Imagine building 26 golf courses at the height of the golf development bubble, with nine figures in public pension money — in an effort that now loses money year after year. Welcome to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
In theory, 12-hole designs should be cheaper to play, build, and maintain. But in the staid industry of golf course development, there’s been no rush to test the theory. The minds behind Sweetens Cove are ready to change that.
“Two tires off the cart path: why can’t all four tires be on the cart path? Any course in America, the edges of the cart path are always worn out. Nobody can keep all four tires on the cart path.”
Pine Needles feels like a step back in time, but four U.S. Women’s Opens in 25 years prove that it still offers all the challenges that the modern golfer can handle.