Announcements

Dear Pine Needles Staff,

I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality during my trip to the Pinehurst area. Both Mid Pines and Pine Needles are tremendous golf courses and were in great condition.

Mid Pines is very charming, beautiful, playable and walkable for anyone, and still is a good challenge. Par 3’s have great variety (I love #8), par 5’s are reachable but not easy (which is ideal), and the par 4’s ask you to shape the ball both ways. I particularly loved the greens at 4 and 12…4 is short, but with a flag location on the right the pitch shot is very delicate…the flag location on 12 was about 2 steps from the back right - I had 100 yards in and made 6 - try to get cute on the approach and dumped it in the front bunker, got aggressive on the bunker shot and wnet long, then had basically no chance of getting it close, 2 putts for 6…great architecture.

Pine Needles is definately a ‘championship’ golf course but still shares the charm of Mid Pines…just bigger and brawnier. Incredible set of par 3’s, right up there with the best I’ve seen. There are some real bruiser 4’s out there…6,7,14,17. I also got a kick out of the short 9th with its falloff right of the green.

I am in contact with Canadian golfers on a daily basis and will be sure to let them know what a gem the Mid Pines/Pine Needles combo is…I can’t wait to come back.

Sincerely,

Matthew MacKay

Royal Canadian Golf Association