Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

I only came for a day of golf, not an overnight stay, and for $265 the experience fell short. The range mat was badly worn and hard as pavement. The waste bunkers were compacted and ungroomed, with maybe an eighth of an inch of sand. Although we were told to stay on the paths after overnight rain, we never found wet or soggy spots. The fairways were mostly decent, if a little thin in places, and the greens were in good shape despite having been sanded recently. Many of the cart paths were awful.

The course is close to downtown Pinehurst, right across the street from Pine Needles, and the staff were great. There’s plenty of elevation and the classic Ross green complexes make for a lot of fun. I learned the phrase “greens visited” when shots I thought had hit the green rolled away off its false fronts or the sides and back drop-offs. Conditions were beautiful.

The course is great, but I’d avoid ordering from the online shop. They say the site was hacked, yet made no effort to post a warning on their social media or other websites. My purchase never arrived, and they’ve kept giving me the runaround as if it were my fault. I haven’t gotten the item or my money back.

For a round that costs nearly $300, the service was disappointing. At the turn, the only food was a hot dog, and they’d run out of those too. There wasn’t even a beverage cart taking drink orders. The course itself was fine, but the service didn’t match the price.