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Being born in the mid 90s, I always heard of the amazing victory by Payne Stewart at Pinehurst in the 99th playing of the United States Open. I've seen the clip of the iconic fist pump on the 72nd hole as Payne holed his birdie putt to win by 1 stroke over "Lefty". Vaguely remembering the tragedy that ended his life, I never got to experience the life of Payne, but revel in the legacy. This weekend, I finally get to see the statue at Pinehurst #2. I will finally be able to enjoy the Pinehurst atmosphere that I have heard so much about! We have three rounds scheduled already, and we will try to squeeze in a 4th somewhere. Since I have never been there, what courses would you recommend playing? Also, what restaurants should I try while there? The only thing as good as a golf trip is a stellar restaurant!

The attempted trip to Myrtle Beach this spring didnt work out. But that didn't stop MDGolfHacker and I from still planning a closer getaway. We booked a condo and tee times for the Pinehurst area April 6 to 8. A fellow DMV friend is joining us so we have room for a 4th! I know it's kinda late notice (as your fee would have to be paid next week) but I'm sure there is at least one MGS'er out there within a reasonable drive that would want to join us for 3 scheduled (a 4th most likely upon arrival on Friday) rounds and a good time. I know some of our GA/SC boys are not far of drive at all...hint hint!! So here's the important deets. Playing Mid South and Mid Pines on Saturday Tobacco Road on Sunday Staying in a 2 BR/2BA Condo at Talamore Cost $660 give or take a few pennies. includes all golf greens fees, range balls, taxes and breakfast and condo. If interested or need more info, feel free to post here or PM me. most likely would need a commitment by Monday or Tuesday at the latest as the final payment is due Wed.

From today's InBox -- kind of a cool place to have your HQ!!! Golf Company Headquarters Planned For Pinehurst No. 8 Golf Pride Would Move From Its SP Location John Nagy/The Pilot An architectural rendering of the proposed Golf Pride Global Innovation Campus that would be built just inside the gates at the Pinehurst No. 8 golf course in Pinehurst. Courtesy/Golf Pride Golf Pride, the sport's largest manufacturer of golf club grips, is looking to trade its inconspicuous Southern Pines presence for a significantly higher profile one just inside the gates of the Pinehurst No. 8 golf course. The company, a division of the international conglomerate Eaton Corp. will go before the Pinehurst Planning and Zoning Board Thursday afternoon to present its plans for an $8 million facility that would include corporate offices, a consumer interactive wing, and a research and development operation. The company is calling the project its “Global Innovation Campus.” Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, which owns the land, would sell roughly 10 acres for the project. The building would be just inside the No. 8 gates off Murdocksville Road and nestled in among a wooded lot. The building would be 36,000 square feet, or about half the size of the Harris Teeter grocery store just about a mile west on N.C. 211. Between 40 and 50 people would work at the headquarters. Those individuals are currently in three locations between Southern Pines and Aberdeen. Golf Pride President James Ledford said the company likes being in the area but wanted to be able to have ready access to consumers. While most of Eaton's divisions are businesses that sell to other businesses, Golf Pride sells its grips directly to golfers. “We're betting on staying in the local community for the long term,” he said. “We're learning how to plug into consumer product development, and we were looking to be more visible.” Golf Pride's current building on Murray Hill Road just off U.S. 15-501 didn't fit that criteria. “You have to text me now if you're coming so I can come let you in,” Ledford said. “You can't work at Golf Pride and not engage with people buying the product.” Golf Pride employees began talking more than three years ago about a new location, spending time with consultants and construction professionals about the presence it wanted to project. Ledford, who worked previously as an executive with Callaway Golf in Carlsbad, Calif., said the company wanted a building true to its natural surroundings but modern enough inside to represent its innovative work process. “It needed to be additive to the local community,” he said. “It draws on the history and heritage of Pinehurst. And it has that excitement factor of a global brand pushing growth and innovation.” With that in mind, the company began talking with the Pinehurst Resort in 2015 about a possible partnership. “We need to be more visible,” Ledford said, “and there are not many places to be more visible than right there when people come to play No. 8.” “The synergies of these brands coming together makes a lot of sense,” said Tom Pashley, president and CEO of Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. “Why not Pinehurst? “It's a great validation not only for Pinehurst Resort but this great community.” Although it fits within a small niche in the golf industry, Golf Pride has established itself in a substantial way over the years. The company makes club grips for a number of club manufacturers, but it also makes them under its own name. It is currently the top grip company on the pro tours, and its grips are on the clubs of a vast majority of touring pros. Like the rest of the golf industry, Golf Pride finds itself fighting some unfavorable trends. Studies by the National Golf Foundation over the last few years have found fewer people playing fewer rounds. Club sales are down 50 percent in the last five years. In the face of that, however, Golf Pride has continued to grow. It now markets its grips more as a piece of key equipment than just a “handle” on a club. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a new club, a number of golfers are refitting those clubs with $10 grips to help improve their games. And there are signs that golf could be on an upward swing again. Pashley says the industry is seeing signs of renewed interest from “aspiring golfers.” “There's a groundswell that's coming,” he said. Indeed, Ledford said, the Golf Foundation studies show a lot of that growth is occurring among children under the age of 13. Ledford says the key benefit to being at Pinehurst No. 8 will be the ability to walk new products out the back door of its research and design space over to the driving range and solicit immediate feedback from potential customers. The village's Planning and Zoning Board will get its first look at the project Thursday afternoon. The property would have to be rezoned from residential to professional office. Right now, there is a string of newer homes that line Murdocksville Road on the east side. On the west side, developers are constructing a senior living facility and a cluster of townhomes. Consultants have designed the facility to have less parking and built-on space than would otherwise be allowed. Bob Koontz, the Southern Pines-based land planner, said the project was designed to fit within the confines of what is an Audubon Society Signature Sanctuary golf course. The village planning staff has recommended approval with no conditions. Assuming the project proceeds without any snags, a ground-breaking could occur before the end of the year, and Golf Pride could move in by early 2019, Ledford said. The Planning Board meeting begins at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Village Council meeting room, 395 Magnolia Road.