Tobacco Road Golf Course

Playing a CGA event there in a couple of weeks and the course looks tricky. Anyone played here before? Any tips/suggestions? I am assuming we are playing from the back tees which are only about 6500 yards.

Advice:

There is more room off the tee than you can see typically. A bold strategy on this course is usually trouble. Just hit it in front of you and keep it in play. The greens are now Champion Bermuda and are slick. Make sure you hit it to the right parts of the green. If you are above the hole on some of the massive hills, you will be pitching back to the green on your next shot. Have fun...it's a fun golf course!

Playing a CGA event there in a couple of weeks and the course looks tricky. Anyone played here before? Any tips/suggestions? I am assuming we are playing from the back tees which are only about 6500 yards.

Play it once before your event. That's about the only good advice I can give you. So many holes that look narrow/blocked out off the tee that are actually wide open when you get up there. I played 36 there in one day and the second 18 was so, so much easier having seen it once.

Its a love it or hate it place. Personally I thought it was genius, I cant wait to play there again.

what those guys have said. Lot of room to drive the ball, but hitting the correct spots especially when hitting the green are important.

enjoy the views as well. It is fun, not everyone's cup of tea, but i haven't met or heard of anyone not saying it wasn't a good time haha

I only played it once on a 5-round trip, and it was 8 strokes lower than my next best score on the trip. That being said, it was the last day of the trip and I had ZERO confidence in my long game, so I was staying as far away from trouble as I could.

Some blind shots, se the yardage book is worth its weight in gold. If you have any chance to play the course once before the tournament you'll be grateful you did!

Wow, Tobacco is my favorite course. I come from near Toronto Canada to play it every fall. Lots of blind shots. Put more emphasis on shot placement than distance. Would be very wise to get the yardage book and play a round or 2 ahead of your event. The course is in fantastic shape. The new greens are great.

You can pm me if you have specific questions.

Buy a yardage book and hit it where the book shows. Don't try to overpower the place, it won't work.

Like everyone who's already chimed in has already said, more room than it appears. Strantz tried to visually intimate, but always provide a conservative and aggressive play. 100% agree in that you need to play first if you have the opportunity, you'll be glad you did.

I live in Raleigh and it's my favorite, enjoy!

Pretty much what everyone else has said, try to play it before your event, because the first time around can be baffling, and you'll have so much more confidence the second time around. Don't try for the "hero" shots, the course will eat you up if you miss them..

I'll throw in that they do their yardage book on their app now. Just look up Tobacco Road Golf in the App Store and you can get an early look at the course.

The course would definitely play easier the 2nd time around due to some of the blind shots. Great golf course!

What everyone said...

App/yardage book and try to play it before.

Other than that.. trust your line and bash driver all day!

Once you get over the shock of the blind shots it is a very gettable course.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

TR is the jam in my doughnut. So damn tasty. We played the Ripper tees on the first 18, then the Disc for variety on Rd. 2.

Tips about #1.

- Even from the Ripper, you absolutely should attempt to go over the mounds. Huge fairway on the other side. It's like a 220-230 carry. It looks like an impossible carry with a 10 foot wide path thru. Genius.

- Avoid the gaping maw of a bunker short right if the green at all costs. It's almost impossible to aim too far left. I felt like I pulled one 30 yards left... and I still almost went on the bunker. Typically a blind shot, trust your aim.

- The green slopes to the right and away from you. Very difficult to hold. We had short pitches and a couple ended up over. If you go well over, you're in the trees and likely lost.

- Play it right and you'll have an easy par with a chance for birdie. This is true basically of every single hole at TR. The course can intimidate no doubt, but it will thrill you at the same time. That's part of the fun of it.

I know many people say it's either a Love/Hate course. It's a Love course for me. People who hate it... man. I kinda feel sorry for you.

TR is the jam in my doughnut. So damn tasty. We played the Ripper tees on the first 18, then the Disc for variety on Rd. 2.

 

Tips about #1.

 

- Even from the Ripper, you absolutely should attempt to go over the mounds. Huge fairway on the other side. It's like a 220-230 carry. It looks like an impossible carry with a 10 foot wide path thru. Genius.

 

- Avoid the gaping maw of a bunker short right if the green at all costs. It's almost impossible to aim too far left. I felt like I pulled one 30 yards left... and I still almost went on the bunker. Typically a blind shot, trust your aim.

 

- The green slopes to the right and away from you. Very difficult to hold. We had short pitches and a couple ended up over. If you go well over, you're in the trees and likely lost.

 

- Play it right and you'll have an easy par with a chance for birdie. This is true basically of every single hole at TR. The course can intimidate no doubt, but it will thrill you at the same time. That's part of the fun of it.

 

I know many people say it's either a Love/Hate course. It's a Love course for me. People who hate it... man. I kinda feel sorry for you.

I can see exactly why people hate this course. I love the course however. Blind shots on almost every single hole, very gimmicky. Also the 13th hole is just the worst.

My Take

Like others have said, it's much more open than you may think on most tee shots. This could depend on your ability and tees you're playing though. With that said, often the holes have some dog leg to them so your line will depend on your length.

One point I didn't see is quite a few greens are very large, and missing in the wrong spot(on the green or off) may lead to near impossible up and down. With that said the course is quite shot, if you're a typical single digit handicapper you'll have wedges into most. This is hard to see on your first time(or few) playing the course.

I played last dec, greens rolled awesome.

And I love the clubhouse and everything thing about it. It's been 10 years since I have played it, it may be time for a trip back to play it again.

I can see exactly why people hate this course. I love the course however. Blind shots on almost every single hole, very gimmicky. Also the 13th hole is just the worst.

13th is unique. lucky to squeeze out a bogey in the first 18 of the day, made par on the 2nd. we could see the pin tho. if it's back left, ooof. my buddy had 130 in on the par 5. drove it over all the trees right. sick.

I can see exactly why people hate this course. I love the course however. Blind shots on almost every single hole, very gimmicky. Also the 13th hole is just the worst.

 

13th is unique. lucky to squeeze out a bogey in the first 18 of the day, made par on the 2nd. we could see the pin tho. if it's back left, ooof. my buddy had 130 in on the par 5. drove it over all the trees right. sick.

I only played the course once and birdied the hole. Hit two good shot and hit a meh third shot with a lw about 15-20 yard left. Ball wound be about a foot from the hole due to the slope. I was able to see the flag somehow.

I can see exactly why people hate this course. I love the course however. Blind shots on almost every single hole, very gimmicky. Also the 13th hole is just the worst.

 

13th is unique. lucky to squeeze out a bogey in the first 18 of the day, made par on the 2nd. we could see the pin tho. if it's back left, ooof. my buddy had 130 in on the par 5. drove it over all the trees right. sick.

 

I only played the course once and birdied the hole. Hit two good shot and hit a meh third shot with a lw about 15-20 yard left. Ball wound be about a foot from the hole due to the slope. I was able to see the flag somehow.

nice. we got it on the tail end of 108 holes in a 3 day/36 holes per day sprint. saved the best for last. weather was unbelievable. course was in awesome shape too.

to give the OP a taste: here's me on 16. fun, funny green. we had 2 near hole-outs. reminds me a bit of the approach to 13.

I can see exactly why people hate this course. I love the course however. Blind shots on almost every single hole, very gimmicky. Also the 13th hole is just the worst.

 

13th is unique. lucky to squeeze out a bogey in the first 18 of the day, made par on the 2nd. we could see the pin tho. if it's back left, ooof. my buddy had 130 in on the par 5. drove it over all the trees right. sick.

 

I only played the course once and birdied the hole. Hit two good shot and hit a meh third shot with a lw about 15-20 yard left. Ball wound be about a foot from the hole due to the slope. I was able to see the flag somehow.

 

nice. we got it on the tail end of 108 holes in a 3 day/36 holes per day sprint. saved the best for last. weather was unbelievable. course was in awesome shape too.

 

to give the OP a taste: here's me on 16. fun, funny green. we had 2 near hole-outs. reminds me a bit of the approach to 13.

 

13 is the par 5 that has the big mound in front and water tower/road right behind it correct? I hit a beauty of a third shot there to a left pin haha.

Tough hole to visualize though (like most of the holes there)

Definitely need to try and play it before the event. Its target golf and there are some quarky holes.

There are several smokestacks hidden in the hill sides. They are on the yardage book. These are great target lines.

Based on what I read here, we booked it for our first day of a Pinehurst trip last week. It was ok.....I say that because I got tired of having to listen for or ring a bell on just about every other hole. And yet, we were hit into a couple of times by the following group.

Course was interesting and it took us a few holes to understand the risk/reward on most holes. Par 5's seemed dependent on a good tee ball and from the disc tees, we had short irons in for second shots on several holes. After a good high tee ball on #13 for instance, we had 138 in. Wind was a bit strong and right into our face on #1 however and try as we might, reaching the fairway over the mounds was tough.

And finally, we started around 840am with just three groups in front of us. We were always waiting on the group in front (it seems like they were waiting a good bit as well) and we finished at 230pm.

I think this course is actually one of the most underrated courses on Earth. Let me preface:

This course was absolutely designed after Pine Valley. It's a bit odd, blind shots, and just not normal. I've heard a lot of people say it's a not a good golf course.

In my opinion, it was far more interesting and unique than any Pinehurst course and if anyone has played Pine Valley, they would recognize the similarities.

Yet if the same people who played Tobacco Road got the chance to Pine Valley, they would rave about PV. TR is different, unique, its own kind. I respect it and want to play it again. There is absolutely no question Mike had PV in his soul when he designed it. I thought it was the most unique course I've ever played...

Are there any deals on Tee times? I don't see them on Golfnow or tee time. I'm flying in Friday November 17th and hoping to play it. I was thinking it should be low season and price would be sub $100 and closer to $75. Have never played as I have always stayed at Mid Pines/Pine Needles but this time I have include an extra day to golf at tobacco.

The proshop told me that it's only $60 in early February. Moving close to this area next summer and can't wait to play TR.

I contacted the course and the posted rate of $117 online is the only deal around. I know other courses in the area are moving to winter rates. Like Mid Pines is going down to $85 around that time.

For someone who has not played Tobacco Road is it worth the $117 in mid November?

Are there any deals on Tee times? I don't see them on Golfnow or tee time. I'm flying in Friday November 17th and hoping to play it. I was thinking it should be low season and price would be sub $100 and closer to $75. Have never played as I have always stayed at Mid Pines/Pine Needles but this time I have include an extra day to golf at tobacco.

This is peak season down here. It drops in the summer.

I contacted the course and the posted rate of $117 online is the only deal around. I know other courses in the area are moving to winter rates. Like Mid Pines is going down to $85 around that time.

 

For someone who has not played Tobacco Road is it worth the $117 in mid November?

No