The In-the-rough Lounge

I want to share my honest experience at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf, having played all three courses: Needles, Mid Pines, and South Pines. The lodge and facilities are a bit dated, but this adds to the charm and history of the place. There were some updates made during our stay in preparation for the LPGA event in June. Our room was comfortable and suitable for our needs, with a putting green right outside our back door, which was a nice touch. Walking into the lodge gives you a nostalgic feel, almost like stepping back to 1975. The standout aspect of this place is undoubtedly the staff. With one exception, everyone was fantastic and eager to assist in any way possible. Sharon and the bar staff were exceptional—polite, funny, and clearly passionate about their work. I also want to mention the general terrain manager, who was extremely courteous, readily answered all our questions, and made a point to check in with us to see if we needed anything. Thank you for that! The main reason I didn’t give a five-star rating is that after my round at 7 PM, I was told I couldn’t have dinner because the kitchen was overwhelmed with orders. As a guest, this was disappointing. However, Sharon came to the rescue, and we ended up enjoying an excellent salmon dinner later that evening. It would have been helpful to know in advance that two out of the three courses were cart path only. Before spending $2,000, I would have liked to know that I’d be carrying my bag for 15 miles across the hilly landscapes of Needles and Mid Pines, especially with their slower greens. I had been looking forward to putting on larger and faster greens, but they scored around a 9-10 speed during our play. As for the courses themselves: - **South Pines** is visually stunning, and the recent renovations have made it even more enjoyable and challenging. The bunkering is impressive, and the elevation changes provide a beautiful 3D view. Make sure you have a solid sand game! - **Mid Pines** is a fantastic course that welcomes players but doesn’t quite match the level of the other two. - **Needles** is the best of the three, featuring exceptional greens, long holes, and fair landing areas. The creative layout and elevation changes make it a must-play. However, all the greens were quite slow during our visit in March 2022, probably due to the time of year. Also, keep in mind that the Women's Open is scheduled for June, which means cart path only on the Needles and Mid Pines courses. This can be challenging since you won’t be able to get accurate yardages unless you’re prepared to walk and check distances before selecting your clubs. Overall, it’s a stunning place with great staff, fantastic golf, and a peaceful atmosphere. Oh, and I also played TPC Sawgrass the week before; it was a great experience too. I even managed to shoot a 66 on 17 for par! Just for the record, I ended with a score of 98 on the Stadium Course. If it’s your first time there, I highly recommend hiring a caddie. Mine was once ranked the 7th best amateur golfer in the USA and certainly knew his stuff.

Pine Needles is by far my favorite golf course in the Sandhills region. There's no better place to create memorable moments with friends. Just take a look at it!

This is a fantastic course, definitely one of my favorites in the area! While it may not be as stunning as it was in previous years, it still holds up very well. Overall, everything was quite enjoyable. My only minor issue was that the greens were a bit slower compared to other courses nearby.

Nice Donald Ross layout. Had the opportunity to play it a few years ago and it was not disappointed.

Lovely course, pristine condition right now. We played on a Sunday afternoon and felt like we had course to ourselves. Very challenging to approach greens, can’t miss in wrong spots! Most holes do not run by eachother which is a cool way to journey through pine needles. Everything feels very old school, which is perfect for tradition of the town/area.