After a recent pilgrimage to Pinehurst NC, which some might consider the heart of the golf world, I have a newfound appreciation for golf course design and architecture.
The new course at Talamore is the perfect introduction to the Carolina sandy hills for the first-time visitor: a course with beauty, challenge, and scoring ability all rolled into one.
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Before talking about the course as it is played today, a little history lesson is necessary. “The New Course” was the brainchild of Rhys Jones, son of famed golf architect Robert Trent Jones, and the course opened in 1991 as part of the larger Talamore Golf Resort project. Changes have marked the course’s short history, but a recent renovation has brought some of the original design features to life while adding more detail to the course.
One of the most notable updates is the restoration of the green to its original sizes and the addition of 5-foot hoops. While this makes the course look more playable and leads to more putting greens in regulation, make sure your lag mode is dialed.
Another great new addition to the course are the 12 wall bunkers scattered throughout. While these hideaways will give you the vibes of Scotland and look absolutely fantastic, you don’t want to find yourself in them!
The last update to note is the expansion of the lanes and the reduction in the amount of ore. Although this might make you think that you don’t have to be so precise off the tee. Perfectly placed stakes and shaped hole layouts ensure that you’ll stay focused as you hit the tee.
Watch the video below to get a brief overview of the course before diving into the details of the single hole:
Browse the course
Stepping on the first tee at Talamore, you’re standing side by side with Carolina Pines in a dramatic scene for the course’s longest hole. This 600+ yard stretch is carved through rows of trees and gives you a quick wake-up to the challenges that lie ahead. If you’re a northerner visiting, beware the Bermuda grass greens on this course. They feel, roll and run very differently than the stoop you’re likely to be used to. Settle in quickly or it can turn into a long round quickly!
The second downhill is a medium length 3 which will give you a look at your first bunkers. The approach to green is guarded by two such beauties, so you’d better go long if you want to avoid a day at the beach.
The third begins to offer some of the wide lanes that were promised. This 400 yard par 4 offers golfers the opportunity to unleash their drivers from the tee. The second shot is more about putting the ball in as the third green is more difficult to stick and may require consecutive shots to the hole.
The fourth also offers another par 5 with the challenge provided by a tree-lined fairway, a center bunker and a large patch of sand protecting the right side of the green. This green can be reached in 2 for some and makes for a great scoring opportunity. This video shows a flyover under lane 4 with the third hatch visible to the right.
The third, fifth, and sixth holes are the ones that require precision from the tee. Both of their green parks are guarded by fearsome bunkers that will swallow your ball if given the chance. Two more acid-faced bunkers greet you at level 3, but the size of the green provides a chance to beat the bird and still put it down.
I like to think of the seventh as “the joy of the stairs.” A dogleg left par 4, is the number one handicap. Carrying bogs off the tee and a long second putt will keep you happy walking off this hole. While the green is relatively unprotected, the length of this hole provides all the challenge needed.
The eighth hole provides a bit of a breather after exiting the difficult par seven. This 4 gauge has curved lane edges that provide a path for most shots to find the right trajectory. The green complex is free of sand but beware of the slope. A short or long putt is sure to travel into the assembly areas resulting in a tricky slice on the multi-level green.
Rounding the front par 9 is one of my favorite holes on the course. This short figure 4 is daunting from the start with a great mix of bunkers, fescue and rolling greens. If you are in control of your peg game, this hole is a great birdie opportunity.
Vanishing players will finally get a chance to take advantage of the hole’s shape when they advance to the tee on the 10th. This grueling par 4 is protected by countless fairway bunkers but a relatively open green. The entire complex is surrounded by high walls and steep slopes of lawn giving it an intimidating appearance when viewed from the driveway.
However, again designed to attract the pull player, the 11th long par 5 is accessible if the fine tee shot is hit. This hole has some amazing terrain that can only be appreciated from the air. I also found the green side dugout and fescue area to look amazing. This was one of my favorite holes to shoot.
Holes 12 and 13 play long pars of 4 and 3 making it some of the most challenging on the course, in my opinion. Both holes require accurate tee shots and great putting just to get even. The green complexes of each are built on large plateaus with any mistakes making for difficult recoveries.
If you weren’t already aware of the Talamore logo and clubhouse full of llama-themed goods, the llama is the focal point of this course. Llama pens located between the 13th and 14th holes provide a quick glimpse of these animals you wouldn’t normally see on golf courses. These “caddies” are already available for hire to roam the course with you (and handler), and carry your clubs from tee to green.
With an exhibition of llama-watching, the 14-foot tee is one of the most challenging of the course. Another hole shape that favors the draw, a long bunker guards the left side of the fairway and high slopes dominate the right. Perfectly placed trees protect the approach to the sloping green which again requires careful placement.
Just as you start to lose energy, No. 15 hits you with a long 3. Playing 238 yards from the back tees, this hole will challenge even the best players. Two bunkers guard the entrance to the green with an enticing open grandstand in the middle, daring you to split uprights to get to the build surface.
As you head towards the final stretch of holes, the par 16 and par 17 combine to create a story of two 4s. Hole 16 is a grueling 450-yard monster with a protected green while Hole 17 is a short, drivable monster 4 with one of the least guarded but toughest greens. Both holes are wonderful summations of the varied prints, hazards, and green pools found throughout the round.
The final hole on the New Course is an absolutely stunning par 4 featuring an over-water tee shot and a dramatic club front finish. Be sure to check the load distance and give yourself plenty of room to cover. You don’t want to find yourself in any of the bunkers that guard the far shores of the pond.
This video from Talamore Resort provides a great overview of each hole if you’d like to see more of the course:
Talamour Top Tracer Series
If you don’t have time for a full round of golf or want to quench your fiends after you’ve finished on a new course, Talamore Resort also recently opened the Top Tracer Range. This digital scope provides both fun and practice, giving gamers the ability to see data and metrics on their shots while playing social competitions with friends, even while sipping a few drinks.
Perhaps the best part of the Talamore Range is the night aspect. Even after a long day of golf, we were still craving a few last shots under the big lights. We were able to grab a few cocktails, relax, and enjoy some swings.