Central North Carolina Feature

Ask anyone in the Sandhills this question, and you'll be met with stares of disbelief. Around here, the famed golfer and course designer is more than just a legend; he's an adopted son. His work is part of what put this rich golfing region on the map. Born in Scotland, Donald Ross (1872-1948) was just a pup when he was appointed the golf professional at Pinehurst in 1900, where he soon began his course-designing career. Eventually, he created four courses for the resort, including one of his most famous, Pinehurst's No. Two. Ross went on to design other area courses for such resorts as Mid Pines and Pine Needles, which still proudly advertise that fact. Eventually, Ross would design or redesign more than 400 courses across the country and would be credited with helping ignite America's love of golf. Though most of his work lay outside the forested confines of the Sandhills, local residents still like to think of this Scotsman as one of their own.