Pinehurst vs the Sandhills Resorts
The North Carolina Sandhills are the richest concentration of Donald Ross golf on earth, and they pose one question to every travelling golfer: do you stay at Pinehurst Resort itself, home of No. 2 and now Tom Doak's No. 10, or base at the storied resorts around it, Mid Pines, Pine Needles and their neighbors, and play the same sand for less? Here is the head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Pinehurst Resort, via Google
Our verdict
If it is your first Sandhills trip, stay at Pinehurst Resort and do it properly. No. 2, Donald Ross' 1907 masterpiece of crowned greens and sandy native, is the anchor site of the US Open, most recently in 2024 when Bryson DeChambeau won, and walking off the 18th by the clubhouse veranda is one of American golf's great moments. Around it the resort now runs ten courses, including Tom Doak's No. 10, opened in 2024 and named Golf Digest's Best New Public Course, plus the Cradle short course and the most complete golf campus in the country. The structure to know: play on No. 2 requires a resort stay with a two night minimum, fees come bundled into packages with a 250 dollar surcharge where No. 2 is not included, and a second round on No. 2 runs 595 dollars in peak season.
If you have done the pilgrimage, or the budget matters, the surrounding resorts are the connoisseur's Sandhills. Mid Pines is pure 1921 Ross, restored by Kyle Franz in 2013, and Pine Needles, Ross' 1927 design that Franz revisited in 2017, has hosted multiple US Women's Opens; the two share one warm, low key operation a few minutes from the village. Add Southern Pines Golf Club, another Ross design in the same family, and Mike Strantz's untamed Tobacco Road from 1998 half an hour north, and you can fill a week with golf of near equal soul at a fraction of the headline cost. The sand is the same; only the bill differs.
The head to head
| Pinehurst Resort | The Sandhills resorts | |
|---|---|---|
| The headline golf | No. 2, Donald Ross' 1907 masterpiece and the US Open's anchor site, won by Bryson DeChambeau in 2024 | Mid Pines, Ross 1921 restored by Kyle Franz in 2013, and Pine Needles, Ross 1927 and a multiple US Women's Open host |
| The modern card | No. 10 by Tom Doak, opened 2024, Golf Digest's Best New Public Course of 2024 | Tobacco Road, Mike Strantz's wild 1998 ride through an old sand quarry, half an hour north |
| Depth | Ten courses on one campus, plus the Cradle short course and the famous putting course | Southern Pines Golf Club and a ring of quality public golf fill a week without repetition |
| The cost structure | Resort stay required for No. 2 with a two night minimum; packages bundle golf, with a 250 dollar surcharge where No. 2 is not included and a 595 dollar peak replay | Materially lower throughout; stay and play rates published seasonally and the marquee rounds cost a fraction of No. 2 |
| The lodging | The Carolina, the grande dame of American golf hotels, and the resort village | Historic golden age inns at Mid Pines and Pine Needles, smaller and warmer in feel |
| The vibe | Big occasion golf: championship history on every wall and a campus that hums | Quiet, golf first and unhurried, the Sandhills as the regulars know them |
| Walking and caddies | Caddies and walking are part of the No. 2 ritual | Walking friendly throughout, with carts and caddie options by course |
| Getting there | Raleigh Durham is about 75 minutes; Charlotte around two hours | The same drive; everything in the Sandhills sits within twenty minutes of the village |
Indicative 2026 fee structures from resort and booking sources, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Pinehurst Resort if
It is the pilgrimage: No. 2 with a caddie, Doak's No. 10 while it is the talk of the game, the Cradle at sunset and the Carolina's veranda afterward. The package structure rewards going all in for two or three nights, and no other American resort concentrates as much championship history in one walkable campus. Book the marquee tee times when the stay is confirmed.
Pick the Sandhills resorts if
You want the same golden age sand at a friendlier bill, or it is a return trip. Mid Pines and Pine Needles are as pure a Ross double as exists anywhere, Tobacco Road supplies the wild card, and the inns trade the grand campus for warmth and quiet. Many regulars now rate this week the better golf trip, and the savings fund the next one.
Or blend the two
The smartest Sandhills week often refuses to choose. Everything sits within about twenty minutes of Pinehurst village, so a natural route is two nights at Pinehurst Resort for No. 2 and No. 10, then a move to Mid Pines or Pine Needles for the Ross double and Tobacco Road at half the nightly rate. You get the pilgrimage and the value in one trip, and the drive between bases barely outlasts a warm up bucket. Tell us the dates and the must play list and we will structure it.
Plan your Sandhills golf trip
Tell us whether it is the full Pinehurst Resort experience, the Mid Pines and Pine Needles week, or a blend of both, and roughly when. One concierge handles the packages, the No. 2 tee time and the costs, to the head, with no obligation.
Pinehurst vs the Sandhills questions
Is Pinehurst Resort worth the premium over the other Sandhills resorts?
For a first trip, yes. No. 2 is the anchor site of the US Open and one of American golf's essential rounds, No. 10 by Tom Doak was named Best New Public Course of 2024, and the campus experience is unique. For return trips, many golfers prefer Mid Pines and Pine Needles, where Kyle Franz's restorations of Donald Ross' 1921 and 1927 designs deliver near equal golf at a materially lower cost.
How much does it cost to play Pinehurst No. 2?
Access runs through a resort stay with a two night minimum, with green fees bundled into lodging packages; where a package does not include No. 2, a 250 dollar surcharge applies, and a second round on No. 2 costs 595 dollars in peak season and 360 in the off season. Structures and figures move year to year, so treat these as indicative 2026 numbers and always confirm directly before booking.
What are the best courses near Pinehurst outside the resort?
Mid Pines and Pine Needles lead, the 1921 and 1927 Donald Ross designs restored by Kyle Franz in 2013 and 2017, with Pine Needles a multiple US Women's Open host. Southern Pines Golf Club is a third Ross of the same pedigree, and Mike Strantz's Tobacco Road, from 1998, is the area's wild card and one of the most original courses in America. All take outside play; book ahead in spring and fall.
When is the best time for a Sandhills golf trip?
Spring and fall are prime, with March to May and September to November offering firm sand, mild days and the area at its best; book the marquee tee times well ahead in those windows. Summer is hot but playable and better value, and winter golf is common on the well drained sand. Always confirm tee times and package terms for your dates.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Package windows, restoration news and the booking dates that matter across the Carolinas. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, access and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.