Aerial of the Day #195 - 11 Sep 2002

[Scott_Burroughs]

What is that green thing hanging from your rear view mirror?

[Rick_Noyes]

At Last! An AOTD I recognized without the clues.  It came ringing in loud and clear.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Good one, Rick! (you homer  )

A few of the more recognizable features would be the dogleg
left over the water, the routing where #9 doesn't return to
the clubhouse, the several road crossings, the excellent
practice facilities, and that large building north of the range,
which is not the clubhouse.

[THuckaby2]

GOT IT!

And I will say this is about as far from where
I live and still in the continental US as you can
get.

Green thing + ringing + Rick being called
a homer + where Rick's from gave me
the answer.  It's actually kinda easy once you
look up Rick's residence... so is that cheating?

TH

[JohnV]

Annika and Karrie know this course well.  Is that Dottie Pepper over there behind the balloon on #5? (A clue for any rules folks out there.)

This course might have the only pro-shop in the US that has more women's clothes than mens, which reflects the tastes of the owner.  Also another course just across the street by the same architect and owned by the same folks might be more fun if not quite as challenging.

This course was played by many members of this site at the first Traditional golf outing.

[John Foley]

Wow, one of the few AOTD's I've actually played. Is there a better deal in the area than this? How much has the course changed from it's original design?

At least the archie had a short commute!

[Scott_Burroughs]

That green thing hanging from the mirror looks like a
Christmas Tree.  A Frasier Fir to be exact.

Interesting that the USGA is gaga over two courses so close
to each other.

You'd be surprised the number of houses bordering this one
(and so closely), though you can't really see it on TV.  
Modest homes, too.

There's actually been at least 7 USGA events in this small
area in the last 13 years, and another will occur less than a
month from now.

[Scott W.]

The USGA Held a National Course Rating Calibration Seminar here a few years ago and I was able to attend!  We were housed "across the street" at the "sister" course...this place is in the MID-dle of nowhere...

[Scott_Burroughs]

Among the several GCA guys who live very near here, one of
them is Most Beloved and two are GC architects.

This course is spread all over the natural areas in my yard.  
Longleaf, that is.

[peter mcknight]

Wouldn't it be great if the women would play old no.2 instead of its Rossian neighbor??

[Rick_Noyes]

I played here a few weeks ago.  The mounding on the left of 15 had been somewhat leveled out and If I remember correctly some sand bunkers are there now.  It also looked as if they were grading an area for a new back tee about 10-20 yards back.  Don't know for sure though.

I've had the opportunity to play here several times but the funny thing is, I can remember only once did I play it with my own ball.  Most of the time it's been in charity events - captain's choice.  Still a fun course though.

[Scott_Burroughs]

This is Pine Needles, in Southern Pines, NC, designed by
Donald Ross (yet again).  Pine Needles is part of a 2-course
resort, along with Mid Pines across the street, owned by
women's golf supporter extraordinaire, Peggy Kirk Bell.  Pine
Needles hosted the 1996 and 2001 U.S. Women's Opens,
won by Annika and Karrie, resp, mentioned above.  It will
host the 2007 Women's Open as well.


here's a pic:



from the web site (includes course tour and more pics):

http://www.rossresorts.com/golfpineneedlesintro.html


and lot's of pics from the GCA writeup (scroll to near bottom):

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/pineneedles.html


clues include:

"green thing handing from rear view mirror" that "looks like a
Chrismas tree" = pine scented air freshener shaped like a fir tree.

"ringing" = Bell family

Rick Noyes ("homer") lives in the area

famous for it's practice facilities and catering towards women

"archie had short commute" refers to Ross living in the area.

"Frasier Firs" are North Carolina's native Christmas Trees

USGA gaga over 2 courses so close refers to Pine Needles and
Pinehurst #2 hosting 3 and 2 U.S. Opens (or Women's) so
close to each other (in time and place).

on TV = Women's Open

other USGA events in small area(Sandhills):

1989 Women's Amateur (#2)
1991 Women's Senior Amateur (here)
1994 Senior Open (#2)
2000 Women's Public Links (Legacy)
2002 Senior Women's Amateur (Mid Pines, Oct 5-10)


GCA guys near here include:  Most Beloved (Ran) and
architects Mr. Noyes and Richard Mandell (see interview).

"course spread all over my yard" = pine straw, which are
Longleaf pine needles.

[JohnV]

Since Scott didn't elaborate on my clues.  Annika won the Women's Open in 1996 and Karrie won it last year.  If great courses yield great champions, it would be hard to be against Pine Needles.

The reference to Dottie Pepper was that in 1996, she hit a ball on the 5th hole that ended up in a place where she felt she was being interferred with by the balloon that the TV network had put up to recieve their cameramen's signals.  She asked for relief, was denied by the walking official, asked for a second opinion was denied and then demanded that Kendra Graham come over and give her a ruling.  Kendra had to drive all the way from the other side of the course (a substantial way) and denied her again.  Even though they did allow other groups to play through, this backed up the field so much that another USGA official suggested erecting "player's bleachers" the next year.

Of course, Mid-Pines is across the street. and is also owned by the Bell family, including Peggy Kirk Bell who has definitely made this a female friendly course.  No fear of Ms. Burk protesting this place.

[redanman]

that large building north of the range,
which is not the clubhouse.

But once contained it.  Once the hotel,
now a nursing home, basically.

[Scott_Burroughs]

John,

I mentioned all of your clues except the Pepper incident,
which I didn't know about.  The paragraph above the pic
details each one.