Pinehurst and Streamsong Open New Courses

Let the anticipation end and the exciting play begin…

Two of the nation’s most highly regarded golf resorts are opening golf courses this month. Pinehurst Resort is debuting The Cradle, a nine-hole short course, on September 30th and Streamsong Resort in central Florida is opening Streamsong Black, an 18-hole championship layout, on September 25th. Both courses are designed by Gil Hanse, whose impressive resume includes the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro, which received rave reviews, as well as Castle Stuart in Inverness, Scotland and The Vineyard Club in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Here’s what you need to know about the two courses:

Pinehurst’s “The Cradle”

– At 789 yards, the 9-hole course features holes ranging from 56 to 127 yards.

– The Cradle is situated in the same area where Dr. Leroy Culver carved the first nine holes out of sand at Pinehurst in 1898.

– Hanse’s design incorporates the native sandscape and wiregrass common to the original courses of Pinehurst. With holes that meander along the rolling terrain, The Cradle’s greens subtly blend into the surrounding landscape and are protected by rough-hewn bunkers, all features that have long been hallmarks of Pinehurst golf.

– Hanse comments: “The beauty of golf at Pinehurst is that it is very natural, traditional and classic, especially architecturally. That Pinehurst character, we believe, permeates through The Cradle. These nine little golf holes are on a historic piece of land, and we feel like each hole has its own identity that fosters the creativity golfers have enjoyed here for more than a century.”

– Greens fees for The Cradle are $50 this fall, and will vary seasonably. Kids 17 and under play free when accompanied by a paying adult, and resort guests may book tee times in advance.

– Bordering The Cradle will be Pinehurst’s expanded putting course Thistle Dhu, which surrounds the Putter Boy statue. At 75,000 square feet, the new Thistle Dhu is four times larger than the original putting course built in 2012, with rolling hills and sweeping valleys sure to delight golfers of all kinds. Thistle Dhu, which will open in early October, will be free to play.

– The Cradle logo features the Golf Lad, an iconic figure featured in original advertising for the resort and most recently used in the logo for the U.S. Opens and U.S. Amateur Championships at Pinehurst. In the Cradle logo, the Lad is shown resting comfortably in the nook of the letter “C.

– The opening of The Cradle and expansion of Thistle Dhu are two elements of a multiyear plan Pinehurst unveiled in November 2016. Following the successful opening of the Deuce, a new tavern overlooking the 18^th hole of Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst announced it hired Hanse to build the short course and begin a redesign of Pinehurst No. 4. Hanse will break ground on the No. 4 redesign in October

– Premier Golf offers great packages to Pinehurst Resort.

Streamsong Black

– Upon completion of The Black, Streamsong Resort will be the only resort in the world with courses designed by Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore, Tom Doak and Gil Hanse.

– Hanse was essentially given a blank canvas to design The Black. He got his pick of land spanning more than 800 acres and selected a 250-acre parcel dominated by a long sand ridge and natural elevation changes.

– The Black is set about a mile from the clubhouse that serves the Streamsong Red and Blue courses and will be somewhat isolated on the southeast portion of the property.

– The Black is set on rolling terrain with abundant sand and blowout sand bunkers, native grasses and panoramas similar to those of Sand Belt courses in Australia. 

– The Black Course will play to par 73.

– Streamsong officials foresee The Black hosting large Amateur events.

– The resort plans to add a second practice facility, clubhouse and restaurant to serve guests playing Streamsong Black.

– Streamsong Black, situated 27 miles south of Lakeland between Orlando and Tampa, is a multi-amenity resort with championship golf, a 216-room lodge with a spa, infinity pool and casual and fine dining restaurants and activities like bass fishing, sporting clays, tennis and nature trails.

– Premier Golf offers packages to Streamsong Resort.