Pinehurst Notebook: Plantation Goes Private, National to Host PGA Tour School …

By Shane Sharp,
Contributor

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - After a drawn out process that disenfranchised members and everyone affiliated with the course The Plantation Golf Club has finally closed its doors to the golfing public. One of the area's most popular courses now has a new owner and a new name -- Mid South Club - and the 640-acre club will go private as of Sept. 1.

The course on Midland Road, designed by Arnold Palmer, was opened as a public facility in 1994 and has been highly acclaimed for its challenging layout and picturesque setting. Last year it was ranked as the state's 27th best course by the North Carolina Magazine golf panel. Palmer was involved in the transaction, said managing partner Bill Perry or Ligoner, Pa., but the King is not one of the owners.

The investor group, Mid South Partners, purchased the 558-acre residential/recreational property from Credit Suisse First Boston Bank, and announced plans for immediate improvements. The purchase price was not disclosed.

"As the new owners, we are committed to reaching the full potential of this exceptional development," said Perry. "We have already purchased another hundred and six acres of adjoining property for a total of 664 acres. Our goal is to create one of the most attractive, appealing and successful private clubs and residential communities in the mid south region."

Perry said that construction on a 20,000 square foot clubhouse, and a new practice area will begin soon. A swimming pool, tennis courts, and a fitness center will be added later. David Ainslie, Mid South's marketing manager, said that the residential community will offer 450 prime homesites, including a number with golf course and lake views. Currently there are 59 homes on the spacious property. A sales and membership office will be opened in the Village of Pinehurst.

PGA Tour Q-School Returns to National Golf Club

For the second straight year, the PGA Tour has chosen National Golf Club as one of its sites for the opening round of tour qualifying. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course will host approximately 80 players for stage one of the 2002 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament on Oct. 22-25. National, which also hosted in 2001, is one of 12 courses selected to host the Q-School's first stage.

"To again host a golf tournament of this stature excites everybody here at National," said owner Kenneth Robinette. "It is a pleasure to showcase our course to some of the better players in the world."

Last year, the course proved one of the most demanding first-stage sites. The average score was 73.95 through three rounds, and 76.47 on a final day that saw only four players break par. Director of golf Tom Parsons says the course may be even more difficult this fall.

"What we're doing this year is maintaining the rough a little higher, about a half inch higher than normal," said Parsons. "Last year our rough was not a penalty. These guys need to hit fairways. If they don't, it may cost them a stroke."

Parsons said National's fairways are wide enough that the course needs to have denser roughs.

"The really good players want to play a golf course where par is a good score," Parsons said. "I'm really excited about the level of talent that will be here because the better players will want to be here. You need to be very good ball-strikers to get through three stages of Q-School and that's the type of players we hope to host."

The 72-hole event is set for Oct. 22-25 on National's 7,122-yard layout, which is considered among the toughest courses in North Carolina. The event is open to the public, free of charge. The course was a stepping-stone for two players last year. Jess Daley moved on to earn his PGA Tour card and stood 177th on the money list through Sept. 1. Arjun Atwal won an event on the European PGA and stood 77th on that money list through Sept. 1.

National, which recently earned a four-and-a-half star rating from Golf Digest, is hoping for another successful showing this fall to convince the PGA Tour to bring stage two qualifying here next November. Parsons says the tour is open to the idea, but has some reservations about the weather in early November.

"Our eventual goal is to host the second stage. We feel with the venue we have, its worth their while," Parsons said.

It's yet to be determined how many will advance from National to the second qualifying stage in November, which is followed by a final qualifying stage, Dec. 4-9, at the PGA West Resort in La Quinta, Calif.

Sandhills Courses Completing Fall Overseed

First-time visitors to Sandhills area golf courses in the fall and winter months are often surprised to see green grass on the fairways and tee boxes. The majority of local courses, especially those open to the public, overseed their Bermuda fairways and tees boxes with winter rye to provide optimal playing conditions year-round.

Ray Perry, head professional at the Dan Maples designed Pit Golf Links in Pinehurst, said that his course was over seeded the last week in Sept. and should be in prime condition by the second week of October. Perry said that most local courses were scheduled to overseed the third week of the month, but rainfall of up to three inches pushed it back a week.

Book Details History of Pinehurst, Home of American Golf

From James Tufts and Donald Ross to Peggy Kirk Bell and Payne Stewart, Pinehurst holds a magical place in the history of golf rivaled by few other regions in the world. A recent collection by golf writer Lee Pace, Pinehurst Stories A Celebration of Great Golf and Good Times, provides golf historians and recreational golfers with an excellent overview of the area's history. The memories of all the great golf and good times have been assembled in a fascinating book that tells not only the Pinehurst story but that of the development of American golf as well. Three of golf's most noted and respected writers, Charles Price, Dick Taylor and Herbert Warren Wind, contribute exclusive chapters on the Pinehurst experience and provide insight in their own styles.

September 30, 2002

Shane Sharp is vice president of Buffalo Communications, a golf and lifestyle media agency. He was a writer, senior writer and managing editor of TravelGolf.com from 1997 to 2003.