Talamore Tapped Among North Carolina's Best

Unlike most golf course rankings, which rely on "expert" raters, GolfAdvisor rankings are determined by the general public - golfers who play the courses and then write a review and rate them on the popular Web site.

GolfAdvisor is the leading source of golf course ratings and reviews by golfers, for golfers. The site's active community - hundreds of thousands in size - shares their first-hand experience at courses worldwide. To date, more than a half-million reviews have been submitted.

Which is why the legendary Talamore Resort near the Village of Pinehurst was particularly pleased that the New Course at Talamore was tapped by GolfAdvisor as the No. 25-ranked golf course in North Carolina. "It's often said that there are fifty Top 10 courses in North Carolina," said Matt Hausser, Talamore Resort's General Manager. "We appreciate the fact that GolfAdvisor uses the general public to rank courses. We receive positive feedback from our guests every day, so we're not surprised they rated us this highly. Recognition like this is what we strive for."

To compile the state lists, GolfAdvisor employed a similar method to that of its national Top 50 ranking. A course's score is based on its overall (50 percent) rating and subcategory average (50 percent). Reviews are weighted based on how prolific that reviewer is on GolfAdvisor, and a course receives a bump in rating if its score is better than that reviewer's average score.

Talamore's high marks were due in large part to the major restoration performed on the golf course in 2016. Last summer - a quarter century after the resort first opened - the green complexes at Talamore were converted from bent grass to Champion Bermuda and have received rave reviews. In addition to true rolling and lightening fast greens, the new strains of Bermuda are providing significantly better playing conditions year-round. The New Course at Talamore green complexes have been restored to their original 1991 Rees Jones design by recapturing the greens surrounds, which had been encroached by native Bermuda grasses.

"The recently completed renovations at Talamore have made the golf course a must-play for anyone travelling to the Pinehurst area," wrote one GolfAdvisor reviewer. "The new Bermuda greens roll true and will be an absolute treat throughout the warm summer months. 5 stars, Talamore. 5 stars!"

Talamore's anniversary changes had a broader mission than just a greens conversion. Better course conditions, a more playable layout and more convenient golf cart access throughout the course were all on the list. Talamore removed a number of bunkers from the original layout and re-contoured the areas to blend with the surrounding shaping, providing more forgiveness in the landing zones and around the greens. Also, Talamore now allows full cart access to all its holes with significantly improved access everywhere.

"I've played (Talamore) probably four times since August of last year and it's still, as it was then, in sensational condition," wrote another GolfAdvisor reviewer. "Tee boxes, fairways, bunkers and greens are near perfect."

Now, Talamore's partner property across the street at the Arnold Palmer designed Mid South Club is undergoing a similar golf course restoration and greens conversion, along with numerous other club enhancements. In all, these projects are among $6 million in capital improvements at Talamore's four North Carolina and Pennsylvania facilities.

For information call (800) 552-6292 or visit www.TalamoreGolfResort.com for the latest golf package information.