Rockin' in the Cradle
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
He bought 5,800 acres of ravaged scrub pine forest in the Sandhills of North Carolina for a little over $1 an acre. Labelled a fool by the locals, James Walker Tufts, a Boston philanthropist and soda fountain inventor, had a vision. He wanted to create a resort where the middle class could come and recuperate from a range of ailments.
The upper class, Tufts included, wintered in Florida and Bermuda to escape the fast and fetid urban environments being created by rapid industrialization in the U.S. Always a champion for his employees, Tufts knew that the average man couldn’t afford the transportation to get to those popular resorts.
It was 1895 when Tufts first visited Southern Pines to see a health resort founded earlier by North Carolinian John Tyrant Patrick. The long-leaf pine belt had been identified by the US Department of Agriculture as a place where the climate and air were beneficial to people suffering from pulmonary and other respiratory diseases.
Tufts sought the assistance of famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead to lay out the New England-like village. Olmstead’s social consciousness and egalitarian philosophy matched Tufts, and an accessible, green, walkable village was achieved. The Holly Inn, the first hotel, was completed and opened December 31, 1895, the same month that Tufts decided on the name “Pinehurst” for his resort village.
Golf was not planned. Golf just happened.
Hotel guests began bringing their hickory sticks to the Holly Inn and playing an improvised game of golf on a nearby pasture. Highly disturbing to the resident cows, something had to be done to make the sport an amenity and not a distraction.
According to the official Pinehurst history,
Tufts then hired Dr. D. Leroy Culver of New York to design and build a golf course in Pinehurst, and in February of 1898 a rudimentary nine-hole course was constructed. The first clubhouse followed a few months later. Pinehurst’s first golf professional, John Dunn Tucker, was hired in 1899 to add an additional nine. The course later became Pinehurst No. 1, our first 18-hole layout.
Most American golfers know the rest of the story.
Scotland’s own Donald Ross was hired by Tufts, not as a golf architect, but as his second full-time golf professional. But once there, he was asked to design the first four courses of Pinehurst. He redesigned No. 1 and completed the first design of iconic No. 2 in 1907. The Sandhills had many similarities to Ross’s homeland, and his artistry shaped the landscape into America’s most “pure test of golf.”
As a golfer and a history nerd, all this swirled in my mind when I stood on the first tee of Pinehurst No. 1 this past Tuesday morning. I spent the previous two nights at the 131-year-old Holly Inn and had a nightcap of whisky at the authentic imported bar of the Tavern Restaurant.
I have travelled to Pinehurst from my home in Raleigh, NC many times over the last 15 years to dine, to play golf, and occasionally to stay overnight. This, however, was my first opportunity to enjoy the “Pinehurst Resort Experience” as the branders now call it.
Joined by my enthusiastic golfing spouse and two great college friends, we booked a two night, two rounds of golf package. I have been like a kid waiting for Christmas ever since we chose our rooms, courses, and nights and sent off our deposit.
Summer arrived in Pinehurst just as we did.
The longer than usual springtime in the Piedmont of North Carolina gave way to a high-pressure zone that sat down on the Sandhills like a tired golfer. Daytime highs jumped to the 90’s with a deodorant melting touch of humidity. But nothing could spoil my Christmas morning.
I must say that Pinehurst has created a seamless guest experience. Golf clubs are whisked away and magically appear on your cart in time to hit some balls and roll some putts before your round. The rooms in the old hotel are up to date and extremely comfortable. The food is delicious and plentiful. The staff is as friendly as any I have ever experienced and while discreet, attentive to even overheard unrequested services.
Example: While eating breakfast with our friends we were complaining to each other that our sleep had been interrupted by alarms that we had not set on our in-room clock radios. There’s had gone off at 5:30am and ours at 6:05. Our rooms were adjacent, and the alarms had been clearly set by previous guests trying to make an early flight or tee time.
After a few minutes our waitress reported that she had overheard us and alerted housekeeping about the problem. They would see that both alarms were turned off. An extra level of service.
As a golf nerd, being in a climate of total golf immersion is just plain fun. When you get to the clubhouse, everywhere you turn you see the history, fashion, equipment, and traditions of the game. This cradle of American golf lets off a vibe that is a Disney-like experience for adults. I had experienced it before, but to be playing put me in the dark awaiting blast off on Space Mountain.
We started our adventure on Pinehurst No. 3. From the resort brochure:
At just 5,155 yards, No. 3 is the shortest course at Pinehurst, but don’t let that modest distance fool you. Originally designed in 1910, No. 3 was recently renovated, returning sandscapes and native elements to the course, harkening back to Donald Ross’ original flourishes. Challenge your precision and enjoy the adventure on this par-68 course.
An adventure it was and gave us every challenge imaginable.
But every time I felt myself getting discouraged, I would say, “I am playing golf at Pinehurst. I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” (Thank you Al Franken)
For golfers out there, the Ross false fronts on the greens take some getting used to, and No. 3 has greens with more contour than you’ll ever experience in recreational golf. I went out in 44 gross with two pars and back in 51 for a gross 95 and net 75 for the round. In 95-degree heat, I felt like a marathoner wrapped in a silver blanket by the end.
Oh, another thing about Pinehurst courses. Cold water, ice, bathrooms, and snack shacks are everywhere you need. Hydrating was stressed by the friendly starters and there are plenty of opportunities to refresh.
With all that hydrating, the men are constantly reminded by electronic screen messages (to a comical degree), to be “good neighbors” and use the bathrooms on the course and not the trees of the residences that line the fairways. We also noted that blind-shot fairways are equipped with cameras in the trees to ensure death-free tee shots. If those cameras can see folks on the fairway, they can also see you peeing in the woods. Like the Epstein files, the tapes may be declassified someday, so pee in the restrooms and not on the Loblollies.
Playing No. 1 the next day was a much more forgiving track. All about history, the thought that it is there because the Victorian era visitors demanded it, and that Donald Ross eventually perfected it makes it special. The 18th hole leads you to the Pinehurst Clubhouse and gives you a finishing experience shared with No. 2.
After our final round, we retired to the men’s North South Locker Room for a shower and a clean set of clothes for our journey home. To look around and take in the fact that Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, and Bobby Jones walked in that space and used those same lockers provided a final thrill.
Sam Snead called No. 2 his number one course. For now, No. 1 is mine.
If you missed last year's blog, Golf is a Four-lettered Word, you can check it out here. https://www.constancelyhoping.com/post/golf-is-a-four-letter-word
A great and memorable trip with wonderful friends. Thanks for all your planning, John.