The Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst Resort

In Pinehurst, North Carolina, The Carolina Hotel places you at the centre of a resort with eleven 18-hole courses, the nine-hole Cradle short course and Thistle Dhu, its putting course. It suits a proper multi-round break, with Donald Ross architecture, Sandhills terrain and modern designs all within the same stay. The hotel itself has 230 renovated Four Diamond rooms and suites, from 250 to 400 square foot Deluxe Rooms to a 1,700 square foot Presidential Suite with a walk-in shower and soaking tub. Complimentary resort shuttles make moving between the hotel, courses and facilities straightforward, while the West Lawn putting green is useful for a few putts before heading out.

No. 2 is the round with the greatest sense of occasion. Donald Ross designed this U.S. Open anchor course, where crowned greens put a premium on approach play and recovery skills. No. 3 offers a shorter change of pace, a restored Ross par 68 that demands tidy placement rather than sheer power. Gil Hanse reshaped No. 4 around the sandy, natural character of the Carolina Sandhills, while No. 5 brings lakes into play and includes the Cathedral Hole. There is more variety further afield, from the wetland edged, rolling ground of No. 7 to Tom Fazio’s No. 8 and Jack Nicklaus’s 7,122-yard No. 9 among longleaf pines. The new No.10 and No. 11 add even further incredible courses to the line up, with No. 10 a walking only golf course. The Cradle is an approachable nine-hole option for an evening.

Between rounds, the heated outdoor pool, children’s pool, misting pool, whirlpool and fireplaces provide an easy place to slow the pace. Coffee and lighter breaks are covered by The Coffee House, with drinks available in the Carolina Vista Lounge.