Pinehurst

Accommodations:

Pine Needles or Mid-Pines

Location:

Pinehurst. You have options on your lodging.  The sister resorts are situated across the street from each other on Midland Road. You can choose from the Swiss-style lodges at Pine Needles or the Georgian-style inn at Mid Pines.  The two facilities combines have 187 rooms. Another option is one of the “Fairway” villas.  These seven villas, once private homes, were purchased by Mid Pines over the years and can sleep up to 20 people.  Other amenities are swimming pools, cooking demonstrations, grass tennis courts, game rooms soak of the history of Peggy Kirk Bell and golf instructions from her son-in-law PGA Tour pro Pat McGowan.  The package includes breakfast green fees, cart, resort fees and taxes.

GOLF NOTE: When you think of Pinehurst, North Carolina, you think of golf, tradition, old-fashioned Southern hospitality and of course, Donald Ross.  This is a package that includes two Ross courses that have withstood the test of time to the point that Pine Needles has been chosen by the USGA to host the Ladies US Open in 1996, 2001and now again in 2007 .  Enjoy these two treasures and two of the newer courses in the Sandhills area by Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II and make you own evaluation … classic or modern.

 Pine Needles
“You have to think you way around a Donald Ross golf course,” says Pat McGowan.  Built in the mid-1020s and opened in 1928, each hole is still in the same position as when the course opened.  The only difference is that the 18^th was originally the first hole, the first today was the second and so on around the course.  The course has had a complete makeover in the 1990s and it is marvelous.  #10 is one of my favorites with a tee shot carry over water to a fairway that doglegs left.  You better keep you drive on the right side of the fairway or you will be blocked or land in the bunker across the lake.  You can find out why the USGA likes this course.  You will, too.

Mid-Pines
Of the seven courses in the Sandhills area designed by Donald Ross, Mid Pines has the distinction of being the only one with every hole in the same place and with the same order in the round as when it opened.  You will be challenged and amazed by this treasure.  You will need power on the long, par-3 13^th and placement off the tee on the shorter par-fours like the 3^rd and 4^th and thought required everywhere, like how to stay below the hole on the difficult 14^th green.  The par 5 fifth hole offers a chance to gamble or play-it-safe.  There aren’t many 6500-yard courses that test your skills quite like this one.  The beloved Julius Boros was the long-time head professional here.

National Golf Club
The Golden Bear designed this course (the only one in the area) and it is a bear, particularly #5, a 439-yard, par 4 that requires a shot over a rock-lined creek to the green.  This 18-hole championship layout features classic Jack Nicklaus architecture: wide fairways, lush course conditions, and undulating putting surfaces that test your mind and your true golfing ability. Created to be a world-class golf course of special note … and it has.  Control of every club in you bag is required to challenge this track.  The tall pine tree line most of the fairways and creeks come into play several times throughout your round.  National has blended golf's two greatest legends - Nicklaus and the Sandhills.  Golf Digest ranks it the 21^st Best Course in the State.  I think it should be in the top ten.

Legacy Golf Links
Ranked 4 1/2 Stars by Golf Digest, is a Jack Nicklaus II masterpiece. Built in 1991, Legacy is known for its sparkling blue lakes and quality course conditions. This track is ample proof of the young Nicklaus' skill as an architect.  Lakeside views from holes #5, #10, #11 and #15 are breathtaking.  These are wonderful water holes.  Legacy Golf Links is proud to be one of only three courses in the Pinehurst area who has played host to a USGA National Championship, the 2000 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.  Legacy has one of the best finishing holes in the area, a 459-yard, par 4 with a water carry approach shot.