Known as “The Home of American Golf,” the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area of North Carolina is home to some of the best golf in the United States, with golfers flocking there by the thousands year after year in order to experience the best that the game has to offer.
There’s no doubt that the first property that comes to mind when we say this area’s name is the iconic Pinehurst Resort, and rightfully so. It’s one of our favorite places in golf as it is for so many others, and the price point to play here reflects the epic experience that the property provides. It is not cheap to play here, nor should it be as their team does an exceptional job at curating one of the finest experiences that the game has to offer.
The great news for golfers is that there is still a way to enjoy an exceptional golf experience in this area at a fraction of the price. To do so, look no further than Talamore Golf Resort.
Talamore Golf Resort is a 36-hole facility (including the nearby Mid South Club, which it also owns) that provides golfers with some of the best value anywhere in the country. One thing we’d like to note here is please do not mistake “value” for being “inexpensive.” While Talamore does offer a reasonably priced golf vacation, we still find it to be a premium golf experience that every golfer will enjoy.
The golf: Talamore and Mid South
We’ll start with the namesake course at this destination, the New Course at Talamore. This course received a renovation in 2018, the result a focus on bringing back the look of the original Rees Jones-designed greens and shifting the grass to Champion Bermuda in order to bring the greens to be on par with the other top courses in the area.
The redesign also focused on making the course more playable for golfers, opening up the fairways, a significant reduction in bunkering, and providing limited rough so golfers can more easily navigate their way around the course.
The renovation also included the creation of 12 sod-wall style bunkers that you will encounter throughout your round, and this look gives golfers a nice, blended feel of being across the pond in Scotland, while still experiencing the look and feel of the North Carolina sandhills. All of this adds up to an incredible round of golf that you and your crew are sure to enjoy.
In addition to the playable New Course at Talamore, the team here also owns the nearby Mid South Club, a private golf club that only allows a limited amount of public access to visiting golfers.
Mid South is an incredible Arnold Palmer signature design that creates an enjoyable and visually stimulating round of golf. The course features the classic sand hills of North Carolina, with towering pine tree-lined fairways, plenty of water hazards throughout, and ample bunkering to provide a difficult yet playable test of golf.
You’ll enjoy the course from start to finish, but we found the final four holes to be particularly captivating featuring:
- 15th hole: A long par 5 that features dramatic raises and drops in elevation that ends with a delayed dogleg left around the trees into a green protected by water.
- 16th hole: A mid-range par 4 that is flanked by water all the way down the hole on the right including a stream running in front of the green.
- 17th hole: A mid to short iron approach is all you need into this par 3 that is well bunkered in front.
- 18th hole: A long par 4 that requires a precise approach shot to a large double green with the 9th hole that is protected by water.
One of our favorite traits of this course is that they provide an additional 19th hole for golfers who are looking to settle any bets before their day ends. It’s a short par 3 over the water that features towering pines on the tee that create a narrow chute and will test the nerves of any golfer looking to close out their day with a few extra dollars in their pocket.
The lodging
The lodging options at Talamore Golf Resort is where this resort really stands out in comparison to other properties in the area. The resort has two main lodging options available with the Lodges at Mid South and Talamore Golf Villas that provide golf groups with a combination of 2- to 3-bedroom condos that include ample living room areas and full kitchens — the perfect hub for your group’s getaway.
If you’ve got a group of eight and you’re looking for something unique, the resort also offers the Palmer Cottage, a 4-bedroom, 4-bath house that comfortably sleeps eight that has amazing additional amenities such as a pool table, dart board, a large screen TV, and a fire pit providing the perfect “hang” space to recap the day’s events.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a better group lodging option in the greater Pinehurst area.
Access to other area favorites
One of the best things about the team at Talamore is that they work extremely closely with other courses in the area, and the sales team here can help you set up rounds at additional area favorites such as the two legendary classic Donald Ross designs of Mid Pines and Pine Needles, or the exceptionally unique Tobacco Road that was created by the one-and-only Mike Strantz. They provide access to several other courses in the area, but if you haven’t been to the area before you cannot go wrong with any of these three courses to add on in addition to Talamore and Mid South.
Recommendation
When it comes to value in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen area of North Carolina, look no further than Talamore Golf Resort. The golf is fantastic, the resort amenities are perfect for a buddies or family trip, and you’ll be thrilled you chose this to be your next golf vacation hub.