Explore The World Through Golf
Southern Pines in North Carolina

North Carolina

Southern Pines

Courses
3
From
$995
Best for
Buddies

Southern Pines — overview

Southern Pines is a classic Sandhills golf destination built around historic Donald Ross architecture, walkable golf-town energy, and easy access to Pinehurst-area courses. Anchored by Southern Pines Golf Club, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles, it delivers one of the most authentic golf trips in North Carolina without feeling like a large resort complex.

Courses
3 courses
Best months
March – May; September – November
Ideal length
3–5 days
From airport
1h 15m
Trips from
$995

Golf Courses at Southern Pines

North Carolina · Course 1

Southern Pines Golf Club

Holes
18
Par
71
Yards
6528
Est.
1906

Southern Pines Golf Club is a classic Donald Ross-designed course known for its rolling terrain and strategic layout, offering a challenging yet enjoyable experience for golfers of all skill levels.

Southern Pines Golf Club

North Carolina · Course 2

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

Holes
18
Par
71
Yards
7015
Est.
1927

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross, is a championship course that has hosted multiple U.S. Women's Open Championships, featuring wide fairways and challenging greens.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

North Carolina · Course 3

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6528
Est.
1921

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club is a timeless Donald Ross masterpiece, offering a traditional golf experience with its natural sandhills landscape and meticulously maintained greens.

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

Trip Packages at Southern Pines

Starting points. Everything is built around your dates, group size, and the courses you want to play.

Southern Pines Sandhills Golf Package

From $1,695 per golfer

A classic Sandhills itinerary built around Southern Pines Golf Club, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and optional nearby add-ons like Tobacco Road or Pinehurst-area courses. Ideal for groups that want historic Donald Ross golf, local restaurants, and a more flexible golf-town base.

All golf and lodging taxes and fees included. Excludes flights, airport transfers, and caddies. Rates subject to change.

Donald Ross Classics Weekend

From $995 per golfer

A shorter Southern Pines trip focused on the core Ross trio: Southern Pines Golf Club, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles. This is a strong long-weekend option for architecture-focused groups that want high-quality golf without overcomplicating the itinerary.

All golf and lodging taxes and fees included. Excludes flights, airport transfers, and caddies. Rates subject to change.

Golf Lifestyle

What to Expect at Southern Pines

Why visit

Southern Pines is ideal for golfers who want the Sandhills experience with a little more local character and flexibility than a single-resort stay. Southern Pines Golf Club, originally designed by Donald Ross in 1906 and restored by Kyle Franz in 2021, is the centerpiece, while nearby Mid Pines and Pine Needles add two more historic Ross layouts with lodging and stay-and-play infrastructure. The trip works especially well for architecture-focused groups because the golf is strategic, walkable, sandy, and old-school in the best way. Add in downtown Southern Pines, breweries, restaurants, and quick access to Pinehurst, Tobacco Road, and other regional courses, and it becomes one of the strongest pure-golf bases in the Southeast.

Accommodations

Southern Pines lodging is centered around boutique inns, golf resorts, cottages, vacation rentals, and nearby Pinehurst-area hotels. Pine Needles Lodge and Mid Pines Inn are the most natural stay-and-play options for groups focused on Southern Pines, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles.

Resort amenities

Southern Pines is less about one massive resort campus and more about a connected Sandhills golf ecosystem. Southern Pines Golf Club, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles give groups a strong Donald Ross core, with lodging, dining, practice, instruction, and stay-and-play options centered around the Ross Resorts properties.

  • Donald Ross golf core
  • Kyle Franz restorations
  • Stay-and-play lodging nearby
  • Walkable Sandhills courses
  • Downtown Southern Pines dining
Where to stay

3 hand-picked stays.

Each property is selected for proximity to the next round, the kind of evening that fits a long golf trip, and the feel we want for the group.

Resort01 / 03

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

Guest rooms and course-side lodges

Historic Sandhills golf lodge with guest rooms, course-side lodge options, dining, instruction, and direct access to Pine Needles plus sister-course access to Mid Pines and Southern Pines.

Best fit for groups that want the most complete stay-and-play setup in Southern Pines.

Included in package
Hotel02 / 03

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

Inn rooms

Historic inn and Donald Ross golf property in Southern Pines, offering classic golf-trip lodging, dining, and access to Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and Southern Pines Golf Club.

Strong option for groups that want a traditional golf inn feel and easy access to the Ross Resorts course lineup.

Included in package
VRBO03 / 03

Southern Pines Vacation Rentals

Rental home or cottage

Rental homes and cottages around Southern Pines and Pinehurst that work well for larger golf groups wanting shared living space, kitchens, and easier group logistics.

Best for buddies trips that prefer a house setup over traditional hotel rooms.

Included in package

Plan Your Trip to Southern Pines

Getting there

Southern Pines is about 68–69 miles southwest of Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), usually around 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Fayetteville Regional Airport (FAY) can also work depending on flight options, but most traveling golf groups use RDU and rent a car or arrange a shuttle.

Best time to visit
March through May and September through November are the best windows for Southern Pines, with comfortable temperatures, strong turf conditions, and peak Sandhills golf atmosphere. Summer is playable but hot and humid, while winter can offer value if your group is comfortable with cooler mornings.
Who it's best for
Best for buddies trips, golf architecture fans, Donald Ross purists, and groups that want classic Sandhills golf with access to Pinehurst without staying entirely inside Pinehurst Resort.
Address
290 Country Club Circle, Southern Pines, NC 28387
Season
Year-round
Course details
Southern Pines Golf Club is a historic Donald Ross design from 1906 restored by Kyle Franz in 2021. The broader Southern Pines trip typically includes Mid Pines and Pine Needles, both Donald Ross courses, plus optional Pinehurst-area add-ons.
Location
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Nearest airport
Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)
Trip style
Classic Sandhills Golf
Best for
Buddies trips, Golf architecture enthusiasts, Donald Ross purists, Pinehurst-area golf trips

Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Pines

What courses should be included on a Southern Pines golf trip?

The core Southern Pines lineup is Southern Pines Golf Club, Mid Pines, and Pine Needles. Many groups also add Tobacco Road, Pinehurst-area courses, or other Sandhills layouts depending on budget and availability.

Who designed Southern Pines Golf Club?

Southern Pines Golf Club was originally designed by Donald Ross in 1906 and restored by Kyle Franz in 2021.

Is Southern Pines separate from Pinehurst?

Yes. Southern Pines is its own town just minutes from Pinehurst, but the two are part of the same broader Sandhills golf region and are easy to combine on one trip.

Can you stay on property for a Southern Pines golf trip?

Southern Pines Golf Club itself does not operate a large on-course hotel, but sister properties Pine Needles Lodge and Mid Pines Inn offer strong stay-and-play lodging options nearby.

What is the best time to visit Southern Pines?

Spring and fall are the best seasons, especially March through May and September through November, when temperatures are comfortable and course conditions are typically strong.

Is Southern Pines good for buddies trips?

Yes. Southern Pines works very well for buddies trips because the golf is concentrated, the town has good restaurants and breweries, and groups can build flexible itineraries around classic Ross courses.

How far is Southern Pines from Raleigh-Durham International Airport?

Southern Pines is about 68–69 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, usually around 1 hour and 15 minutes by car.

Why is Southern Pines popular with golf architecture fans?

The area is known for historic Donald Ross architecture, sandy native terrain, walkable routing, restored green complexes, and a golf-first atmosphere that feels deeply connected to the Sandhills.

On the map

Where is Southern Pines?

3 lodging options

290 Country Club Circle, Southern Pines, North Carolina 28387, United States

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