By Lee Pace
Kevin Foster has been coming to Pinehurst for nearly four decades. What began as a reunion trip among high school friends has turned into a rite of passage, a pilgrimage that transcends golf. Foster once explained it to his son in a letter,
“Pinehurst, for us, is not just five days of golf. It is a state of mind.”
That “state of mind” is why, each fall, the North Carolina Sandhills brim with stories like Foster’s, groups of friends returning year after year, teeing off beneath longleaf pines, and forging bonds that last a lifetime. His crew, classmates from a Catholic military high school in the late 1960s, started with eight players in 1989. The roster has grown to 16 golfers converging from Denver, Malibu, Tampa, Cleveland, and points between.
“We don’t play quite as much golf as we used to,” Foster says with a chuckle. “We’ll drink a little more beer and watch the world go by. As I tried to explain to my son, time passes very fast. Pinehurst has been a very special place for us.”
Multiply Foster’s story by thousands, and you begin to understand Pinehurst’s pull. From Michigan snowbirds driving south in October, to weekend warriors from Ohio and Indiana seeking a getaway between football Saturdays, the Sandhills welcome them all with the promise of perfect turf, crisp air, and memories that outlast any scorecard.
A Championship Legacy
Pinehurst’s reputation as the “Home of American Golf” has been hard-earned. The resort’s fabled No. 2 course, Donald Ross’s masterpiece, has hosted four U.S. Opens (1999, 2005, 2014, and 2024), along with a Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. In June 2024, more than 225,000 fans filled the grounds for the latest U.S. Open, generating over $240 million in economic impact and cementing Pinehurst as the USGA’s southern anchor.
The USGA campus, Golf House Pinehurst, includes the World Golf Hall of Fame, USGA Experience, research and testing facilities, plus interactive public exhibits. Together, they reinforce Pinehurst’s dual role as both steward of golf’s past and laboratory for its future.
“Pinehurst is the closest thing to St. Andrews we have in the United States,” former USGA executive director David Fay once said. “The whole place just exudes golf.”
The Sandmines and Beyond
History is only part of Pinehurst’s story. The resort has boldly expanded into a rugged tract of former mining land, unveiling Tom Doak’s Pinehurst No. 10 in 2024. Routed across dramatic sand ridges and sweeping valleys, No. 10 is unlike anything else on property. A timber-frame clubhouse now anchors the site, and plans are already underway for Pinehurst No. 11, a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design set to open in 2027.
“Pinehurst has always had history,” says Coore. “Now it has terrain that rivals the best in the world.”
The Sandmines property also will feature a short course and guest cottages, expanding the resort experience beyond its iconic Village core. Station 21, a newly opened Southwestern-inspired grill overlooking the practice green and first holes of No. 10, has quickly become a hub for golfers to gather before and after their rounds. Its bold dishes, spacious patio, and curated bar program add another distinctive touch to the Sandmines’ growing identity.
Meanwhile, the nine-hole Cradle short course, designed by Gil Hanse in 2017, continues to thrive as one of the game’s most fun, accessible golf experiences, and Pinehurst No. 4 just rolled out new Tif-Eagle Bermuda grass greens.
Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and a Century of Heritage
If Pinehurst No. 2 is the soul of the Sandhills, Mid Pines and Pine Needles are its heart. Ross laid out Mid Pines in 1921 and Pine Needles in 1928, and the courses have endured wars, depressions, and ownership changes thanks to the strength of his designs. For decades, the family of LPGA pioneer Peggy Kirk Bell has carried their legacy forward.
Now, as Mid Pines moves into its second century and Pine Needles nears its own centennial, the resorts are entering a new era. A joint venture with Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts will bring a $47 million overhaul of the properties’ lodging, beginning with a complete reconstruction of the historic Mid Pines Inn.
“What’s exciting is that Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts specializes in restoring old properties,” says Kelly Miller, longtime steward of the resorts. “They have the vision and experience to do the job right, while maintaining the heritage of each one.”
The venture mirrors Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts’ acclaimed projects at Rusacks St. Andrews, Dornoch Station, and Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland — putting Mid Pines and Pine Needles in elite company. Soon, a Midwestern golfer booking a fall buddies’ trip might find accommodations on par with Scotland’s grandest addresses, only a short flight or drive down I-75 or I-65.
Expansion Across the Sandhills
Miller and business partner Haresh Tharani have also expanded their footprint by acquiring Whispering Pines Country Club and Foxfire Country Club — four classic layouts by Ellis Maples and Gene Hamm. They plan significant renovations under the Rolling Pines LLC banner, with acclaimed architect Kyle Franz leading design efforts.
Elsewhere in Moore County, the choices seem endless. Southern Pines Golf Club, restored by Franz in 2021, has drawn rave reviews. Talamore and Mid South offer Rees Jones and Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay designs, respectively, along with full-service lodging. Pinewild Country Club features 45 holes, including the brawny Magnolia Course and the precision-focused Holly Course. Longleaf Golf & Family Club doubles as headquarters of the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, making it one of the most family-friendly venues in the country. And Woodlake Golf Club, an Ellis Maples design, reopened in 2024 after a Kris Spence-led restoration.
Even the journey in and out of the Sandhills has its traditions. Many golfers heading south from Ohio or Michigan stop at Tobacco Road in Sanford — Mike Strantz’s audacious masterpiece carved from sand and stone quarries — to begin or end their pilgrimage. With blind shots, massive dunes, and wild green complexes, it’s the kind of place you’ll talk about all winter back home.
And for those who want to bring a piece of Pinehurst back with them, the resort has debuted the first-of-its-kind Titleist Shop at the Padgett Center. The new retail and fitting space deepens Pinehurst’s longstanding ties with the brand, offering personalized fittings, custom golf balls, and an experience unavailable anywhere else.
Memories That Last a Lifetime
For golfers like Kevin Foster, those rituals are what make Pinehurst eternal. His group’s annual August trip, now in its 36th year, has become less about how many holes they squeeze in and more about simply being together.
“As I tried to explain to my son, time passes very fast,” Foster says. “Pinehurst has been a very special place for us.”
That spirit is what keeps golfers returning again and again. Pinehurst is never just another golf trip. It is a living connection to history, to friendship, and to the game itself — a place where golf memories last a lifetime.
