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4.5
97 Reviews (97)
5 Stars
69
4 Stars
20
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
4
Conditions
4.8
Value
3.9
Layout
5.0
Friendliness
4.4
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.7
99.2%
Recommend this course
91 out of 97 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
5.0
2 Reviews (2)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.5
Layout
5.0
Pace
4.0
Amenities
3.5
StaffFriendliness
4.5
100.0%
Recommend this course
2 out of 2 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.7
3 Reviews (3)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.3
Layout
5.0
Pace
3.3
Amenities
4.0
StaffFriendliness
4.7
100.0%
Recommend this course
3 out of 3 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 71
Length 6557 yards
Slope 145
Rating 72.5

Course Details

Year Built 1998
Fairways Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Mike Strantz (1998)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Fivesomes Allowed No
Single Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Appropriate golf attire

Accolades

Reviews

4.5
97 Reviews (97)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 7
Course Challenges Include:
Forced Carries 25
Bunkers 23
Elevation Changes 22
This course/club is great for:
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 21
Advanced Golfers 18
A Weekend Splurge 16
This Course's Location is:
Worth the Drive 22

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Reviewer Photos

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

There are greens simiar to the putting green!!

What a course. We got lucky to play with a guy who works there. He guided us through the course. Most people say this course is very hard and it can be. I think it is fair and forgiving if you have decent distance control coming into the greens. Green speeds were great too. It is a must play Course conditions were perfect

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 171
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 50 Contributor
Previously Played

Second time around was disappointing because of pace

As with the first time we played this course it really lived up to expectations once again when it comes to condition and of course the layout. Sadly our round was pretty much ruined by the pace of play, it took three hours to play the front nine and then sadly we had to walk off the course after 14 holes. We allotted five hours for this round just to be safe so we would have plenty of time to get to the airport in Raleigh for our flight home but as it turned out five hours was not going to be enough. On the 14th hole we were already approaching the five hour mark and there was no relief in sight as there were three groups On the short par four when we got there. I'm sure if you go and you don't get stuck like we did you'll enjoy your round there's this really is one of the most intriguing golf courses in the country but to see ranger sitting in the woods talking to each other while we were all backed up surely did not help the way we felt as we drove off the course. I'd still recommend this course to anyone who hasn't played it and I just hope you don't get stuck like we did

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Roller Coaster for golfers

Wow! Totally unexpected but, should have guessed it given Mike Stranz's talent.
There is a surprise around every corner and, that is a good thing. One must bring their whole bag of shots.
This course will not be for everyone. If one expects Augusta National in the sandhills of North Carolina they will be disappointed. This course is an absolute treat to play.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Anonymous
Played On
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Incredible Course - love it or hate it

This is one of those courses that you will absolutely love or absolutely hate. The course itself is like nothing you will have ever played...it's hard on the eye and challenges your ability to hit the yardage you need. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend it. We played five courses in the area and this was the favorite. Not a course for a beginners.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

The most fun I've ever had on a golf course

Mike Strantz broke every unwritten rule of course architecture when he did this one. There are blind shots all over the course, huge huge huge bunkers and waste areas. Every single hole is fun and has you wondering what will come next. I will go out of my way to make it back here as often as possible.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Previously Played

Slowest Round of golf- EVER

I love this golf course. However, I doubt I will want to play here again. The round was 5 hours and 40 minutes.
It was 2.5 hours on the front, and an incredible 3 hours and 10 minutes on the back. We waited on every single shot, on every single hole. It was horrible. Some of the holes are incredibly interesting. Greens were in good shape for February. We had players in front of us, that refused to pick up. Looking for balls every hole. Rangers were no help. They were pleasant enough, but they are limited on what they can do to pick up the pace. It was not a good experience.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 22
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Tobacco Road

Top 3 courses of all time for me. If you don't like hitting out of sand then this is not your GC. No OB or bunkers. All considered waste area. Lots of "obstacles". Will definitely be back. Just a cool course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fantastic!!!

I have played Tobacco Road about a dozen times and have always found the course to be in great condition regardless of the time of year. This is a love it or hate it kind of course. I love it. I play this course every time I am in Pinehurst. It never gets old! Target golf. You must pick the right tee box or else you will be in for a really long day. The first time I played The Road, I just was amazed at the first hole. It is the toughest first tee shot I have played. Better warm up at the range.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Fun! Fair! Fantastic!

This course was on my bucket list since moving to the Sandhills of NC. Even though we are in the middle of winter the course was in great shape. The layout is visually stunning. The pictures are excellent but seeing in person is Amazing. The landing areas are very generous and leave short irons into large very sloped and mounded greens. Almost Aced #6 with a front pin after the ball rolled back about 15 feet. The lift, clean and place no rake bunkers are a refreshing way to play golf. I could go on and on but I'll leave the rest for your own experience. Make the trip you won't regret it!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

A Must Play

This was easily the funnest round of golf I've ever played. This is a must play if you are in the area, just because it is so out of the ordinary. Everyone say's, you're either going to really love it, or you will really hate it. There is no in between. Well, I am one of the ones that loved it. I thought the greens rolled incredibly well and even though at times the landing area from the tee looks small, it's actually quite generous. You better have some confidence and more than a few shots in the bag, because this course will demand plenty of both. I found myself on many tee boxes just going, "Wow".

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 311
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Birmingham Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Embrace the quirkiness

As I've stated in reviews of other Mike Strantz courses, he is a very polarizing course designer. And Tobacco Road is the most controversial of his efforts. I get why people don't like it. If you are not in command of your golf ball, this can make for a long day on this course. But I'm a fan of Strantz courses, particularly this one. I am accustomed to target golf from frequently playing the RTJ Golf Trail at home in Alabama, so this style doesn't bother me. If you like to think your way around the course and not blindly pull driver out of your bag on every par 4 or 5, then you can have fun here, but more importantly excel. Playing some of the holes, it dawned on me that this might be what it would be like to play golf on Mars. Some examples: the tee shot on the first, which requires you to fit it between two mounds that pinch the fairway; the ninth with its blowout green side bunker (see attached photo); the third shot to the par-5 13th (see attached photo), which may be the most imaginative green complex I've ever encountered. The green is built into what resembles a crater. It is a very disarming visual, really because you cannot see the flag from the fairway. There is a thin ridge that divides the green horizontally, so shots finding any part of the green will feed to the center of each respective half. Lost in all of the discussion of whether or not this is circus golf, is the strength of the course's collection of par 3s and par 5s. Be creative. The most direct route to the hole on approach may not be the best route. This course requires some imagination. With the complex green undulations, it also requires some resolve. Just know this going in: at some point in your round this course is going to make you look silly. Just embrace the next shot, the next hole. If you do that you can have fun. And you should. This is not the type of course a golfer from any part of the country will experience very often.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 69
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Hard as heck but fun

Really challenging course that is in great shape. My primary criticism was that there was nothing on the score card or tee markers that showed the layout of the holes, and I literally had to guess on some tees where to hit it. But when I got home, I found that the agent who set up the round had included a course guide to each hole that I missed. This course is NOT for beginners, or those that hate to lose a golf ball. But when you hit a proper shot, and get a birdie, the feeling of accomplishment is so good. I'll go back.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Awesome place!

This course is well worth your time to play if your in the area, the layout is fantastic the course is in great shape and very well maintained. Staff is very friendly and helpful to help make the experience one to remember also look in the wooden bucket on the 16th tee box awesome surprise and just what you need after the first 15 holes! Will recommend this to all my golf buddies if there coming to the area.

Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Butt Kicker

Our first time to play TR. An extremely challenging course built in an old sand quarry with numerous forced carries, waste areas, elevation changes, undulating greens and blind shots. TR has a course layout app and an excellent yardage book but best to play with someone who has played the course several times. You had better hit your shots straight and know how far you hit each club. TR is probably one of the best courses I've ever played. You'll use every club in the bag and be mentally exhausted at the end. Great fun and I can hardly wait to play TR again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Challenging course but it sets up well for a fade on most holes.

Blind shots even on hole one are frustrating but once you know where to go you will be rewarded if you hit a solid shot. Staff has always been friendly. Club house is unique. Apples on course are great. Distance is deceiving as the course plays longer than what the card shows. Choose the tee you play from off the slope rating not the yardage. I have played here at least 8 times and have enjoyed every round. If your playing in the Pinehurst Sandhills area this course is worth the visit.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Poor weather
Used cart

Excellent golf course with an awesome and very challenging layout

Excellent golf course with an awesome and very challenging layout. Just played here on 8/12. The greens and fairways were in great shape. You won't finish this course in 4 hours if you can't keep the ball in the fairway!

16 of us played this course as part of a 3-day, 4-round, 2 night packaged deal with Tobacco Road Travel so the price was extremely good!

Note: there's a reason that most courses in the NC Sandhills are cheaper to play in August: It was very hot and there were lots of little gnats and things flying around!!! My only complaint was that they didn't keep the water coolers on the course filled during the Friday afternoon we played. Also, there wasn't a beverage cart or ranger with water either.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Average weather
Used cart

Not Worth your time

I know all the positive reviews how can one be so bad. real simple 130.00 is to much for this course. There are better and I mean better golf courses in the area. If you want a Stranz course. Just driver hour north to Tot Hill it is a way better course and cheaper by about 100.00 and the staff will treat you so much better. STAY AWAY TEACH THEM 130.00 IS TO MUCH FOR A ROUND OF GOLF THERE.

Conditions Good
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
u6478866
Commented on 08/09/2016

Sorry you paid so much for your round. I don't think I'd be happy about that either.

We've got a group playing Tobacco Road, Legacy, Whispering Woods, and Southern Pines this coming weekend (8/12 - 8/14) for $299 each. For that price, we also get 2 nights in the Talamore Golf Villas.

Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Great experience

Course was in great shape. Very challenging. After reading the reviews, I understood that this was a target-golf course. But you are able to hit away on most of the holes. The greens were huge which helped mentally. Just understand that when you get on the green, your work is just starting.

This is not your everyday golf course. Be prepared to think about each shot. Lots of fun if you don't get carried away about your final score. Just take each hole one at a time and enjoy yourself.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

This place is one of a kind...

Just played TR for the first time while on a Pinehurst road trip with my father. We both had an absolute blast and agreed that although we have played a wide variety of courses all around the USA, we have never played anything quite like TR. It's hard to describe TR in words, but the one word I find myself coming back to is "unique".

The facilities are decent. Neat little clubhouse with a log-cabin/wild west feel to it. The driving range is adequate for a public course with nice grass to hit off of. The practice putting green is something to behold - it has two tiers, which are separated by a very severely sloping "ramp", which has got to be about 5 or 6 feet high - giving you a preview of what you're in for when you head out to play the course.

The staff at the bag drop and in the clubhouse/golf shop were very friendly and welcoming. We played on a Saturday morning, so there was a starter on the first tee to keep things moving. Before we teed off, the starter questioned my decision to play from the back (Ripper) tees and asked me if I was a "scratch" golfer and if I'd seen the slope/course rating on the scorecard. I told him I'm not a scratch but that I'd be fine and he joked to the rest of the group that I would probably be having a change of heart heading to the second 9 (and would no longer be playing from the tips). Turns out I was 2 over par after the first 9, so no problem.

The course itself is a one-of-a-kind, out-of-the-box, rollercoaster of a good time. It has a little bit of everything - doglegs left, doglegs right, blind shots, elevations changes, huge bunkers/waste areas, undulating greens, tiered greens, false fronts, collection areas, forced carries, water (on only one hole as I recall, but was a big factor on that hole), risk/reward opportunities, etc. Fortunately we were paired with another twosome that was from the area and had played the course multiple times. This was key because they were able to describe each hole to us, which is extremely helpful at a place like TR with all of its twists and turns and blind shots, etc. If you are going there for the first time, I would highly recommend downloading the TR course APP for your smartphone - very helpful.

The course was in great shape and well manicured. The greens were fantastic - nice pace and just the right amount of undulation to keep things interesting.

TR is not a long golf course, I played the back (Ripper) tees at just over 6,500 and my father (who is 73 but still hits it well) played from the middle (Disc) tees at 6,300 and it worked well for us. TR is fairly generous in terms of landing areas off the tee - fairways are pretty easy to find. TR looks more difficult than it actually plays. Lower handicap players will have a ton of fun navigating the vast bunkering, elevation changes and blind shots (you really need to trust your game and know/have confidence in your club distances). It's definitely target golf, with fair, fun and interesting targets. Higher handicap players may have a bit of a struggle with some of these elements and may not have the same level of enjoyment on certain holes (e.g. #9 which is a gem of a hole). It helps to be good out of the sand (regardless of your skill level, you will inevitably find a bunker or two on your way around TR). You also need to be able to hold a green on approach shots.

I love walking when I play, but here, I'd probably recommend riding - especially if you are playing with a group. I've never driven a cart through a green-side bunker, but at TR, no problem, happens all the time (again, unique)!

Overall, TR was a fabulous experience. I wish I lived closer, I'd definitely make it a point to get back there sooner rather than later. The design and construction of the place is one heck of an engineering feat.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A "Must" Play

A "Must" play...yes, the layout is "quirky" as advertised, but is SO interesting and so diabolically brilliant is HAS to be on your Pinehurst area play list !

I can't imagine what the architect was thinking or how he conceived the layout, but, wow, brilliant !

Blind shots...yep..."are you kidding me"...yep...putts guaranteed to roll off the front of the green, if that...yep...a few doubles...yep, but a GREAT experience. My second time, though the first was over 10 years ago, but actually looking forward to going back. Managed to play all 18 with ONE ball, wouldn't have imagined that if I were a scratch player !

PS Would NOT advise, if the weather conditions don't allow for carts on the fairway.

PPS Listen to the starter, he knows his stuff.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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Golf Packages

Talamore Golf Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Talamore Golf Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Mid South Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Richmond Golf Getaway Package

FROM $147 (USD)
RICHMOND, VA | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at Fairfield Inn & Suites – Richmond Airport and 2 rounds of golf at Royal New Kent Golf Club and The Club at Viniterra.

Francis Marion Hotel Stay & Play

FROM $187 (USD)
CHARLESTON, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Francis Marion Hotel and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of RiverTowne Golf Course, Charleston National Golf Course, Wild Dunes – Harbor Course, Wild Dunes – Links Course, and Stono Ferry Golf Course.
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