Pinehurst No. 4's greens are still recovering from a summertime junior tournament (WorldGolf.com)

Pinehurst-area golf courses in fine fettle after great growing season

By Tim McDonald,
Contributor

PINEHURST, N.C. - Those planning a visit to Pinehurst this fall are in for a treat. Most of the golf courses in and around this hallowed ground are already in good shape, ready and waiting, thanks to cooperative weather.

"We've had a great growing season," said Greg Austin, a golf packager, former club professional and lifelong Pinehurst resident. "The courses I've played have been in phenomenal shape."

True enough - a late-August tour showed most of the Pinehurst-area tracks are already in prime condition. The greens at No. 4 are somewhat beaten up - the result of the U.S. Kids World Golf Championships in late July and early August - but officials said they were working to get them ready.

Legacy Golf Links, for example, is in good shape despite being one of the more popular courses around because of its playability. On the down side, development will likely cost the course its core golf atmosphere, with officials busy adding villas.

Pine Needles, where Donald Ross played most of his golf the last 15 years of his life, is already in top-notch condition. The course underwent renovations two years ago - distance was added and the greens were redone. It's still a favorite with women golfers, as is Legacy.

Pine Needles now plays just over 7,000 yards from the back "medal" tees. The tee boxes were lengthened, greens and bunkers restored to the original Ross specs, trees removed and native grass areas rehabilitated, mostly in preparation for the 2007 U.S. Women's Open.

"We're trying to get back to Ross in everything we can," John Fought, the Scottsdale-based touring pro-turned-architect who supervised the renovation, told Pinehurst Magazine. "Some elements have been lost. We're stepping back in time and rediscovering some of the things he did."

Old favorites are also being spruced up in the Sandhills. Pinehurst Resort halted plans to build a ninth course after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and has instead concentrated on restoring and renovating its existing eight.

Rees Jones, who was to design No. 9, put his efforts into reworking No. 7. Tom Fazio, who designed No. 8 and redesigned No. 4, has now renovated No. 6, which most experts now rate fourth in the Pinehurst pecking order, behind Nos. 2, 4 and 8.

Also getting upgraded were Southern Pines Golf Club, which was closed for a summer-long retooling that included a total regressing, and the Pit Golf Links, which added a set of "scratch" tees along with villas and other development.

Little River Farm unveiled a multi-million-dollar clubhouse and 64 new villas, with more development still to come at the Dan Maples course. The Mid South Club also added a new clubhouse and villas.

September 19, 2006

Veteran golf writer Tim McDonald keeps one eye on the PGA Tour and another watching golf vacation hotspots and letting travelers in on the best place to vacation.