GolfPass Icon
Rating Index Rating
Tooltip Information Icon
4.6
46 Reviews (46)
5 Stars
7
4 Stars
13
3 Stars
5
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
17
Conditions
4.5
Value
2.8
Layout
4.6
Friendliness
4.7
Pace
4.8
Amenities
4.4
90.7%
Recommend this course
21 out of 46 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
5.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
1
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Layout
5.0
Pace
5.0
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
5.0
100.0%
Recommend this course
1 out of 1 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
5.0
1 Reviews (1)
5 Stars
1
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Layout
5.0
Pace
5.0
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
5.0
100.0%
Recommend this course
1 out of 1 reviews
Read Reviews

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private/Resort
Par 72
Length 6962 yards
Slope 133
Rating 73.5

Editor's Note: Course closed for business. See Woodlake Country Club listing.

Course Details

Year Built 1995
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Dress code No Blue Jeans. Golf Shirt with Collar Required.

Food & Beverage

Bar

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Activities

Swimming, Billiards

Available Sports

Fitness

Reviews

4.6
46 Reviews (46)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 335
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Walked

A home-run golf course “resurrection” close to Pinehurst

Not every disused golf course deserves to be revived, but when the bones are as good as Woodlake’s, the effort to put things back together again can yield stunning results.

Thorough mismanagement by prior ownership left both the Ellis Maples-designed course and surrounding community’s eponymous body of water in a sorry state. Fairways were grown over and the 1,200 lake had been drained. The refill is still to come but in the meantime, the fall of 2023 marked the reopening of the golf course, care of architect Kris Spence, who is an expert in the work of Maples and his mentor, Donald Ross. Spence restored Maples’ brilliant routing, which starts and ends lakeside with an enjoyable forest hike in the middle, and improved upon the course’s existing features while also bringing some of his own ideas to bear, especially in Woodlake’s bunkering and green design. The result is a first-rate members’ course where visitors may also be able to secure access via stay-and-play packages in the future. When that happens, Woodlake will vault up the Sandhills’ accessible golf course rankings.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap Don't know
Skill Beginner
Plays Once every three months
3.0
First Time Playing

Fair, but fun

Not terribly long, but challenging. The biggest thing is you need to be able to hit it straight. Staff was friendly and in good shape.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Do not bother

Terrible conditions. You can tell this place is running out of funds. Score card was photocopied. Pro shop opened 1 hour late as we waited to be the first ones out for the day. They only have 16 golf carts. Weeds everywhere and tall grass in the fairways. The lake has dried up. This place has so much potential to be a nice course. Do not waste your time and money playing this course when there are so many others in the area in the same price range that are top quality.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Extremely Disappointing

We had looked forward to playing a Palmer course along a lake. Great price too. We should have paid attention to the older reviews as this course has not improved in the least. We arrived at 6:45 for a 7:30 tee time and no one was there. I mean no one. We walked around the facility and could not believe how much dis repair the place was. The lake has been drained due to the dam being unsafe. The club house looks like it is falling apart, lots of rotting wood and in bad need of paint. The guy that opens showed up at about 7:20 and got us a cart. The pro shop as well as the club house was all but empty. Now to the course. The Maples course is closed. I doubt for renovations as they say. The Palmer course you can see is a great layout but in horrible condition. In bad need of mowing, fertilizer and weed killer. Greens were thread bare and in bad need of rolling.
If you get the chance to play here don't. It is a waste of your time and money. I'm not sure how many members they have but it can't be many.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap Don't know
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
1.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Greens Are Completely Gone

The greens on this course are completely gone. All grass is basically burned off. Hitting an approach is like trying to hit onto a pool table. You have no hope of staying on the green. With no grass, putting is very irregular and difficult. Save your money and play somewhere else.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Terrible

Don't play here this course use to be beautiful, not so much anymore!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Horrible Condition

Course is honestly in terrible condition. Greens are completely bare, often just leveled dirt or sand. Unkept fairways and tee boxes. No matter what price you get it for, spend your money elsewhere.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Terrible Course

There was no grass on the greens. Greens were in terrible shape. I would not recommend this course to any one. Worst course I have ever played. It should not be listed on golf now.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

This Golf Course Should Be Condemned

This used to be a very nice golf facility with two above average golf courses, the older Maples course and the newer Palmer course. Unfortunately, time has not dealt kindly with either course. The Palmer course is closed to play and the Maples course should be, as well. It's in derelict condition. The greens are totally gone. The fairways are mainly crabgrass. The practice range looks like a neglected cow pasture.
The only creatures enjoying the golf course are the geese that have taken over, There's goose excrement all over the place. If Stephen King were to write a novel about a golf course, Woodlake would be a great setting. It's like a ghost town, where once stood a decent course. By no means should this place be open to public play until ownership is settled and the proper upgrades have been made. Until such time my sole advice is to avoid this place like the plague. They couldn't pay me to play it again.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Disheartning

This course should and probably will be closed soon. Former owners let a beautiful golf community down.has been sold ,hope new owners bring this facility back. Until then do not play. Sorry

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Average weather
Used cart

STAY AWAY until they rebuild the greens and use a lawnmower

Played this Wednesday July 8th. From the start I should have realized something was wrong. There were open tee times throughout the day, not the usual for the area. When we got there, there were only a few cars in the lot, and no one in the clubhouse except the manager. The course is on the largest manmade lake in NC, and that became evident on the first 3 holes where we were swarmed by these mosquito-like nimphs. They don't bite, but there were thousands swarming us while we tried to play. We were told by a group we passed that they would be gone after the 3rd hole, and they were. But I wonder why the manager/pro shop person we paid to play didn't let us know about them?
The course was another story. We found out after this course had need taken back by the bank and then the owner bought it back and wants to make it good again, but he should close it until that is done. Nothing was maintained, no first or second cuts, tee boxes were left to grow wild with huge ragweed patches through out. And the greens- ALL FUNGUSED. Check out my photo of the 17th green. They need to scrape them all off, treat with antibiotics, and reseed. It can be done in a season. Of course, the manager did not tell us any of this either. DO NOT even consider playing this. We played the Maples Course, and Ellis would be extremely disappointed they are still using his name to con people in to play this. We drove by the Palmer course, it is looked no better. STAY AWAY!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Extremely Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Unpleasant Surprize

I figured that a community with numerous $1 million homes would feature a decent pair of courses. No. This course is one step above "abandoned". Greens were heavily damaged and the fairways were flattened dead grass. Sand traps not maintained. The lack of cars there should have tipped me off. After my round I found out the course is bankrupt.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing

Lakewood Golf Club and Resort

....Hmmmm. Where to begin?!?!. The drive in was very mis-leading, with high expections. After checking in, we were directed to the Palmer course with a pointing of the hand and "it's on the other side of the member's lounge". Good thing we were the only ones waiting to tee off, or we would held up the following group trying to find the tee box. There are no tee box markers to indicate or direct you towards the holes. Given the time year, you'd expect some rough spots on the fariways, which we had expected, but not this bad or rough. The first green was just beat up...Gave them the benefit of the doubt and figured the rest would be okay. NOPE, greens only got worse. After about about 5 holes and noticing that fairways and greens weren't getting any better, we sucked it up to experience and an 1 1/2 hour drive down to play, we just made the best of a bad situation. Don't get me wrong, the course setup and location, not to mention the views of the lakes were spectacular and awesome. The course will challenge both your long game and course management skills, but present conditions negates all of that.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
4.0
Previously Played

worst customer service ever! course was unplayable no rain check! glad they're bankrupt!

Terrible course was unplayable! Played half a hole and couldn't get a rain check. Staff was very rude! Glad they're in bankrubtcy!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Used cart

Worst course I have ever played

The Palmer course is the worst course I have ever played and the maples course is even worse. I would not play this course for free I was in a gap in the members.championship they were driving right up to the greens. In one case I saw someone putting from the cart that had two wheels on the green they were tire tracks all around the trees What does it tell you if the members have given up on the course the Greens turf was mixed grasses with lots of bare spots fairway grass is dead from over compaction of the soil all of the facilities were direly needing to maintained the driving range grass was three feet tall looked like it had not been mowed in several years.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!

This was once a very awesome course! The course in spots was so bad, I have seen better cow pastures in better shape. The layout of the course is awesome, but the conditions were very poor. Most of the fairways were already burnt or in very bad condition. This is a $20 course not a $40 dollar course. The course needs some serious TLC.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Palmer course. Good layout, poor condition

Nice layout will challenge most golfers. Friendly staff. Unfortunately the course was in poor condition. Bentgrass greens had lots of bare spots and common bermuda growing in them. Traps had weeds growing in them, fairways were nearly burned out from lack of water, even though the summer was super wet. I hope somebody rescues this course soon!!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

I think they are going out of business.

Looked nice driving in. But then we got on the course. Didn't look like they had cut anything for a while. Greens were awful! Needed to go find bartender. And they check in clerk made me go get my printed confirmation from the car. Don't go to this course!

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 20
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Disapointed.

We played the Lake side previously and it was in good condition and well worth the cost but this side was not well maintained. No makers for any of the holes. The grass in the fairways had been cut sometime in the past week and left dried grass clumps everywhere even though the grass had weeds and wild grass throughout. The greens were solf with spots with no grass or wild grass.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 20-24
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great layout and challenging at times. Had a great time.

Recent rains and poor weather have made it difficult for the fairways to be properly mowed and maintained in certain places. Lost a couple of balls either in the fairway or just off the edge due to grounds crew being unable to keep fairways mowed properly and the edge being properly maintained. Would DEFINITELY play here again and the VALUE was excellent.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
Nearby Courses
Vass, North Carolina
Private/Resort
0.0
0
Olivia, North Carolina
Semi-Private
0.0
0
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Resort
3.8825352941
184
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Semi-Private
4.0976823529
487
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Semi-Private
1.53075
104
Sanford, North Carolina
Semi-Private
4.0
17
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Resort
4.5405
37
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Semi-Private
3.9279
111
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Resort
5.0
1
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Resort
4.1795
39
Sanford, North Carolina
Semi-Private
4.5429058824
373
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Public/Resort
4.4790588235
620
Golf Packages

Talamore Golf Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Talamore Golf Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Mid South Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Francis Marion Hotel Stay & Play

FROM $187 (USD)
CHARLESTON, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Francis Marion Hotel and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of RiverTowne Golf Course, Charleston National Golf Course, Wild Dunes – Harbor Course, Wild Dunes – Links Course, and Stono Ferry Golf Course.

Wild Dunes Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $197 (USD)
CHARLESTON, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Wild Dunes Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Wild Dunes – Harbor Course, Wild Dunes – Links Course, RiverTowne Golf Course, and Charleston National Golf Course.
Now Reading