The North Carolina Donald Ross Golf Experience

In North Carolina, the name “Donald Ross” and golf are synonymous. This golf legend has left a lasting legacy that has shaped our state’s golf history and courses. Make your next golf trip to North Carolina to experience the greens yourself.

Championship Play

Pinehurst Resort made history by hosting the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open during back-to-back weeks on the Ross-designed Pinehurst No. 2.

While pros and presidents have helped build its reputation, anyone can play No. 2 as a resort guest. If you play here, look for the architect’s former 4,500-square-foot home that sits off the third fairway. The resort’s No. 1 and No. 3 courses also carry Ross' signature. And to add to tradition, Pinehurst opened the Deuce in the Resort Clubhouse in 2016. This stylish restaurant and bar, adorned with vintage photographs and memorabilia, offers the best view of No. 2's 18th hole.

To learn about the life and history of Donald Ross, head to the Village of Pinehurst. Here, the Tufts Archives houses original field sketches, layouts and blueprints of Ross courses, as well as personal letters and correspondence. Located in the village, the Pine Crest Inn was purchased by Ross in 1921 and owned until his death in 1948. It’s full of golf history and still welcomes golfers today.

Ross Courses Across North Carolina

Ross’ presence in North Carolina extends beyond America’s premier golf resort. According to research by the Donald Ross Society, he shaped more than 50 courses between Asheville and Wilmington. About 40 of them remain in play with their attribution intact, and the public has access to about half. Here’s a selection of courses that join Pinehurst in honoring Ross’ legacy.

1 The Omni Grove Park Inn Golf Course

1 The Omni Grove Park Inn Golf Course

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The Omni Grove Park Inn Golf Course is Pinehurst’s only rival in the name-dropping department – for one, President Obama played 18 holes here during a 2010 weekend getaway. The course, a regular PGA Tour stop from 1933 through 1951, is a thing of phenomenal beauty with its mountain vistas, tree-lined fairways, meandering stream and the stunning granite inn. Another Ross course you can play while in Asheville: Asheville Golf Course.

Website(800) 438-5800Directions

2 Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

2 Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

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Pinehurst’s neighbor in North Carolina’s greens-rich Sandhills rises high on the national landscape as the chosen course for four U.S. Women’s Opens. Pine Needles adds even more stature because of the resort’s founder, the late Peggy Kirk Bell, a World Golf Hall of Famer.

Website(800) 747-7272Directions

3 Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

3 Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club

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Another historic Donald Ross 1920s gem, Mid Pines is situated just across from Pine Needles. Though maintained impeccably to modern standards with its 2013 restoration, it’s a pine-drenched stroll through history since this is a Ross design that has remained virtually unchanged. Maybe not as daunting as its mate on the other side of the road, Mid Pines remains an always fair and fun test.

Website(800) 323-2114Directions

4 Southern Pines Golf Club

4 Southern Pines Golf Club

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Southern Pines Golf Club is an early Ross project that was fully restored in 2021. Updates to the well-preserved routing included tree removal, wider fairways, resurfaced greens and renovated bunkers – all with the goal of ensuring the course feels like a Ross original.

Website(910) 692-6551Directions

5 Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

5 Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

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Ross designed a links-style course for Wilmington, a port city on the Cape Fear River. In 2014, "the Muni" underwent the largest renovation project in its history, which included doubling the size of the greens and restoring the bunkers to their original size and shape.

Website(910) 791-0558Directions

Other Donald Ross courses the public can play:

Updated August 23, 2021
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