Pine Needles Resort and Country Club
A historic golf resort in Southern Pines with classic course routing, relaxed dining, and compact bathrooms.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
Pine Needles Resort and Country Club is a classic Sandhills golf destination in Southern Pines with clean rooms and convenient access to surrounding Pinehurst courses. Guests enjoy scenic views across the rolling greens, cozy fire features at the bar, and a satisfying breakfast buffet. However, reviewers consistently complain about the tight, dated bathrooms, with some describing very cramped quarters in desperate need of renovation. 191491
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- The lodge offers comfortable beds and clean accommodations right near the Pinehurst area courses. 112314
- The property features a sprawling golf layout set among loblolly pines and rolling sandy terrain. 9155
- Dining options like the Crest Dining Room and In-The-Rough Lounge provide solid food and an amazing breakfast buffet. 14617
The catch
Who it's for
- — Golfers seeking stay-and-play packages
- — Groups playing multiple Sandhills area courses
- — Travelers who prioritize course access over modern lodging
Skip it if
- — Guests looking for spacious modern bathrooms
- — Anyone sensitive to surprise package service charges and taxes
Seen on camera
2 moments · 1 video · Pine Needles Resort and Country Club
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“next is the location so we are in Southern Pines North Carolina right near Pinehurst Prime golf location couldn't be in…”
youtube.com18:54“next is food as you saw after the eighthaw they had a little snack bar inside there is a place to eat and some food in t…”
youtube.com19:43Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
No loyalty currency of its own — this one is a cash or card-portal booking.
Score breakdown
How the 76/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
84Food
91Location
89- “next is the location so we are in Southern Pines North Carolina right near Pinehurst Prime golf location couldn't be in a better spot plenty of things to do in the downtown area 10 out of 10 for location great spot to be” 1118:54
- “Rented a house on 18 green at PN a few years back. Location was awesome and it is a short walk to the breakfast buffet that was amazing.” 6
Noise
93- “First off...I'm in love with the town of Pinehurst. I want to retire there. It's quiet, slow-moving and quaint. Feels like Disneyworld+Mackinac Island+The Truman Show. It's just perfect.” 4
- “It's just perfect. We stayed across the street from the Pine Crest Inn. Had our own house (part of the Pine Crest) called the Barrett House. Old...but perfect. No frills.” 4
Room
69Service
81Bed & Sleep
75Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-13
Where it sits
Pine Needles Resort and Country Club and the 9 other hotels we cover in Pinehurst. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Falls short of what $$ usually buys
Scores 10 points below the mid-range median of 86, across 791 hotels in the same bracket. In Pinehurst it sits level with the local median of 76.
- This hotel
- 76
- Bracket median
- 86
- Index median
- 86
Based on 791 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
- 1 mention
No location within the hotel draws repeated complaints yet.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 61 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “The bar and food at both were great. If you stay at pine needles try and stay at room 132.” 6
- “The food is excellent and the course history documented on the walls throughout the clubhouse is legendary.” 16
- “Have not stayed at MP but have heard the Inn needs some attention. However, I ate there not long ago and the food was very good.” 6
- “The starter was nice, food in the clubhouse was good, it's all a very old school vibe which is kinda of cool....” 16
- “I wouldn't skip the free dinner at the resort. Their food service is pretty good across the board.” 17
- “Still, the fairways were in rough shape, the grass range was probably the worst I've ever used, and the food was disappointing.” 8
- “Ate dinner one evening at the Deuce, overlooking the 18th green on No.2. Lots of heckling and betting. Great fun.” 4
- “I don't know how he does, but I'm glad he does. We had lunch at Pine Needles twice. Both times the food and staff were both excellent.” 16
- “Dining is equally considered. The In-The-Rough Lounge offers a relaxed setting for post-round fare, while The Crest Dining Room features seasonal menus served with views of the golf course.” 14
- “Great place check it and make sure to get hot dog in the restaurant they are DYNAMITE !!” 16
- “The course is always in great shape and the greens are always fast. The food is excellent and the course history documented on the walls throughout the clubhouse is legendary.” 12
- “All the food I've had at the resort has been solid and if you want more casual there's on-property options other than the Carolina Room...” 17
- “next is food as you saw after the eighthaw they had a little snack bar inside there is a place to eat and some food in the surrounding areas so the food looks pretty good solid menu 9 out of 10.” On camera1119:43
- “The food is good and the bar is pretty cool.” 6
- “Location was awesome and it is a short walk to the breakfast buffet that was amazing.” 6
- “Shoulder season rates at MP/SP/PN have to be one of the best deals in golf in the country.” 6
- “Dinner did turn out to be relatively expensive, but it was very good and certainly not overpriced.” 1
- “Hyland: This was a tack on before we left for home. Glad we did. Nothing other-wordly about it-but the greens were HUGE and absolute lightning. $95, can't beat it for what you get. At that price point, it's worth it.” 4
- “The Lodge was nice and good value.” 20
- “The Pinehurst area is indeed a golfer's paradise and the three courses at Pine Needles, Mid Pines, and Southern Pines are among the best here, providing some excellent Donald Ross designs at very competitive prices.” 9
- “The fact we were going to have the course virtually to ourselves at a real bargain price made me unconsciously start humming "Nothing could finer than to be in Carolina".” 1
- “Value: 8/10, Like its sister courses, Pine Needles provides great value with rates ranging from $105 to $295 depending on the day and season. There are also packages available and it is overall much more affordable than nearby Pinehurst.” 9
- “If we could all hold hands and stop broadcasting how incredible the offseason rates for the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area are that would be great. 🤫” 17
- “Value: 8/10, Like its sister courses, Pine Needles provides great value with rates ranging from $105 to $295 depending on the day and season.” 9
- “Did Pinehurst with my dad last year and pricing got out of hand quickly with merch, caddies, etc. Loved the golf at Pinehurst didn't love the DisneyWorld feel of it.” 17
- “Just pulled up my folio from last year and there's 100 more dollars a night just from taxes and fees. They charge a "package service charge and tax", which isn't included in the publicly listed rates.” 17
- “Great course just very disappointing that for the price there was zero effort made to monitor pace of play.” 20
- “Tobacco Road is fun, but their prices are starting to get crazy. 250 plus for what some would call goofy golf is getting a little ridiculous.” 17
- “Its central location also provides convenient access to other notable Pinehurst area golf courses, allowing guests to experience all that the area has to offer.” 14
- “next is the location so we are in Southern Pines North Carolina right near Pinehurst Prime golf location couldn't be in a better spot plenty of things to do in the downtown area 10 out of 10 for location great spot to be” On camera1118:54
- “Rented a house on 18 green at PN a few years back. Location was awesome and it is a short walk to the breakfast buffet that was amazing.” 6
- “Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club is situated in Southern Pines, North Carolina, just minutes from Pinehurst Resort and many of the Sandhills' other world-renowned golf courses. Its central location makes it an ideal base for exploring one of the greatest golf destinations in the United States while experiencing one of Donald Ross' most iconic designs.” 19
- “The starter was nice, food in the clubhouse was good, it's all a very old school vibe which is kinda of cool....” 16
- “The blonde guy in the pro shop was very rude. I was standing there checking in and he took a call from Mid Pines to schedule someone else and made me wait.” 16
- “Everyone from the bar, the starter to the pro shop staff were wonderful. This is a must play if you are in the Pinehurst area.” 16
- “Super nice place with a very nice staff but the greens were extremely slow and grainy.” 12
- “Course condition was pristine and off-course amenities and service were impeccable.” 16
- “uper nice place with a very nice staff but the greens were extremely slow and grainy.” 16
- “The staff was super friendly, and the facility had good food and good practice areas.” 16
- “Southern Pines: Honestly, not my favorite. Gets a ton of love-it was cool, but to me, nothing about it set itself apart from the other courses. Plus, the staff-from check-in to the bar- weren't overly friendly.” 4
- “Pine Needles: A favorite; first, the clubhouse and bar is sick. Great staff in there, lots of fun.” 4
- “There's a nice variety of holes throughout, with combinations such as reachable par 5s followed by daunting par 4s, short-and-long par 3s, and holes demanding you work it both ways.” 7
- “Bell died in 2016, but her dream lives on. You can feel the history and the friendly welcome of the staff from the moment you arrive.” 10
- “Pop's Pub has a great staff of bartenders, and the team in the evening at the front desk is great.” 6
- “Everyone from the bar, the starter to the pro shop staff were wonderful.” 12
- “Staff friendliness isn't bad when comparing to other facilities. But, if you are going to compare to a top 100 this has got to be without question.” 12
- “Staff might have been the friendliest at any course I have ever played, and the golf course is a treat.” 16
- “Starter didn't arrive until 9:15 and was more occupied with trying to get his non-correct tee sheet right than customer service.” 16
- “The rooms were very spacious and each had a balcony overlooking the practice area.” 6
- “The locker room bathrooms at Mid Pines were designed when Americans were all 5'9", 125 pounds.” 6
- “A course without a bad hole, Pine Needles features a big, sprawling layout that fits the rugged, sandy terrain perfectly.” 9
- “Pine Needles Golf Club is a rapturous escape---an organic layout that takes us back in time.” 25
- “The Dormie Club and the Country Club of North Carolina share some similarities: tall pines, rolling topography, clever use of water hazards. But they are very different in other considerations, with Dormie an intentionally rugged, bare-bones layout that encourages a bit of the ground game, while CCNC is extremely well-manicured and plush. Both are absolutely beautiful, just in different ways.” 5
- “The new layout on old land has impressed, and the renovated No. 4 quickly was added as a co-hosting course alongside No. 2 for the 2019 U.S. Amateur.” 5
- “The layout navigates several ponds and lakes amid high-end homes, providing a relaxed and comfortable setting.” 5
- “It's just perfect. We stayed across the street from the Pine Crest Inn. Had our own house (part of the Pine Crest) called the Barrett House. Old...but perfect. No frills.” 4
- “First off...I'm in love with the town of Pinehurst. I want to retire there. It's quiet, slow-moving and quaint. Feels like Disneyworld+Mackinac Island+The Truman Show. It's just perfect.” 4
- “Stayed at PN this past week. It was great. Always clean and our bathroom had actually been updated.” 6
- “Stayed at Mid Pines 1 night in July before moving to the Villas at Talamore. Yes the place is tired and in need of a reno. The bathroom was very small as well.” 6
- “The bathroom was very small as well.” 6
- “I kind of wish they would renovate the bathroom. I had an inch of space between myself and the door when I was doing my business. 🤣” 6
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about view.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 1 source — too thin to rely on.
- 15 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Pine Needles Resort and Country Club
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Solid coverage · 57/100We read 25 sources for this property, and pulled 92 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-13.
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Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 25 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 8My experience of pine needles, southern pines, mid ...reddit.comForum thread2026-06-21Current2 quotes used
“Still, the fairways were in rough shape, the grass range was probably the worst I've ever used, and the food was disappointing.”
Read originalreddit.com - 4Pinehurst Area Golf - A Reviewreddit.comForum thread2026-05-28Current6 quotes used
“Hyland: This was a tack on before we left for home. Glad we did. Nothing other-wordly about it-but the greens were HUGE and absolute lightning. $95, can't beat it for what you get. At that price point, it's worth it.”
Read originalreddit.com - 3
- 17Pinehurst vs. Tobacco Road, Pine Needles, MidPinesforums.golfwrx.comSocial post2024-12-10Ageing8 quotes used
“I wouldn't skip the free dinner at the resort. Their food service is pretty good across the board.”
Read originalforums.golfwrx.com - 9Review: Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Clubworldgolfer.blogReview site2023-11-28Ageing5 quotes used
“A course without a bad hole, Pine Needles features a big, sprawling layout that fits the rugged, sandy terrain perfectly.”
Read originalworldgolfer.blog - 22Pine Needles Golf Trip — Part I: The Courses - Mediumcparsons981.medium.comReview site2021-11-14AgeingRead originalcparsons981.medium.com
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