Longleaf Golf & Family Club

Longleaf Golf and Family Club is Dan Maples's 1988 design (with later enhancements by Bill Bergin) routed through the longleaf pines of the Sandhills. The Longleaf Tee System, a flexible set of tee options that lets you match playing distance to skill level, reinforces an inclusive design philosophy that runs through the whole layout.

At 6,684 yards (Airtable yardage; the source profile cites 6,600) with a slope of 123, Longleaf is the least demanding of the courses covered in the Pinehurst area. That isn't a criticism. It fulfils a role few Sandhills layouts attempt: a genuine golfing experience for mixed-ability groups, juniors, and players who want a round that refreshes rather than exhausts.

The routing moves through sandy soil and natural drainage that characterise the region. Maples kept the hazards visible and the fairways forgiving, putting most of the challenge into green-complex positioning rather than forced carries or narrow landing areas. Rounds typically come in under four hours.

Longleaf is the course in the Pinehurst area where a 25-handicap and a 5-handicap can play together without either feeling bored or beaten. The Tee System and the forgiving design make that work without sacrificing the Sandhills setting that makes the round worth playing.