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Has anyone played Tot Hill Farm GC or Tobacco Road GC and could comment on playability and enjoyment. Golf Digest rated both courses in the top 10 out of the 50 most difficult courses in America http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-cours...?currentPage=2
We would like to play either or both of the courses in the 2nd week in November.
I've played Tot Hill Farm once and Tobacco Road three times. Both are interesting Mike Stranz designs that I found to be a pleasure to play, but both might be considered "targetty" or "gimicky" depending on your preferences. My recollection is that Tot Hill Farm is a little more "traditional" in layout and is more remote in location (i.e. further from major cities and from the Pinehurst area) and thus is more affordable. Tobacco Road is relatively close to Pinehurst and so gets more play from package golfers, is better known, and thus is more expensive. If location and price are not big factors then I'd opt for Tobacco Road any day. It was always in great condition and is a more dramatic and memorable layout.
In terms of playability, both are more challenging than average and if you want to avoid frustration, don't bring your sleeves of new Pro V1's :) One of my buddies really dislikes Tobacco Road because of his propensity for losing balls there (and the "gimicky" nature of some holes) but we have been able to convince him to play there multiple times anyway because of the superior conditioning and dramatic landscape (big sand dunes in an old quarry). I just got back from a golf trip to Ireland and looking back found Tobacco Road to be one of the more similar North American courses to the great Irish links courses like Royal County Down and Ballybunion... even though Tobacco Road is no where near an ocean, has many more trees, and plays much softer than an Irish course. Many of the things that people don't like about Tobacco Road (a few blind shots over sand dunes, five irons or three woods off the tee on par 4s to find the right position, unfair bounces into deep rough, massive deep bunkers, etc.) are a regular part of life at those Top 100 in the world Irish courses. The key to enjoyment on these kinds of courses is to not obsess about your total score... max out at double bogey (equitable stroke :)) and move on to try to birdie or par the next hole. Otherwise there will be a hole where you get a bad bounce into a deep bunker and take 4 strokes to get out that will ruin your day.
Again if price and location are not factors, I would personally play Tobacco Road twice (to enjoy a second round with a bit more familiarity on blind shots, and where NOT to hit, etc.) and skip Tot Hill Farm... but then I've played both and it's always good to experience both... so even better would be one round at Tot Hill Farm and two rounds at Tobacco Road :)
Hope that helps.
Thank you very much redgun22 for the excellent insights, advice and write-up. Based on your advice, we have booked 36 holes at Tobacco Road and 18 at Tot Hill Farm. We are very excited to be playing these tough and challenging courses. We will take lots of pics. We have our fingers crossed in terms of the weather. On our last day in the Pinehurst area we will play 18 at Southern Pines and then head off to a week of golf at Myrtle. Again thanks<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Know the sandhills area extremely well.
Tobacco road is alot of fun. Check your ego and play off the correct tees and you will have a blast. Follow the yardage book and you will have no problem the first time around.
For a cheaper alternative play "the Pit"
Southern Pines is an excellent example of a true NC and Donald Ross lay out (sorry you won't get his greens as they have long since been re-done).
If you normally play off the standard "white tees" play the tips and you will enjoy the course much more and hit the ball to the intended landing areas.
This is a hidden gem as they have no room to keep up to technological improvements that is why it is best played off the tips.
This is one of mine and my groups favourites in the area (there are alot) and we have played it many tmes. Ownership (Avestra is in receiveship) so I don't know what condition you will find it in; either excellent or very good.
Other options which you may want are;
The Carolina; one of Arnies best, easy to get on in the afternoon and cheap
Little River Farm
Anderson Creek
Fox Fire Courses
Woodlake (Arnie and Maples)
Stay Away from Whispering Woods and Whispering Pines
Premium;
Pinehurst, of course
Pine Needles & Mid Pines
You're welcome ClubFoot. Look forward to hearing how it went.