th.


Par-4 8th hole.  The green is just below the house in the distance.  As you will see, the fairway opens up to the left - which makes a draw preferable.


Ross had some interesting terrain to play with.


Looking back from the 8th green.


The 375 yard 9th is very similar to the first at Mid Pines.  


Another uphill approach.


Looking back across the 9th.  Again, the terrain is more severe than it looks in the photos.  I always hear that said about Augusta.  


A nice solid 410 yard hole to start the inward 9.


The 10th approach.


A rare instance of the typical Pinehurst roll-off areas on #1.


The 11th is a very difficult 223 yard par-3.  Wildlife and fellow golfers scurry in abject terror as Mr. Riley prepares to launch his second tee shot.


The 12th.  427 yards.  One of the best holes on the course.  


The approach to 12.


It is probably 220 to the crest of the hill on 13.


Mounds on 13.


The 15th green has a very challenging slope to it.  The guy in the photo has done 6 tours in Iraq.


The 17th.  427 yard "par-5".  An uncharacteristically small green makes the approach shot quite a challenge.


The 18th has always been a par-3, but it was moved about 50 yards to the left when Fazio re-did #4 course.


Well, there you have it.  You guys are probably tired of hearing me talk about Pinehurst!  Sorry.  What can I say - it's where I live.

[Chris Cupit]

Thanks for the pictures.  On the sixth hole when comparing the pic to the older one it looks as if the inside bunker was originally quite large and that it has been broken up into two smallish bunkers.  Is that what happened and when and why (if you know)?  The small bunkers have interesting shaping but they seem too small in proportion to the wide fairway to me--the bigger bunker looked like it was a better fit to my eye.

[Bill_McBride]

I played this course years before I played Mid-Pines.  From the photos of #1 I really see a lot of resemblance to Mid-Pines.

I wonder if there was sand in those mounded areas where you might find fairway bunkers?  One thing Ross had a lot of at Pinehurst was sand.

Thanks for sharing the photos.  #1 gets no love, is short, but really should be played for evaluation and not just shrugged off if there's an opportunity to play it.  Like all the Ross courses in the area, it's an easy walk with tees almost next to greens.

[Chris Buie]

Yes, they did change it from one big bunker to a few small ones with mounding.  I'm not sure when or why.  I guess it is a matter of personal preference as to which is better.  For me it is a rare instance when a change has been for the better.  I usually find a typical big American bunker to be plain rather than interesting.  But I am not an expert at GCA.  Just a guy that plays a pretty good amount and finds design a really compelling subject.
Thanks for your input Chris.

Bill, I think their is a resemblance to Mid Pines as well.  As I said in the post, the 9th on 1 is very similar to the 1st on Mid Pines.  Mid Pines doesn't have to cater to 30+ handicappers so it has the luxury of doing more interesting and challenging stuff than #1 Course.  I agree with you that #1 is not to be dismissed.  I hoped to show that through the photos.  It does have character.
Also, in the old reference map there was more sand on #1.  Some of it does appear to be in the areas where the mounds are.

[Jon Heise]

Ive never seen much or heard much about #1.  Looks very nice, hopefully you'll continue your photo tour of Pinehurst!

[Craig Disher]

Chris,
Thanks for your pictures. I played #1 on Monday and was reminded again of what fun can be had on a short course over great terrain. I've always felt that the first 4 holes (and last 4) were afterthoughts to get the golfer out to the rolling ground from 5-14. The atmosphere is hurt by the close-in housing on some of the holes but the clearing-out that the resort did recently does give a more open feel.

I also played #2 and was shocked by the poor condition of the greens and surrounds. Perhaps a summer of extra-hot weather and heavy play?

[Bill_McBride]

Chris,
Thanks for your pictures. I played #1 on Monday and was reminded again of what fun can be had on a short course over great terrain. I've always felt that the first 4 holes (and last 4) were afterthoughts to get the golfer out to the rolling ground from 5-14. The atmosphere is hurt by the close-in housing on some of the holes but the clearing-out that the resort did recently does give a more open feel.

I also played #2 and was shocked by the poor condition of the greens and surrounds. Perhaps a summer of extra-hot weather and heavy play?

Craig, did they charge you full price for #2?   Sad if true.

[Chris Buie]

Craig, thanks for your input.  Yes, the most interesting part of the course is in the middle where the terrain rolls quite nicely.  I can kind of picture the look on Ross' face when he came upon that land. 
The houses are close on some holes but not as close as they are on #3, #5 and #6.  And there are many holes where they don't come into play at all - which is a luxury in Pinehurst - condo heaven.
I haven't played #2 in several months.  Too bad it was in not such good shape.  I wonder if they are prepping it for the "People vs. the Pro's" match to be held there in late October.  Faldo and Couples are playing that event.  It is going to be broadcast on ESPN in December.
And I agree with Bill, it would be too bad if they charged the full fee only to find it in mediocre shape. 
Also, yes they did do a very good job refurbishing the course 1 1/2 years ago.  The only thing I didn't like was they took out the mounds that were in the left rough off the first tee. 

[Chris Buie]

Here are some representations of the Twenties version beside the current versions of #1 Course for your consideration.

1st Hole



9th Hole



10th Hole



12th Hole



13th Hole



18th Hole

[Sean_A]

This course reminds me of one I just played, Northamptonshire County.  A lot of shots and putts effected by sloping lies.  Isn't the biggest problem with #1 the green fee?  I don't know what it is, but judging by what the others charge it can't be cheap. 

Ciao

[Chris Buie]

Yes Sean, it is rather expensive.  Memberships are fairly reasonable but everything else at the Resort is overpriced.  Southern Pines CC is the place to go if you want your authentic Pinehurst area experience at a good price.
I looked up the course you played.  Looks like there are similarities.  The thing that struck me was that their 9 hole course has synthetic greens.  I wonder if we will see more of that in the future. 

[Steve Kline]

Chris,
Thanks for your pictures. I played #1 on Monday and was reminded again of what fun can be had on a short course over great terrain. I've always felt that the first 4 holes (and last 4) were afterthoughts to get the golfer out to the rolling ground from 5-14. The atmosphere is hurt by the close-in housing on some of the holes but the clearing-out that the resort did recently does give a more open feel.

I also played #2 and was shocked by the poor condition of the greens and surrounds. Perhaps a summer of extra-hot weather and heavy play?

All the courses at the resort are in as bad as shape as I've ever seen in my 20 years of going to Pinehurst (I go 3 to 4 times a year). #2 was so bad that putting from off the green was virtually impossible. Even though I'm a big fan of Pinehurst there's no way I would reccommend to anyone to go there right now.

[Chris Buie]

Well, #2 may be in bad shape but I played #3 and #1 this weekend and as you can see in the photos they were in fine shape.  I'm not trying to be a salesman for Pinehurst - I'll tell you what I really think.  But, this time and October are the times I would recommend coming here.  The weather is mild and it is not cram packed with tourists although there are a fair amount here now.  I would not recommend coming here in late March, April and up to mid-May.  The area is full of Northerners trying escaping from 5 months of intense cold weather.  A lot of them are pretty pent up from being inside too much as well.  They are LOUD in restaurants in the spring - especially after they have had a few.  We pretty much turn the town over to them in the spring and play elsewhere.  I would imagine some of the popular courses and towns in Scotland have a similar experience with Americans let off the leach and away from the wives for a bit.

[Craig Disher]

The greens on #1 were still recovering from a recent aerification and top-dressing. The rest of the course was in fine shape. I was told that the #2 greens were aerified about a month ago but the weather turned very hot which delayed recovery. The putting surfaces were slower than usual but they still rolled true. The problems were on the perimeter where there were wide areas with very little grass; some fringe areas had been resodded. I know the number of guests has been down a bit - a problem throughout the resort industry - but the course is still heavily played.

I just wish the resort would widen the fairways - I think Ross would have given up the game if he had to play to a 20-yard wide fairway on hole #2.

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