Pinehurst, North Carolina

The History of Pinehurst

James Tufts purchased what is now Pinehurst for $1/acre in 1895, as a health-centered winter retreat. He purchased the name Pinehurst from an individual entering the name in a contest to tag a real estate development in Martha's Vineyard. The physical plan for the Village of Pinehurst was prepared by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape designer acclaimed for creating New York City's Central Park.

The Holly Inn opened on New Year's Eve in 1895, charging $3 per day for lodging. The inn is now classified as a National Historic Landmark. In 1900, Scottish-born Donald Ross was hired as golf professional for the first 18 holes built in the area. Ross would later redesign Pinehurst No. 1 and design No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 for the Tufts Family. He has been credited with the design or redesign of over 400 golf courses throughout North America during his career.

Many of the world's rich and famous have crossed the thresholds of Pinehurst - the Rockefellers, DuPonts and Morgans to name a few. John Philip Sousa, Will Rogers, Bing Crosby, Mary Pickford, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey and others have vacationed at Pinehurst. Amelia Earhart landed her plane at the resort's airstrip! The Resort's famed No. 2 golf course is the proud home of the North and South Open and Amateur Championships, 1991 and 1992 PGA Tour Championships, 1994 U.S. Senior Open, and 1999 and 2005 U.S. Open Championships.

Pinehurst's Accommodations

Pinehurst boasts three world-class hotels: Carolina, opened in 1901 and dubbed the "Queen of the South" and the "White House of Golf," has 217 rooms and three suites. Holly Inn, opened in 1895, was Pinehurst's first inn. It has recently undergone a multi-million dollar renovation of its (now) 85 rooms, including eight suites.

The Manor, opened in 1923, offers casual accommodations with its 46 guest rooms and houses a popular Pinehurst restaurant - Mulligan's Sports Bar & Grill. Pinehurst also offers 40 four-bedroom villas, each with a connecting parlor; and 135 one-bedroom condominiums, each with a full kitchen and located adjacent to several golf course fairways or lakeside.

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Pinehurst's Amenities

• Eight 18-hole, world-famous championship golf courses open for year-round play; five off the main clubhouse
• Twenty-four tennis courts - eighteen soft Har-tru and six hard surfaced - open for year-round play. Four of the courts are lighted. The tennis program is staffed by three full-time USPTA professionals and has a full schedule of activities, instruction and tournament play.
• Three immaculately-groomed croquet courts open for year-round play, and instruction available from United States Croquet Association Open Champion Mack Powell.
• A championship lawn bowling course, open for year-round play.
• Lake Pinehurst, a 200-acre freshwater lake with seasonal sailing, canoeing, paddle boating, kayaking, fishing and swimming. Amenities also include beach volleyball, covered picnic areas, grills, certified lifeguards, a snack bar, restrooms and complimentary transportation from resort hotels.
• Two outdoor swimming pools, with the largest at the Carolina.
• Heart Healthy Fitness Center, featuring a strong variety of exercise equipment.
• Carriage rides through historic Village of Pinehurst, as well as historic walking tours.

Restaurant and Pub Dining Options

A wide variety of palates and dining styles can be accommodated with:

• The 1895 Room - an upscale, delightful room with original hardwood paneling and columns leading toward the atrium ceiling with seating capacity for 60 guests. (Holly Inn)
• The Tavern - an authentic recreation of 19th Century Scottish pub, complete with a magnificent English Oak Bar, hand-carved in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1880, and original stained glass and beveled mirror inlays. Casual seating for up to 35 guests. (Holly Inn)
• Carolina Dining Room - Southern gentility abounds in this elegantly-appointed dining room with breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. (Carolina Hotel)
• Mulligan's Bar and Grill - A casual, sports-themed restaurant, providing an array of appetizers, sandwiches, signature pizzas and the Chef's special entrée selections. Seasonal patio seating area for 36 is also featured. (Manor Inn)
• Ryder Cup Lounge - Located just off the lobby of The Carolina. Relax with a beverage as you travel back in Ryder Cup history in this lounge which features outstanding Ryder Cup memorabilia.

See Pinehurst Dining for restaurant reviews.

Meeting and Banquet Facilities

The Carolina has 24 classic, technology-ready meeting/banquet rooms:

• Cardinal Ballroom - capacity for 600 reception setting, 450 banquet setting, 680 in theater seating.
• Pinehurst Conference & Exhibit Center - 9,600 square-foot Grand Ballroom accommodates up to 1,000; plus a 14,000 square-foot Exhibit Hall.
• The Holly Inn has four meeting rooms for up to 60, and houses modern technology with teleconferencing and dataport capabilities to accommodate for business presentations and meetings.
• The Manor is equipped with one meeting room for up to 15.

The Spa

The Spa at Pinehurst officially opened its doors on March 27. The opulent facility, with its myriad of exotic treatments, was designed to convince better halves from Syracuse to San Francisco that taking a trip to Pinehurst with their golf crazed husbands is the right thing to do. Not just for women, Pinehurst is doing everything possible to let guys know that a half day spent "spa-ing" is nothing to be ashamed of. Gents can relax in a men's only whirlpool, partake in a lava rock massage, or procure a treatment targeted at golfing muscles.

Check out the "sanctuary within a sanctuary" at The Spa.

Other Attractions in the Area

A wide variety of attractions in and around the Village of Pinehurst can round out a meeting, vacation or golf outing. Stop by the Concierge desk to inquire about antiquing in Cameron, visiting the N.C. Zoo, strolling on one of the nearby college campuses and horticultural gardens, touring N.C.'s famed potteries, or visiting any one of several arts and music festivals in the area.