Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club – Played November 2018
- Rankings: Golf Digest Public #47, Golf Magazine Public #50
- Location: 1005 Midland Road, Southern Pines, North Carolina
- Year: 1927
- Original Architect: Donald Ross
- Additional Work By: John Fought
- Course Access: Public
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Medal: 7,062 yards, Par 71, 73.5 Rating/134 Slope
- Ross: 6,436 yards, Par 71, 70.8 Rating/129 Slope
- Regular: 6,021 yards, Par 71, 68.6 Rating/126 Slope
- Executive: 5,630 yards, Par 71, 65.5 Rating/115 Slope
- Forward: 4,936 yards, Par 71, 68.1 Rating/116 Slope
I’ve always taken the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off. Usually, that means golf for me. Sometimes I hang around my town but for this past year I decided to head up to the Pinehurst area and play Pine Needles. This wasn’t my first time to the course but I had my camera this time.
Just like Mid Pines, this course underwent a Kyle Franz restoration in 2017. Like Mid Pines, Pine Needles has a strong connection to the Bells, specifically Peggy Kirk Bell. She is a legend in golf and I suggest doing some research to learn more about her.
In 1954, she and her husband bought and restored Pine Needles. It was here that she introduced Golfari (Safari of Golf), a program that taught thousands of people to play this great game.
While instruction is at the cornerstone of its history, Pine Needles is no stranger to big-time competitions. They have hosted the US Women’s Open three times with a fourth coming in 2022. The winners are a murderer’s row featuring Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, and Christie Kerr. In 2019, the course will host the US Senior Women’s Open for the first time.
It’s always fun to return somewhere great that you’ve played. I never know what I am going to get for a pairing but I was lucky on this day. I got Bob and his son, along with Bob’s friend Jim. Bob and Jim are retirees in Pinehurst and from what I can tell they are living the good life! After some good-natured small talk on the first tee, we put tees in the ground and got started. We played the regular tees.
Hole 1 – 462 yards – Par 5
There is a real chance to go for this green but everything on the hole guards against it. It plays uphill for the first third and doglegs right. The green is small and incredibly contoured. It may seem like a pushover but beware.
Hole 2 – 419 yards – Par 4
You have a formidable challenge on this hole. The tee box is slightly elevated but trees come quickly on the left. The green is domed and you absolutely do not want to go long.
Hole 3 – 126 yards – Par 3
I’ve always loved this hole and it’s the one I most associate with Pine Needles. The water isn’t really in play. The green has a tremendous amount of slope and is not a large target. The middle of the putting surface is a great start.
Hole 4 – 342 yards – Par 4
While not long on the card, the uphill slope of this hole makes it play more stout. The sandy area on the right is definitely in play, making a draw favorable. From the fairway, you cannot see any of the green so be aware of the pin position.
Hole 5 – 171 yards – Par 3
No frills here just hit the green and avoid the bunker on the right. Getting in that thing is a score killer.
The scale of the green is really revealed from the back side. Note the quick run off on the left side of this photo.
Hole 6 – 378 yards – Par 4
The landing area is blind here but there is a good bit of room to wail away on the driver. Keeping your line up the left side gives the best angle to the green.
That right bunker is deeper than it looks below.
Hole 7 – 348 yards – Par 4
This one is a small bender to the left. The driver isn’t needed for the tee shot. The real fun comes at the green that features plenty of humps and bumps.
Hole 8 – 324 yards – Par 4
There doesn’t appear to be much green grass but the sand stops sooner than you think. Based on the hole’s shape, a fade is preferred. The approach plays slightly uphill to a flattish green.
Hole 9 – 351 yards – Par 4
I liked this hole. The sand runs down the left side but you want to keep your drive down that side for the best angle.
The green has serious Ross vibes. It is elevated with runoffs all around. Long is dead.
Hole 10 – 460 yards – Par 5
Your length will determine the strategy on this tee. The hole makes a 90-degree turn left with trees all over the place. Obviously, the further left you can go the better for the second shot.
Hole 11 – 347 yards – Par 4
You are tucked among the trees on this tee box. The hole drops down to the fairway and back up to the green. Sandy waste areas mark the right side and are to be avoided.
Hole 12 – 312 yards – Par 4
We have another blind landing area here over the hill. A small bunker guards the front of the green but if you’re coming in with a short iron this should be a good birdie chance.
Hole 13 – 162 yards – Par 3
This downhill hole has an amphitheater setting. Sand lurks short but the real trouble is flying the green.
Hole 14 – 387 yards – Par 4
This is another 90-degree dogleg but this time to the right. If you go straight with your tee shot the second shot is going to be a long one. The green is somewhat capped.
Hole 15 – 469 yards – Par 5
You can tell by the low sun that we were getting late in the day. This hole moves ever so slightly left. The wide fairway makes the driver a good play.
Hole 16 – 161 yards – Par 3
It had started to get cold at this point and the ball wasn’t flying as far. It’s hard to see the green shape from the tee since the hole is so flat. Overall the putting surface is tame.
Hole 17 – 414 yards – Par 4
You will definitely face a test on this hole. The bunker on the left sits on the corner of the dogleg. If you can carry it, that is position A.
If you get behind the flag the slope runs away from the fairway. Distance control is a must.
Hole 18 – 397 yards – Par 4
We had to hit and hope. We had to feel which way the tee shots went. Luckily, we were all able to find our balls. The hole plays downhill from the tee all the way to the green. The approach shot looks very appetizing with an open green and middle pin. You have a great opportunity to close the round with a three.
Pine Needles is not going to wow you with large scale architecture. It will keep you intrigued throughout the whole round. The greens are awesome like you would expect on any Ross track. I like the variety throughout the round because I felt like I was asked to hit many different shots. A day at Pine Needles, especially when paired with Mid Pines, is a great golf experience!