North Carolina s Pinehurst/Southern Pines golf mecca abounds with quality golf courses, but one that stands out from among the pack is Talamore Golf Resort. Many local and visiting golfers rate this 1991 Rees Jones design in Southern Pines as their favorite Pinehurst-area layout for its winning combination of playability and challenge, thrilling elevation changes, and excellent playing conditions. Talamore Golf Resort has been a fixture on Golf Advisor s list of the Top Courses in North Carolina and it has also appeared on Golf Advisor s honor roll of the Top 25 Course Conditions in the United States. Jones made his mark in Pinehurst with his very tough No. 7 course for Pinehurst Resort. With its dramatic elevation changes, Talamore Golf Resort bears some resemblance to that former top-100 course but it is more fun to play for golfers of ordinary ski levels and not nearly as severe a test. Even better, tee times are far less expensive at Talamore Golf Resort. When the course first opened, it was a media sensation because it famously used llamas as caddies. The llamas have long been retired from those duties, but they can still be seen in an area by the 14th hole. Talamore Golf Resort doesn t need any gimmicks, though. This par-71 course that maxes out at over 7,00 yards can humble the very best players, and yet, with five sets of tee markers and an additional hybrid option, it s also manageable for everyone. The forward markers play at 4,977 yards. Jones s trademark containment mounding on the fairways also helps with course playability. Recent projects to remove trees, reduce the rough, restore the greens to their original size and shape, and pare down excess bunkering while adding some highly aesthetic stacked sod-wall bunkers have given Talamore Golf Resort even more luster. While many holes throughout the layout are flat, others rise and fall precipitously. The highest and lowest points on the golf course vary by 150 feet. Factor in some of the smoothest putting surfaces in Pinehurst/Southern Pines, and it s easy to see why Talamore Golf Resort enjoys such a devoted following. Practice facilities include a driving range that is equipped with TopTracer technology, a chipping area with a sand bunker, and a putting green. The clubhouse features a golf shop, locker rooms, and a restaurant. Make your tee time before all the slots fill up Talamore Golf Resort is a must-play course in Southern Pines.