Exploring the Pinehurst area, on and off the course

In the destination’s early days, most out-of-towners arrived by train.

Riding the rails from metropolitan centers along the east coast, they disembarked at a newly constructed terminal at Southern PinesNC, where horse-drawn carriages waited to take them a town to their last stop: Pinehurst.

That was in the early 1900s. More than a century later, trains still pour into the same terminal. But the buggies have given way to boats, and the Pinehurst area has evolved from a sleepy golf and wellness getaway to one of the world’s biggest gaming attractions.

On a recent business trip that didn’t feel like work, my colleague, James Colgan, and I met up to explore what the region has to offer. Unlike past travelers, we both flew in, landing on opposite coasts in Raleigh and then driving an hour in a rental car. Over the first two days, we enjoyed a crash course in classic golf course architecture, spanning from the Golden Age to the modern-minimalist era that inspired the Golden Age. More specifically, we started at Pine Needles, where we were schooled in the ins and outs of Donald Ross, before moving on to the newest course at Pinehurst Resort. Pinehurst no. 10a solid Tom Doak-and-Angela-Moser creation, part of which rolls over the lumps and bumps of dormant mining land.

Now, on the third and final day of what was admittedly too short a stay, we were trying everything else we could. As a base camp, we had chosen Thalamorean under-the-radar stay-and-play resort combining beautiful apartment accommodations with three 18-hole courses: Talamore Golf Club, Legacy Golf Links and Mid South Club, by Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmerrespectively. Like Ross’ work in the Golden Age, these three designs reflect the aesthetics of their time, on quiet, tree-lined properties with varying shot requirements to fairways and immaculately kept greens. At Mid South, James, who is half my age and roughly twice my size, routinely beat me by 50 yards. But as dominant as he was off the tee, he couldn’t keep up with me that evening at the table. One of the best perks for guests at Talamore is a free all-you-can-eat ‘pig pickin’, offered on Monday and Thursday evenings, featuring slow-smoked BBQ pork with sides of coleslaw, beans, collards and a plate of various spicy sauces. Consuming my body weight in all of the above, I left James in the dust at the front of the gorge.

For all the recognition it receives for golf, the Pinehurst area receives relatively little attention for the quality and eclecticism of its cuisine. Sushi. Tacos. Yakitori. Cacciatore. A composite sketch of the local restaurant scene belies the golf world’s reputation for little more than hamburgers, dogs and beer.

Of course, if that’s what you want, you can achieve that too. Local craft beers abound and the burgers at Chapman’s, in downtown Southern Pines, are hard to beat. We ate ours at the bar, where we finished our meal with Marytinis. How these drinks differed from classic martinis, other than the fact that they were mixed by a beloved bartender named Mary, I can’t say for sure. What I do know is that they were strong and tasty, and because James wasn’t driving, he ordered two.

It wouldn’t be a world-class golf destination if it didn’t have many first-class 19th holes. The Pinehurst area has too many to count. But no one has a more compelling story than BHAWK, an American whiskey distillery founded by husband and wife Brad and Jess Halling. Both are military veterans, with a combined 49 years of service, one of which was in 1993 when Brad lost a leg in the Battle of Mogadishu, a deadly clash that was later memorialized in the film. Black Hawk Down. The distillery put together by Hallings – a spacious, modern space with bar and table seating, a patio out back and a fantastic menu of casual, regional dishes to complement the spirits – is light and inviting and is filled with tasteful homages. servicemen and women, including the aircrew who helped save Brad’s life on the battlefield.

We stopped at BHAWK in the early afternoon, and by the time we left, humbled by our conversations with Brad and Jess, and in awe of the flights of bourbon and whiskey they poured, there was just enough daylight to squeeze in a recent visit to a course. .

As a farewell to the fairways of the Pinehurst area, we chose a fitting candidate at Southern Pines Golf Club, another star in a local constellation of Ross designs. For years, however, its splendor had gone largely unnoticed by outsiders until a 2021 restoration by architect Kyle Franz brought Ross’s muted features back to the fore.

Once sleepy, Southern Pines has become a darling of architecture buffs across the country and anyone, frankly, who enjoys a good walk that can’t be spoiled. But if Southern Pines is no longer a local secret, it still seemed undiscovered when we showed up late that afternoon. The course was mostly empty and, clutching a few clubs, we breezed around a few holes, enjoying the shots of sharing our journey on a Golden Age canvas brought to vivid life by the light and shadow of the golden hour.

On the way back to our condo, we passed downtown Southern Pines. A train was rumbling slowly towards the terminal. The sight and sound of it—relics of what now seems like a simpler time—made me want to linger longer. There was more to do and see, and much more golf to play. But early in the morning, I had a plane to catch.

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