courses—the River Course, a bentgrass
design, and the Pines Course, a Champi-
on Bermudagrass design. Stay-and-Play
packages (910-949-3000) at the resort are
available in 32 hotel-style rooms and nine
condos/suites.
MORE THAN JUST GOLF
LOCAL FAVORITES
Just up the road in Southern Pines is anoth-
er Ross masterpiece, Pine Needles Lodge &
Golf Club (910-692-8611), a par-71 gem that
has hosted the U.S. Women’s Open three
times. Stay in the resort’s rambling lodge
and enjoy Southern hospitality and home-
cooked favorites. The greens at Pine Needles
are guaranteed to keep you focused for 18
holes on a challenging course that is as fun
to play as it is beautiful.
Locals love semi-private Midland
Country Club (910-295-3241), the per-
fect nine-hole course with multiple tees
and bentgrass greens designed for various
skill levels, including seniors and juniors,
and Hyland Golf Club (910-692-6400), an
18-hole course that offers the area’s highest
elevations, new greens, manicured condi-
tions and a fun test of golf.
Another local favorite is Southern Pines
Golf Club (910-692-6551), which was once
owned by the local Elks Lodge. This Donald
Ross layout was designed as a shot-maker’s
course measuring over 6,268 yards—not
the longest, but certainly one that rewards
precision over length. This is the place to
try the bump-and-run shot.
One highly rated course just a short drive
from the Pinehurst area is Tobacco Road
Golf Club (877-284-3762), a par-71 Mike
Strantz design that has been ranked as one
of the Top 100 Greatest Public Courses in
America by both Golf Magazine and Golf
Digest. Mapped out over a former sand
quarry, this course will test your skills,
creativity and patience.
Legacy Golf Links in Aberdeen (800-
344-8825), designed by Jack Nicklaus II,
has hosted a USGA championship and
was the Village of Pinehurst Area National
Golf Course Owners Association Chapter’s
2014 Course of the Year. You can play this
34
par-72 from the back tees at 7,018 yards
or choose from a variety of teeing areas to
suit your game.
Another popular public facility is Pinewild
Country Club (800-523-1499), which fea-
tures the Gary Player-designed Holly Course
and Gene Hamm’s Magnolia Course, which
can stretch up to 7,446 yards. This risk-re-
ward tract has been ranked as a top-50
course in the Southeastern United States
by Golfweek magazine.
In addition to the two 18-hole courses,
Pinewild’s Azalea Course is the perfect
place to tune up your game or play with
a junior or a spouse who is just getting
started in golf. It features nine par-3
holes for a par of 27. Two sets of tees
offer 18 different views for creative
shot making.
The Country Club of Whispering Pines
(910-949-3000) features two Ellis Maples
Golf is what brings people to the Pinehurst
area, but the area’s year-round activities
and excellent entertainment is what often
brings them back.
“What surprises visitors, who often
become residents, is the variety of things
to do when you’re not playing golf,” added
Berggren, who cites walking trails, cycling,
horseback riding, tennis, kayaking, birding
and shopping as popular options in the area.
In fact, Moore County, home of Pine-
hurst, boasts more than 600 horse farms,
many of which may