18 Golf Courses You Can Play Without Staying at the Resort

18 Golf Courses You Can Play Without Staying at the Resort

There are nearly 40 golf courses within 15 miles of the Pinehurst traffic circle. The Resort gets most of the attention — and it deserves it. But the Sandhills golf scene runs much deeper than that.

Donald Ross originals in Southern Pines that predate some of the Resort’s most famous holes. An Arnold Palmer signature tucked behind the longleaf pines. A Mike Strantz design built in an old sand mine that Golf Digest calls one of the 50 best public courses in America. They’re all here, they’re all open for play, and they’re all worth your time.

This is our round — 18 courses, one for each hole — no resort fee required. Some are bucket-list caliber. Some are locals-only gems. All of them are part of what makes this place the Home of American Golf.

The Donald Ross Originals

These three courses sit within minutes of each other in Southern Pines, all designed by the man who put this region on the map. They’re now under shared ownership and offer combined stay-and-play packages.

1. Southern Pines Golf Club
Donald Ross’s third-ever course design, open since 1906. Kyle Franz completed a major renovation in 2021 — reworked bunkers, new greens, restored sandscapes — all while keeping the native character of Ross’s original vision. Sam Snead and Ben Hogan both played here. It’s fully public, and at 6,500 yards, it’ll challenge every club in your bag without beating you up. Peak season runs mid-March to mid-May and mid-September through October. Outside tee times can be booked up to 30 days in advance.

2. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
Ross designed this one in 1927, and it’s hosted the U.S. Women’s Open four times — the first course in America to do so. Ranked #5 in North Carolina by the NC Golf Panel. The course was restored in 2017 and plays just over 7,000 yards through rolling Sandhills terrain. There’s also The Loop, a warm-up course with three par 3s and a par 4, if you want to dial in your short game before your round. Outside play is available, and the lodge offers stay-and-play packages with on-site dining.

3. Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club
Ross built this one in 1921, and it’s been called “pure Donald Ross” — the course remains almost exactly as he designed it. Kyle Franz restored it in 2013, earning GOLF Magazine’s Best U.S. Resort Renovation and Restoration of the Year. Ranked #25 in North Carolina and #88 on Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Public Courses. The historic inn is currently under renovation by Marine & Lawn Hotel & Resorts (their first U.S. project), but the course is open and food and beverages are available.

The Talamore Trio

Three courses under one resort umbrella, all accessible through stay-and-play packages with on-site villas and lodges. Talamore also books packages that include partner courses like Tobacco Road, Tot Hill Farm, and the Donald Ross trio.

4. Talamore Golf Club
Rees Jones designed this one in 1991, and it’s been evolving ever since. The most recent updates brought sod wall bunkers — the only ones in the Pinehurst area — giving it a British Isles feel that’s a stark contrast to the wispy Ross bunkering down the road. They’ve also opened up fairways, added a Toptracer range and a putting course, and switched to Champion Bermuda greens. Ranked #77 in North Carolina. On-site villas overlook the finishing hole.

5. Mid South Club
Arnold Palmer’s signature course, located 2.3 miles from Talamore. It stretches past 7,000 yards from the tips but plays as short as 4,136 with six tee options. The 18th is a serious finishing hole — cut into a hillside with water down the right. It’s technically a private club, but accessible through Talamore resort packages. Ranked #38 in North Carolina.

6. Legacy Golf Links
A Nicklaus Design course in Aberdeen, recently acquired by Talamore. It hosted the 2000 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, where a 10-year-old Michelle Wie played. The course got significant upgrades in 2025 — new cart paths, complete bunker renovation, drainage and grassing improvements. The 18th hole, nicknamed “The Bear,” is a 432-yard brute that doesn’t give up many birdies. Rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest.

The Bold Ones

If you want something that breaks the mold, these two Mike Strantz designs will stay with you long after your round.

7. Tobacco Road Golf Club
About 25 minutes north in Sanford, built on an old sand mining site. This is one of the most polarizing courses in America — and one of the most unforgettable. Blind shots, dramatic elevation changes, fairways notched behind dunes, greens stretched into shapes that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. Golf Digest ranks it in their Top 50 Public Courses nationally. You’ll either love it or hate it, but you won’t forget it.

8. Tot Hill Farm Golf Club
Strantz’s other design, about 45 minutes northwest near Asheboro, next to the Uwharrie National Forest. Think of it as Tobacco Road’s slightly tamer sibling — still dramatic, still quirky, with rocky terrain and elevation changes, but a touch more forgiving. It went through a rough patch after the 2008 recession but came back strong under new ownership with a restoration completed in 2023. Ranked #95 in North Carolina.

Locals’ Favorites

These are the courses that locals play regularly — great conditions, fair prices, and the kind of welcome you get at a neighborhood spot.

9. Longleaf Golf & Family Club
A Dan Maples design remodeled by Bill Bergin, with new mini-verde bermuda greens and the Longleaf Tee System — a data-based approach that scales every hole to be a fair test for any skill level. Semi-private, so non-members can book tee times. Ranked #98 in North Carolina and a consistent value pick in the area.

10. Hyland Golf Club
Tom Jackson designed this one on the highest elevation in the Pinehurst area, which means views you won’t get anywhere else in the Sandhills. New greens, a traditional layout, and a 4-star Golf Digest “Must Play” rating. It’s the most played 18 holes in the area, which tells you something about the value and experience.

The Renewal Courses

Four courses across two clubs, both recently acquired by Rolling Pines LLC — the same group behind Pine Needles, Mid Pines, and Southern Pines Golf Club. Kyle Franz, the architect behind those restorations, is overseeing renovations. These are courses with history that are about to get a serious upgrade.

11. Country Club of Whispering Pines — Pines Course
Ellis Maples designed both Whispering Pines courses in 1959. The Pines Course features Champion Bermuda greens and a gently rolling terrain that’s challenging but accessible. About 5 miles north of Pinehurst.

12. Country Club of Whispering Pines — River Course
The back nine brings lakes and streams into play, adding a different dimension from the Pines Course. Same Maples DNA, same Champion Bermuda greens.

13. Foxfire Resort — Red Fox Course
Gene Hamm’s design, about 6 miles southwest of Pinehurst. This is the tougher of the two Foxfire courses. Lake MacKenzie comes into play early and often. Also getting the Rolling Pines treatment.

14. Foxfire Resort — Gray Fox Course
The shot-maker’s course at Foxfire. Accuracy over power, with undulating fairways and mature trees framing every hole. Wide fairways and large elevated greens make it slightly more forgiving than Red Fox.

Value Plays & Hidden Gems

You don’t have to spend resort prices to play great golf in the Sandhills.

15. 7 Lakes Golf Club
A solid, affordable round in Seven Lakes. No frills, just good golf at a fair price.

16. Beacon Ridge Golf & Country Club
Rolling hills, towering pines, and a scenic layout that punches above its weight. 4-star Golf Digest rating. Located in the Seven Lakes area, about 15 minutes from Pinehurst.

17. Woodlake Country Club
A semi-private club in Vass with a meticulously maintained 18-hole course winding around a 12,000-acre spring-fed lake. Stay-and-play packages include homes or condos on the property. The Maples Grill on-site is worth a visit on its own. About 15 minutes east of Southern Pines.

The 9-Hole Gem

18. Midland Country Club
The only 9-hole course in the Village of Pinehurst, sitting right off Midland Road near the traffic circle. Bermuda fairways, bent grass greens, and a layout that caters to everyone from juniors to seniors. Walking is encouraged. This is the kind of hidden gem where you show up, play a quick nine, and wonder why you don’t do it more often.