There will be a 10th course at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in the Cradle of American Golf.
The resort announced architect Tom Doak will lead the design and build of a golf course that will be built on part of a 900-acre plot of land Pinehurst Resort owns in Aberdeen, N.C., just 4 miles south of the famed resort's main clubhouse where a course once known as The Pit resided.
Ground will be broken this month on the project, the resort's first new course since 1996, that is slated to open in late spring of 2024 -- just months before the resort and town welcome back the US Open. The course will incorporate rugged dunes mined at the turn of the 20th century, accented by native sand and wiregrass. The site has significant elevation change, with unique landforms, streams and ponds.
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“The site is topographically distinct and drastically different from anywhere in Pinehurst,” Doak said. “It’s bigger, bolder and more dramatic. There’s about 75 feet of elevation change, and we’ll work our way up to it around the mid-point of the layout. You’ll have expansive views from this apex over the rest of the course. It will be an unforgettable experience for golfers.”
“The number one thing that excited us about the project is working with the beautiful sand that’s native to this region,” Doak added. “The sand, the wiregrass, the bluestem grass, and other native grasses that grow around the Sandhills create a fabulous texture for golf. It’s something most places just don’t have.”
Doak has been a Pinehurst fan for decades, rating No. 2 as perfection in his famed course rankings published over many volumes of "The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses."
“Tom Doak builds incredible golf courses on sand, and we’re excited to see what he’ll create in the North Carolina Sandhills,” said Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley. “We’ve worked with some amazing golf architects who’ve embraced our natural aesthetic and believe Tom will do something fantastic on this site.”
Ultimately, this may just be the start of developing these 900 acres. The resort suggests there could be additional golf assets, including full-length and short courses, a clubhouse and lodging.