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Each year, myself along with a handful of the guys I grew up with ventures to a new location for our annual buddy’s golf trip. The trip usually encompasses a long weekend filled with money matches, BS’ing and great food/drink (amongst other debauchery). Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of traveling to Pinehurst, NC for this yearly tradition. Having been my first time making the pilgrimage to this golf mecca, I was coming in blind and wasn't quite sure what to expect.
Aside from the Airbnb and tee times we had booked, I figured we’d just wing it for the most part and explore the resort/town once we got there. Looking back now, I realize this mindset was a little naïve however it couldn’t have worked out better. Pinehurst truly is a playground for the common golfer, and I felt like a kid in a candy store the entire weekend. From the historical clubhouse to the short course and putting area just outside, there’s an unlimited amount of fun to be had.
With all this in mind, there is a couple things I wish I knew ahead of time and would like to pass on for those making this trip for the first time:
Replay rounds are free at the Cradle
Be sure to play a round at Tobacco Road Golf Club. This was the most fun 4 hours of blind shots, false fronts and confusion I’ve ever experienced on a golf course.
Grab some post round beers at Pinehurst Brew Co.
We stayed at an Airbnb (which was great) but if I could do it again, I would’ve strongly considered booking a room at the resort. Pinehurst's policy is if you’re not a member or guest of the resort, you can only book a tee time 1 day prior to your desired date of play.
If you’re looking for a good sit-down dinner, get a reservation at Southern Prime Steakhouse in Southern Pines.
Book longer than you think. Meaning I was there from Thursday – Sunday (morning) and felt like we barely scraped the surface of all the great courses the area had to offer.
If you’re looking to go out and grab drinks in downtown Pinehurst and/or Southern Pines, look into a taxi service ahead of time. There’s not many (if any) Uber’s running late at night around town.
If you're feeling ambitious and want to punish yourself for that early morning tee time, "Drum and Quill" and "Dugan's Pub" are great bars (open late) in downtown Pinehurst
As the weather begins to warm up, this was the perfect place to kickoff the golf season. If you're looking for your next golf trip, look no further.