Top 100 Golf Courses in N.C.

Of the more than 400 courses Donald Ross designed, Pinehurst No. 2 was where he made his home, continuing to tweak and perfect the course throughout his life. After an extensive restoration by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw, the course has returned to the way Ross originally intended.

CCNC is best known for its outstanding golf courses. The Dogwood course opened in 1963 and has been the venue for many championship events including three Carolinas Amateurs, six Southern Amateurs and the 1980 USGA Amateur.

For three generations, Peggy Kirk Bell & her family have been welcoming guests to Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. This Donald Ross course was restored by Kyle Franz in 2017 & has hosted the 1996, 2001, 2007 and 2022 U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

While No. 4 has been through a number of iterations since it was first built by Donald Ross in 1919, Hanse’s version is the most stunning. With the most interesting topography on the entire Pinehurst property, a shimmering lake as a centerpiece and natural ridgelines defining corridors, golfers are treated to a brazen blend of sand, native wire grasses and shimmering water.

Nine holes of the Cardinal course opened in 1970, with the second nine completed in 1981 offering 10 sets of USGA rated tees, . The course is characterized by its gently rolling fairways, mature pine trees, and strategically placed bunkers that test golfers’ skills and strategic thinking. Both CCNC golf courses are ranked in the top 20 in North Carolina.

No. 10 is Pinehurst’s first new course in nearly three decades, but in truth it’s been centuries, even millennia, in the making. The landscape underlying Doak’s design features native wiregrass, sweeping landscape and rolling hills formed by geology. Midway through the course, it also takes advantage of rugged dunes carved out by mining operations around the turn of the 20th century.

No. 8 opened in 1996 to commemorate Pinehurst’s centennial year. Tom Fazio took full advantage of the 420 acres of rolling terrain and natural wetlands to fashion a course that’s visually enthralling and challenging yet fun to play. The greens and tees are close together, making it a pleasure to walk.

A rarity among Donald Ross courses, Mid Pines Golf Course remains exactly as the renowned architect built it in 1921 & restored by Kyle Franz in 2013. Known for its pristine conditions & meticulous maintenance, this design offers a true test of golfing prowess while immersing players in the history of the game.