By Fred Altvater
Pine Needles, Mid-Pines & Southern Pines
In March, 2020, just as federal and state governments were shutting down golf courses across the country due to the COVID pandemic, Kelly Miller the CEO of Pine Needles and Mid-Pines Golf Clubs completed the purchase of Southern Pines Golf Club. It was a very scary time, but for Miller, but this was the realization of something that he had been working on for several years.
Once the sale was completed, Kyle Franz, who had previously renovated both Pine Needles and Mid-Pines went to work to restore the oldest of the three Donald Ross courses to its prior glory.
I had played Southern Pines several years ago before the recent renovation and you could see the natural beauty of the property. Although it was overgrown and lacking proper maintenance it was a wonderful Ross design following the natural contours of the rolling sand hills of North Carolina.
Franz has done a masterful job with the work on Southern Pines and along with Mid-Pines and Pine Needles, these three courses make the perfect triple play for a golfing sabbatical to the Pinehurst area.
During our stay in Pinehurst we chatted with Miller about the expansion and future plans for the three courses. Watch the full interview here, https://youtu.be/zGkcogNghoQ
The Pinehurst Area Continues to Grow
Phil Werz, Executive Director of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen Convention and Vistor’s Bureau has seen this area of North Carolina continue to grow and golf courses filled with golfers.
The news that the World Golf Hall of Fame would once again return to Pinehurst gives avid golfers one more reason to visit the ‘Home of American Golf.’
The Pinehurst Resort is adding a tenth course and the village is preparing for the 2024 U.S. Open that will once again be contested on famed Pinehurst #2.
New breweries, distilleries and other retail are constantly opening in either the Village of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, or Aberdeen.
From the quaint shops in the Village to the restaurants and retail areas of Southern Pines and Aberdeen, the area has something for everyone.
The USGA has recognized the importance of Pinehurst by committing to hold four additional U.S. Opens on Pinehurst #2. The U.S. Open will be held on #2 next year and will return in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047. This is a huge commitment to the Pinehurst area and guarantees that Pinehurst will be a golfing mecca for many years to come.
We had the chance to talk with Phil Werz about the growth and future of the Pinehurst area. Watch the full interview here, https://youtu.be/jH0k5dp0J7Y.
