Mid Pines Golf Club Review: Examining the restoration

9/24/2013 | by Benjamin Larsen of AmateurGolf.com

amateurgolf.com's Ben Larsen takes a look at the new and uncovered features at the Donald Ross-designed Mid Pines

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. --- It’s a tricky scenario but one we in the golf industry see time and time again. The restoration. Restoring a course is, in many instances, a necessity. But it’s also a tall task blending the new while retaining the old. In the case of the Mid Pines Golf Club, which underwent a major restoration earlier this year, they got it right. In fact, they nailed it. Architect and shaper Kyle Franz began work in December of last year, rebuilding bunkers, uncovering abandoned features, replacing fairway rough and restoring original green contours. This past spring, the newly-restored greens were given a major facelift and converted to ultra-dwarf Bermuda. The project was completed in early August and unveiled later that month when Mid Pines hosted a pair of events, including the eGolf Professional Tour. And it has opened to rave reviews in the media and by those who’ve played it. I was fortunate enough to play the new Mid Pines in late August before a junior tour event and, while the new grass and some features were in need of some time to mature and grow, the greens and uncovered features of the restoration are simply fantastic. One of the keys to the project included the substitution of sandy areas and pine straw for rough. The removal of trees and addition of the sandy areas and pine allowed for the tricky Donald Ross layout to be opened up a bit while still maintaining a nostalgic and natural feel. The sandy areas cover a large portion of the course. For a mental picture, think about the rough surrounding the tee boxes and in less-than-ideal positions off the tee and on approach shots for you at your local course. Now, replace them with sandy areas that play through the green. There was work done to all 18 holes at Mid Pines but special attention was paid to the par-4 1st, the 437-yard par-4 3rd, which saw an extra 30 yards added with the installation of a back tee, and the par-5s, including Nos. 5 and 15, which also added yardage with a new tee area. The notable piece to the Mid Pines restoration is the terrific job by Franz and his team to update the course to ultimately get it to the quality level of its sister course Pine Needles, which sits directly across the street, while only improving its status of a true Donald Ross original. The routing is the same, and that’s a great thing. The greens are improved and many natural features uncovered. Indeed, the Mid Pines restoration nailed it.

Most Popular Articles

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced

Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing

2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING

Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners

Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.

Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch

Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory

Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s

Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original

Filters

Loading latest news...