The Sandhills of North Carolina

The 18th green of Pinehurst N0. 2 during the 2024 U.S. Open.

You don’t stumble into the Sandhills of North Carolina by accident. You go there for golf—the way you go to New York for a Michelin rated restaurant or to Dublin for the Temple Bar on Saint Patrick’s Day—because it means something. The air here smells like pine and pride, and the sand underfoot isn’t just sand, it’s the perfect foundation for a match play proving ground. Now over 40 of them exist in just a 15-mile radius of a town that’s been called the “Cradle of American Golf”.

The community is a Southern accent wrapped in tweed. A place where time ticks slower, like it’s recovering from a long round. You’ll find starters on the first tee quoting Donald Ross like scripture, and local golf shop owners who can’t wait to tell you how they got their hands on that original Ping 1-a. The food is bourbon and hushpuppies, pulled pork at the turn, and fried okra with the grease still singing. Unlike some towns with similar significance to the game, it’s not flashy. But that’s the point. Pinehurst doesn’t need to prove anything - it already did, in 1907 - and does again every time a confidently stroked putt ends up rolling off the green and back to the fairway it came from.

THE GOLF

Pinehurst Resort

There’s really not much left unsaid about golfing in this area already, especially regarding Pinehurst Resort. To play courses 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9, you must be a member or resort guest. If you are not a member or resort guest you can still play courses 1, 3, 5 or The Cradle, beginning 1 day before your desired date of play. If you can stomach the budget, it will come as no surprise that staying and playing at Pinehurst Resort is as good as it gets in the area with their blend of classic Golden Age architecture, world class agronomy, and comfortable amenities. It is elegant and simple, the same way they approach naming their courses after just a number. Plaid carpets and musky locker rooms, the club house, the wrap around porch that allows for watching both weekend golfers and the world’s best players alike to finish their round. It all works in conjunction to create an ambiance that feels familiar even if it’s your first time.

One of the best parts about the resort that often slips under the radar is the ease of access to the town that surrounds it. You can take shuttles to bars, restaurants, and the courses throughout the property. It adds to the feeling that you are at some old Scotsman’s version of Disney World.

Some more key things I think are important noting here. The Cradle is about as much fun as you can have on a par 3 course. Play it. Maybe twice. My first time playing it was barefoot with my dad, brother, and close friend and each of us were carrying more transfusions than clubs for our loop. Furthermore, Thistle Dhu is my favorite putting green I’ve ever seen, but this may or may not be due to the ability of the putting green “pins” to also operate as cup holders. Which is fitting for a place where fast greens meet so much andulation. It actually has a full routing that can be played with convenient cupholders throughout.

Mid-Pines Resort Courses

These three aren’t necessarily the headliners their cousins down the road have come to be. They don’t scream for attention or flex major championship swagger. They just are quietly confident and defiantly authentic, the soul of Carolina golf without the Golf Channel highlights.

Mid Pines

Tucked just down Midland Road from the grandeur of Pinehurst, Mid Pines is the kind of course that doesn’t scream—it whispers. But if you listen closely, it says everything. Designed by Donald Ross in 1921 and lovingly restored in 2013 by Kyle Franz, Mid Pines is a time capsule with an elegant, old-soul layoutl.

What makes Mid Pines special isn’t any one signature hole—it’s the sequence. The short par-4s (especially No. 4) are wickedly fun puzzles. The long two-shotters (like 12 and 16) ask for commitment. The finish includes a three hole stretch that climbs, dives, and ends at the foot of the old Georgian inn, where porch rockers await and cocktails taste better because of the walk that preceded them.

Staying here gives you the benefit of a bar and restaurant, a putting green with lights, and a room with pool and poker tables. These are the amenities that matter. This being said the Inn is getting a renovation, and for good reason. At some points the building felt like it was built on a sink hole and the floors were at a 45 degree angle. The owners of the hotel have partnered with Marine & Lawn Hotels and Resorts. Efforts to match the prestige of the courses to the lodging at both Pine Needles and Mid Pines will begin in the fall, and will be reopened in an estimated 8 months after. I must say I am really excited about this partnership. Marine & Lawn has yet to enter the American market, but they have done a tremendous job with their current portfolio centered in the United Kingdom.

Southern Pines

This course is sort of the wild child of the family — rougher around the edges and proud of it. Also recently restored it still remains unapologetically raw. It feels like a throwback in the best way— the vibe of an old school muni. It has a grass range like Midpines, and a phenomenal new putting green. The clubhouse and pro shop here leave a little to be desired in comparison to the other two but it is by design. The important thing here is the golf, and the resort amenities exist at the other two courses.

This course always leaves my group feeling like how it felt leaving the SAT. Yeah, we studied, but the practice exams don’t do it justice. You can get tripped up early and start to question what you know. One guy forgot his number 2 pencil. Another left early. It's harder than it looks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if in all the trips my group of friends has taken here that this course had the highest scoring average.

Pine Needles

Home to U.S. Women’s Opens and decades of proper golf pedigree, this par‑71, stretching over 7,062 yards from the back tees was also recently renovated by Kyle Franz. Franz’s restoration stripped away overgrown rough, expanded greens, and rekindled the sweeping sandscapes that make the Sandhills territory whisper “Ross” once more. It had the best facilities until the renovation began. The practice area is great, and they have covered mats (no grass) with trackman at the range. This has come in handy on more than a few rainy days. It is definitely the most modern feeling of the three courses but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, even being surrounded by courses that get so much credit for invoking feelings of history. Each hole feels different, and its maintained as good as any course in the area. While most I think say they enjoy Mid Pines the most, I think I leaned Pine Needles until Southern Pines completion.

Together, they form a holy trinity of Sandhills golf. They aren’t flashy or viral, but they do everything that matters right. The kind of places where the game is most important, and the ghosts of Ross and Hogan and Boros walk alongside you, chuckling silently as you try not to three-putt from 12 feet.

Tobacco Road and Sandhills Miscellaneous

Tobacco Road is a hallucinatory walk through the sand-swept backroads of North Carolina where convention comes to die. The land once grew tobacco — hence the name — a nod to North Carolina’s agrarian past and the region’s economic and cultural heritage. Before becoming a golf course, the site was stripped by decades of farming and sand mining, leaving behind a dramatic topography of sand dunes, ridges, and natural waste areas. Where most designers might have tamed the land, Strantz let it speak for itself — loud, bold, and at times chaotic. It’s less Augusta, and more acid trip. It dares you to bring your expectations—and then buries them in a bunker the size of a swimming pool.

When it opened, Tobacco Road polarized the golf world. Some derided it as too extreme, too unconventional — unfair, even. Others hailed it as a brilliant departure from cookie-cutter modern design. Over time, it has earned national acclaim, consistently ranking among the top public courses in the U.S. by Golf Digest and Golfweek. It’s now considered one of the most important and daring designs of the late 20th century.

This course is worth seeing, even if it’s the only one you come here for. It’s gotten pricy because people have caught on, but you simply can’t find a lot like it.

THE FOOD & CULTURE

While Pinehurst isn’t exactly Miami, it offers a food and beverage scene that will work for everyone. You won’t find chain restaurants dotting every block here—and that’s part of the magic.

Ironwood Café is a favorite for good reason. Tucked just off Linden Road, it offers Southern-inspired fine dining with dishes like shrimp and grits, seared tuna, and indulgent desserts served in a cozy, art-filled space that feels like an upscale treehouse.

A few minutes away in the heart of the Village, Drum & Quill delivers the perfect pub combo: solid burgers, a rotating beer list, and patio seating ideal for people-watching. It’s casual, unfussy, and often buzzing with locals who know exactly where to go for a cold pint.

For a more upscale evening, head to The 1895 Grille inside the historic Holly Inn. With white tablecloths, polished service, and a Four-Diamond rating, it’s the kind of place that whispers "special occasion" without being stuffy. Or book a table at Elliott’s on Linden, where Chef Elliott Upton crafts thoughtful seasonal menus using locally-sourced ingredients.

Just up the road in Southern Pines (worth the 10-minute drive), you’ll find Betsy’s Crepes for quirky brunches, You also can’t go wrong with Waffle House, which is often a hit for us Northeasterner’s who don’t get to cover and smother it often.

Pinehurst Brewing Company is an unofficial clubhouse for post-round stories and laid-back nights. Located in a repurposed steam plant, it combines house-brewed beer, wood-fired pizza, and live music in a setting that’s equal parts rustic and refined.

Inside The Manor Inn, you’ll find North & South Bar, a swanky hideaway with golf-inspired artwork, fireplaces, and one of the best bourbon lists in the Sandhills. It’s the kind of place where you sip slowly and forget your phone.

Overlooking the famed 18th green of No. 2, The Deuce is where golfers unwind with cocktails, sliders, and one last look at the course before sunset. Even non-golfers will appreciate the patio vibes and perfectly mixed old fashioneds.

Need something later? Our favorite bar in the area is Dugan’s in Pinehurst. It’s an Irish pub that does everything you need at a great location. Tuesday’s are karaoke if your into that but often times it’s just one repeat offender crushing 80’s ballads. Head to Southern Pines for divey-but-fun spots like Neville’s, The Sly Fox, or O’Donnell’s Pub, where locals and off-duty caddies drink shoulder to shoulder.

If you need gear while in the area, I highly recommend Robert’s Golf Shop. I’ve met Robert himself and he’s a genuine guy who makes a good effort to make you feel at home. He’s got lots of insider knowledge on golf in the area, and was able to replace my buddies putter grip on short notice and get us set up in no time.

The best part about North Carolina, but this area specifically, is the people. The conversations here are honest. People tell stories. People listen. Pinehurst isn’t just about golf—it’s about why we play. Tradition, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and the strange poetry of chasing something small and stupid through long corridors of grass and native. There are easier places to play golf than the Sandhills of North Carolina. But not better.