Tobacco Road Golf Club – Golf Course Review

Tobacco Road has been ranked a Top 50 public course in the country. We have been wanting to play here for a while now and had the chance to play 36 holes.  It was one of the best courses we have ever played, right in line with Bethpage Black. This course was established in 1998 and designed by Mike Strantz, so you know it’s going to be an untraditional golf course.  The entire course is filled with waste bunkers, and you’ll be able to see this as you arrive and drive through the 18th hole. We arrived about an hour early for our tee time, and still could have even been there earlier.  The driving range is included in your round, so you’ll want to get there early and hit some balls before you tee off.  This is not one of those courses you just arrive and go right to the tee box. The practice green is wild, and you’ll start to realize what you’re going to get yourself into.   It has several tiers, and some putts are sure to roll off the green or to the complete other side of the practice green. The entire rest of the course is remarkable.  Between our threesome, we accounted for 28 shots out of the bunkers on the first 18.  There is no way of avoiding the bunkers, so make sure to get your practice in the bunkers before your round, otherwise it will make for a long and exhausting round. Tobacco Road is not too long of a course, but if you miss in the slightest, you’ll find yourself in trouble.  There are a few false fronts which will roll your ball back 20-30 yards off the green, leaving yourself a tough chip up a steep hill.  Playing the round a second time really helped navigating the course, knowing where we want to miss, what we can go for, and avoid certain risks we went for the first time around. Most of the people that play here are going to be above the average golfer, so the pace of play never gets too out of hand.  We saw some walkers on the course, and more power to them, but wasn’t something that we were willing to try. We talked to several people who are from Pinehurst but would rather drive 30 minutes to play Tobacco Road.  We have no regrets from paying to play here, and already cannot wait to make the trip again.  It’s close enough for a day trip, but you could also make a solid weekend out of it.  Pinehurst is a short drive away, so can really turn this into a great outing.  Depending on the season, the prices do get a bit cheaper, but it’s not outrageously priced for the quality you get. The replay rate is great, allowing you to play again the same day for $60. However, 36 holes at Tobacco Road is a long, tough day, but definitely would still recommend it. On our way to the course, we got hyped watching the recent video posted by Fore Play, which is Barstool’s golf podcast hosted by the infamous Riggs.  We had a similar experience as they did, and it’s well worth the watch for those who haven’t seen it before.

The course is too pure to pick out any signature holes, so take a look at the hole-by-hole to get a better of idea of how beautiful this course really is. The course also has its own app, which acts as a Yardage book with also GPS built into it.  You will want to download it prior to your round to help get your way around the course.