Pine Hollow Golf Club, Clayton, NC

Nice course, well kept and enjoyed myself there. Friendly staff and very accomodating.

As frequent players at Pine Hollow we wanted to see how the new greens played. Everyone in our group commented that they were really nice and rolled very true. The downside is that as newly installed greens, they were firm and wouldn't hold a well hit shot. Specifically # 3 and # 15. As they mature, I'm sure they will "soften" and become more enjoyable to play.

The rest of the course was in good to excellent condition; tee boxes, bunkers and fairways. For the cost, Pine Hollow is a good value.

On the downside, and it is frequently an "issue", there was a men's outing, which the Pro Shop neglected to mention when the tee time was made, which caused the Pro Shop staff to really hurry us up. With a 9:20 AM tee time, we were told we were going off the 10th tee and we had to go "right now". It was 9:05 and one of the group had not checked in yet. The Ranger/Player's Assistant accompanied us to the 10th tee box and reminded us several times, that we "had to turn in under two hours because a big men's group was scheduled off the first tee". We played the back in 1+46 and felt like we were holding up the entire world when we got to the first tee box. We played the front in 1+58 for a sub 4 hour round. While I understand accompanying large groups, which Pine Hollow does frequently, the staff could have handled the situation much more professionally.

Pine Hollow is a rolling, relaxing track that is well maintained, value priced, and well managed.

On the upside:
- The course is mature and well maintained, with clean, crisp greens and lush fairways
- Most of the holes are straight shots from tee to green, making this course a good remedy for the fatigue of playing target golf; it is nice to be able to see the flag from the tee box on a par 4 or par 5 from time to time!
- Since most holes do not have trouble in front of them, you have lots of choices in how to play them; for example, from 100 yards you could hit a full wedge, a ¾ short iron, or a bump and run long iron…great practice!
- Distances from the whites and blues are manageable; as long as you can hit relatively straight, you can score well
- The staff is very friendly, with the starters always looking for ways to organize the groups heading out to ensure pace of play
- The prices are lower than other local tracks, and you can usually find online specials

On the downside:
- The course can be very busy; be sure to call before reserving to understand which mornings are problematic
- The holes loop around on each other links style on the back 9; if you are playing with high handicappers, pay close attention, as a strong fade from the tee can land on another tee box
- It is a hike to get there

Overall, Pine Hollow is a solid choice. It is not easy, but not fatiguing either, and a great value.

It is over priced at the regular rates

Things must have really changed since the last review. This is a great course with good value for the $. It's very well maintained and the rough is kept fairly low. This is great for higher handicapers. And it speeds the pace of play. Not the most difficult but certainly a challenge with a good layout.