THE BATTLEGROUNDS

Three Iconic Courses. One Epic Showdown.

To win The Draft, you have to conquer three of the finest, most challenging tracks in the Sandhills. We aren't just playing on historical ground—we're testing every single club in the bag, and every ounce of your mental game. Get familiar with the gauntlet.

Golf course with sand bunkers and trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Talamore

  • The Architect:Rees Jones (1991)

  • The Vibe:High-Drama Layouts & Aggressive Elevation Changes

  • The Description:Routinely voted a favorite among Pinehurst-area layouts, Talamore is highly celebrated for its exceptional playing conditions and sheer fun factor.Architect Rees Jones crafted a dynamic course featuring significant elevation changes—swinging up and down across a 150-foot variance between its highest and lowest points.Recent remastering brought the introduction of beautiful, stacked sod-wall bunkers that lend a distinct Scottish feel to the classic Carolina pines. This is heavily considered a "thinker’s course" where smart positioning beats raw distance, putting a massive premium on hitting it straight. (Bonus lore: It's also famously known for its retired llama-caddy program, and you can still see the llamas hanging out near the 14th hole!Schedule a thorough wellness exam and catch issues early for lasting peace of mind.

Round 1: Best Ball (Two-Ball)

  • Location: Talamore Golf Resort

  • The Format: You and your partner play as a two-man team, but everyone plays their own ball from the tee to the cup on every hole.

How Scoring Works

  • At the end of each hole, you and your partner compare scores. Only the lowest single score between the two of you counts as your team’s score for that hole.

  • Example: On Hole 1, Player A shoots a 5 and Player B shoots a 4. The team score recorded is a 4.

  • Handicap / Net Scoring: Typically, USGA recommendations for Best Ball use a 85% handicap allowance for match play or stroke play. Each player's course handicap is reduced to 85%, and strokes are applied on the scorecard where they fall on the handicap index. The lowest net score of the partners is the team score.

A golf course with green fairways, sand traps, and trees in the background under clear skies.
A golf course with green fairways, sand bunkers, and a water hazard, surrounded by trees and residential houses in the background.

Legacy Golf Links

  • The Architect: Jack Nicklaus II (1991)

  • The Vibe: Rolling Sandhills Terrain, World-Class Par 3s & "The Bear"

  • The Description: Designed by Jack Nicklaus II under the Golden Bear design team, Legacy Golf Links is one of only three courses in the greater Pinehurst and Southern Pines area to have hosted a USGA National Championship (the 2000 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links). Carved through mature Carolina longleaf pines and rolling topography, Legacy demands tactical precision and shot-shaping from tee to green. The layout is renowned across the Sandhills for featuring four of the premier par-3 tests in Moore County, culminating in its famous 18th hole—a dramatic par 4 aptly named "The Bear"—where water hugs the entire left side and requires nerve on your final approach.

Round 2: 9-Hole Match Play

  • Location: Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club

  • The Format: Pure, individual golf. There are no partners to bail you out here—it is just you, the ball, and a 9-hole sprint.

How Scoring Works

  • Handicap / Net Scoring: Gross scoring except for A flight and B flight

Mid South Club

  • The Architect:Arnold Palmer (1995)

  • The Vibe:Big Palmer Style & High-Stakes Water Hazards

  • The Description:Sitting right down the road as Talamore’s sister course, Mid South Club is a premier private layout showcasing Arnold Palmer’s signature "King" design elements.Sprawled across 545 acres of longleaf pine forests, it treats golfers to wide, sweeping fairways, massive bunkers, and beautifully integrated, pristine lakes.It offers a fantastic, traditional parkland challenge where water hazards come heavily into play to dictate the strategy.Recently upgraded with seamless Champion Bermuda greens, the course culminates in a dramatic 18th hole—a stunning par-4 finish requiring a precise tee shot and a tense approach into a lengthy, water-protected green that is practically built for match-play drama

Round 3: 2-Man Scramble

  • Location: Mid South Club

  • The Format: The ultimate team-friendly format for the final round. Both you and your partner tee off, choose the best shot, and both play your next shots from that spot. You repeat this process until the ball is holed.

How Scoring Works

  • The team records a single score for the hole based on the scramble progression.

  • Ball Placement Rules:

    • Through the Green: Mark the chosen ball. Both players place their ball within one club-length of that spot (no closer to the hole) and play. You must stay in the same condition (e.g., if the chosen shot is in the rough, both players must play from the rough).

    • On the Green: Mark the chosen ball. Both players putt from within 6 inches of that spot.

  • Handicap / Net Scoring: Gross score