Last Update :10/27/2020

Pinehurst Resort & CC Wins Course of the Year Award

Pinehurst Resort & CC Wins Course of the Year Award

Pinehurst Resort & CC

 

Pinehurst Resort and Country Club has won the 2020 North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association Course of the Year Award, in recognition of outstanding business success over the past year.

Pinehurst is a world renowned destination, host of countless championships, including the US Open and Ryder Cup.  It is now nine courses plus The Cradle, a short course attracting new golfers to the game.  They successfully implemented the re-branding of Pinehurst.  They were responsible for spearheading the new brewery in Pinehurst.  Pinehurst No. 2 has been named the U.S. Open’s first “anchor site,” a term never previously used (five future US Opens are on the books).  The USGA just announced it would open a satellite museum and testing operation at the resort — Golf House Pinehurst, a southern complement to the USGA’s New Jersey headquarters.  This carries with it the most unequivocal statement yet of the preeminent position of Pinehurst’s No. 2 course.

Tom Pashley, President of Pinehurst

Pinehurst President Tom Pashley commented, “With the USGA’s recent announcement, it is incredible to think about three decades of championships between now and 2047 and well into the future.  Twenty short years ago was our first US Open on Pinehurst No. 2, such a short amount of time to have been able to establish a reputation for a golf course that can hold up to the highest standards of the game.”

The US Open at Pinehurst

For Pinehurst, championships are a great honor but just one piece of the announcement. The physical presence of hosting the USGA’s test center and annex of their museum is a great fit – golfers from all over the world will see these artifacts.  It draws comparisons to St Andrews, a place held in high regard - The Old Course, The Open Championship and the R&A headquarters there.  Hosting a US Open every 5-6 years is the closest you can get to St Andrews in the US.

The Pinehurst Brewery

Pinehurst created and owns the new Pinehurst Brewery, now celebrating a second anniversary. This added vitality to the village. They built a smokehouse to smoke their own meats and brew their own beer – so popular, they doubled capacity to keep up with demand.

This year Pinehurst worked through COVID, and golf stayed open during duration of the pandemic. It was difficult though - they closed hotels for 60 days, with employees on temporary lay-off. Members and guests played a lot of golf and brought energy to the property.

The Carolina Hotel

Since reopening, they brought back employees, and the golf has been booming, both in number and in age ranges and levels of ability.  The Cradle (nine hole short course) is a perfect place to gather as a family without intimidation. It’s inexpensive and well-positioned to attract beginners.

The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort & CC

Pinehurst is heavily involved with the community, with numerous examples.  One is an outing they do for the local Boys & Girls Club. With The Cradle, they can do something different and fun for kids who aren’t typically exposed to the game.  They are pleased to see the kids having a lot of fun, planting that seed in the mind of a child and show the magic of golf.

Pinehurst also supports the Tufts Archives (history of Pinehurst) with the donation of the course one day a year. A lot of good causes rely on them for fund raising. They partner with Youth on Course through the Carolinas Golf Association - kids pay just $5 to play golf. They also support the First Tee of the Sandhills and the local HS golf team.  Pinehurst executives are actively involved in charity boards, such as the Boys & Girls Club, First Tee, the local hospital and more.  And with 1200-1500 employees, they are a significant economic driver in the community.

Pinehurst is owned by the Dedman family, who are considered stewards instead of owners.  They realize Pinehurst’s importance to world of golf, and they reinvest in property year after year, not resting, not leaning on name and reputation.  They create new experiences and new opportunities for people to enjoy.

Two years ago, Pinehurst went through process to establish core values. They developed a Purpose Statement: “As the cradle of American golf, we honor timeless traditions and inspire legendary stories, one smile, one round, one moment at a time.”  Their four core values are (1) Genuine hospitality, (2) Be trustworthy, (3) Be good stewards, (4) Inspired Innovation.  

Regarding the NC GCOA award, Pashley remarked, “We don’t take anything for granted.  We are very fortunate to be Pinehurst and have a reputation, which is earned every day and every round. This is great validation that we are continuing to move forward.”

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