Noel McDevitt

Legacy Golf links is a very good course located near Pinehurst NC in Aberdeen. It is also the location of Legacy Lakes, a new real estate development with golf front homes and golffront property. It is a Nicklaus Jr course that is a great alternative to the courses that are right in Pinehurst. It is one of the courses that golfers liek to play when they come to town to play all of the Pinehurst CC courses. Often, they throw Legacy into the mix. There are some nice long holes if you play from the Pro or Mens tees. The course plays just over 7,000 yards (73.2/132) from the Pro tees and about 6,500 (70.8/124)from the Mens. My favorite holes are the 1st (Par 4) , the 12th (par 4) and the 16th (Par 5). The Pro Shop is OK and the grille is very good. Legacy has a great practice range. Legacy Lakes offers new homes beginning in the $300K's, and it also has a very nice Clubhouse with a great tennis facility. Legacy Lakes in convenient to Pinehurst and Southern Pines, and it is also very close to Fort Bragg, NC. For more info on Legacy Golf Course or real estate at Legacy Lakes, please give us a call at 800-788-8814 or visit http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com

Southern Pines Country Club in Southern Pines NC is a Donald Ross Course that is a great place to play golf. It's open to the public so anyone can have the experience of playing a Ross course that has been there for over 100 years. The course is kind of short, but it has typical Ross greens that can be very difficult even when you hit a good shot to get on the green. The course is always in decent shape despite the fact that the maintenance budget is a fraction of many other area courses. The rates are very fair as well. In the Summer, the fees can be as low as $70 inlcuding cart. In the Spring and Fall, rates get up to about $100 on ther weekends. My favorite holes are the middle 12 holes. That doesn't mean the other 6 are not great. The course is at edge of an established nieghborhood in Southern Pines, but there is only limited golf front real estate on this course. There are a few new condos on the course. The Club itself is located in a residential neighborhood that has wonderful moderately priced homes. The Pro Shop is good & the grille is above average for the area. The driving range is below average. But still, this is just about my favorite course to play in the Pinehurst area. It's a very relaxing place to play, & I have a much better chance to shoot a good score than on some of the other Donald Ross courses in Pinehurst. There are a couple of options when it comes to joining the Southern Pines CC, both of which are very affordable http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com/info/Avestra-golf-deal.htm For more information about the Southern Pines CC, about golf or real estate, please give me a call at 800-788-8814 or visit us on the internet: http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com

Mid Pines Golf & Country Club - Southern Pines, NC

Mid Pines is a Donald Ross golf course that is part of the Pine Needles/Mid Pines Resort. The course is open to the public year round. It is located in Southern Pines, just 5 miles from Pinehurst and right across the road from its more famous sibling Pine Needles. The Mid Pines course reminds you a lot of Augusta National. Obviously, it is not as long or quite as scenic, but the topography, the pine trees and the azaleas sure do make you miss those rare visits to the Masters. The course is challenging, but it is the most accessible of the world class Donald Ross courses in the area that is meticulously maintained. Rates, including cart, range from about $130 in the off season to $180 in high season, so this is definitely not an everyday course. My favorite holes are the 2^nd (Par 3), the Par 9^th (Par 4) and the 15^th (Par 5), probably because they are only holes where I shot par the last time I played at Mid Pines! They are all great looking holes and they are tough but par-able for someone with average skills like me. The clubhouse is like something out of an Earnest Hemingway novel. It opened in the 1920's and there's a lot of history from the oak paneled locker room to the ornate ballroom to the pub and pro shop. The people at Mid Pines are the best, and they'll surprise you with a lot of nice touches. For a special occasion when you want to enjoy a very relaxing round with your best friends in a beautiful setting where you can shoot a decent score on a Donald Ross course, Mid Pines is the very best - and maybe even better than Pinehurst No. 2 or Pine Needles because it is just such a peaceful, pressure free place - and again, a fair test of golf for the average player. Mid Pines is a resort course, not a residential one. There are a handful of homes on the course, but not many. Mid Pines does offer some great lodging deals. If you want more info about Mid Pines or real estate in the vicinity of Mid Pines, please give us a call at 800-788-8814 or visit us at http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com.

Longleaf Country Club

Longleaf is located between Pinehurst and Southern Pines on the site of former horse racing track, and the course actually weaves its way through remnants of the original fence around the track. The 18 hole course is on the easy end of the scale as far as Pinehurst Area courses go. Pro Tees - 6,600 yards (70.9/124). Men's Tees - 5,400 yards (65.3/112). I'm a very average golfer and I played from the Pro Tees - and it actually kept a few of the fairway bunkers out of my reach! The front and back are totally different, with the front being pretty flat as it weaves through the old race track; and the back is very hilly. Both are really picturesque. The best part was the price - $35 for 18 holes including cart after 2 p.m. It's not much more during the week, and I think only about $50 on the weekends. The course was in great shape, with very soft greens. Not crowded at all. Longleaf is a residential community with a lot of different housing options, including condos and townhouses right on the course starting out in the high $100k's to low $200k's. There's also a good selection of other housing options. The club itself is a real bargain to join, and features a nice pool, tennis courts and a croquet court. Longleaf has a very active croquet community. Finally, it is in an ideal location right along beautiful Midland Road, which connects Pinehurst and Southern Pines. Longleaf is just 2 or 3 minutes to either town, where you'll find great restaurants and cultural things to do, not to mention great shopping. Longleaf is also less than 5 minutes from the Hospital and Sandhills Community College. All in all - a perfect place for a permanent residence or even an affordable second home. For more info, give us a call at 800-788-8814. You can also visit us on the web at http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com If you are interested in visiting Pinehurst in person, we provide our clients with 2 nights of complimentary lodging for 2 in our golf condo in Pinehurst on a first come first serve basis. So come for a visit - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Yesterday, I decided to go out and get in a round of golf at nearby Hyland Hills. Hyland Hills is an 18 hole course in Southern Pines, NC - one of over 40 courses within about 10 minutes of Pinehurst. There are golf front homes and condos right on the course. I showed up at about 4 thinking I would play 9 holes to get back in time to catch live coverage of the US Open. In the Pro Shop, they told me the "after 1 pm rate" was only $29 for 18 holes (cart fee included). GREAT deal for a decent course in the heart of North Carolina Golf Country. In any event, the course plays 6,300 yds from the Men's tees (rating of 69.1) and 6,900 from the back tees (71.9). Playing from the back really isn't that long because a lot of the tee shots are downhill. It's been dry here and the greens were really soft. The fairways are generally very wide and foregiving and the hazards are few and far between. The course is located on one of the highest spots around, so the views are nice and there's usually a gentle breeze (which is nice in the Summer months. You'll get your share of uphill and downhill lies because the course is very hilly. The fairways are in nice shape and generally well maintained. My favorite hole - No. 7, which is a nice straight par 5 with a slightly uphill first shot that you have to hit at least 220 yards in order to be able to see the green for your second shot, with a good approach for us average golfers. The pro shop leaves a little to be desired, but the staff is great. Hyland Hills offers very inexpensive lodging - probably the cheapest in the area, and a restaurant with the basics. The course is about 2 miles north of Southern Pines, and is the closest one to horse country. It's also pretty close to Fort Bragg - 30 to minutes away. For tee times, call 910-692-3752, although I have never found it to be very crowded. Oh, there's also a very basic practice range. If you are looking to relocate to golf country here in NC, there's no better value for your money than you'll find in the Pinehurst areas. Give us a call at 800-788-8814 or check us out on the web at http://www.mcdevitttownandcountry.com If you are looking for golf game, you can always e-mail me at noel.mcdevitt@sothebysrealty.com