Pinehurst Resort’s first original golf course in three decades will have a distinct home that features a name rooted in local history — Pinehurst Sandmines.
Pinehurst Sandmines covers more than 900 acres, most of it still wooded and undeveloped. With Pinehurst No. 10 highlighting the dramatically sloping northwest ridge of the area, the Sandmines setting offers Pinehurst the potential to expand its guests’ experiences. A variety of future developments are being evaluated, including an additional 18-hole golf course, a short course, clubhouse and guest cottages.
“A year ago, we were excited to announce that Tom Doak would begin carving a new era of Pinehurst golf on this exceptional property,” says Bob Dedman Jr., CEO of Pinehurst Resort regarding the new course off Highway 5 in Aberdeen. “Today, we take another step forward into our continued evolution with a nod to what came before.”
Beginning in the 1920s, the sandy soil in this location proved useful to multiple mining operations, specifically Pleasants Sand and Supply, which was founded after World War II. Over the next half-century, sand mined in Aberdeen was shipped along the adjoining railroad for building projects all over the United States, notably including another North Carolina landmark — the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Following Pleasants’ closure in the mid-1970s, rugged dunes, mounds and berms forged from mining excavations were left behind to be reclaimed by nature. Now, decades later, that land and the untouched surrounding areas are being reimagined among the towering pines that restored it, the first fruit of which will be Doak’s newest original, No. 10, which comprises about 250 acres of the total property.
“There’s a lot of history at this place, and you just want to honor it,” says Angela Moser, Doak’s lead design associate on No. 10. “You want to have it be a part of what you’re building, so you’ll see reminders of it.”
Image by Pinehurst Resort
That is also reflected in the Pinehurst Sandmines logo. A rail car, dashed in railroad red color befitting the area’s industrial innovations, features subtle hints about the property’s past — and its future — within the car’s structure and design. The car carries a “Matterhorn” shaped mound that resembles the 25-foot sand deposit framing No. 10’s dramatic 8th hole — a tangible, signature remnant of the commercial mine’s influence that Doak freshly incorporated into No. 10’s routing.
“Pinehurst’s past, present and future is right here in the sand,” says Tom Pashley, Pinehurst Resort President. “We look forward to seeing what more can be mined in this area.”
Feature photo: Pinehurst No. 10 in Aberdeen off Highway 5. (Photo by Matt Gibson).
Contributed.
