Tobacco Road Golf Club
Plan your round at Tobacco Road Golf Club
Tobacco Road is a public Mike Strantz design that opened in 1998 in the Sandhills near Sanford, about 30 minutes from Pinehurst. It was carved out of a former sand quarry, so holes play around towering sand dunes, huge waste areas, blind shots and boldly contoured greens, and there is no out of bounds. The course is par 71 and plays 6,557 yards from the Ripper tees (72.5 rating, 145 slope). The club also has The Matchbox, a walking-only short course on synthetic turf, and El Camino, a same-day loop of one-shotters using the front-nine greens.
- Public
- 18 holes
- Par 71
- Designed by Mike Strantz
- Opened 1998
Course strategy
Read the card before you play it
Hole by hole
Walk the course
Hole 1
521
yds ·Plow
A rugged opening par 5 that plays between huge sand mounds. It looks tighter than it is, and there is more room than you can see on each shot.
Hole 2
344
yds ·Plow
A short dogleg where placement matters more than length. The tee shot faces one of the longest forced carries on the course, with native sand and strategic bunkers waiting for an indecisive swing.
Hole 3
125
yds ·Plow
A short par 3 whose front, middle and back pins each call for a very different shot. With a middle flag, use the green's slopes to feed the ball close.
Hole 4
478
yds ·Plow
Strantz's twisting take on a cape hole, where the line you choose to cut off each corner decides the hole. Laying the approach just short of the tree is usually the safe play.
Hole 5
315
yds ·Plow
A short par 4 that tempts a big drive, but accuracy matters more than distance. Many players end up in the tight-lie swales short of the green, which leave an awkward pitch.
Hole 6
133
yds ·Plow
Tee boxes are spread widely, so the angle changes day to day. From straight on, the green is narrow with a pot bunker behind it, and par can quickly turn into bogey or worse.
Hole 7
383
yds ·Plow
The multi-tiered fairway has plenty of room, but a giant waste bunker guards the approach. Play away from it unless the pin is one you can reach using the green's strong slope.
Hole 8
152
yds ·Plow
A false front covers about half of this par-3 green, so long putts are common. A far-right pin has a funnel that can help shots get close.
Hole 9
394
yds ·Plow
The front nine closes with a blind approach to a plateau green. Missing to the right is the costly mistake.
Hole 10
398
yds ·Plow
There is more room to the left off this tee than it appears. Flirting with the right side rarely ends well.
Hole 11
486
yds ·Plow
A mirror image of No. 4, this cape par 5 bends right around a much more severe waste area, the one often seen in photos of the course. Decide how much to bite off before you swing.
Hole 12
380
yds ·Plow
A dogleg-left par 4 between two dramatic par 5s that is easy to overlook. The green is wildly sloped, so the approach and putts take real care.
Hole 13
497
yds ·Plow
The club's own version of the Road Hole: a true three-shot par 5 unless you carry the trees with a perfect drive. The approach is blind into a sunken, bathtub-style green.
Hole 14
152
yds ·Plow
The course's only water hole, a downhill par 3 of up to 194 yards to a distinctive green complex with the historic Stewart Cabin behind it.
Hole 15
351
yds ·Plow
Find the fairway and the hole is all about a large green. Landing in the wrong section or on the wrong slope leaves a very long putt.
Hole 16
281
yds ·Plow
One of the most talked-about holes: a target tee shot to a defined landing area, then an approach to a three-tiered green where spin control decides your putt.
Hole 17
127
yds ·Plow
The last par 3 plays downhill and is usually no more than a wedge. With the flag on the left, it can be a good birdie chance.
Hole 18
369
yds ·Plow
The finisher starts with a bold, blind drive and sets up a memorable approach, with players often watching from outside the clubhouse as you putt out.
ScorecardView the full scorecard
Distances in yards
| Hole | Par | Hcp | Ripper | Disc | Plow | Points | Cultivator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 3 | 558 | 547 | 521 | 478 | 315 |
| 2 | 4 | 11 | 392 | 377 | 344 | 301 | 280 |
| 3 | 3 | 17 | 152 | 147 | 125 | 112 | 91 |
| 4 | 5 | 9 | 535 | 507 | 478 | 466 | 368 |
| 5 | 4 | 15 | 333 | 322 | 315 | 309 | 297 |
| 6 | 3 | 13 | 148 | 143 | 133 | 107 | 107 |
| 7 | 4 | 7 | 411 | 401 | 383 | 353 | 248 |
| 8 | 3 | 5 | 178 | 173 | 152 | 142 | 132 |
| 9 | 4 | 1 | 427 | 415 | 394 | 364 | 269 |
| Out | 35 | 3,134 | 3,032 | 2,845 | 2,632 | 2,107 | |
| 10 | 4 | 6 | 441 | 421 | 398 | 365 | 242 |
| 11 | 5 | 10 | 531 | 511 | 486 | 361 | 290 |
| 12 | 4 | 14 | 419 | 412 | 380 | 347 | 291 |
| 13 | 5 | 2 | 573 | 536 | 497 | 455 | 429 |
| 14 | 3 | 8 | 194 | 178 | 152 | 111 | 96 |
| 15 | 4 | 12 | 365 | 358 | 351 | 311 | 267 |
| 16 | 4 | 16 | 326 | 321 | 281 | 266 | 248 |
| 17 | 3 | 18 | 142 | 134 | 127 | 102 | 84 |
| 18 | 4 | 4 | 432 | 414 | 369 | 352 | 242 |
| In | 36 | 3,423 | 3,285 | 3,041 | 2,670 | 2,189 | |
| Total | 71 | 6,557 | 6,317 | 5,886 | 5,302 | 4,296 | |
| Rating / Slope | 72.5 / 145 | 71.3 / 143 | 69.4 / 132 | 66.9 / 125 | 62.6 / 117 | ||
| Women's rating / slope | — | — | 75.7 / 145 | 71.7 / 136 | 67.0 / 118 | ||
Before you go
Everything to know on arrival
Know before you go
- Book tee times online ahead of your trip
- The club is cashless: bring a card or phone wallet
- No denim, sweatpants, athletic shorts or open-toe shoes
- Head to the bag drop past the main clubhouse, then check in at the golf shop
- Expect a round of about 4 hours 40 minutes
- There is no out of bounds, and all sand is a waste area where you can ground your club
- Many shots are blind, so use the cart GPS or buy a yardage book
- Carts enter and exit fairways only over Bermudagrass or cross ties
- The range may be on mats in winter
- Playing The Matchbox? It is walking-only with a separate lot at 1259 Rocky Fork Church Road
- Play goes on in most weather; rain checks are prorated, with no refunds
- Check the Need to Know page for maintenance closures before booking
Arrival & check-in
Drive past the main clubhouse to the bag drop, where the outside staff will unload your clubs onto a cart, then check in at the golf shop. The shop opens daily at 7 a.m. or 45 minutes before the first tee time, and the range and food service open with it. The Matchbox has its own lot and entrance at 1259 Rocky Fork Church Road, a short walk by trail to its shop. Clubs can be shipped ahead through Ship Sticks.
Dress code
Collared shirts and golf pants or shorts with a belt are recommended. Sweatpants, athletic shorts, denim of any kind and open-toe shoes are not allowed on the course or practice areas.
Carts & walking
A cart is included with the greens fee on Tobacco Road, and every cart has GPS. Carts may only enter and leave fairways across Bermudagrass or over the cross ties, so follow the posted cart rules. The Matchbox is walking-only, with a few small carry bags loaned first-come, first-served.
Practice facilities
There is a full-size range, a chipping area and a putting green. In winter and when conditions call for it, range hitting is off mats. The Matchbox has a synthetic putting green shared with its 12th hole.
Rentals & pro shop
The golf shop in the main clubhouse sells a yardage book for players who prefer one to the cart GPS, and club merchandise is also sold online. Ask the shop about rental clubs before your trip.
Food & drink
The Pack House inside the main clubhouse has grab-and-go breakfast and lunch sandwiches (pulled pork, pimento cheese, chicken salad and a signature spicy dog), plus beer, cocktails and snacks. A beverage cart runs daily, weather permitting, and The Matchbox shop, reachable after the 13th tee, has quick snacks and drinks.
Pace of play
The expected round time is 4 hours 40 minutes, and player assistants are on the course to help keep groups moving. Keep up with the group ahead.
Policies
The club is cashless and takes major credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Play continues in most weather; if the course closes, non-transferable rain checks are prorated by holes completed, and there are no refunds. Local rules: there is no out of bounds, and all sand is played as a waste area, so you can ground your club and take practice swings. Check the shop for maintenance closures, such as aerification in early July and a 17-hole setup during an irrigation project in January and February 2027.
Info last reviewed October 19, 2026. Policies change — confirm with the course before your round.
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