Tar Heel Travels

Holly Inn and Pinehurst No. 4
Renovations have turned these stately landmarks into modern marvels

By Bill F. Hensley

Here's a great weekend for those of you who appreciate historic treasures but who also want your modern conveniences: spend a weekend at the “brand new” Holly Inn in Pinehurst, which first opened on New Year's Eve in 1895, and play a round of golf at the “brand new” No. 4 course, which Donald Ross designed around 1920.

The Holly Inn has long been one of America's best-known country inns. Its first brochure spoke proudly of 45 rooms with electric lights, steam heat, telephones, a solarium and a billiard room. The rate was $3 a day which included a trolley shuttle to Southern Pines.

The venerable inn was first renovated in 1926, and over the years there were additions and changes that saw a new kitchen, private baths, a Porte cochere and a music room added. The Holly prospered until 1974 when it was closed because the Diamondhead Corp., which then owned Pinehurst, lacked the necessary funds for extensive repairs.

During the next 10 years the Holly barely survived the wrecker's ball and only its national historic designation saved it from demolition.

New owners gave it a two-year, $4 million restoration, and the Holly reopened in 1986 as an 81-room inn. But the inn's future was secured in 1997 when it was bought by Club Corp of America, which spent $13 million remodeling and restoring the Holly to its one-time elegance.

The inn reappeared April 15, 1999, with 77 guest rooms and eight deluxe suites. What's more, its history and integrity were intact, and the Holly once again was the showplace of the picturesque New England-style village.

“We are proud of what was achieved in the restoration program,” said General Manager Kevin Ceneviva. “Our guests are high in their praise of the rooms, the service and the cuisine. We are off to an excellent start, and we have been almost fully booked since the grand opening.”

Pinehurst president Pat Corso agreed. “The Holly Inn expands the lodging options and offers a wide variety of outstanding amenities, including turn-down service, valet parking, concierge services, a library/business center, an outdoor pool and ample meeting space.”

Holly Inn guests may pre-book tee times on any of Pinehurst's eight golf courses, including the “brand new” No. 4 course that's nearly 80 years old. Like the Holly Inn, the course has been restored to its former prominence after a complete makeover by Tom Fazio of Hendersonville, the architect of Pinehurst's centennial course, No. 8.

“The course is all we hoped it would be and more,” Corso said. “Tom Fazio and his staff did a superb job in creating a beautiful and challenging course that is true to the Pinehurst tradition.”

At No. 4, Fazio found a course that was originally designed by the great Donald Ross around 1920, was lengthened by Robert Trent Jones in 1973 and redesigned by Rees Jones in 1983. Somewhere along the line the course lost much of its character and personality and was often described by players as “too hard to be enjoyable.”

Fazio used Ross' original routing except for three holes but old-timers will not recognize the “new” No. 4. He installed 180 bunkers, many of them of the pothole variety that dominate courses in Great Britain. There are 20 bunkers on the 9th hole alone, a straight-away par five that measures 522 yards from the tips. He made good use of the rolling terrain with hardpan sand waste areas, wire grass and a lake that comes into play on several holes.

“It will have some feel of the No. 2 course,” said Tom Marzlof, a Fazio senior design associate who oversaw much of the work on No. 4. “We didn't try to recreate a Ross course, but there will be challenges around the greens, an opportunity for bump and run shots and for putting up greenside slopes.”

With Bermuda tees and fairways and bentgrass greens, the No. 4 course will play 7,117 yards from the championship tees and 5,217 from the red tees. Par is 72.

Players will immediately be impressed with the lofty, panoramic view from the fourth tee from which you can see four holes and a five-acre lake. “I couldn't believe the spectacular beauty of the course,” said Charles Price, an advertising executive from Asheville. “Few courses anywhere can match it.”

Price said he liked the par threes. “Play those holes in par and you will have had a great day,” he said.

The course opened for limited play in mid-December and should be open at full throttle by February.

For more information, call 1-800-ITS-GOLF.