Southern Pines Golf Club – Played Sometime 2011-2013
- Rankings: None of the four lists
- Location: 290 Country Club Circle, Southern Pines, North Carolina
- Year: 1906
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: Kyle Franz
- Course Access: Semi-Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Medal: 6,695 yards, Par 71, 73.8 Rating/139 Slope
- Blue: 6,308 yards, Par 71, 72.0 Rating/135 Slope
- White: 5,935 yards, Par 71, 68.9 Rating/131 Slope
- Gold: 5,486 yards, Par 71, 66.7 Rating/121 Slope
- Red: 5,095 yards, Par 74, 64.8 Rating/117 Slope
- Baby Blue: 3,982 yards, Par 74, 60.5 Rating/109 Slope
*Update: The course underwent a signifcant restoration in 2021 by Kyle Franz. Trees were removed, sandy areas were expanded, and greens were improved. I played it again in May 2022 and was very impressed. The only downside is the green fees have gone up quite a bit.
Southern Pines Golf Club is one of the hidden gems if you aren’t in the know. It is old school Donald Ross having been established in 1906 as a nine-holer and expanded a few years later. There is an extensive history on the course website that I invite you to look over.
The truly great thing about Southern Pines Golf Club is the value. It is probably the best value in the area as you get a classic Ross course for well under $100 and sometimes below $50. You will see Ross’s fingerprints all over the photos.
I played the blue tees and all yardages will reflect that. It’s been a while since I played it and couldn’t find individual hole descriptions anywhere so I may deviate from describing what the hole’s strategy is.
Thanks to Brian for these photos. Check him out on Instagram and on his website.
Hole 1 – 356 yards – Par 4
For most of the hole, the slope is downhill to give a boost to your drive. You can get as close to the green as you desire.
Hole 2 – 518 yards – Par 5
The tee shot is pretty open here.
Here you start to see the contouring of the greens.
Hole 3 – 194 yards – Par 3
This long par 3 plays down a hill and slightly less than the yardage.
Hole 4 – 384 yards – Par 4
The trees make it seem tighter here than it really is.
I really enjoyed the movement in this green.
Hole 5 – 535 yards – Par 5
The tee shot plays to a blind landing area. The hole bends slightly to the left and plays a good bit downhill.
Hole 6 – 418 yards – Par 4
This is a difficult hole bending to the right. A fade is a preferred shot.
Hole 7 – 194 yards – Par 3
You can see the yellow flag just to the left of the center of this photo. It plays slightly uphill.
Hole 8 – 366 yards – Par 4
This is a solid medium length hole.
Hole 9 – 178 yards – Par 3
The front finishes with a tough one. The water isn’t really in play.
Hole 10 – 328 yards – Par 4
We didn’t get any pictures of 10. Sorry about that.
Hole 11 – 321 yards – Par 4
This fun little par four sits at an angle to the tee. Long hitters can go for the green with a power fade.
Hole 12 – 415 yards – Par 4
I don’t remember much about this hole. It is one of the longer par fours though.
Hole 13 – 397 yards – Par 4
Only have a shot of the green for this one.
Hole 14 – 178 yards – Par 3
This middle length par three is a good one. You don’t want to be in the bunker on the right.
Hole 15 – 470 yards – Par 5
This one is reachable in two, but you need straight shots. The hole rises back uphill to the green.
Hole 16 – 314 yards – Par 4
This is another shorter hole. It is straight, but the fairway slopes left to right.
Hole 17 – 404 yards – Par 4
I don’t remember anything about this one, but here is the view from the tee.
Hole 18 – 338 yards – Par 4
The final hole is a bit of a tester with the angles. The trees on the left and the slope of the fairway (left to right) make a fade difficult. If you can bust a drive with a slight draw the green will be in your sights.
As you’ve seen I don’t remember all the details of this course. That’s unfortunate, but I do remember that I loved playing here. The shortness of the course was not a detriment in my mind. The greens give you plenty to think about all day. The affordability and playability of the course make it a must-visit if you are in the NC Sandhills region. You won’t be disappointed.