Country Club of Whispering Pines

The Country Club of Whispering Pines features a course designed by Ellis Maples, a North Carolina architect whose work is concentrated throughout the Sandhills and Piedmont regions of the state. Maples, who practiced primarily in the mid-to-late twentieth century, developed a regional reputation for routing courses that work with the natural pine and hardwood landscapes characteristic of North Carolina's interior. His designs typically emphasize playability for a range of skill levels while incorporating the rolling terrain and sandy soils common to the area. Whispering Pines sits in Moore County, part of North Carolina's golf-rich Sandhills region near Pinehurst. The course reflects the area's signature features: longleaf pine corridors, natural sandy waste areas, and gently rolling topography. Maples likely routed the holes to take advantage of elevation changes and natural clearings within the wooded property, creating a layout that requires thoughtful course management rather than overwhelming length. The club serves a residential community and maintains a traditional member-focused atmosphere typical of mid-century Carolina clubs. The course provides a straightforward test of golf without the severe design features or championship length found at some of the region's more prominent tournament venues. For those exploring the Sandhills beyond the well-known resort courses, Whispering Pines represents the kind of solid, unpretentious design work that Maples produced throughout his career in the Carolinas.