Southern State of Golf
A podcast dedicated to all things Golf in the South - courses, resorts, logos, food, travel, & more! Follow @SSofGolf on social media and email your favorite southern golf things to John at southernstateofgolf@gmail.com.
Southern State of Golf
Short Course Episodes: North Carolina Golf
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
John & Robby discuss some of their favorite courses in North Carolina and the much longer list of the ones they want to play!
⛳️ Join the BestBall Golf Club - https://patreon.com/bestballgolfclub
Follow the Southern State of Golf
Interested in sponsoring the Southern State of Golf? Email info@bestball.com.
The Southern State of Golf is a member of the BestBall podcast family.
Welcome to the Southern State of Golf Podcast. Hi, I'm your host, John, and we're excited for just another episode of the Southern State of Golf Podcast. And it's been a while. I had an unintended little bit of a break. Uh, had a career change. I moved from being a high school athletic director to now an assistant commissioner with our South Carolina High School League, and life just got really busy all of a sudden. We moved in our youngest daughter uh into the University of South Carolina, and so it was like ending one job, starting another job, you know, going on vacation in the middle of that, and then sending the youngest off to college, and of course, to our oldest actually went off to college, but she's not as been as busy. But it's excited to, I'm excited to just get back in talking golf. And today I'm excited to be joined by Robbie from the Whole Story Podcast. Robbie, how are you doing today, ma'am?
SPEAKER_01Uh I am well, yes. You have had a busy last uh month or so, and it's it's good to uh get back together just to talk and share some golf stories and uh hear what's going on with you. And um yeah, excited for uh excited for both your girls. Now you got a you got the empty house now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know, empty house. Except we've still got two little dogs here that um you know they they might make an appearance on the podcast before we're all said and done. Um you might hear them. Uh hopefully we'll see if they can uh keep it together. But yeah, man, Robbie, you're a celebrity, man. You've been traveling, hosting big time guests on the Whole Story Podcast and interviewing big time people. Tell us what do you got going on with the Whole Story Podcast right now?
SPEAKER_01Oh man, um, as far as guests, yeah, we we were honored to interview Jim Furick and Billy Draddy to talk about the upcoming President's Cup um and just the work that B. Drady and Zero Restriction, the the folks at Summit Golf Brands, um, they are the official apparel providers for both the U.S. and international team. Jim Furick is a vice captain for this team. He's also, I mean, he was the last President Cup captain, but he's also now the Ryder Cup captain for next year at Adair Manor. So it was it was really cool to have an opportunity to chat with him. Uh, I mean, all our guests are great, um, just whether they've won majors or FedEx Cups or or what. Um, but we've had uh we've had some great guests. We've got some we've got some pretty good ones coming up. Uh I won't I won't spill the beans here, but we've got some pretty cool ones coming up as well. But yeah, I've been able to do a little travel. Uh, my son and I, he was doing an internship with Young Life in Missouri and and just flew out with him or flew out to drive back with him, but before we hit really hit the road, we stopped and played at Big Cedar Lodge for a couple days and got to check out that cool place. So highly recommend. And I guess since since Missouri is in the Southeastern Conference, they can be qualified, I guess, as a uh as a southern state that you can you can talk about and share the share the experience there.
SPEAKER_00I absolutely we'll certainly include it. That's one of those resorts that I can't say I ever really wanted to go to Missouri, but I certainly want to go to Missouri for this. So I look forward. I know you'll be putting some content out on your trip. And let me ask this before we can move on. Was there any wagers placed during this father-son thing, or was this all strictly just fun?
SPEAKER_01Uh, no wagers. I mean, you know, granted, he he'd been working in a in a at Young Life all summer, and so I think he might have gone and hit. He played the par three there once. Uh, they have a couple par threes at at Big Cedar. So he went with another friend and played it once, but he hasn't really played much. Uh, and thankfully I've been able to play a little bit more than that. And so uh I didn't want to make him bet anything. I I you know, I don't really bet on the golf course. So well, we it was I can't even remember what we shot, either one of us, but we had some laughs and we uh we had a good time. It was great to be with him after being apart for a couple months.
SPEAKER_00Well, I know that had been an awesome experience, and we look forward to seeing more, hear more about it. But you know, today's episode, we're gonna talk about North Carolina golf in general. You know, I've done some different previews, talking about different courses. The state of North Carolina, man, it is so good. The golf in North Carolina is so, so good. I mean, I'm a South Carolina guy. I love South Carolina through and through. I'm gonna pull for our state, even against the logic. But if you had to put South Carolina golf versus North Carolina golf, I was like, man, North Carolina golf's pretty, pretty doggone good. How do you feel about North Carolina golf?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they have a lot. And you know, since you asked me to jump on with you, I kind of went down the rabbit trail of where have I played and where do I want to play. And you're right, there are there's a number of courses on both lists. I've been fortunate to play uh a handful of great courses, uh, but my bucket list for North Carolina uh far exceeds what I have already played. You know, it's hard to compare it to South Carolina because right now I think South Carolina's just in such a boom of new courses that maybe we're just trying to play catch-up, although there are a lot of historic courses, especially like in the low country uh for South Carolina that would probably rival some of the historic, well-known uh clubs, I would say, of North Carolina.
SPEAKER_00No, I absolutely, you know, the one thing I like uh about North Carolina golf, and we'll talk about this as we go on, when I was making my list of the top 10 that I want to play, I had half of them are public courses and half of them are private courses. You know, I think sometimes states, when I've done these lists, it's been more heavy private than public, but this is one where man, there's some outstanding public options for you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. It's there are a number of great public private. Um, there's some kind of hole in the walls that uh some people know about that others might not. So yeah, I'm curious to hear what uh what you might have on your list.
SPEAKER_00Well, as we go, as I was going through and preparing for this, I was looking at it and made a list, and then I'd go through and see another course. I was like, man, I didn't know about that. That looks great. And you know, then it's uh it's funny how that that happens sometimes. Well, let's start a little bit with maybe some of the courses that we've all already played. Uh, you know, when you think of some of your, you know, I'm gonna go through five of my favorite courses I've played. And I'm gonna start with an honorable mention uh on this list of one that I've played, so I guess it's six, but we're gonna honorable mention. I'm gonna throw the cradle in there, the part three course there at Pinehurst. And, you know, I I when we played it this past summer, it was it was just such a cool thing. And I know one of the things we talked about with our group, and we used a phrase that I kind of hate this phrase, but it's true. It's such a vibe. I mean, it was it was such a vibe just to go out there and play a par three course with the cradle crossing there kind of in the middle. Um, even I even played one core, one of the holes barefooted. And I don't do anything barefooted, but I know Jonathan, I think, probably loves to do that type of stuff, but that's not me, but I loved it. So I thought that was really cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I got to do the cradle. We we took a best ball trip there, I guess last summer, and yes, Jonathan was barefoot on the cradle, uh, as were a number of the people on our trip, but um yeah, really, really cool course. And I will throw out, I did recently go play the matchbox. I don't know if you're gonna put that on your bucket list, but the matchbox there at Tobacco Road is really cool. I wouldn't I wouldn't do that one barefooted because you're you are walking through the woods a lot more than you would be at the cradle, but it's uh it's a really cool little short par three course as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you're teeing that up. That that is not that is gonna be on the list down the road to talk about. Well, give me a course, one of your courses that you played that you loved. If you've got a particular order, I try to, I'm gonna go five to one. What about you?
SPEAKER_01Uh you know, it's hard to pick uh a top five. Um so I I don't know where I'll start. I oh man, I let's go number five. I'll say, man, just to separate a little bit, I'll do give me Tot Hill Farms. I I got to I got to play that one recently. Uh so I'll I'll throw that one on number five. Uh up in Sanford, North Carolina. Um good friend does a lot of the marketing stuff for them, uh Robbie Wooten. And Tot Hill's just uh it's great. Um you know, Mike Strant's design, it's it's some call it gimmicky or quirky. Uh I love it because it makes you hit uh hit good shots, it makes you think a little bit, it allows you to be creative. Um and so yeah, it's uh it's a good course. Uh if you haven't played it, I would highly recommend it.
SPEAKER_00Oh no, that's certainly one I want to play. And for me, I I am gonna have a heavy Pinehurst flavor here, but number five for me is Pinehurst number four. I that was the course that we played on our last day at Pinehurst, and I I absolutely loved it. I mean, I I loved it. I mean, I actually I even played pretty well. It was one of my best rounds I I've ever had, and it was it was just a a lot of fun. I mean, of course, I think any course that we played at Pinehurst was was gonna be really good. So what do you got at number four on your list? Or if you got a number four.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, number four, I will put I'll I'll go tobacco road. I'll stick with the Mike Strance thing. I'll I'll do Tobacco Road there. Um I it's a another fun course, requires some shots. I've only played, I've only played Tot Hill now twice. I've only played Tobacco Road once, but absolutely loved it. Um ready to go back. Uh, you know, I did mention that I got to play the matchbox there at Tobacco Road, did not play the the big course this time, but it's it's one that I would highly recommend to anybody. Um and it's a it's public, right? So you can go book your tea time, uh find one and and book your tea time, go play it, just and enjoy uh the creativity that Mike Strangers. He's only got what seven or eight courses that he ever did before he he passed too soon. And it's uh I don't know, something you just really appreciate his style whenever you get to play one of his courses. So I I love tobacco road.
SPEAKER_00I I do as as well. And I actually had Tobacco Road at number three. Um it was I I love it. I played it probably two two years ago in December. That was one where I had the most unique foresome. I had a lady and a guy couple that brought their two Cavalier King Charles in the car. We there was a another guy with his his with his wife who had like their two or three month-old or six-month-old baby. Man, we just I had a blast. I mean, it was so different. I absolutely love it. Give me a Mike Strands course any day of the week. And I I had a tremendous time. I love it. Now, the shocker of this is what I actually probably got at number four. Number four is Pinehurst number two. Whoa, all right. Yes, and and I'm not this is not me trying to say what's the best course. I'm not trying to be a golf guy that this design's better than that, but and and that doesn't that's gonna sound like wow. I if you were to ask me tomorrow if I could go play with the fellas, Tobacco Road, Pinehurst number two, I actually would rather go play Tobacco Road than Pinehurst number two. And that's not that's not a knock on number two. It's a not it's more of a tribute to what I think you know tobacco road is a little bit, but I I enjoyed it. Now, uh if we were to look at things in high school, I played so bad when we played number two that maybe that influenced the decision. I I'm sure it did. If I played well, I mean I still remember tobacco or number two, I want to say it was hole 15, it was a par three, and I was the only one of our group group to put it on the green, and then I proceeded to four putt, not three, four putting that wasn't so funny. Like it, like I was I I remember telling myself one of my goals, I just wanted a putt for a deuce coin. That's all I wanted. I didn't want much, I just wanted a putt. Well, I got the putt. You got your putt. I got the putt, and then three more after that. It was awful. And I uh but anyway, you know, I really enjoyed number two, but I in in part of me there's the competitive part of me because I did play much better after that at Pinehurst. I want to kind of go back, but yeah, I put I put uh number four or number two at number four and then tobacco road at number three. So I know it's a little bit a little bit of a surprise, but what what do you got at number three?
SPEAKER_01Uh number three, I will put I'll put uh Pinehurst number ten on there.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_01I I love it. Like I wish I wish I could have like a 1A through E. Like I I love it that much. I think number 10's awesome. I'm really excited about number 11 coming up. But yeah, number 10, I'll only got to play it once. And it's just it's big and and bold, and I just I think it's I don't know, one of the great courses, um, great new courses in the southeast, in the country in the last, I don't know, number of years. So I really, really like number 10.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's my number two course. I mean, I loved everything about it. I think our entire group, we had, I think I believe seven of us um in our group. We all agreed we played number two, ten, four, and seven. I think we all pretty much agreed if we could only play one more course again, we would play number ten over number two. You know, because we just had that that good of a time. It kind of gave me a little bit of tree farm old Barnwell vibes where it just kind of laid back. You know, I I'm a I'm wearing the hat now with the logo. I'm a huge fan of the logo with number 10. You know, the the you know, the the food there was really good. We had a great dinner or lunch there. We had a great breakfast. The breakfast buffet there was really good, like the southwest. I had some type of southwest waffle, honey, I don't know, whatever it was. It was it was really, really good. But you know, number 10, you're right. I could I could do that all day long. I we all want to go back when I know they're building some um some lodges or rooms or some cabins right there. I think that would be really good, really cool. Now is number number 10 is is or number 11 coming? Is it gonna be a part of that area as well? Is that what they're doing?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's gonna be a part of the the what they call the sandmines area, I believe. And it's uh yeah, kind of right right in that area. So you'll be able to go to that one clubhouse, I believe, and and get to both courses. And now the clubhouse was not built, it was like a week or two away from opening when we were there last summer. Uh, and so I would love to go back just to just to check that out. They were in temporary locations. Uh did get uh did get a towel and a hat. Um, but yeah, it was um yeah, I'm I'm excited about number 11. Pictures I've seen, uh, our friend Matt Gibson that does all the social uh content and videos and stuff. Like he he's been showing it off really nice.
SPEAKER_00Oh no, I I absolutely love it. All right, well, what's what's number number two on your list?
SPEAKER_01Uh number two, I've gotten to play it uh a few weeks ago is pine needles. Um yeah, it's uh one of those courses in the pines kind of grouping there in the Southern Pines area. You've got mid pines, southern pines, and pine needles. I have played mid pines. If I had enough room on my list, that would have been on there. I have not played Southern Pines, but Pine Needles is is my number two. I just I thought it was a great old school course. Uh we stayed in the pine needles lodge, so we got to overlook everything. But the the course itself is it fits that Pinehurst Southern Pines area where you got tall pine trees everywhere, um, a lot of uh sand uh around the fairways and up near the greens and stuff like that, but just the design of it is really special. Uh, and just to give a quick shout out to uh another course that's somewhat associated with them called Whispering Pines that will be coming. They're working on it now, and it will be reopening for play, I think late September, October time frame. Uh, it won't be in that same cluster of those three courses, but a lot of the same people that are involved with those are involved with Whispering Pines, but it's gonna be uh it's always been a public course, so it's been the one that more locals and people can go play, and it's gonna remain that way. So we talked about earlier the public-private thing. So shout out to the folks at Whispering Pines. I'm excited to go check that out.
SPEAKER_00That sounds awesome. And so I've got to take it. Number one for you's gotta be number two, then.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I it was hard not to pick number two, and I've only got to play it twice. Uh, I did while I was while you were talking, I did look and find my deuce coin.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah. Uh the the old two on two there, if you can see it. Um that got that on number nine, long par three. You know, I I don't know if I played well either time. I think it's more the intimidation factor. Like you're you're there and you're like, all right, I gotta play well and you're stressed out. And um, you know, just I didn't play that great, and but I I loved it. Like it's it's so classic, it's so historic. Um, Donald Ross did an incredible job. It seems so simple, yet it will, you know, punch you in the face while you're playing it. So the fact that I actually uh hit the green on nine and I probably had a seven, eight foot putt, and my hands were shaking so much because, like you, I'm like, I just wanted to putt at it, and somehow the ball found the bottom of the cup. Um, and I was the only one in our big group that were what was there that got one. So walking into the bar, I mean, it's funny, they must have people walk in there and either have them have two on two or just make it up. Uh the bartender kind of turned around and grab grabbed a coin out of the cup and said, here you go. Um, so I'm not encouraging people to lie to go do it, but uh, if you actually get a two on number two, do it for sure.
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely. That that that's really cool. Like I said, I just wanted a pot. Like I said, I got four of them, but that that is awesome. I I do want to give it another shot. Like I part of me wants wants to I I I just know I could do a little bit better on it. But you know, there is intimidation factor.
SPEAKER_01We all we always think that, right? Like we we get there and I'm like, all right, today's the day.
SPEAKER_00And um, I've had my days where I didn't necessarily think today was the day. I didn't think that when I stepped on number two that day. I then maybe that was part of the problem. It wasn't like, nah, today ain't the day. I just hoped that today was gonna have a couple of uh holes that were pretty good. Well, my number one for me, I got an opportunity to play last uh November was Old Town Club in Winston-Salem. You know, we had a group of four of us that went there, and you know, we were a uh it it was uh just a tremendous experience. It it was an old school vibe club that just their service, like I was a little nervous when you go to a private club that's well ranked, well thought of. Like, I don't want to be out of place, I don't want to feel out of place, I don't want to mess up anything, but everybody there was so nice and welcoming. We didn't even have a member in our group, we were reciprocal play of uh, you know, of another member that was there, and it just they were so kind to us, let us use their locker room, and it was an old school locker room. I think dudes were in the back, they might have been smoking, playing cards, you know, just it it, you know, walk up. There's an Arnold Palmer locker and all these, you know, famous people lockers, and you just felt like you were in a pr a really prestigious place. It's a Perry Maxwell design that I don't think he moved a whole lot of earth when he made it. And the fact that it is kind of in the middle of downtown Winston-Salem, even though you can't really you've got to look certain areas to even see that you're near a city. You know, it felt like an old school golf club with a lot of you know upscale amenities that I thought the logo was cool. It just they were really hospitable. And you know, part of that too was I didn't play well that day either. That was another thing. It was not, I don't even know if I ended up with a score. I'm pretty sure it did not go into any of my official scoring that day. But it was just a it was an awesome course. And I would that's one of those that anybody gets an opportunity to play, you just go say yes. You just say, Yep, let's let's go do it. So that was a you know, very blessed to play that, you know. And part of that was we had a good group of people that we played. And we always talk about in this podcast and yours and the golfers people, and you know, I think that was what made it a a great experience. So I'm excited about that. Well, let's I love it. I and I actually think there's a little we're trying to shake the cat the shake things a little bit, try to go back in November. We want to stir that one back up again. Hoping we'll get back out there. Well, let's talk about some of the courses we want to play in North Carolina. I mean, this, you know, sometimes when I do these with these different states, you know, I'm kind of reaching on some of them where I'm I don't want to say I'm not guessing, but I man, there I left so many really, really good ones off this list that we just couldn't talk about. And I say these are courses that I want to play. And then there's not one of them trying to tell people they're the best or anything like that, because you know how. I haven't really, I don't think either one of us mentioned too many of the I I haven't even played much mountain golf up there yet. I've got a couple of courses on this list, but I'm gonna start with a little bit of an honorable mention for me, of course, that I want to play. I want to play, and you talk about the matchbox. I I I so want to play that. I mean, anything with Mike Strants, sign sign me up. I I certainly want to play it. Um when you're playing it, and I'm gonna ask you, when you're playing the matchbox, did it feel like it was a Mike Strant's type of course, or was it kind of its own little thing?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, uh the crew that designed it um worked with Mike and so a lot of influence there. Um so it, you know, it does feel like that, but you know, being a short course where every hole is somewhere in that uh 40 to 90 yard range, like there's only so much you can do, right? Like you can't have too many blind shots and stuff like that. It is a course that, you know, it's all synthetic T-boxes and greens. And after the first hole or two, you don't even think about it because you kind of get used to the uh a little bit of a first stiff bounce, firm bounce, but it's it's playable and they've gotten, they've designed it very well to where slopes and things like that you can play off of. Now, if you miss, you're gonna be in the pine straw and you might be punching. Even some of the T-shots, though, like they have them between trees where it might be like a 10-foot gap. And so you have to kind of thread the needle. But I think that's just what's so cool about it is that they took uh property that they had around tobacco road and said, hey, let's do something fun, let's do something unique. And I think they nailed it. I think it's uh a grey thing. And I, you know, it's funny, I've seen some people comment because, you know, a few weeks back is when they had the a lot of the media out, and so so many people were out there posting and and talking about uh, you know, go at a great experience, but there are a lot of people that commented that, like, oh, 75 bucks for a what is it, a 12-hole par three on fake grass? Like, no way I'm not doing that. I can play this and this and this, and it's like y'all are missing the point. Like, you know, it's supposed to be one of those grab your friends, go out, have a good time, get your kids out there, go play. Like, it is a fun course, a great addition to Tobacco Run.
SPEAKER_00And that's I love golf when it's can be a little bit different and complementary to other golf. I'm a huge fan of short courses, par threes. I love it. I that's one of those I can't wait to play. And I also want to encourage people to go to bestball.com and you scroll down to golf stories. There is a great article on there. No itinerary required for truce from an impromptu trip. Um, you know, I I love that article. It was written by Brandon Smith, you know, guest contributor. I I think it was a fantastic read.
SPEAKER_01No, Brandon, yeah, Brandon went with me. So we that's where we and it's funny, you you read the article and you can you can kind of know who Brandon is. Like I said, hey, got an opportunity to go do the matchbox. Do you want to go with me? And he said yes. And then a little bit later he's like, Do you want to go up a day early and and play pine needles? I'm like, sure. And so, you know, tacked on one of so it was kind of a I'll let you read the article, but yes, Brandon, one of the best people in the world. And um it's it's always a joy to get to travel with him or or go play golf with him wherever, uh, just because he's yeah, he's one of the best, but he did an incredible job. Kind of an unsolicited thing um that he he wrote it and said, Hey, you can do it with this, what you want, but it was it was perfect, so we wanted to share it uh through the best ball channels.
SPEAKER_00It was great. It's a great story. I encourage people to go get it. Bestball.com, scroll down. Great, great article. I I loved it. Made me want to go go to uh matchbox even even more so and just an impromptu trip. I think stuff like that is so cool. Let's go into some of the other courses that I want to play. I'll go through a couple, then you can go through a couple. You know, I had number, you know, and I'll put these in a little bit of an order. I might switch these up. I got number 10 for me, Pinehurst number three. Okay. I for me, I I'm I'm a I'm a short course type of fan when it's not as long. Like tell is one of those you're telling me there's a chance. The the shorter the yardage, the better chance that I have of maybe being good. Um, you know, we didn't get an opportunity to play it, but I also think the flag is a little cool, the little triangle with the three in the middle, just subtle difference. That that is something that I I just I want to try it. I think there's only is a par 68 from the.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, something like that. Uh something like that. I I have played that one a couple times. I love it. Um, I think it's fun. I one of our friends says it's bad because he couldn't hit his driver everywhere. I'm like, you can definitely hit your driver if you want, but I mean he crushes his driver. And I just I think it's uh it's really cool. If I would suggest if anybody's going to Pinehurst on a on a buddy's trip and you're going to play number two, play number three first. Like it's a great warm-up. Um the greens are somewhat similar, uh, you know, even though it's a short course, like there's a lot of character and slope on those things. And so it's a uh it's a it's a really cool, uh, like you said, really cool short course. Highly recommend.
SPEAKER_00And that's what we tried to do when we went. We tried to get number three the day when we've the day before we played number two, but it just wasn't available. So I encourage people to check that out. I can't wait to. Number nine on my list was Pine Needles, Lodge and Golf Club. I I you know, another, I think five of the ten courses on my list here are Donald Ross designs. Go figure from North Carolina. But it just looks it looks amazing. I think the whole all those different properties there. I mean, I think it was laid out in the early 1920s, 1927. It just it looks like a really cool place.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, you heard you heard me talking about it earlier. It it ranks high on my list. I would highly recommend getting up there and doing it for sure.
SPEAKER_00What's a couple that you want to play?
SPEAKER_01I mean, there's a lot, a lot more than I have played. Um, you mentioned Old Town Club. That one's high up on my list. Um, I've wanted to get there for a while, just haven't done it. Um and so that one's high up on my list. Probably my my my number one on the list would be Wade Hampton. That one just looks incredible. I'm sure it's probably on yours as well. I like you, I haven't played a ton of mountain golf. And um so a lot of these courses are kind of in that mountainous area. So those are those are a couple that are probably at the top of the list of uh of I really want to go try to play there.
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely. Those are certainly very high up there. And of course, really for me, I should have said, you know, when I was doing these, number eight is Southern Pines, number seven is mid pines. So when you put you put all those right together, you add pine needles, southern pines, mid pines.
SPEAKER_01You can knock all those off in one weekend.
SPEAKER_00One week. I mean, is it I'm trying to think, is there another place in America where you can go have such a great time at the Pinehurst Resort, and then less than 30 miles away, do a whole nother trip with such high-level courses?
SPEAKER_01It's it's less than that. It's like two minutes away. Like they are they are that close. I mean, 30 minutes away, then you're talking tobacco road. Yeah. An hour away, you're talking Tah Hill Farms. Like that area is loaded, not just loaded with uh with good golf courses, they are loaded with great golf courses. So yes, that's that's a special area.
SPEAKER_00Do you do you think it's fair to say pine needles, southern pines, and mid pines, if they were anywhere else, they would probably be better thought of or more thought of than where you know, because they're in the shadow of say Pinehurst number two, or is that just I think that's a fair question.
SPEAKER_01Um probably. I but I I think I think people that know golf know how good they are, uh, you know. Yeah, but you know, when you're competing against what you know what they uh would describe the American home of golf, like it it's tough, right? That's your neighbor, but I think they embrace it. I think there's plenty of people that uh go to play just those courses, and I think um I I think they can stand on their own for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, they they look amazing. It's one of those I I can't wait to get out there and and try it sometime. Also high up on my list is Roaring Gap Club. You know, it looks like it's an amazing, you know, kind of a mountainous area. It's kind of got that you know old charm feel to it. You know, it's another Donald Ross design, you know, but you know, far probably a vastly different feel than what you get in the Pinehurst Southern Pines area. That's certainly one that I want to try try. You know, you've already mentioned it's high, this is super high on my list. This is probably higher on my list than probably the rankings deserve or give it is Todd Hill Farms, as you talked about earlier. I just like I I put that as like a number four on my list of North Carolina ones that I want to play. Because anything with Mike Shots, I want to play it. And it's interesting. Like I when I was looking at different rankings that people put out, that one is probably vastly different on so many different ones. Some people have it kind of high, and some people I mean, there was one place that had it like number 70 in North Carolina, and I was like, ah, come on. I mean, I I love the Mike Strands.
SPEAKER_01Maybe that's an old list.
SPEAKER_00I mean, maybe it is. Like I saw it, I kept looking, I was like, they maybe they just had they got when they teed off, they got stuck behind a rock or something. Um it'll happen. I know that's uh Tom Doak had a quote on there in one of his books that said, some people call it tobacco road with rocks, but rocks don't go nearly as well with golf as sand. And yeah, you know, of course, I I think that I think that is such an awesome thing. Another one I want to play at, and this is a newer course, and I've heard a lot about it, I haven't heard a lot of people play it, the Dormy Club, you know, by Cor and Crenshaw. Do you know much about that course?
SPEAKER_01I do. And if I, you know, if if the list was best experience, right, that would be the top of my list. Because I did get to play it back in May, I believe. Uh I got to go for like a two, three-day uh trip to go to the dormy club. They absolutely nail hospitality, right? The golf is amazing, right? I I don't want to sell that short, but they nail everything, hospitality. Like you show up, they grab your clubs, you don't touch them the whole time, you're there, you have a golf cart to drive to your little cottage that you have your own room, facilities in the cottages are great. The meals that they provide are unreal, John. Like, I I can't even like it. Makes me hungry while I sit here thinking about them, but it also reminds me that I probably gained like 10 pounds while I was there because it's you know, they're they're feeding a host of people, whoever's there, and it's kind of a captive thing. And we talked to Howie Hutchinson um about the Dormy Network Foundation. They kind of clued us into the model of the Dormy properties that they have, and it's like 60 beds on site, and so you you're you've got a captive audience of a smaller group of people. It's not like you know, a Pinehurst or Southern Pines where they're running numbers and numbers of people through. It's it's a smaller group of people, and you are just you are loved on and served on so well by um by the golf staff, by the food staff, by the caddies, by you know, everybody there, uh, the lodging. And and it's if you put if you said, hey, rank the golf experience in North Carolina, dormy club's number one for me.
SPEAKER_00See, for me, that's a big I'm glad that you hear you say that. I mean, that I'm not a golf purist, so to me, I know there's certain people when you talk about their experience on a golf course for them, it is all about the grass, the bunkers, all that for me. The experience is such a big thing. And it just looks like a really cool thing, cool little logo, too. And I I'm just also a big fan of anything that uh you know, core and crenshaw do. Like I it's one of those that you can just say this is a core and crenshaw course. Okay, I want to play it. Yeah, this is kind of the way I feel about it.
SPEAKER_01And again, and and again, the golf course is really, really good. Like I love it.
SPEAKER_00You know, now you're kind of making me think that I've I've I probably should have put that higher on my list. Number two, and it's one that I think gets bashed a little bit uh in North Carolina or around golf is the Quail Hollow Club. You know, but for me, I want to play it because of the history of you know being a you know uh truest championship uh place. It's hosted a couple of PGA championships, hosted the President's Cup back in 2022. You know, it's just one that you always see on TV. You know, I think some people I may be in critical, call it sterile for certain events, but I think I I think it would be awesome to play it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I it it's on my list of of would love to play it someday. Um yeah, it it looks great. I mean, I I don't know if it would be it'd be in a top 10 probably for sure of wanting to play, but I there's so many good ones that I I have yet to play that it uh it'd be on there, but it wouldn't be it wouldn't be near the top.
SPEAKER_00You know, uh more I think I might even just I might just do an audible and we'll at least put you know put the the dormy club above it. What you just said just sold me enough to I need to rank that just go ahead and switch mid mid uh podcast up there.
SPEAKER_01Hello, we'll we'll make the switch for you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, make make that switch there. Do that fancy editing you do. Well now tell me some what are some other courses in North Carolina you want to play? Because I know there's so many good ones out there. I I'd love to hear what else you got.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, some that just you know doing my research and being like, oh, I've heard so many great things about it. Diamond Creek, uh Forest Creek, Old Chatham, uh Eagle Point over in uh over on the coast in um uh Wilmington. Like they they hosted what they hosted the Wells Fargo or whatever one year when they had the the PGA, I think, at at Qualhala. So Eagle Point, you know, Mountaintop. Um I have not played number four at Pinehurst. Uh so I would love to do that one. Sedgefield, I mean, there's so many that um that I want to play. So it's it's hard. Waynesville Inn, like have you ever played that one?
SPEAKER_00No, but I saw that on the list. Yeah, I was like, this is really good.
SPEAKER_01I mean, this looks I mean I've I've gone fly fishing in Waynesville, and but I I I would much rather at this point want to go play golf instead.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, uh went up to through cut through the mountains sometime not terribly long ago, and then I just saw this was a golf course. I had no idea what it was on the side. I was like, that looks really cool. But you know, number one for me on my list, I think you had it number one in yours, you know, is the Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cassius, North Carolina. That's just that's one of those where I I I try to keep my ears open. Like if anybody thought wants to throw an invite out there, yes, sir, I I will be there.
SPEAKER_01John and John and Robbie will be happy to come join you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. We would I would it would be an honor. I mean, it looks really, really cool. I mean, you know, just uh it when you see rankings to me in North Carolina, to me, there's three courses that are kind of consistently at the top. Number two, the Wade Hampton Club and Old Town Club. It seems like you sometimes you'll they'll interchange those three a little bit. So I yeah, sign sign us up. Mountain golf. I I don't know if I've ever really played a true mountain course. I don't I don't think I have. And I just think that would be, you know, especially this heat that we're having here in the South and South Carolina, 100 degree weather. I think it'd be fantastic to go play somewhere with some 60s or 50s one day.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I don't I don't know if it'd be 60 or 50, but at least it might be in the 80s, which would be uh something different.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well I I think there's such a great list of of you like I said, I know there's you know, hey, I'd love to hear from you as a guest. Please let us know you know some other courses that we may be missing that are some high-level courses. Please shoot me an email, southernstate of golf at gmail.com. Hit me up on Instagram at SS of Golf. I'd certainly love to have your comments. And you know, I we I'm I'm always looking for great courses and even I got I got one for you though.
SPEAKER_01I don't know if you've I don't know if you've played it. So we used to do a trip with a bunch of guys from church, and we'd go up just north of Myrtle Beach, just get into North Carolina, we'd stay in the Calabash area, and one of our favorite courses every year was River's Edge. Have you heard of that one?
SPEAKER_00I have heard of that one.
SPEAKER_01In in Shalot, North Carolina, it is amazing. Like it's you know, public golf course, it you know, it probably doesn't rank anywhere on these, you know, compared to these other ones, but I love the design, the layout, and like they've got some holes that you know, cutting around the water, like the ocean or the marsh or whatever, that are really cool. So if you ever get a chance and you want to go play something fun, go to River's Edge in Chalote, North Carolina.
SPEAKER_00All right. I'm gonna go ahead and pencil that one in my Myrtle Beach trip next year. Uh oh River's Edge. Because I I actually was looking at that one this year, but I I I couldn't get a tea time I wanted, ended up going playing the thistle up in North Carolina and stuff, which was still a really, really good course. But River's Edge is one of those in that area. I have not had an uh an opportunity to uh to play. Well, tell us right before we let you go today, what what's what you got so many things that you can share coming up on with the with Best Ball or you know, any of the other good podcasts. You know, I one of the podcasts I just listened to that's you know a few weeks old was Bob Gillespie. I love listening to that, hear him talk. Uh, you know, man, you talking about South Carolina golf, he he certainly certainly has it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we um so we're doing a trip with the Best Ball Golf Club in November. Uh we're taking a small group of folks to the Aiken area. We're gonna do Old Barnwell and uh maybe a few other spots around there. So that that's cool, that'll be fun. You know, podcast lineups loaded. I was telling somebody today that we're recording now for October, and so that's that's rock and roll. We will hit episode 200 in early September for the whole story, and so that's pretty fun. It's hard to believe that we are at that point already. Um, but we've got yeah, we've got I've got some trips coming up that will be fun. Going to see uh Wild Spring Dunes out in Texas, a new um Sanborn uh project, same folks that did the uh rodeo dunes out in Texas, the Michael Kaiser Jr. uh of the Dream Golf uh fame. Uh it's one of his properties. So doing that, and yeah, just got some other other fun stuff, great stories to tell, but it's again, it's all about the people you get to do it with and stuff like this, getting to hang out with you talking golf. That's what's that what that's what makes it fun for us.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, and that's what makes it fun for me. It's always great to be able to talk with you, Robbie, and everybody else we can have on the podcast. I'd encourage people to go to bestball.com, check out all the great lineup of podcasts and different guests that people offer. Man, this is some really high-level guests, great stories, good things to tell.
SPEAKER_01Well, I one one other thing it made me think of uh so one thing we are gonna do new on, and I'm gonna need to get you on here at some point on the whole story is Jonathan and I, we just started doing, and this was inspired by uh my son Archie as we were making the long road trip back from Big Cedar. He said, Hey, let's let's do some snake drafts, let's pick up random topics and do snake drafts on stuff. And so Jonathan and I started, and we're gonna bring on different guests like yourself, we'll have on, and we'll just we'll pick a topic in the world of golf and we'll do snake drafts and we'll talk about it, we'll laugh, we'll cut up, and so we're we're gonna do those are gonna be kind of a mini-series spun off of the whole story. So wherever you find the whole story, you can find this one as well. First one drops tomorrow, and you'd be surprised to know that our first uh our first snake draft revolved around snacks on the golf course.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I love it. You gotta love those great teas set up there, and there's a lot of great stuff right there. And anything with food, to me, that's right at all the top of the list of me enjoying golf as well. I can certainly detract uh quality points from a golf course with bad food or no food. So, well, hey, Robbie, thank you so much for joining us again, and thank you all for listening to another episode of the Southern State of Golf Podcast.