GolfTravelReviews: The Reviews "The Pinehurst Area: Cradle of American Golf"

Pine Needles and Mid Pines: All In The Family
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Mid Pines: An Elegant Hotel and Another Ross Classic

Directly across Midland Road from Pine Needles is Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club, built by a group led by Leonard Tufts, son of Pinehurst founder James W. Tufts and opened in 1921 as the Mid Pines Country Club. In 1994, the Bells acquired the resort, which by then had fallen on hard financial times and acquired a slightly disheveled appearance. Under Pine Needles/Mid Pines GM Kelly Miller (Peggy Kirk Bell’s son in law), the family have undertaken extensive renovations to the inn’s guest rooms and public areas, restoring the glory of this once proud edifice. They also added a charming verandah overlooking the 18th green. It is a choice spot to sip tea or cocktails as the sun goes down.

The Mid Pines Inn overlooks the 18th green

The 112-room Georgian-style inn has the suggested look of The Homestead, though it is much smaller. Its fine carpeted comfort and coziness should appeal to the most discriminating traveler who likes fine dining, wood paneled reading rooms with vintage photographs gracing the walls, and rooms with every modern convenience and comfort. The inn also has meeting rooms for small business groups.

Mid Pines also features seven golf villas for small to medium sized groups. These feature good-sized living rooms with high ceilings, amply equipped kitchenettes and three or four bedrooms. Located on the 10th fairway, the villas have their own driveways situated along Midland Road, a minute’s drive from the hotel.

Mid Pines' #2 has an elevated tee box and elevated green
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Slightly different soil composition and vegetation give the Mid Pines golf course a distinguishing look and feel from its brother Pine Needles across the road. It is also relatively short and it is every bit as good.

Mid Pines pulls no punches. It is a golf course equivalent of the girl next door. She isn't the glamour queen of the neighborhood, but the more you get to know her, the more she grows on you. There is no single hole where you will say, "Boy, I will never forget that one!" Rather, you will be subtlety impressed by the overall experience of playing a course of great artistic integrity. It exhibits a flow and rhythm that will have you wanting to play it over and over, especially when you think how simple it is to play but recall all the "needless" extra strokes you made on it.

Mid Pines' par 5 10th is the course's most beautiful hole.

The course features some fine par 3s, notably the fairly short 2nd from an elevated tee box to an elevated green and the 230-yard 13th that calls for both power and accuracy to a green bunkered and narrow front to back. The par 5's are all relatively short, with at least three reachable in two. The straight 10th is the most beautiful, calling for a drive up and over a ridge. Hit it long and you have a chance to reach the green but beware several ball-trapping bunkers. Mid Pines' par 4's are largely short but one in particular is as good a par 4 as you will play. It is the 470-yard straight 5th from an elevated tee down hill to landing area from where the hole continues downhill over a hollow to a green on a rise on the other side. This one is a dandy. So is the 400-plus yard 16th, a slight dogleg around the trees.

Speaking of trees, the forest in and around Mid Pines, like Pine Needles, is not very dense and you can hit your ball into the trees and have a reasonable chance of extricating it. But the course has an infinite number of slight and severe slopes that can cause wayward shots to keep on moving further away from your target. It behooves you to bring your best game.

For more information and reservations at Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club call 1-800-323-2114.

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