Sandhills History - A Storied Past
No
other destination boasts the rich
history of the Sandhills!
Nestled in the Sandhills of central
North Carolina lies a roughly
triangular area encompassing the
villages of Southern Pines,
Aberdeen, and the quaint little
walking village of Pinehurst which
was designed by Frederick Law
Olmsted who also created New York's
Central Park -- and Pinehurst
Resort. The center of Pinehurst-area
golf is, and always has been, the
Resort's world-renowned #2 course.
Today the area is home to 43
excellent courses -- and counting.
It is known as the "Home of American
Golf ™".
Steeped in tradition, exuding
refinement and genuine southern
hospitality, and with golf weather
year round, the Sandhills area is
truly a golf Mecca. In addition to
Pinehurst Resort's #2, several
others are among the nation's elite.
The list of leading course designers
includes Palmer, Maples, Nicklaus,
Player, Jones, Fazio -- but the name
"Donald Ross" dominates. The
legendary Scottish course designer
came to Pinehurst in 1900 to
redesign the new Resort's #1, stayed
for 48 years, and created the
Resort's #'s 2, 3 and 4
(significantly updated in 2000 by
Tom Fazio and reopened as a new
course), as well as the courses at
Pine Needles and Mid Pines. In all,
Ross designed or redesigned more
than 400 others in North America but
considered #2 his home course,
calling it "the fairest test of
championship golf I have ever
designed".
Pinehurst and professional golf have
long been synonymous. In 1940 Ben
Hogan won his first pro tournament
at Pinehurst. Sam Snead, Byron
Nelson and Cary Middlecoff won
tournaments here. A young Arnold
Palmer was a regular at Pinehurst
during college days at Wake Forest.
And who could forget the 1999 U.S.
Open at Pinehurst #2, where an
exuberant Payne Stewart, clad in
signature traditional knickers and
tam-o-shanter cap, won his second
Open just months before an untimely
death. The Open returns to #2 in
2005. Pine Needles, site of the 1996
U.S. Women's Open, again hosts the
tournament in 2001. And Legacy Golf
Links hosted the USGA's 2000 Women's
Amateur Public Links Championship.
Area courses also host other
professional tournaments.
A trip to the Pinehurst area will
reward golfers not only with
first-rate golf, but experiences and
memories that will last a lifetime.
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