jimyouell - 9/17/22
I played the Pines course. The fairways were decent and the greens were good. I enjoyed this course except for the rocks in the sand traps and there are a lot of sand traps.

  jcdicks - 4/12/22
Sorry , Course upkeep was terrible / The fairways were like first cut of rough -

  dshaw22 - 6/7/19
Played both courses and the green structures are completely different between the courses. The east greens were very hard and did not hold a shot very well. The west greens were more receptive and still putted very good. Overall a good add to any golf trip in the area.

  thegolfinguy@gmail.com - 7/29/17
The Country Club of Whispering Pines is a 36-hole facility owned and managed by Brown Golf Management who also owns nearby Foxfire Golf Club. This gives local Brown Golf members access to 72 holes of championship golf in the Pinehurst Area of North Carolina! More on that in a minute.

The original 18 holes at the Country Club of Whispering Pines opened for play in 1962. An additional 9 holes were added in 1965, and the club operated as a 27-hole facility for about 4 years until 1969 when the final 9 holes were added. Since then, changes have been made and some hole rerouting has taken place and the Country Club of Whispering Pines is now a 36-hole facility. The courses have been renamed the River (formerly the West) Course, and the Pines (formerly the East) Course. Both courses were designed by Donald Ross protégé Ellis Maples way back in 1959 and 1965 respectively and share one thing in common – variety. One example of this is the types of grass used on the greens – The Pines features Champion Bermuda and The River, Bent grass.

Before your round, head over to the practice area, where you’ll find a full-length driving range, a practice pitching green complete with sand bunkers, and two putting greens to get you ready for your round.

The Pines Course

The Pines course has been referred to by some as an “inland links” style course, because of the absence of water. Donald Ross’ influence is evident in the way this Maples design hugs the natural contour of the land, as well as in the use of open, hardpan areas in the rough that are sparsely covered with pine straw and native grasses. You’ll also see his touch in the shaping of the greens and positioning of the sand traps. A great golf course from a golf design icon.

From the back tees, The Pines plays 7,094 yards to a par of 72, with a course rating of 74.5 and a slope of 134. Most golfers will find that the White Tees (6,409/71.1/131) offer an adequate test. Although the Pine Course offers generous fairways, you’ll still end up hitting every club in your bag because of the variety of holes. Ladies will have a great time from the Red Tees (5,324/71.4/121).

Memorable Holes

The par 5, 5th hole is not only the toughest ranked hole on the course, it’s also one of the more scenic holes out here. From the White Tees, the hole plays 544 yards, so for most of us, it’s a 3 shot hole. There’s a large pine tree on the right side off the tee that needs to be avoided; your best line is to bisect the left bunker and the pine tree. The landing area for your layup shot is wide open and the right center of the fairway will leave the best angle in to the green. Your approach shot is about half a club downhill over water to a large green protected front right and back left by sand. It’s easy to see why this is the toughest hole; it takes 3 good shots to get on and an accurate pitch if you want to score better than average.

Another hole that will test your mettle is the par 4, 10th. It plays 401 yards from the Whites Tees, predominantly uphill. It’s a narrow hole that requires two long, straight shots into another oversized green which is fronted by bunkers on either side.

With all of the elevation changes out here, you’re in for an interesting round. You’ll be hitting from uphill, downhill and side hill lies, but that’s a lot of what you find in the area. Trust me, it beats flat! Let me leave you this this piece of advice: if you tend to slice your tee shots, use a white ball. It will make it that much easier to find on the range!

The two courses at The Country Club of Whispering Pines offer peace and relaxation. Out here, you far removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, all that’s left to do is put that little white ball in the hole. Eighteen times!

I spoke with several members while I was there who all raved about the dining room and how well Brown Golf Management was doing in restoring the club to its former splendor. The Grill features all of your clubhouse favorites and what’s most impressive – they all taste good. From the Grilled Reuben to the Ellis Maple Burger, you’ll enjoy every bite. They also feature several beers on tap and have a full bar.

According to the members, one of the best thing about joining the club is that you have access to unlimited golf at two 36-hole facilities in the Pinehurst area, as well as unlimited range balls.

The Country Club of Whispering Pines also has 32 hotel-style rooms as well as 9 condo/suites for those looking for a stay and play vacation. The rooms are a short walk to the clubhouse and first tee include free wireless Internet access, unlimited use of the outdoor pool and tennis courts (as well as the 24-hour fitness center.

  nhingtgen - 11/22/16
Played the Pines course in the morning and the River course in the afternoon on Saturday, November 12th. Both courses were in great shape. We were told that the Pines course was the better course because they recently had redone the greens. The greens on both courses were in good shape and tough to hold but we liked the layout of the River course a little better. The starter (Mick?) and everyone in the clubhouse were great. We also got a great weekend deal from "Ring the Pines" at Little River. 3 nights at Little River condos (nothing fancy), a round at Little River (greens were pretty poor), 2 rounds at Country Club of Whispering Pines,and a round at the Dormie Club. All for $260 a person.

  tsabwilson - 9/13/14
Played Whispering Pines - Pines course on a coupon deal. Course was in great shape, I would have payed full price to golf the Pines Course. Pace or Play was excellent on a Friday, never had anyone pushing us or never had to wait on any groups in front. Very friendly staff, Willie and Paula were great the minute we parked our vehicle. My only recommendation would be to have a snack bar/Grill in the clubhouse or a food/beverage cart making rounds on the golf course. Can't wait to try the River Course.

  roby9637 - 11/24/13
Good course, well maintained, playable

  mightyquinn82 - 11/6/13
Two great courses that a very different from each other. Challenging but not difficult to play. Course is in great shape and the greens were almost perfect shape. I have been playing out here for over 2 years and it just keeps getting better. The new management has done great things with the course.

  ajrousak@earthlink.net - 7/23/12
Slow greens, helps to have a right to left cut shot on some par-4 doglegs. Overall a good value especially on the weekends.

  minorcl1 - 3/20/12
Course is well kept. Fairways were remarkable and the green were not far behind. Had a special if you pay $49 dollars, you received a card for twleve rounds with cart for $25 dollars per round. Well worth the price if you plan to play the course more often. I will definitely go back to play my twelve rounds. Try it, you'll like it.