The Home of American Golf. It’s a big statement, and the courses in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen area of North Carolina have the assets to back it up.
The Sandhills area of North Carolina has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to quality golf, and the best part is that you can get great golf-trip value on almost any budget in this golf mecca.
As you can imagine, we have to start with the area’s centerpiece — Pinehurst Resort. Pinehurst has been home to countless majors and offers golfers 10 golf courses to be a one-stop shop for any golf trip.
A little bit of everything at Pinehurst Resort
The notable courses on property are the iconic No. 2 which most recently hosted the U.S. Open, the newly Gil Hanse revamped No. 4, which is already receiving rave reviews from recent visitors, and No. 8 which is a Tom Fazio classic that provides a high-end feel with a nod to classic Ross design features.Â
Pro Tip: Be sure to leave time after one of your rounds to play the new Cradle short course, which you can play for $50, and replay rounds are free. It’s so much fun it’s scary, and you can even play barefoot and enjoy the music pumping through speakers throughout the course.
Talamore Golf Resort
Another area favorite is Talamore Golf Resort where guests also get playing privileges at the Mid South Club. For golf groups, Talamore provides multi-bedroom lodging at both Talamore and Mid South Club, and they can also set you up with great rates at other area golf courses except Pinehurst Resort courses. The New Course at Talamore is a Rees Jones design that is a fun, playable track that combines the feel of Scottish golf into the fescues and pine trees of the Carolinas to create a memorable round that you and your group are sure to enjoy. Mid South Club is a private club facility available only to members and golf package guests. This Arnold Palmer signature design features more than 11 acres of bunkers as well as a unique 19th bonus hole just in case you and your crew need to settle any bets before grabbing a drink after the round.
PARTNER SPECIAL ALERT! Talamore Golf Resort has joined the Golf Stay and Plays family and is offering incredible deals, with the GSAP 5% deal on the table as well. Get the deal here.
Mid Pines & Pine Needles
If you love the classic Donald Ross feels of the area, look no further than the powerful 1-2 combination of Mid Pines and Pine Needles. These two classic Donald Ross courses are among the best you will play in the United States, and with rates as low as $85 in the low season you cannot beat the value provided here.Â
Mid Pines was recently given a refresh by Kyle Frantz in 2013 and perfectly blends into the surroundings sandhills, giving you the classic Ross feel synonymous with the area. Mid Pines is known for being a bit more playable than its counterpart Pine Needles, which has hosted 4 U.S. Women’s Opens. Pine Needles received a refresh from Frantz in 2017, and you’ll have your game tested all while being swept into the classic design features of golf as it was meant to be played.
Tobacco Road Golf Club
Just on the outskirts of the area you’ll find Tobacco Road Golf Club.  This Mike Strantz design is extremely unique as the late Strantz has an innate ability to test a player’s eye while utilizing big and bold features that use the slope of the terrains to test the imagination of any golfer.
Pro Tip: Do yourself a favor and pick up a yardage book before your round here. It will help tremendously. Also, if you are flying in or out of Raleigh, Tobacco Road is on the way to the Pinehurst area so it’s a great round to play upon arrival or before you head home.
Recommendation
If you haven’t played golf in this area before, make sure you get it on your list immediately. And if you have been here before, start planning a return trip as soon as possible as you likely have missed out on all that there is to offer here. With price-point options that are sure to fit any golfer’s budget, you can be guaranteed to have a memorable experience that will have you coming back time and time again when you visit the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and the Aberdeen area of North Carolina.