Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 13th
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 13th
The Sandhills terrain gently rises and falls at Donald Ross' classic Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles - In-The-Rough Lounge - hamburger
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Pine Needles - In-The-Rough Lounge - hamburger
The In-The-Rough Lounge at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club serves bar favorites like cheeseburgers. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - pool
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - pool
The outdoor pool at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club is small but accommodating to golfers on a hot summer day. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - game room
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - game room
The game room inside Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club entertains golfers at night. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - extra putting green
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - extra putting green
A putting green lighted for night play sits between the lodges at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles golf course - hole 3
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Pine Needles golf course - hole 3
The third hole at Pine Needles plays 145 yards from the tips. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - hole 5
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - hole 5
At 218 yards, the fifth hole is the longest par 3 at Pine Needles. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - lobby
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - lobby
Welcome to the cozy feel of the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 18th
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 18th
Pine Needles is a Donald Ross classic that allows shots to run onto greens, such as the par-4 finishing hole. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfAdvisor
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 16th
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Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club - 16th
The tough 16th hole provides the last chance at an ace at Pine Needles G.C. in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass
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Explore the classic Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. -- Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club's profound connection to women's golf traces back to owner Peggy Kirk Bell, a charter member of the LPGA and one of the game's greatest instructors.

Pine Needles, a Donald Ross classic dating to 1928, has hosted three U.S. Women's Opens. The quality of the winners -- Annika Sorenstam (1996), Karrie Webb (2001) and Cristie Kerr (2007) -- certainly matches the merits of the 7,015-yard course.

The Sandhills terrain at Pine Needles gently rises and falls. Big hitters can challenge doglegs but only at their peril. Its classic look complements the newly renovated Mid Pines Golf Club across the street.

That was by design, said Kelly Miller, president of Mid Pines/Pine Needles.

"We didn't want them both to look the same," Miller said. "It's why there are a lot of different flavors of ice cream. We've got some longtime guests who say, 'We like Pine Needles, but it's no Mid-Pines.' Others say, 'Mid Pines is nice, but it's no Pine Needles.' That's pretty neat. Having two different looks to us is really a plus."

After golf, Pine Needles guests can simply walk to the lodges, home to spacious suites. The main lodge, home to a game room and golf shop downstairs, serves as a gathering spot with a cozy bar and fine dining restaurant that serve excellent food and an intimate feel that bigger resorts can't replicate.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Explore the classic Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina