Frosted Fairways 2014

[Ronald Montesano]

The 2014 Presidential Pinehurst Pursuit had day one (Cutter's Creek in Snow Hill) and day two (Pine Crest in Lumberton) detours, but we eventually maneuvered our balls around Tobacco Road, Mid Pines and Pinehurst #3. In anticipation of some frosted photos, let me proclaim that Tobacco Road is timeless, Mid Pines is brilliant and Pinehurst The Third is a marvelous examination of the wedge and short games.

Perhaps our affinity for snow is born of our familiarity with the substance, but seeing it on the fairways phases us not at all. It spawns some decent punch lines like "Dude, some solid casual water" and adds a nice reminder of the fortune we enjoy when escaping our winter hiatus.

Here are a few images from the three Pinehurst-area courses mentioned above. I'll do a thread on the incredible Pine Crest at a later date.

[Kevin Lynch]

Perhaps our affinity for snow is born of our familiarity with the substance, but seeing it on the fairways phases us not at all. It spawns some decent punch lines like "Dude, some solid casual water" and adds a nice reminder of the fortune we enjoy when escaping our winter hiatus.

The above was one of the most beautiful holes of the trip for me (Mid Pines' 15th, I believe).

I did get quite a sense of how unphased I have become by a little snow and cold.  Every time we would approach a course, I fully expected there to be a full parking lot and tee sheet.  After all, the course was open, so why wouldn't every golf lover be at Tobacco Road or Mid Pines?

I shouldn't have been surprised that the six golfers joining us at Tobacco Road's practice area were from Toronto.  It's 38 degrees, sunny, with snow-lined fairways, and the conversation was about the potential USA vs Canada hockey rematch and how "this is pretty nice day for golf" (which was about 20 minutes before I almost pulled a groin slipping on the ice by the 11th green).

But, when this is the departure scene for the trip, the "frosting" in the above pictures doesn't even register.

[Mark Bourgeois]

With the courses nearly empty, did you guys skin out and work on your tan?

[Kevin Lynch]

With the courses nearly empty, did you guys skin out and work on your tan?

Is "skinning out" a common practice among your foursome?  That one never entered into my mind. 

I do have a little jump on my golfer tan, as it was warm enough for me to have the short sleeves going (usually once it hit 48 or so).  The only "skinning out" was in the process of removing the Under Armour shirt from the 33 degree tee-off temp.

I suppose if we had received a Facebook "24 Hour Challenge", there could have been few shots played "Henrik Stenson-Style." 

[mike_beene]

For a minute I thought MidPines had hauled in white waste area sand.

[Ronald Montesano]

That's what she said...