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THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Welcome to the Fairwoods-Pinehurst No.7
***There is a 2 1/2 hour frost delay, it’s 26 degrees out. But it’s still a beautiful day in Pinehurst.
You have stopped in the main dining room in the Carolina Hotel, you have now consumed the best breakfast in golf. But golf is still on hold, because it’s still only 30 degrees.
You ask yourself should I go play golf, it’s cold out-darn cold. But the sun is out, there is no wind, and it’s warming up. In eight days you will be back in Chicago, it will be 30 degrees when you get home and the courses won’t be open for at least seven weeks. So what do you do? You dress warmly and you go play-the sun is out and there is no rain scheduled for another 20 hours ( a rain that will wipe out tomorrows round on Course No.6).
When you do tee off, there is only a single player on the course ahead of you, and nobody behind you. Pace-of-play is just how you like it. RS ***
The clubhouse at No.7, pro shop downstairs, great upper deck bar, dining and view upstairs.
WHEN GOLFERS come to Pinehurst the first thought is lets play Course No.2, and if you love golf you should.
But the question is then what. Because Pinehurst has 10 golf courses to pick from. So when your thinking which course next, you do have options. 9 more, including Course No.9 and a nine hole course-take your pick.
One of the options you have, is course No.7 and it’s a course where you can belt the ball around.
The par 4, 462 yard second hole. Straight forward and play away.
36 years ago in 1986, Rees Jones built this Pinehurst styled course, taking full advantage of the pines trees and of course the sand.
Six years later in 1992, a kid named Tiger Woods won the Big I Junior Classic here on No.7, 24 years later it’s still the only Pinehurst area course he has ever won a tournament at.
10 years later Jones returned to No.7 and did some renovation work. More recently some bunker and drainage worked was done. So in spite of cold weather and the full Pinehurst green styled look not yet showing, No.7 was still in good shape for the month of February.
The 197 yard par 3, 16th hole.
No.7 has some elevation change to it, most of the elevation comes on the tee box, with a downhill shot to the fairway.
But there are some uphill shots into the greens. There is a real test on the last four holes, 15 and 17 are longer par 4 holes.
The closing hole, the 18th is a 600 yard par 5 hole, where even the big hitters are not getting home in two shots. But in between 15-17 and 18 is the 197 yard, par 3-16th hole which is an island green.
But your in Pinehurst, the island green is not surrounded by water. Because your surrounded by sand, if you miss the green you go splat, not splash. Plus you will get your ball back and you get to hit it again. A sandy in the sandhills is always great end result.
So if you need another golf option besides Course No.2, don’t rule of out Course No.7. Because you will enjoy the fairways of a course called the “Fairwoods.”
Book your Pinehurst play and stay at Pinehurst.com or call (800)-487-4653.