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Once again the design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have created a stunning American golf course, this time in the Sandhills area near Pinehurst, North Carolina. The Dormie Club sits on 310 acres with only 68 acres of managed grass. The balance is made up of wire grasses, pine trees, Sandhills native vegetation, and “natural sands.” The course is as natural looking as any Sandhills course as it winds through mature pine and hardwood forests and around a couple of lakes. There are no manicured edges or defined rough and you’ll also encounter something fairly unique in the area - 110 feet of elevation change. Most fairways are flanked by sandy soil, pine straw, native grasses, and fescues.
Dormie Club follows the Donald Ross design principle of wide fairways, which rewards tee shots hit to a specific area of the fairway while giving errant shots a chance at recovery albeit with a bit of added difficulty. Many holes at the Dormie Club also have large chipping areas that require golfers to think through and execute their chip shots.
There are no paved cart paths or any paved surfaces for that matter on the course and like many great courses, signage is kept to a minimum. What few signs they have are designed to keep you moving in the right direction. Holes are marked with 4x4 posts with the hole number at the top. Moving from Number 6 to Number 7 can be a little tricky with 14 in the middle. To get to the 7th tee you have to go by the 14th tee and thankfully, there is a sign on the 14th tee that says “This Ain’t 7!”
As you make your way around the layout you’ll encounter three natural lakes and course aesthetics reminiscent of Scotland. Dormie Club features Bermuda fairways and tees with bent grass greens. Bunkers have been strategically placed to encourage creativity off the tee, on layups, and approaches. The greens have a lot of undulation in them. For example, the 3rd hole has no less than four separate mounds in it so you better hope you catch the pinsetter on a good day.
Keeping it in the fairway at the Dormie Club is everything, however, the first three holes are short enough that if your driver isn’t working right out of the gate, you can still escape if you can make a good second shot.
The elevation change can be seen on the 3rd and 4th hole, a sweeping dogleg left that plays downhill. The 4th green is very large and a front to back pin placement can easily a 3-club difference.
The back nine has a couple of risk/reward par 4s: Number 14 plays 283 yards and a good drive down the left side can easily run-up to the green. Number 15 plays slightly less at 263 yards however it takes a well-struck and well-placed tee shot to not only get to the green but to keep the ball in play.
Big things are happening at The Dormie Club and in June 2021, things are going to explode. That’s when their all-new 16,000-square-foot clubhouse is scheduled to open along with another 15 Stay and Play cottages. The clubhouse will consist of several seating areas including a spacious dining room anchored by a large two-sided fireplace and vaulted ceilings. Plans also include a standalone pro shop.
The Dormie Club is part of the Dormie network a collection of six fine, private clubs in Nebraska, Texas, Virginia, Indiana, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Becoming a member of one club makes you a member of all six. Each club offers a pure golf experience with 15-minute tee times, chef-prepared cuisine, specialty cocktails, sommelier-chosen wine, and deluxe en-suite cottages. With golf courses designed by the likes of Tom Fazio and Coore & Crenshaw, you’ll have full access to each club all under a single dues structure. The Dormie Network is the perfect second membership, especially for golfers who like to travel and demand the best that a country club has to offer.