Ask
the average Tar Heel golfer to name the great
Donald Ross courses in the Sandhills and he or
she likely will reel off Pinehurst No. 2, Pine
Needles, Mid Pines and some others of similar
stature not far behind.
It's unlikely that the
Southern Pines Elks Club will be included in many
such lists, but it should, according to members
of the North Carolina Magazine Golf Panel.
In balloting by the panel, the old Ross course,
which dates to 1906, was declared the best golf
course in North Carolina that hardly anyone's
ever heard of, a real “hidden gem.”
We had always figured
there are courses across the state that aren't
widely known because they're off the beaten path,
proud but under-promoted. They offer a
challenging round of golf at bargain prices.
To compile a list of
“hidden gems” to recommend to readers,
we asked the members of the Golf Panel to put on
their thinking caps. They came up with 25 courses
that received at least 20 ballot points. Most of
them aren't widely known to the golfing public
but a few are — some that rank in our elite
Top 100.
They stretch from the
coast to the mountains, meaning you won't have to
drive far to find one: Bald Head Island off the
coast from Wilmington, Hound Ears up in the
mountains in Blowing Rock and The Challenge in
Graham. Eight of the courses are in the
mountains, eight in Piedmont, five in the
Pinehurst area, and four on the coast.
Now, let's reacquaint
ourselves with the stately old Southern Pines
Elks Club. Ross started work on the course
shortly after he arrived in Pinehurst around the
turn of the century. He completed the first nine
holes in 1906, the second nine in 1912 and the
third around 1923.
Located just off
Morganton Road in Southern Pines, the course,
which had been a country club, was taken over by
the Elks in 1949. It's open to Elk Club members
and guests.
Although the course has
had its ups and downs over the years, it has
always provided a golfing thrill in true Ross
fashion. Two of the state's best-known players,
Billy Joe Patton and Harvie Ward, have long
regarded the course as a favorite.
“I will put our
Azalea and Bluebird nines up with the best,”
said Southern Pines Elks Club golf pro Bob Flynt.
“Both offer a variety of great holes and
interesting challenges.”
Flynt said extensive
work had been done on the course in the past few
years, including new cart paths, an irrigation
system, and Crenshaw bent grass on the greens.
Other panelists who
cited the Southern Pines Elks Club as their best
“hidden gem” include Peggy Kirk Bell,
whose Pine Needles resort is a next-door
neighbor; Jeff Dotson, another neighbor as the
pro at CCNC; Joe Gay, the pro at Tobacco Road in
Sanford; Charles Zeigler Jr., the Public Service
Gas Co. executive; and Dave Droschak, the
Associated Press sports writer.
Second on the panel's
list of “hidden gems” is the Mt.
Mitchell course, near Burnsville. It lies in the
shadow of North Carolina's tallest mountain and
offers scenic splendor and demanding shots. Its
enthusiasts included Les Stradley, the pro at the
Country Club of Asheville, Lee Pace, Sally
Austin, Charles Price, Tim Peeler, Don Bryant and
Bill McCord.
Keith Hills in Buies
Creek, the Campbell University course, came in
third. In the spring when the azaleas are in
bloom, Keith Hills is one of the most beautiful
spots on earth. Fourth was Red Fox in Tryon,
followed by Wilmington Municipal.
Look over the list below
and pick out a “hidden gem” near you.
You could be in for a delightful adventure on
some little known turf.
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