Pinehurst Advice

[Ben Hollerbach]

How would you all rank Southern Pines, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles, in order?

I haven't played Southern Pines yet, but Pine Needles is definitely behind Mid Pines in my opinion.

Before the renovations at Mid Pines, Pine Needles was probably a better option. But after I'm not sure there is a course in the area better than Mid Pines, not named No. 2 of course. Granted as I'm saying that I know a couple of Mid Pines members that have been less than pleased at the work done to Mid Pines and are spending more time across Midland Rd. than they use to.

Ben,

What are your friends' objections to the work at Mid Pines?  I played Mid Pines, and only walked Pine Needles as there was only about 2 hours of sunlight left when I arrived.  With that being said, I'de split 10 rounds 7-3 in favour of Mid-Pines.  Pine Needles is certainly a more demanding golf course, but I thought the set-up was weaker, most notably the mowing lines which often left bunkers 10 yards into the rough in spots.  I also thought the greens had more internal movement at Mid-Pines, which I prefer, and the bunkers were much more visually appealing. 

TK 

Much of their concern has centered around the conditioning of the native areas. Specifically that the sand forms ruts and washouts after a it rains. They've also commented about sand washing onto the fairways and their lack of confidence the greens staff will be able to keep up with the native areas and they will overtime become unkempt and overgrown.

They have also mentioned the firmness of the greens as being a deterrent as it has made the course much more difficult than they would like for their every day course. Granted they are all hickory players and we all struggle holding greens with hickory. Over time the greens will soften a little but it does make approach shots much more difficult for them.

[Jim Sherma]

When I was down at the Dixie Cup last year I noticed that both Mid Pines' and Dormie Club's native areas had these ruts and that the ball tended to settle into them as they were the locally low areas where the water runoff would flow through. I saw many unplayable or very limited playable (hack and hope to get back to the fairway) types of lies form these spots. The chance of getting a good lie was pretty low since the only way for a ball not to settle into a rivulet/rut was to nestle up against some vegetation. Keeping these areas as playable as they were originally planned to be will require significant maintenance. Otherwise they will overgrow and also have these ruts where the ball will naturally keep settling.
 

Much of their concern has centered around the conditioning of the native areas. Specifically that the sand forms ruts and washouts after a it rains. They've also commented about sand washing onto the fairways and their lack of confidence the greens staff will be able to keep up with the native areas and they will overtime become unkempt and overgrown.

They have also mentioned the firmness of the greens as being a deterrent as it has made the course much more difficult than they would like for their every day course. Granted they are all hickory players and we all struggle holding greens with hickory. Over time the greens will soften a little but it does make approach shots much more difficult for them.

[Jim Sherma]

Saying that, I loved both Dormie and Mid Pines and thought they were wonderful courses and would strongly recommend them to anyone. Hopefully they figure out how to maintain these areas so that you can draw a variety of lies and have the aggregate penalty be reasonable for the everyday player.

[Jerry Kluger]

I too played Dormie recently and it is a must play.  I view it as how most courses in the area should be and is a modern Mid Pines which is a brilliant restoration.  I know I am probably in the minority but every time I play TR I enjoy it less.  Dormie is as quirky as I need and when it is playing firm and fast it is playing the way C & C design their courses to play and I have been lucky enough to have played more than a half dozen of their courses plus some of their restorations, and each one is fun.  TR has some good holes but most of it is blind target golf plus a miss into the vegetation results in a lost ball.   

[Cory Lewis]

I played Dormie yesterday and the golf course was in wonderful condition from tee to green. The 9th green had just been recently aerified. Other than that, everything was great.

We're having some small issues with the 9th green, but as the weather gets cooler, the problem will go away very quickly

[Keith Phillips]

Played Pine Needles today - impressive design but conditioning was mediocre.

Dormie and #8 tomorrow, and yes I heard from caddies today that Dormie is in terrific condition!

[Simon Pain]

As a Pinehurst member (as well as St Enodoc) I have enjoyed people's views on which courses to play after #2. I am no great fan of #7 (ruined when it was "improved"), #8 overrated  and the new #9 (old National) a typical Nicklaus design. #4 is rate next to #2 but a lot of people are put off by the pot bunkers which I think are great, it is the prettiest of the PCC courses and a good test. I enjoy playing all the other PCC course all of which are different. The short #3 has the hardest greens in Pinehurst to read even more so than #2. Mid Pines I have played a fair bit since Kyle Franz's work and I love it and far prefer it to Pine Needles. Tobacco Road is great fun and a must to play. I must now play Dormie Club after all your comments and also having been told to by Craig Disher! I struggle to understand how it will cope with today's difficult times for golf clubs with its location........