The Next Mountain at The Sandmines
The Next Mountain at The Sandmines
Pinehurst Resort’s satellite golf operation south of the main campus known as The Sandmines has evolved over two years in phases.
The Tom Doak-designed course opened in April 2024 with a golf shop in a trailer and lunch served from a food truck — albeit a very good lunch with a brisket sandwich with blueberry habanero sauce on the menu.
The clubhouse and golf shop opened in June 2025.
An upscale Southwest-themed restaurant named Station 21 followed in September.
The No. 10 course has been embraced for its visual interest and shot-making challenges and for its emphasis on walking golf. Outside the hottest summer months, golfers are required to walk — they can lug their bag, take a trolley or hire a caddie.
“It’s important to have that purist walking experience,” Yancey says. “We have a lot of guys who walk their home course with their MacKenzie bag or Sunday bag and go for a walk here and love it. There are really not as many as you would think who want to ride even in the summer. Most folks have the mindset that they’re coming here to walk the golf course, and that’s what they’re going to do. We recommend if you are able to walk and you stay hydrated; it’s by far the best experience.”
The No. 10 course is routed on the western portion of some 900 acres that Pinehurst acquired more than 15 years ago. Both courses have vestiges of the land’s early history as a mining operation. Pleasants Sand and Supply was founded after World War II and through the mid-1970s shipped sand over the adjoining railroad for building projects all over the United States, including the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Early holes gently flowing through the native pine trees and hardpan sand.
Holes seven and eight sitting atop the rugged and dramatic remnants of the mining operation, with features on the eighth likening it to the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
Holes nine through 14 with expansive views and big, bold elevation changes.
And 15 through 18 playing around water features and the volume lessening on the home stretch.
“The routing is phenomenal,” Yancey says. “Doak and Moser have brilliant minds and used those talents to find a special golf experience. It’s been very well received. Now we’re anticipating No. 11, which will have a totally different look and feel to it.”
The chapters keep flowing at The Sandmines. Stay tuned.
Lee Pace is a freelance golf writer who has written about Sandhills area golf for four decades and is the author of club histories about Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Forest Creek.
Other Blogs
Walking The Sandmines with Bill Coore
Short Course Boom Comes to Sandhills
"There are a handful of venues in the Sandhills that offer golfers a bite-size taste of the game — shorter…
The Spring Thaw
“While golf had been played in a few places before Pinehurst was established, it was right here on these sandhills…