Pinehurst package or Mix with Golf travel?

[Williamld]

I am working on making a small golfing trip down to the pinehurst area, but not sure which direction to go in. Do you feel it would be better to do a three round two night stay and play three pinehurst resort courses or go through tobacco road and select three courses such as dormie, Tobacco Road and Pinhurst #8? I have played #8 and a couple other ones but eight stood out. I have also played tobacco road. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

[nitram]

#8 is a GREAT track! So is #4. I really like Tobacco Road as well but given the opportunity, I'd take the special and stay at the lodge and play 4 and 8.

[Williamld]

Thanks for the response. So you would suggest #8 and #4? Any others outside of the obvious #2? What are the conditions this time of year down there, do you have an idea?

[csubandit]

[quote name='Williamld' timestamp='1351891760' post='5884045']
Thanks for the response. So you would suggest #8 and #4? Any others outside of the obvious #2? What are the conditions this time of year down there, do you have an idea?
[/quote]

I go down twice a year and was just there two weeks ago. The fall is my favorite time to go down with the weather cooled off, from experience the the courses and grass seem to be in the best condition especially after a little recovery time from the summer traffic and aerification. The courses I played were in great shape, I also checked out Tobacco and Dormie and though I didn't play them both looked fine. The resort courses all looked solid as well, but I've never played any of them so can't help ya there. #6 does look pretty cool, if I'm not mistaken it's off on it's own to the north of the town. Enjoy your trip.

[Williamld]

I appreciate the insight as I am leaning towards playing the pinehurst courses with #8 and #4. Any other suggestions besides #2?

[DaveLeeNC]

Pinehurst courses No. 2/4/6/7/8 are the truly high quality courses. It isn't like No. 1/3/5 are bad, but they are not the same as the other 5 (and are priced accordingly). I'm not sure what kind of a 'total day experience' you are constructing, but keep in mind the newly upgraded practice facilities at the main site (home of courses No. 1 through 5) whch are truly exceptional (3 practice bunkers and 9 putting and/or chipping greens). Plus free range balls (for members and guests/players). And the brand new 'Thistle Dew' green with its 18 hole putting course is most interesting.

Pine Needles is also very exceptional.

dave

[DLiver]

I just got back from a 3 day/2 night trip to Pinehurst. We played 2, 4 and 8, with an replay 9 on #7. We had a great time, but the over seeded fairways were in poor shape. The greens were okay--nothing great but not a disaster. The bunkers on #4 were pretty sketchy as well. The exception was #2, which was in outstanding shape.

I don't know what happened with the oversees--perhaps they did it late and it hasn't had a chance to come in, but it needs some warm weather.

BTW, the range and range balls at the Resort Center (course #s 1-5) were appallingly bad. The turf was very thin, and mostly sand/soil rather than turf, and the balls felt like heavy ping pong balls.

That said, the employees at the resort were awesome--extremely friendly and helpful. Despite some of the course and range conditions, we had a GREAT time.

[Williamld]

I have my trip veterans day weekend until tuesday. Do you think there will be better conditions that the ones previously mentioned? I am playing 4,6,8. Also has the range changed since summer of 2011? That was the last time I was in pinehurst

[DaveLeeNC]

[quote name='Williamld' timestamp='1352095222' post='5892665']
I have my trip veterans day weekend until tuesday. Do you think there will be better conditions that the ones previously mentioned? I am playing 4,6,8. Also has the range changed since summer of 2011? That was the last time I was in pinehurst
[/quote]

The fairways are overseeded, but they are never really 'richly overseeded'. That kind of overseeding severely inhibits the spring recovery of bermuda. The underlying bermuda is there, but 'going dormant'. The real problem is that the fairways are cut super close when overseeded, so the fairways are simply just really tight (REALLY tight). Folks in this part of the country are used to very tight conditions so don't think much of it and most folks are still playing the ball down at this point.

The 'driving range' is the same as 2011. Range conditions depend on where they put the tees on a given day vs. usage patterns. The outside edges are almost always better. These are not limited flight range balls, but I have found that shots up to say 150 yards 'go normal' and a shot that might carry 210 with a V1x will probably go like 195 to 200 at the range (the balls are swapped out a couple times per year). These balls are particularly bad feeling early when they are cold. Nothing like hitting a range ball stored overnight at 35* hit thin with a 4i to start your day :-)

The rest of the practice area has been expanded from 2011.

1) There is a new mini-verde putting green near the 18th green of No. 4. It was designed to be intentionally 'Augusta on steroids' and is both to provide practice on mini-verde (No. 1 greens are now min-verde) and is an 18 hole putting course (with scorecards).

2) The old 18th green on No. 1 (far right hand edge) is now a practice green. This allows longer pitch shots and also provides 2 additional practice bunkers, and a wiregrass and pinestraw area for practice.

dave

[Williamld]

[quote name='DaveLeeNC' timestamp='1352117821' post='5892951']
[quote name='Williamld' timestamp='1352095222' post='5892665']
I have my trip veterans day weekend until tuesday. Do you think there will be better conditions that the ones previously mentioned? I am playing 4,6,8. Also has the range changed since summer of 2011? That was the last time I was in pinehurst
[/quote]

The fairways are overseeded, but they are never really 'richly overseeded'. That kind of overseeding severely inhibits the spring recovery of bermuda. The underlying bermuda is there, but 'going dormant'. The real problem is that the fairways are cut super close when overseeded, so the fairways are simply just really tight (REALLY tight). Folks in this part of the country are used to very tight conditions so don't think much of it and most folks are still playing the ball down at this point.

The 'driving range' is the same as 2011. Range conditions depend on where they put the tees on a given day vs. usage patterns. The outside edges are almost always better. These are not limited flight range balls, but I have found that shots up to say 150 yards 'go normal' and a shot that might carry 210 with a V1x will probably go like 195 to 200 at the range (the balls are swapped out a couple times per year). These balls are particularly bad feeling early when they are cold. Nothing like hitting a range ball stored overnight at 35* hit thin with a 4i to start your day :-)

The rest of the practice area has been expanded from 2011.

1) There is a new mini-verde putting green near the 18th green of No. 4. It was designed to be intentionally 'Augusta on steroids' and is both to provide practice on mini-verde (No. 1 greens are now min-verde) and is an 18 hole putting course (with scorecards).

2) The old 18th green on No. 1 (far right hand edge) is now a practice green. This allows longer pitch shots and also provides 2 additional practice bunkers, and a wiregrass and pinestraw area for practice.

dave
[/quote]

Can someone walk me through this process and what the conditions are like when this happens? My trip begins on sunday november 11th. Are all the courses at the resort bermuda fairways? Thanks for the help

[DaveLeeNC]

[quote name='Williamld' timestamp='1352169403' post='5896941']

Can someone walk me through this process and what the conditions are like when this happens? My trip begins on sunday november 11th. Are all the courses at the resort bermuda fairways? Thanks for the help
[/quote]

All the course fairways are bermuda (Tifton 419, Tifsport, or one of those closely related hybrids) that is somewhat lightly overseeded. The rough is typically mowed close enough to not be a serious difficulty.

I didn't understand what 'process' you are looking for, but if conditioning doesn't meet your requirements (if that was your question - I played No. 6 on Friday and it was just fine by my personal standards) you would have to take that up directly with the resort (probably starting with someone behind the check-in desk).

dave

[Williamld]

[quote name='DaveLeeNC' timestamp='1352205881' post='5898041']
[quote name='Williamld' timestamp='1352169403' post='5896941']
Can someone walk me through this process and what the conditions are like when this happens? My trip begins on sunday november 11th. Are all the courses at the resort bermuda fairways? Thanks for the help
[/quote]

All the course fairways are bermuda (Tifton 419, Tifsport, or one of those closely related hybrids) that is somewhat lightly overseeded. The rough is typically mowed close enough to not be a serious difficulty.

I didn't understand what 'process' you are looking for, but if conditioning doesn't meet your requirements (if that was your question - I played No. 6 on Friday and it was just fine by my personal standards) you would have to take that up directly with the resort (probably starting with someone behind the check-in desk).

dave
[/quote]

I am sure I won't have any issues about the conditions, I just never played on a course that has recently been overseeded is all. I didn't know what that would look like, but it seems like there isn't an issue with playing those conditions.

[DLiver]

When we played there, the overseeded fairways were thin and muddy. There were a lot of mud on balls hit in the fairway. Compared to the oversees back at my home course, I'd rate the Pinehurst courses as a 5/10.

[Williamld]

[quote name='DLiver' timestamp='1352249872' post='5900989']
When we played there, the overseeded fairways were thin and muddy. There were a lot of mud on balls hit in the fairway. Compared to the oversees back at my home course, I'd rate the Pinehurst courses as a 5/10.
[/quote]
How long ago was that? They have had decent weather for a few days now maybe that would help.