First, a word about the word "Pinehurst," because the situation surrounding that name has become a bit confusing and contentious over the past few years.

If you look at a map of North Carolina, not far to the west of Fayeteville, there's a dot with the word "Pinehurst" next to it: that's the "Village of Pinehurst," the quaint collection of shops and magnificent homes laid out almost 100 years ago by Frederick Law Olmstead. The epicenter of the Village is Pinehurst, the famous resort. A golfer who says "I'm going to Pinehurst" may not go anywhere near Pinehurst the resort, or Pinehurst the village. He'll probably visit a golf course that's technically in Southern Pines or Aberdeen or one of the other towns in what's also called "The Sandhills" or "southern Moore County." Confusing isn't it?

Pinehurst the resort attempted to end the confusion recently by trademarking the name "Pinehurst," preventing companies like "Pinehurst Embalming and Massage" from using the golden name. The resort argued that a "Pinehurst Hamburger Shack" or a "Pinehurst Exterminators" would detract from their franchise. While they might have a point, it's extremely rare and difficult to trademark a geographical name, particularly one with the resonance and import of Pinehurst. Most locals, particularly those in the Village of Pinehurst, decried the decision and pressured the resort to hand back the name. In January, both sides agreed not to Brinks any more cash to the lawyers and called a truce. Pinehurst the village could be Pinehurst, and companies in the area could use the name, so long as they aren't in the golf or resort business. All's well that ends well: The good people at Pinehurst Proctology can keep their name.

Despite all the flak that Pinehurst the resort received from locals, it must be noted that Club Corp., the company that owns Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, has worked extremely hard in the past decade to improve this national treasure. Although official numbers aren't available, it's clear that Club Corp. must have spent close to $100 million renovating buildings, constructing new courses, sprucing up the existing layouts and generally restoring Pinehurst to what it should be. Lost in much of the punch-up over the name is the commitment of all those who work for Pinehurst Resort and Country Club to maintain their property to world-class standards. Kudos to them for getting it right.

For the purposes of this book, we use "Pinehurst" to describe the entire area. In the entry for the resort, we say just "Pinehurst" so that we don't have to wear out the 'r' key on the keyboard. We hope this ends the confusion.

So, let's get to what Pinehurst is all about: great and wonderful golf in one of the game's great settings.