Recognized as a National Landmark for its role in golf history, the Pinehurst Resort is known around the world for its famous No. 2 golf course. In fact, the USGA named Pinehurst No. 2 its first anchor site for U.S. Open Championships, with five championships scheduled between 2024 and 2047.

With ten (soon to be 11) 18-hole golf courses including the new Pinehurst No. 10 (and the Resort’s recently announced plans to build Pinehurst No. 11), the Par 3 Cradle, four hotels (including the majestic Carolina Hotel), a beach club, tennis, lawn bowling, croquet and the luxurious Spa at Pinehurst, visitors flock from around the world to experience this premier golf destination.

As Moore County’s 2nd largest private-sector employer, the Pinehurst Resort is a primary economic driver in our community.

While the Pinehurst Resort is certainly the area’s largest golf resort, there are plenty of others that contribute to a thriving golf industry. Other well-known courses include Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club (the first golf course to be awarded four U.S. Women’s Open Championships), Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club, the Country Club of North Carolina, Forest Creek Golf Club and the Dormie Club, among several others. Each year, several of these courses rank as some of the best golf courses in the state and nation.

In addition to the Pinehurst Resort, several other major golf companies have planted roots in Moore County, including:

• The United States Golf Association (USGA) – The USGA opened its second headquarters, Golf House Pinehurst, and the World Golf Hall of Fame on the Pinehurst Resort campus in May 2024, just before the 2024 U.S. Open Championship.
• Golf Pride – The world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips operates in Global Innovation Center in Pinehurst.
• US Kids Golf – The Longleaf Golf Academy in Southern Pines offers adults and kids of every skill and age a fun way to get the most out of their golf journey with programs, classes and individual lessons.
• Carolina’s Golf Association – The third largest golf association in the country provides competitions, education, support and benefits to golfers in North and South Carolina, from its headquarters in Southern Pines.
• Veteran’s Golf Association (VGA) – Located in Pinehurst, the VGA is dedicated to enriching the lives of veterans and their family members through the camaraderie and sportsmanship of golf.

The  Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the county’s official destination marketing organization that develops and implements strategies to enhance the economic and brand value of tourism in Moore County.

The CVB’s marketing and tourism development initiatives contributed to a record-breaking $859.25 million in economic impact from visitor spending in 2024, a 6.7 percent increase over the record set in 2023.

In 2024, Moore County ranked as the 10th highest tourism economy among North Carolina’s 100 counties, the highest ranking in our history. Notably, the tourism industry employed almost 6,300 people in Moore County, saved each resident $546 in taxes, and generated $32.2 million in state tax revenue and $28.1 million in local tax revenue in 2023.