Dormie Club

We are a group of mid-handicap golfers. The course is beautiful and was in great condition. The greens are very fast but fair and true. The group ahead of us took over 5 hours to play 18 holes. They had a fore caddie, which you would think would speed play, but it didn't.

The course beat us all up pretty badly. It is not tricked up like Tobacco Road, but somehow it is just as difficult. Lots of searching for golf balls. A fore caddie might shave 4 or 5 strokes off your score.

Biggest downside is the irons-only driving range. A course this demanding is not one you want to face with no practice.

There is also no clubhouse to speak of, so this is not the place to play if you are hoping to gather for drinks afterward.

We probably won't play it again, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try.

I had a chance to play this course for the first time and it was everything I was hoping for. When we arrived passing by the modest entrance leading up to the tiny clubhouse. I was nervous that this course would be okay at best. Well I was very wrong. I understand why there are no fancy amenities, that is due to the fact that this place is supposed to be all about the golf. That is what makes this course so special to me. We arrived to the first tee to a very friendly starter who gave us tons of helpful information about the course. My first impression of the course by looking at the first hole was how strikingly beautiful the natural look of the course is. I can understand why some people don't like it because it is not the most perfect and pristine course ever because that is how coore and crenshaw intended it because it possesses the natural look many pinehurst courses are known for, but it was in really good shape when we played it. Every hole is memorable. Although this course features bent-grass greens which can be iffy with the southern heat of the summer. They were perfect in April and rolled smooth and true. If this course switches to champion bermuda it will be perfect from tee to green because the bermuda grass enjoys the heat of the south. I think this course is very under-rated because it is not for everyone. People who like this course are people who can appreciate a great golf course. Coore Crenshaw did a marvelous job with this course. 14-18 is one the best stretch of holes i have ever played. So despite the lofty price and mixed reviews I strongly recommend Dormie. This and #2 are to me the 2 best courses in Pinehurst. Again this is not the place you want to play if you want the many luxuries many courses possess. Come here if you want to play a great golf course.

Had the opportunity to play The Dormie Club offseason and for discounted rate provided by CGA. The weather was sunny and in the 60's with some wind.
The course similar to Pinehurst #2 has the Coore Crenshaw characteristics with lots of natural growth areas, waste areas and lots of bunkers.
Greens had been small hole punched and were very speedy(reportedly 13). Fairways in general were in good condition with exception of one hole that was quite wet. Bunkers were generally in good condition.
Range was open but only for irons.
Staff -Rudy-General Manager was very helpful and friendly.
All of us enjoyed our day at Dormie Club and hope to return once fairways have greened up.

It was a little confusing getting where we needed to be on the course. Smaller driving range and incredibly small club house. The first hole is the most scenic on the course, in my opinion. It looks beautiful from the tee box. But other than that, there just wasn't much memorable about this course to me. Which is why I said, don't go in expecting Bandon Trails or Cabot, two other Coore/Crenshaw designs, and you'll be fine. It's probably worth the price of admission, but there's also probably better options in the area in this price range.

It was cold the morning we played here. We were first on the course and didn't see another player the entire round until we finished. I found this Coore-Crenshaw design worthy of its lofty ranking. Outside of Pinehurst #2 and Mid-Pines, there isn't a better course in my opinion to represent the style of golf this region is known for. There aren't many places on this course to lose a ball. I remember merely one water hazard, that really wasn't even in play. Rough is minimal bordering the fairways and the natural scrubland in the hardwoods make wayward balls easier to locate. This course is all about the greens. There are some haphazard green complexes, but the real danger lies in the subtle movement of these Ross-like greens. Like most courses, being under the hole is imperative. Closely-mown areas around the green requires a bit of imagination, instead of of blindly pulling out a sand wedge. One of the hallmarks of this design team's work is short par 4s. Dormie didn't disappoint in this regard. The third hole is the first that stood out to me, highlighted by a dragon-back green that puts pressure on wedge control to make sure you find the correct tier. The 263-yard 15th is another brilliantly-designed short 4. From the tee you are playing slightly uphill to a narrow fairway. There does not appear to be any room to land it on the right half and have it hold. The left side is guarded by two large fairway bunkers that distract your attention. I hit 4 iron into one of them, yet still had only ~80 yards downhill to the green. The beauty of the hole was not putting too much emphasis on hitting a perfect shot. Simply getting it out of the bunker allowed the ball to run down to the green. I enjoyed these type shot values at Dormie. There is also a real serenity here. There are no houses in sight, and hopefully that doesn't change. This course has been rumored for several years to be going private as part of a residential development. Not sure if it ever will, but just in case, make sure you play it if in Pinehurst. It won't disppoint.

We drove over from Charlotte to play Dormie Club and it did not disappoint. The course was in excellent condition and it was an excellent value. I have and will always highly recommend Dormie Club to everyone that travels to the Pinehurst area.

We are heading back to play Dormie in about a month and cannot wait!!!

The course layout is great, the driving range is set up well, and the first tee shot is awesome. The fairways may have been the best fairways I have ever played, they were perfect, tons of waste bunkers and plenty of tall grass. Over all the course Is pretty wide open and solid, not really any similar holes. The greens on the back nine were burned out just a little but that was the only problem. We used a caddy and he was really good at his job, he helped us with where to place the ball and helped us with reading putts. Mostly it was a relaxing enjoyable fun round of golf and I would recommend Dormie Club, and Jeremy to anyone who plays in the area.

Dormie Club is a must play. Best course in the area for the value. Great layout, nice greens and great conditions. Course is fun to play.

Real simple: excellent course, with great variety and roll of the land. Only minor complaint: when we played (in heat of July), greens were a bit slow (9-ish?), but rolled fine...conditions of fairways and tee boxes were excellent. Challenging but not unfair or killer tough. People very pleasant and helpful. Not a complaint at all because it's not important to me, but just an observation: no great clubhouse, locker room, or pro shop. Fair and reasonable price of <$100...very well worth it. Highly recommend for a 4 hour vacation if in the area.

I recently played at the Dormie Club and enjoyed every minute of the day. It was our first time playing there and we took a fore caddie, this was a great decision. There were a lot of tee shots that he came in handy. Great collection of par 3's ranging from 220-100 yards, also has some really good short par 4's. There are a few holes that are extremely different from the back set of tees to the front set, 5 and 15 come to mind. Course was in excellent shape considering how hot it gets down there in the summer. If you are looking to play an excellent golf course this place is a must.

If you only remember one thing from my write up, then I hope it is “Go Play Dormi Club”. Great track, great folks. Title says it all. The course designers used anything and everything natural-wise they could to design this course. The woods and rough are all big trees and long bushes. The tee boxes are lined with trees that they knocked down when building the course (artistically though, tough to describe). Natural obstructions everywhere. Waste bunkers all over the place with natural NC clay. There isn’t a flat spot on any green that we could find. Not a lot of water in play but fairway bunkers and long waste areas travel down the fairway with ya. Elevation changes and blind shots on a lot of the holes. Greens were punched about a week ago, but they rolled excellent for still having holes. I bet these greens are very nice when fully recovered. All in all a very nice course. My only gripe is the cost. I would play here much more if it was more like $70 for a round vs. the $100 we paid (and it goes way up during the season). I come from the land of amazing golf for $50 so the prices in the sand hill area keep me away a lot of the time. other than the price, this has become one of my favorites in NC.

The course was is very good condition. Wide fairways and big greens. Good shots were rewarded. Understand the course uses the environment and is not one of those places with paved cart paths. Certainly a course I would play again.

This "could" be a very good course, if you're a low handicap who plays to their number. For double digits and higher, not so sure.

We had a group of 8. The legitimate scratch-loved it, lower single to mid-teens, not bad, senior age, nah !

The weather was poor and it was cart path only, so that didn't help but I'm not sure even under better conditions the group would have been totally satisfied.

As noted by other reviewers the conditions are totally minimalist...play golf...move on !

Our group of 12 seniors played this course in April 2016. We were unanimous in our disappointment in the course. All sand was waste bunkers, including greenside bunkers. Try hitting a bunker shot out of hard packed sand to a tight pin position!!! Numerous (5) very short par 4's (under 300 yards from the white tees) and then some 450+ par 4's. Huge greens with excessive undulations. Facilities were minimal. Service was rude. We asked for sandwiches after the round and we told he was too busy. No one else was there to occupy his time. Course conditions were just fair.

So this is a great design on a fabulous property. Old school - second best golf in the Sandhills after #2. High hopes abound. It starts at the check-in. Not a word - or a smile - or a greeting. Just the facts - who are you, what's your time and how you payin'? Can I walk? "Yeah, but it's the same price and you can't take a pushcart". No food at the halfway house, just snacks. Oh, and the ranger (also the front desk guy). Goes up to our group at a par 3, just as we finished hitting (after waiting for the green to clear), and literally yells: "You're holding up the whole course". Instead of driving two foursomes ahead which was causing the backup. I've played enough golf, and understand there are jerks everywhere; played well and loved the course. But I won't go back.

I left the Dormie Club with mixed feeling. Yes, it's a great Coore/Crenshaw design, a tough challenge with a great variety of holes, but you need to be a fan of minimalist architecture end minimal installation and service. It's not the kind of of place you should go with your wife for a nice afternoon of golf and a cocktail.!When you put your feet on the course you're in for a fight with a tough layout and greens that are sometimes on the verge of unfair.If you know what to expect, you can have a good time. Just don't expect to play your handicap especially if yours is over 4 or 5.

At just under 6900 yards from the back tees, the course is well designed and very playable with a 138 slope. The greens and fairways are well bunkered and the greens have enough roll in them to test your mettle. The fairways are well shaped and have ample driving areas with no tricks-what you see is generally what you get. We played in early March and the fairways were still dormant which led to some bare tight sandy lies and tee shots that seemed to roll forever. This place should definitely find its way onto everyone's bucket list , but I would play when the turf is in season to really enjoy the sheer beauty and mastery of this great layout.

Played on 3-4-16. We showed up and there were only 3 cars in parking lot. We had heard many rave reviews about this course and were perplexed as why there were no people there. The other 2 cars turned out to be employees. We were told the greens were running at 12 that day and it was windy. The course was extremely difficult. To make matters worse, many pin locations were within 8 paces off the edge or near extreme slopes. There were too many shots that hit greens which ended up off the green by 15 yards. The course layout looked awesome and fairways were very generous. I am glad we played, but don't need to pay $80 per round to shoot at 14 strokes above my handicap, its just not fun. In contrast we played Pine Needles the next day for same price and it was tough but good shots were rewarded. I now know why we were the only people there. Word must be getting out. I would think you would want players having a good time by scoring well and thus making a return trip. Too many other courses in the area that are more rewarding.

Dormie Club allows golfers to play the ground game or the aerial game. Don't think just about the aim point, but envision where the ball will end up.

This was my first time to the Pinehurst area and consisted of playing this and Tobacco Road as part of a package thru Tobacco Road Travel. This was my first Coore & Crenshaw course experience and it sure as heck lived up to the hype! I'll list a few of the details about the course/experience to let you decide for yourself.

First, the proshop/clubhouse was a trailer, yes really a trailer. Nothing wrong with that and actually I didn't mind it one bit. The proshop offered a nice selection though of Linksoul and Peter Millar products to make up for the poor clubhouse.
- The signage/yardage was basically non-existent on this course. They had sprinkler heads scattered about with spray painted numbers which one assumes to be middle of green. Maybe paint the back and front number as well since some of those greens appear to be 80+ yds long. Tough to gage distance if you don't have a range finder (which I did not and course was not offered on my partner's watch). Also, signage to next hole was almost non-existent except for #7/14 and no yardage markers on ANY of the tees. I understand not doing this maybe at a CC as the members/caddies should know this, but as a public course, c'mon and help cater to the public. Also, I don't see this course going Private as many do believe that this may happen soon, with that said no need to "run" to get here, but if in the Pinehurst area, get here at a reasonable rate. The range was very short and the putting green offered no "holes", so this place really is ALL about the golf course.
The course is quite fantastic considering we played the morning after they received 2" of rain and played on December 29th. When we arrived the manager mentioned it was walking only so me and my partner took the 8.5 mile journey thru the masterpiece that C&C scribed thru the wonderful sandhills. The first hole is a classic downhill par 4 that sets up perfectly for what you will experience throughout the rest of the round. The greens are quite large with many run-off areas and plenty of times requiring your bump and run shot. There were a few times where the bunkers don't bleed in to the green on areas making good shots that you thought you hit run right in the bunker as there was no rough or anything to save your ball. Other than that, this course was fair with generous landing areas for your drives and massive greens so if you hit the right shot, you were rewarded for it, no gimmicks. This course offered some of the best par-3 collection's that I have ever played with most of them having the sand waste areas surrounding them throughout. The 17th par 5 is one of the toughest 3-shot hole to get on that you will ever encounter in your life and something that one must experience! Rumor has it that they created the massive "bunkering" to replicate that of the famous Pine Valley 7th hole to that of the 17th and this is something your eyes have to witness. With the superb collection of holes on this course and the fact that you will have to use every club in your bag, I'd recommend this course to anybody if in the Pinehurst area.