By David Droschak Pine Needles has a new look – and it’s quite stunning as the iconic resort located in the heart of the North Carolina Sandhills prepares to host its record-setting fourth U.S. Women’s Open. Just in the last 60-90 days alone, upwards of 30,000 native grasses have been planted by golf course…
By David Droschak The first lunch meeting in February 2012 between Pine Needles Resort president Kelly Miller and golf course architect Kyle Franz hit on a wide range of topics. At one point, Southern Pines Golf Club came up, and Franz sat up in his chair. Franz had played the 115-year-old course numerous times while…
By David Droschak It was probably a no-brainer that Pine Needles CEO Kelly Miller would tap Kyle Franz to tackle the resort’s latest acquisition – historic Southern Pines Golf Club – as the architect of choice for a renovation project that is scheduled to begin this winter. The work by Franz at sister resorts Mid…
By David Droschak With dozens of Donald Ross-designed golf courses scattered across the state of North Carolina from Asheville to Wilmington, golf enthusiasts have debated for decades the best of the best. One Ross course that has often flown under the radar has been the Southern Pines Elks Golf Club, especially over the last decade…
By David Droschak At 28 years old and the golf world still reeling from the Great Recession, fresh-faced architect Kyle Franz made a bold prediction after having a hand in the bunkering work at Pinehurst No. 2. “I did an interview in the summer of 2010 right after we finished Pinehurst No. 2 and one…