Tobacco Road--Sanford, NC
Rankings as of 5/2/2010
-82nd best public course in the US, 25th best public course in the NC, 10th toughest course in the US (Golf Digest)
-4th best public course in NC, 46th best resort course (Golfweek)
This is perhaps the most polarizing golf course in the entire world. It was designed by the iconic Mike Strantz and
people either love it or hate it. There is almost no one in between. Therefore, I had to play it to see what the fuss
was all about.
Well, I did play it and played it from the tips. Tobacco Road, which is a par 71 course, is rated 73.2/150. Yep,
that is right 150 slope!!! Hence, the Top 10 rating from Golf Digest in the "Toughest Golf Courses" list. For full
disclosure, I played perhaps the greatest round of my life at Tobacco Road. I was crushing the ball, hitting it
straight, chipping like a beast, and hitting putts. I put up the best rating/slope adjusted round of my life at
Tobacco Road. Nevertheless, I still didn't care too much for the course.
You see, I think the course is polarizing because the course itself is bi-polar. There are moments when the
course appears to be the greatest course in the world. Demanding risk/rewards shots, tough mental decisions,
tough physical shots to pull off...but then you have the goofiest, most gimmicky, silliest holes I have ever seen. I
simply didn't "get" a lot of it. It was anything but pure golf...now it was at times some of the most interesting golf I
have ever played...but at other times it simply wasn't golf.
For instance, here is the tee shot on hole #1...
Yep, hit it through that little opening, then the hole doglegs left, goes through another small opening like this, and
finally gets to the green. Hmmm..........
But then you come to the stunningly good 5th hole...
The green from the tips is 330 yards away straight over those traps (you can kind of see the flagstick way out
there). So, if you are feeling froggy you can jump on this "drive the green" par 4 hole. Or you can play it safe
and hit that fairway on the right, but then you have to hit your approach to the green over those bunkers (once
again). GREAT STUFF!!!
Now check this one out...
Par 5 11th hole...after your drive the approach requires this approach as the hole doglegs right. WOW!!!!
Another amazing, but damn demanding hole. Mind-bottling!!!
And now, here is a good hole/goofy green. I don't think the upslope can be fully appreciated unless you play it,
but let me tell you it is a bit goofy. And, you know what, that would be fine if it was the only hole like this on the
course...but it isn't. There are many greens that are quite simply putt-putt, goofy golf types of greens. And,
again, this isn't sour grapes. I lit it up on this course and put up a great score. But still...goofy golf is goofy
golf...give me Pinehurst #2, Mid-Pines, or any "pure golf" course any day of the week.
Check out the Sandhills Insider for more information on this course.
Rankings as of 5/2/2010
-82nd best public course in the US, 25th best public course in the NC, 10th toughest course in the US (Golf Digest)
-4th best public course in NC, 46th best resort course (Golfweek)
This is perhaps the most polarizing golf course in the entire world. It was designed by the iconic Mike Strantz and
people either love it or hate it. There is almost no one in between. Therefore, I had to play it to see what the fuss
was all about.
Well, I did play it and played it from the tips. Tobacco Road, which is a par 71 course, is rated 73.2/150. Yep,
that is right 150 slope!!! Hence, the Top 10 rating from Golf Digest in the "Toughest Golf Courses" list. For full
disclosure, I played perhaps the greatest round of my life at Tobacco Road. I was crushing the ball, hitting it
straight, chipping like a beast, and hitting putts. I put up the best rating/slope adjusted round of my life at
Tobacco Road. Nevertheless, I still didn't care too much for the course.
You see, I think the course is polarizing because the course itself is bi-polar. There are moments when the
course appears to be the greatest course in the world. Demanding risk/rewards shots, tough mental decisions,
tough physical shots to pull off...but then you have the goofiest, most gimmicky, silliest holes I have ever seen. I
simply didn't "get" a lot of it. It was anything but pure golf...now it was at times some of the most interesting golf I
have ever played...but at other times it simply wasn't golf.
For instance, here is the tee shot on hole #1...
Yep, hit it through that little opening, then the hole doglegs left, goes through another small opening like this, and
finally gets to the green. Hmmm..........
But then you come to the stunningly good 5th hole...
The green from the tips is 330 yards away straight over those traps (you can kind of see the flagstick way out
there). So, if you are feeling froggy you can jump on this "drive the green" par 4 hole. Or you can play it safe
and hit that fairway on the right, but then you have to hit your approach to the green over those bunkers (once
again). GREAT STUFF!!!
Now check this one out...
Par 5 11th hole...after your drive the approach requires this approach as the hole doglegs right. WOW!!!!
Another amazing, but damn demanding hole. Mind-bottling!!!
And now, here is a good hole/goofy green. I don't think the upslope can be fully appreciated unless you play it,
but let me tell you it is a bit goofy. And, you know what, that would be fine if it was the only hole like this on the
course...but it isn't. There are many greens that are quite simply putt-putt, goofy golf types of greens. And,
again, this isn't sour grapes. I lit it up on this course and put up a great score. But still...goofy golf is goofy
golf...give me Pinehurst #2, Mid-Pines, or any "pure golf" course any day of the week.
Check out the Sandhills Insider for more information on this course.
