Three reasons to consider North Carolina for a female-friendly golf trip, according to a tour pro
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Whether you're looking for a trip that's all about golf, or are looking to incorporate a round or two into a group vacation full of other activities like hiking and boating, North Carolina is a great spot for your next women's golf trip. Just ask a local.
Kendra Dalton plays on the Epson Tour, after having competed for BYU. She was born near Manhattan, but when her family moved to North Carolina she started to get serious about golf. Raleigh is her home base. She shared some of her favorite spots in North Carolina.
Pinehurst
“This is so cliche, but if you’re coming to North Carolina you have to go to Pinehurst,” Dalton said. “It’s welcoming to women, the courses are amazing, and there are other things to do besides just golf. Obviously it’s mostly focused around golf, but the town is really charming, their spa is great, and the Southern food is really good.”
Don’t let the fact that Pinehurst No. 2 is a U.S. Open site make you think that Pinehurst is only for scratch golfers.
“They’ve created this huge, mega green that has a really fun laid back vibe, and they have The Cradle a par 3 course, so that makes it less intimidating,” Dalton said. “They've done a really good job of trying to make it more inviting to any level of golfer, which I think is great too.”
Photo by Roger Winstead/Lonnie Poole Golf Course
Another course in North Carolina Dalton says is worth a stop is NC State’s course, Lonnie Poole. “There are actually a lot of women that play out there, and I just think for a public course it's in great shape and it's challenging enough,” Dalton said. “Sometimes public courses are just blah, but I feel like Lonnie Poole's a real golf course. You're tested, you have to hit some good shots, but I feel like any level of player can enjoy playing there. They keep it in really good shape. I'm a big fan of Lonnie Poole.”
Asheville
Omni Golf & Resorts
If you’re looking for a fun trip that includes golf, but doesn’t have it as the centerpiece, Dalton says to head to the mountains.
“In Asheville, you have the Biltmore Estate which is a really cool place to stop by. There’s a winery tasting tour which people love. There’s some really cool little mountain towns in that area to explore. You can Airbnb a cabin, and there’s all kinds of stuff like boating on lakes, swimming, hiking, horseback riding.”
For golf up in the mountains, there are 11 courses within a 15 mile radius of Asheville. Of the public options, Grove Park in Asheville is a Donald Ross design on the property of the popular Omni Grove Park Inn.
