In Volume 2 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Tom Doak published that:

“Owned by the local Elks club, Southern Pines is the best affordable golf option in the area, and the only one where you rarely have to wait on slow tourists ahead of you. The course started out as nine holes, which later helped Ross as he might have struggled to return the two nines to the clubhouse over the hilly property" The is Ran’s (Morrissett) home course, and his enthusiasm for late afternoon golf has never dulled in fifteen years, a testament to a fine routing over interesting ground, and the small greens that provide difficult recovery shots when you miss them.”

Southern Pines received a score of 5 out of 10 from Tom Doak, and a score of 6 out of 10 from Ran Morrissett.