Just got back from a spring break trip to the North Carolina area, including a day in Virginia, with fellow GCA'er Dave Neveux.
This trip was our 2nd annual spring break golf trip driving down south (we're both from Michigan). However, this trip was just a mellow 8 courses in 7 days (10 rounds total) to N.C. and one day in Virginia {compared to a trip last summer in which we drove out west (far as Bandon) from MI and played 17 courses in 16 days throughout the entire U.S.}.
Below is a list of the courses and my thoughts...Dave may have some different ideas on each.
TANGLEWOOD PARK - CHAMPIONSHIP (Winston-Salem, NC):
2nd time in which we've opened our season with this course. It is even better the 2nd time as we played 36. I think this course is one of the best styles of traditional country club courses i've seen or played. I don't understand how it doesn't get listed with other popular RTJ courses like Hazeltine. In my mind Tanglewood Park is as good or better than similar types of courses like Hazeltine and Oakland Hills. In my personal rankings only Olympia Fields ranks higher (based on the same style of course). The bunkers at Tanglewood are it's signature. They flow with the layout of the holes and are almost hidden at times on certain angles into an approach, but when you get up there you see how deep and intimidating there are. The price to play is unbeleivable too, $40. How this course doesn't get more pub. and respect is beyond me.
***TRIP RANK #2***
SOUTHERN PINES (Southern Pines, NC):
Great course, played very difficult I thought for such a short course from the back tees. Only major drawback were the greens were airated and top dressed beyond belief. Great price and the best $2 hot dog I've ever had at the turn. I want to play this course when it is green. I felt liek I could have lit a match and the whole course would have gone up in ten seconds being so dry.
***TRIP RANK #6***
PINE NEEDLES (N.C.):
Favorite course of the trip. Played it from the back tees, which I thought was very challenging. In my personnal rankings this goes ahead of a list of courses (being similar in style) like Oakland Hills, Olympia Fields, Hazeltine, Tanglewood. In fact a friend of mine who is a member at Oakland said this was his favorite course he's ever played, better then the Deuce even. I absolutely loved the course, the contouring of the bunkers, the integration of all the clumped grasses and the greens were a treat. I love putting from off the green and I did plenty of that on this course.
***TRIP RANK #1***
MID PINES (N.C.):
Some guy in the parking lot tried telling me that this course was the best in the Pinehurst area. Frankly I would have rather played Pine Needles again rather than this course. But, it was a very good course...a little rough maintenance wise. The entire time I was playing it I always felt like I was playing Pine Needles' little brother. I felt the holes at Mid Pines were very straight forward and not as much of a challening layout as Pine Needles.
***TRIP RANK #5***
TOBACCO ROAD (N.C.):
As Dave said, "It's like World Woods - Pine Barrons on steroids". Glad we took everyone's advice and played it twice. Very challening and unique layout. Not sure if I would want this course as my home courese but i would love to played it once a month or so. Never felt relaxed over any shot as you are always laying up to something or judging the distance to clear another area. Not the best course to play if you are impaired or coming off a night from being impaired as we all were because you've got to really think a lot out there. All in all, great course and I liked it better then similar tracks such as WW-Pine Barrons and Forest Dunes (Roscommon, MI)
***TRIP RANK #4***
DUKE UNIVERSITY G.C. (N.C.):
Wasn't overly impressed. Felt like a Reese Jones the entire time. While it was a good course I still like Forest Akers-West much better as a college course (Michigan State's home course). They were airating the day we were there which is very annoying. Good course but nothing overly spectacular about it.
***TRIP RANK #7***
HERITAGE GOLF CLUB (Wake Forest, NC):
Good course but nothing that I would drive a long way to play. If you're in the area it is a good track. #18 is a very rewarding/risky par 5 that is a solid finishing hole.
***TRIP RANK #8***
TRADITION CLUB AT ROYAL NEW KENT (Virginia):
Loved the layout...except not really a walking course with too much distance between holes. Felt similar to Bandon Trails. Solid course though, would like'd to have played it when all the grass and heather was grown in and not all cut down. Liked this better then Tobacco Road because it was less of a mind f***.
***TRIP RANK #3***
It was a great relaxing trip and we had a great time on and off the course. Loved the night life in Chapel Hill (Frankline Street)...we stayed there 3 nights. Southern Pines was pretty dead at night so we had to make due.
TRIP SUMMARY (ranked in order):
#1 - Pine Needles
#2 - Tanglewood Park (Championship)
#3 - Tradition Club at Royal New Kent
#4 - Tobacco Road
#5 - Mid Pines
#6 - Southern Pines
#7 - Duke University G.C.
#8 - Heritage Golf Club
Would love to hear any thoughts/comments.
-Brian