Pinehurst suggestions

[Keith Phillips]

Visiting Pinehurst for a 3-day boys trip mid-May.  Playing 36 Friday-Saturday and 18 on Sunday before racing to the airport.  Have booked #2 twice and #4 once + Mid Pines...have played Dormie 2x and love it but will pass this trip...played PineNeedles once when the conditions were brutal, is it worth another try?  Any other strong recommendations?

[Adam T]

Keith,
You'll find no shortage of Sandhills recommendations on this website. There are countless threads devoted to the topic.
Pine Needles is hosting the US Senior Women's Open this year from May 13 - May 19. You mentioned that your trip is mid-May. I just wanted you to be aware in terms of course availability, but also to suggest that it *should* be in prime condition. I think many of the green complexes at Pine Needles are world class, and the 11th hole is one of my favorites played. It's had some recent restoration work.
The course clearly missing from your post below is Tobacco Road. Assuming you are flying out of RDU on Sunday afternoon, I would recommend a Sunday morning there. It's a one-of-a-kind roller coaster ride, and, without traffic, is only about 45 minutes from the airport. Pinehurst proper is about 1 hour and 15 minutes, so you'll cut off half an hour from the trip. If you've never played, it is a must experience.
Enjoy your trip to our wonderful state!

[Keith Phillips]

Thanks, Adam, I had no idea the US Women's Senior's was at Pine Needles and that is in fact the weekend we are there - might check that out!  We are first off #2 on the Sunday morning before heading to RDU but Tobacco Road is an interesting option that we will consider.

[Jay Mickle]

The course clearly missing from your post below is Tobacco Road. Assuming you are flying out of RDU on Sunday afternoon, I would recommend a Sunday morning there. It's a one-of-a-kind roller coaster ride, and, without traffic, is only about 45 minutes from the airport. Pinehurst proper is about 1 hour and 15 minutes, so you'll cut off half an hour from the trip. If you've never played, it is a must experience.
Enjoy your trip to our wonderful state!

By all means, play Tobacco Road. Be sure to download their app, select "Yardage Guide" and as you flip through holes be sure to rotate the phone 90 degrees to get a fly over of that hole. Surely it is the best course app I have seen.

[A.G._Crockett]

Another vote for Tobacco Road.  Easy choice.

[Kevin Moore]

I'll echo Tobacco Road.


Do not look past closing down The Cradle.

[A.G._Crockett]

I'll echo Tobacco Road.


Do not look past closing down The Cradle.

Oh, amen on The Cradle!  A buddy and I did exactly that back in November, finishing in near-dark.  Walking around there hitting wedges and enjoying a cold beer was about as much fun as you can have on a golf course.

[Keith Phillips]

Great feedback re. Tobacco Road and we will take a hard look at that.  I presume people view MidPines as among the best options after #2 and #4? I've played Dormie twice and love it but looking for new options.


Will 100% do The Cradle!

[John Kavanaugh]

I would play Mid Pines over and over and skip Tobacco Road. You can double that if it has been raining.


On my first trip to Pinehurst one of the greats told me to skip Tobacco Road all together. It seems like he stays in his shell these days when the topic arises.

[Bruce Wellmon]

Blueberry pancakes at The Track Restaurant.
BBQ at Pik N Pig (the world's only combination airport, restaurant and driving range).
Brisket at the Pinehurst Brewery with the fried pickles, okra and cheese curds app.


 

[WilliamN]

Great feedback re. Tobacco Road and we will take a hard look at that.  I presume people view MidPines as among the best options after #2 and #4? I've played Dormie twice and love it but looking for new options.


Will 100% do The Cradle!

I've not played #4 since the reno, but I think you have the rankings correctly with Pine Needles and Dormie right there as well after #2


This may be a bit of an unpopular opinion, but I have always advocated for #1 (or even #3) as a second 18 in the afternoon.  They're just fun, short courses.  They're not in the best shape, but on boys trips, we had a lot of fun with a couple of extra cocktails and wagering.   


I like to pair one of them after a morning round at #2, then wrap up and play 9 more at the Cradle!

[A.G._Crockett]

I would play Mid Pines over and over and skip Tobacco Road. You can double that if it has been raining.


On my first trip to Pinehurst one of the greats told me to skip Tobacco Road all together. It seems like he stays in his shell these days when the topic arises.

Your loss, bro; your loss.

[Mark Pritchett]

Pinehurst No. 4 is now a must play when in the area.

[Edward Glidewell]

Pinehurst No. 4 is now a must play when in the area.

Seconded; it's fantastic.


I also agree that Mid Pines (and Pine Needles) are both significantly better courses than Tobacco Road.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Your loss, bro; your loss.

I don't totally agree.

I tell people to play TR at least once, just so they can have the conversations about it. But after that, meh, it loses a ton of my interest. I've played it five times, and if that's my lifetime total, I'm okay with that. It's an easy, boring course once you realize that the targets if you don't let yourself get suckered into things.

But yeah, play it once… and make up your decision.

Edit: I'd written that I played TR three times, but that didn't count the first time I played it or the time I played it late in the day and only got through 16 holes.

[Tim Martin]

What’s the feeling on a 36 hole walking day at #’s 1 and 3? Seems like the two shorter Ross courses would be fun. I know that #3 had finished some work in 2017 and wonder how that has been received? These two courses often get lost in the conversation.

[Steve Kline]

Courses #1 and #3 would be fun if the conditions were like Scotland. But, I find shorter courses where the ball doesn't roll much and the greens on the soft side rather boring. They just don't really hold my interest and I've played them both a fair number of times.

[corey miller]

Ultimate golf day in Pinehurst is Pine Needles playing hickories with Ran and JLoh.

[David_Madison]

Ultimate golf day in Pinehurst is Pine Needles playing hickories with Ran and JLoh.

Add Jay Mickle and take your hickories and head across the street to Mid Pines instead and you've upgraded to what otherwise would be a pretty special time. MP with hickories, especially if the course is running, is an incredible treat.

[Jeff Loh]

Eric
You just used the words "boring" and "easy" to describe Tobacco Road.
That's fake news!

[David_Madison]

Eric
You just used the words "boring" and "easy" to describe Tobacco Road.
That's fake news!

Jeff - Tobacco Road has a hugely high slope rating for a good reason. For average and weaker players, it can be extremely difficult. But for good players who can keep their egos in check regarding their shot selection, Tobacco Road is actually pretty easy. Hugely wide fairways and big greens that when requiring tight, critical shots are typically approached with wedges. A friend and I once played in a better ball event there and he and I shot 66 and 68 respectively and it didn't seem that we were doing anything special. We both just plodded it around the place, made a few putts, and got what we got.


And while the course is internally one of the most visually striking ever, laying back with irons and fairway woods and playing it conservatively to grind out a score could feel a bit boring. But on the other hand, as a match play venue it's one of the most interesting and exciting course I've ever played.


So while I wouldn't call TR boring or easy on general terms, for some players in some contexts it kinda' is.

[Jeff Loh]

David
Interesting observations.
I've heard Sushi described as "raw fish."
If you are "laying back" and trying to "grind out a score" at Tobacco Road you are completely missing the point.

[Brock Lynch]

Tobacco Road is actually pretty easy...... Hugely wide fairways and big greens that when requiring tight, critical shots are typically approached with wedges. A friend and I once played in a better ball event there and he and I shot 66 and 68 respectively and it didn't seem that we were doing anything special. We both just plodded it around the place, made a few putts, and got what we got.

If you and your friend shot those numbers at Tobacco Road, you guys are "just plodding" around every course you play.

Cheers

[David_Madison]

Jeff - I'm not at all missing the point of the course. But maybe you missed the point of my comment. The round I was referencing was a CGA Seniors event. We played the course at around 6100 yards and the way we played it was appropriate for the situation. I was simply giving you an example of how TR can be played in a plodding manner and as such be "boring", supporting Erik's comment about his experience of the course.


On the other hand, every other time I've played it is with driver in hand, trying to cut over doglegs and otherwise trying to make as many birdies as possible, even with some "X's" on my card. It is without a doubt the most fun better ball match play course I've ever played.

[A.G._Crockett]

Your loss, bro; your loss.

I don't totally agree.

I tell people to play TR once, just so they can have the conversations about it. But after that, meh, it loses a ton of my interest. I've played it three times, and if that's my lifetime total, I'm okay with that. It's an easy, boring course once you realize that the targets if you don't let yourself get suckered into things.

But yeah, play it once… and make up your decision.

Erik,

It would be impossible for me to disagree more with what you have written here.  The Road might be "easy" for scratch golfers, at least relative to another particular course, but "boring"? 


I've probably played The Road 25 times, and if I had one round left to play in my life, that's where I'd go.