Thanksgiving Pinehurst Area Trip

[jbwright84]

My wife and I will be visiting her family near Raleigh over the week of Thanksgiving and are planning on a few rounds at some of the areas best known courses.  The three I have my heart set on are Tobacco Road, Mid Pines and Pinehurst #2.  The first two of those pose no issue with getting a tee time but Pinehurst is a challenge since we didn't intend on staying at the resort.  I know that groups can call ahead the day before to see if they can get a tee time but that seems risky being the week of Thanksgiving.  If I am able to get some assistance from a club member (wife's family thinks someone they know is a member) does that guarantee tee times further out?

[DaveP043]

I go to Pinehurst every Thanksgiving, and have friends who are members at Pinehurst.  As I understand it, one or two courses are reserved for members on each day, on a rotating basis.  On any specific day, #2 might be mostly booked for resort guests and outside play, on another it might be only members.  If its member play, your friends can almost certainly help you.  If its a day for guests, I just don't know, all you can do is ask.  On the plus side, that week is pretty light as far as resort play, at pretty much every course in the area.  

[jbwright84]

11 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I go to Pinehurst every Thanksgiving, and have friends who are members at Pinehurst.  As I understand it, one or two courses are reserved for members on each day, on a rotating basis.  On any specific day, #2 might be mostly booked for resort guests and outside play, on another it might be only members.  If its member play, your friends can almost certainly help you.  If its a day for guests, I just don't know, all you can do is ask.  On the plus side, that week is pretty light as far as resort play, at pretty much every course in the area.  

Thanks for the reply.  Hopefully with less resort traffic, I can luck into a time.  Worst case scenario, I play one of the other great courses the area has to offer.  I know plenty of people say they prefer #8 to #2 but having never played there, I wanted to check that one off of my list.

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, jbwright84 said:

Thanks for the reply.  Hopefully with less resort traffic, I can luck into a time.  Worst case scenario, I play one of the other great courses the area has to offer.  I know plenty of people say they prefer #8 to #2 but having never played there, I wanted to check that one off of my list.

Also of interest, #4 has recently re-opened after a Gil Hanse redesign.  In the other direction, I've had friends rave about Benvenue Country Club in Rocky Mount, an older Donald Ross design.  You might need to have your home club make arrangements for you there.

Edited September 17, 2018 by DaveP043

[Sandy Divot]

If you are going to be in Raleigh, and have any connections, see if you can get on Raleigh Country Club. It is the last course Ross built, in fact he died before it was finished, and a fun course to play. It was always a great layout, but it was bought by McConnell Golf, and they turned it into a first class club.

[jsgolfer]

5 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Also of interest, #4 has recently re-opened after a Gil Hanse redesign.  In the other direction, I've had friends rave about Benvenue Country Club in Rocky Mount, an older Donald Ross design.  You might need to have your home club make arrangements for you there.

Benvenue is an excellent track, played it last year.

 

[jbwright84]

Thanks for the input everybody!  I should know today just how far my wife's family is tied in down there.  I know that a few of them play, and have played Pinehurst, so my fingers are crossed.