Virginia Golfer Sep / Oct 2017 | Page 36

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