Have played there since 1980.. we did 25 straight years in spring time weather with some excusions into NC/SC hills, TN, & KY and never made it to Myrtle beach..
Bottom Line
If you get golf package at Fairway Motel.. (say hi to Jay & Judy if they're still there)... spartan accomodations as i remember, but pool/sauna was fun.. Over the years, with most all packages you only pay for cart on 2nd 18. Get first tee time of day 7:30-8:30 and 2nd between12:30-1:30 to make sure you get it in.. make your own lunches from grocery store buying and do cooler thing.. Play skins for choice of eatery.. have you done John's BBQ?
Southern Pines.. Dbest for price..played every year except when they had some major work going on there ..almost always first rounds.. great opening hole.. don't get above the cup..
$0.02 INputs:
*Anderson Creek .. good if you hit it like DLIII up/down long slopes.. too far from SoPines/Aberdeen to make 36 real comfortable day outing if you have limited time there,pass
*The Carolina.. played often in last 10 years.. generic holes draped across sandhills.. you'd swear you've played holes before (in area) due to familiar topography/slopes.. great fun with big driver
*Carolina Trace.. Use to play there.. owned by several different operators?? Conditioning poor last time
*Foxfire Resort & Golf.. first years.. never went back, easy to make loops and play till you drop... blurrr
*Legacy Golf Links.. several times..nay to hype
*Little River Golf Resort.. some nice stretches, challenges, no great continuous gca, good fun quotient on many holes
*National Golf Club.. several times..nay
*Pit Golf Links.. many times.. often well conditioned.. some goofyness wasily overlooked
*Seven Lakes.. many times in 80's, not seen in a while
*Talamore.. nice condos,.. stayed there many years.. used to think it was tricked up gca.. too demanding when you want to have fun.. no heater on pool.. seems too expensive.. nice condos though
*Tot Hill Farm.. done it once, played back nine first.. as mentioned everyone should play it once.. I'll play again if travelling by, enroute to Southern Pines
*Whispering Pines.. seems like we used to play 45-54 blurred holes there in 80's due to price.. not been back in ages.. too much CC atmosphere when we played there
*Woodlake (Maples).. always a favorite track.. had lost some of its conditioning last time there ~2003
*Beacon Ridge.. been there, done that ... blurrr from 80's
*Hyland Hills.. First course played in Sandhills.. still fun, unpretentious, good match play course
*The Preserve.. no comment
*Whispering Woods.. no comment
*Pinewild.. played several times, left tired, wanting
*UNC-Finley.. one not played
*Bayonet.. Enjoyed this one, atypical grass collection makes for interesting adventures.. remember trees encroaching a bit like some familiar Ohio courses.. need to go back
*Mid South.. been there, done that ... more enjoyment elsewhere
*Deercroft Golf & CC.. when it first opened was great, worth the extra ride time to Laurinburg.. fell on some hard times, heard it had made a comeback, hosting some tourneys, new owners, etc. perhaps not unlike The Carolina but older
*Carolina Lakes .. used to be a regular stop for some reason.. convenient.. generic
*Quail Ridge.. played many times.. not real differentiated from others in area these days
play, have fun