Long regarded as the Home of American Golf, the Pinehurst and Sandhills region has once again reinforced its standing as the state's premier golf destination.
For the first time ever, a record number of 20 golf courses in the Sandhills region are ranked among the Top 100 in the state by the North Carolina Golf Panel. Pinehurst No. 2 has once again secured the top spot as the best golf course in the state, while Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and the Dogwood Course at The Country Club of North Carolina flip-flopped the third and fifth positions. Pinehurst No. 4 retained its position to round out the Top 10. A total of 14 courses from the Sandhills area are listed among the Top 50.
Woodlake Country Club in Vass cracked Top 100 rankings for the first time at No. 91. After a renovation project of the old Ellis Maples course by Kris Spence in 2022, the course has quickly risen as one of the finest hidden gems in the Sandhills.
> "The Pinehurst area is known as the home of American golf for a reason and having one-fifth of the best golf courses in the state here makes a huge statement to the quality of golf we enjoy," said Phil Werz, president and CEO for Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen. "Next year, we will see the debut of Pinehurst No. 11, plus renovations are underway at Legacy Golf Club and 72 holes from old favorites at Foxfire and Whispering Pines. For us, golf is a way of life and the foundation of the state's tenth best tourism economy."
The North Carolina Golf Panel was founded in 1995 and is recognized as the most authoritative statewide source of golf course rankings in a state that boasts some of the nation's best courses. The 185-member panel is composed of golf media, club professionals and general managers from many outstanding courses, accomplished amateur players and college golf coaches, and others who play an active role in promoting golf in North Carolina. The results of the panel poll can be found in the April issue of Business N.C. magazine.
The 20 Top 100 Courses in the Sandhills area include: Pinehurst No. 2 (#1); Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club (#3); The Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood, #5), Pinehurst No. 4 (#10); The Country Club of North Carolina (Cardinal, #13); Pinehurst No. 10 (#14); Pinehurst No. 8 (#18); Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club (#24); Dormie Club (#30); Pinehurst No. 9 (#36); Mid South Club (#37); Forest Creek Golf Club (South, #38); Forest Creek Golf Club (North, #42); Pinehurst No. 7 (#49); and Southern Pines Golf Club (#64) and Talamore Golf Club (#72); Pinewild Country Club (Magnolia, #78); Woodlake Country Club (#91) Tot Hill Farm (#97) and Longleaf Golf & Family Club (#98).
The panel also ranked the Top 60 Courses You Can Play and the Pinehurst area once again dominated the list with 17 locations, or nearly 30 percent of the clubs. The top eight include Pinehurst No. 2, Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, Pinehurst No. 4, Pinehurst No. 10, Pinehurst No. 8, Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club, Pinehurst No. 9 and Mid South Club. Pinehurst No. 7 is 15th. Other golf clubs among the Top 60 You Can Play include Southern Pines Golf Club (#21); Talamore Golf Club (#23); Woodlake Country Club (#30); Tot Hill Farm (#33); Longleaf Golf & Family Club (#34); Pinehurst No. 6 (#45); Legacy Golf Links (#46) and Tobacco Road Golf Club (#49).
> "A trip to Pinehurst is a must for any golfer who has a love and appreciation of the game, regardless of skill level," said Kevin Brafford, executive director of the N.C. Golf Panel. "That's how golf enthusiasts around the world feel, so in that vein, how lucky are we in this state to have the quality and quantity of courses available to us? The Sandhills is one of one."
Pinehurst No. 2 will host additional U.S. Open championships in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047. In 2029, Pinehurst No. 2 will once again host back-to-back men's and women's U.S. Open championships, a repeat of the only course in America to host that tandem of historic events in 2014. Pinehurst No. 2 will also host the 2027 U.S. Women's Amateur.
For more information about all golf courses in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen area, visit HomeofGolf.com. For the complete list of the Top 100 Courses for 2026, Top 60 Courses You Can Play and other rankings, visit NCGolfPanel.com. Or, for additional coverage, pick up the April issue of Business N.C. magazine.
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# Top 100 Courses for 2026 *(second number is previous year's ranking)*
1. 1. Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst 2. 2. Grandfather Golf and Country Club, Linville 3. 5. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, Southern Pines 4. 4. Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte 5. 3. The Country Club of North Carolina (Dogwood), Pinehurst 6. 7. Old Town Club, Winston-Salem 7. 8. Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro 8. 6. Elk River Club, Banner Elk 9. 9. Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham 10. 10. Pinehurst No. 4, Pinehurst 11. 11. Old North State Club, New London 12. 15. Cape Fear Country Club, Wilmington 13. 12. The Country Club of North Carolina (Cardinal), Pinehurst 14. 14. Pinehurst No. 10, Aberdeen 15. 18. Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh 16. 19. Forsyth Country Club, Winston-Salem 17. 17. Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte 18. 16. Pinehurst No. 8, Pinehurst 19. 21. River Landing (River), Wallace 20. 22. MacGregor Downs Country Club, Cary 21. 20. Eagle Point Golf Club, Wilmington 22. 23. Rock Barn Country Club (Jones), Conover 23. 24. Governors Club, Chapel Hill 24. 25 Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club, Southern Pines 25. 29. Treyburn Country Club, Durham 26. 30. Biltmore Forest Country Club, Asheville 27. 26. Country Club of Landfall (Dye), Wilmington 28. 32. River Landing (Landing), Wallace 29. 28. Country Club of Landfall, (Nicklaus), Wilmington 30. 27. Dormie Club, West End 31. 44. High Point Country Club (Willow Creek), High Point 32. 42. Occono Golf & Boat Club, Merry Hill 33. 31. Starmount Forest Country Club, Greensboro 34. 34. Champion Hills Club, Hendersonville 35. 33. Prestonwood Country Club (Highlands), Cary 36. 35. Pinehurst No. 9, Pinehurst 37. 38. Mid South Club, Southern Pines 38. 36. Forest Creek Golf Club (South), Pinehurst 39. 40. Myers Park Country Club, Charlotte 40. 45. Greensboro Country Club (North), Greensboro 41. 41. Bryan Park (Champions), Browns Summit 42. 39. Forest Creek Golf Club (North), Pinehurst 43. 37. The Club at Longview, Waxhaw 44. 43. Linville Golf Club, Linville 45. 46. Grandover (East), Greensboro 46. 47. Finley Golf Club, Chapel Hill 47. 50. Forest Oaks Country Club, Greensboro 48. 52. Lonnie Poole Golf Course, Raleigh 49. 49. Pinehurst No. 7, Pinehurst 50. 53. Waynesville Inn & Golf Club, Waynesville 51. 51. Hound Ears Club, Boone 52. 54. Country Club of Asheville, Asheville 53. 56. Duke University Golf Club, Durham 54. 57. The Cardinal by Pete Dye, Greensboro 55. 55. Ballantyne Country Club, Charlotte 56. 59. Mimosa Hills Golf Club, Morganton 57. 60. Porters Neck Country Club, Wilmington 58. 48. Trump National Golf Club, Mooresville 59. 61. Bald Head Island Club, Bald Head Island 60. 62. The Club at 12 Oaks, Holly Springs 61. 58. The Hasentree Club, Wake Forest 62. 63. The Currituck Club, Corolla 63. 72. Grandover (West), Greensboro 64. 70. Southern Pines Golf Club, Southern Pines 65. 64. Pinewood Country Club, Asheboro 66. 65. Carolina Country Club, Raleigh 67. 74. Springdale Resort, Canton 68. 71. High Meadows Country Club, High Meadows 69. 73. Blowing Rock Country Club, Blowing Rock 70. 67. Cedarwood Country Club, Charlotte 71. 68. Hope Valley Country Club, Durham 72. 78. Talamore Golf Resort, Southern Pines 73. 66. Gaston Country Club, Gastonia 74. 76. Crow Creek Golf Club, Calabash 75. 94. The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh 76. 80. Kenmure Country Club, Flat Rock 77. 77. Croasdaile Country Club, Durham 78. 75. Pinewild Country Club (Magnolia), Pinehurst 79. 81. Carmel Country Club (South), Charlotte 80. 79. Alamance Country Club, Burlington 81. 92. Crystal Coast Country Club, Pine Knoll Shores 82. 82. Kilmarlic Golf Club, Powells Point 83. 99. Morehead City Country Club, Morehead City 84. N/R Wilson Country Club, Wilson 85. 83. Providence Country Club, Charlotte 86. 69. Prestonwood Country Club (Meadows), Cary 87. N/R Beaufort Club, Beaufort 88. 84. Mill Creek Golf Club, Mebane 89. 97. Deep Springs Country Club, Stoneville 90. 85. Bright's Creek Club, Mill Spring 91. N/R Woodlake Country Club, Vass 92. 86. Jefferson Landing, Jefferson 93. 88. Mooresville Golf Club, Mooresville 94. 90. Thistle Golf Club, Sunset Beach 95. 93. Linville Ridge, Linville 96. N/R Bentwinds Country Club, Fuquay-Varina 97. 95. Tot Hill Farm, Asheboro 98. 98. Longleaf Golf & Family Club, Southern Pines 99. N/R Rocky River Golf Club, Concord 100. 96. Brook Valley Country Club, Greenville
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## Visit Pinehurst Southern Pines Aberdeen
Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen is the economic development agency responsible for travel and tourism promotion, product development, and visitor services for Moore County, N.C. The organization devises strategies to enhance the County's tourism brand value and product to accommodate the next generation of visitors, thereby stimulating the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In 2024, Moore County ranked as the tenth largest tourism economy in North Carolina, generating $860 million annually in visitor spending, which supports the second largest employment sector in the county.
