Mid Pines vs Dormie

[Steve_Roths]

If you had time for just one round which would you play?


Thanks.

[PCCraig]

Easy - Mid Pines.

[Jason Topp]

Mid-Pines.  I really like both courses but Mid-Pines has a sense of place that makes you feel like you are in Pinehurst.  Dormie is a wonderful golf course that feels as if it could be in many locations.

[Jason Thurman]

I'd make the decision based on price and any current reports on turf conditions I could find. Architecturally, they're pretty much equals in my eyes.

[Ron Smith]

All things equal (price and conditions) I would choose Mid Pines.  There is so much interest with the greens at Mid Pines that I feel it is a slight favorite over Dormie for me.   I would put Dormie only a step behind behind as I think it had as good of land, but not as strong a set of greens.

[Andrew Buck]

I'd go Mid Pines with the following caveats.

- Conditioning can vary based on the season and I'd try to get a gauge before the trip.  In the summer, Mid Pines is almost certain to be in better condition in and around the summer.

- What other courses are you playing?  If you have a couple rounds on #2, Southern Pines, Pine Needles I could understand the desire to see Dormie (although I'd play Mid Pines before all others except #2).

- What type of courses do you generally play at home.  If you're a member of a recently restored Ross course but never have access to a C&C, maybe Dormie is worth it.   

[Joe Hellrung]

I thought the greens at Dormie were very interesting when I played it 2 years ago (and wicked fast).  That said, I'd go with the crowd here and vote mid-pines.  You just don't know how long it will remain public, and it is a great round of golf. 

All things equal (price and conditions) I would choose Mid Pines.  There is so much interest with the greens at Mid Pines that I feel it is a slight favorite over Dormie for me.   I would put Dormie only a step behind behind as I think it had as good of land, but not as strong a set of greens.

[Ryan Taylor]

Mid Pines / 8-2 for 10 plays in the area.

[Sean_A]

I don't think there is much between the courses though for me Dormie pips MP.  That said, I would plop for the course which offers a deal because eventually you will want to play both.

Ciao

[Tom Fagerli]

I played MP last Fri and it is as good as I have seen it. Never seen it this firm. Turf excellent. Balls rolling off the greens if not perfectly struck.  I hope they keep it this way all winter.
Obviously I vote MP but I love Dormie too

[Carl Rogers]

have played MP 6 times and Dormie 4 times:
My taste goes for MP because:
1. MP is a much much easier walk
2. MP strikes a better balance at the intersection of challenge, fun and design. Dormie can be pretty penal.
3. The Par 5 Holes - 6, 10 & 17 at Dormie come across to me as awkward and Hole 14 at Dormie is too much like Hole 14 at Bandon Trails


If there is a warm day or two in December, will take another trip back to MP and play P#2 at the reduced rate.

[David_Madison]

MP... not even close. Dormie is a very fine course with lots of positive attributes. Mid-Pines is possibly the best playing experience in the Sandhills. Not just a wonderful course with a neat collection of holes, but a course with an incredible vibe and a very high memorability factor. As an aside, after a fine afternoon round at Dormie a group of likely suspects on this site conducted a hole by hole match play of the two courses, and MP came out ahead something like 6 and 5.

[Ronald Montesano]

I am astonished that so many people find such disparity 'twixt the two courses. I would draw my line at 5-5 and say that an opportunity to play either would be grabbed in a heartbeat.


If I had to break the tie, it would be done with that totally-austin-powers-1960s-retro sunken bar across the street from MidPines at Pine Needles. Seriously no better bar for post-round golf.


But if it's about the golf, it's a tie.

[John Kavanaugh]

Give me a break. Kyle Franz is a cool guy that deserves your support.

[Ronald Montesano]

Are you speaking to anyone in particular, or just howling at the moon?


Kyle Franz doesn't benefit one iota from number of rounds of golf at MidPines. He got paid.


He is certainly a cool guy, but not nearly as cool as his anagram, Fray Klenz.

Give me a break. Kyle Franz is a cool guy that deserves your support.

[Steve_Roths]

Thanks everyone.  Mid Pines it is.


I am playing Old Town as well and just have time for one round.  The trip is likely in March.

[John Kavanaugh]

Are you speaking to anyone in particular, or just howling at the moon?


Kyle Franz doesn't benefit one iota from number of rounds of golf at MidPines. He got paid.


He is certainly a cool guy, but not nearly as cool as his anagram, Fray Klenz.

Give me a break. Kyle Franz is a cool guy that deserves your support.

Ron,

As I suppose you get paid for every day you teach I doubt you cherish few rewards more than a grateful student.

[Ronald Montesano]

You have an idealistic view of teachers.

Are you speaking to anyone in particular, or just howling at the moon?


Kyle Franz doesn't benefit one iota from number of rounds of golf at MidPines. He got paid.


He is certainly a cool guy, but not nearly as cool as his anagram, Fray Klenz.

Give me a break. Kyle Franz is a cool guy that deserves your support.

Ron,

As I suppose you get paid for every day you teach I doubt you cherish few rewards more than a grateful student.

[John Foley]

In 10 plays I've got it 9-1 Dormie. Maybe I am a C&C butt-boy but for me the remoteness of the site, the holes on the ground maximize the experiance. Not that anything is wromg w/ Mid I'm just crazy about Dormie.

[Craig Disher]

I think this is much an apples/oranges comparison. The courses are so dissimilar that the decision should be based on what you're looking for. DC was designed as a big, challenging, private course that ranged over 300 acres of varied terrain. MP is a much more intimate design, built on a site about half the size of DC's. It's also a resort and needed to appeal to those with a wide range of golfing skills. I love them both and I'd have to base my choice on what others have said - what's the conditioning like at the moment. DC is a ground game dream and when its turf is firm, it's a blast to play. I do not understand the idea that its greens are lacking in character. MP also has ground game options but not as many as DC. It also has a tendency to be less firm. But when all is in, either would be a great golfing day.

[David_Madison]

Interesting thing about Mid-Pines... Although the course is short and incredibly compact, and is widely enjoyed by both members and guests, the darn thing can be incredibly difficult. Two weeks ago the Society of Seniors held their national championship there and across the street at Pine Needles. This is a group of players who all are seriously accomplished golfers who've qualified for and played in US Senior Ams and other national and state level senior events. There were 75 competitors in the 55-65 group.


Days 1 and 3 were at MP. On Day 1, 38 players shot 80 or higher. On Day 3, 41 didn't break 80. Challenging, interesting cups, but nothing especially funky. The weather was beautiful, breezy but typical. The course was dry and running, and it was not set up long by any means. Looking over the scores from a number of other Society of Seniors events and there wasn't anything comparable in terms of the scoring. Yet I'll bet that as beat up from a scoring perspective many of these players were, they'd jump at the chance to get right back out there and play the course a bunch more times.

[Jay Mickle]

Walk off Mid Pines and you want to head back to the 1st tee. Walk off Dormie and head to Mid Pines.

[Jay Mickle]

That said, last winter when the bermuda was dormant, Dormie played firm and  fast and was a blast to play if you like a ground game.

[Joe Bausch]

Can't compare as I've not played MP (it is definitely on my radar).

I did like DC plenty.  Here are some off-season pics from a few years back:

http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/albums/DormieClub/

[hhuffines]

I'd have it 6-4 Mid Pines but it's hard to beat good bent greens in cool weather at Dormie.  You'll be getting a C&C feel at Old Town which makes Mid Pines a nice contrast.