SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - The man behind the wheel of our rental car zigged when he should have zagged at the roundabout and suddenly we were travelling in the opposite direction of our intended destination, Pinehurst.

The unfamiliar route ahead was lined with lovely pines, whose branches hung heavy over the divided road and shaded us from the oppressive heat that hovers over this southern hamlet in summer.

Handsome colonial homes lined each side of our route, some dating back to when this sleepy town was incorporated in 1887.

Not far down the road, a familiar name appeared on a sign - Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, home to two great Donald Ross golf courses.

Any golfer worth his or her weight in pars knows Pine Needles is where the U.S. Women’s Open has been held (1996, 2001 and 2007) and the resort is owned by one of the most famous female athletes in history, former amateur and LPGA legend Peggy Kirk Bell.

My golfing buddy and driver, who happens to be an historian of the sport, quickly veered off the road into the lodge’s long, winding driveway and soon we were standing at the rustic entrance of the resort, built by Bell’s late husband, Bullet Bell, in the 1950s.

An attractive elderly woman holding a golf club nodded hello before returning to her conversation with a couple of middle-aged guests.

“I can’t believe it,” said my friend in a whisper, “but that’s Peggy Kirk Bell.”

Bell is still active at the resort - in her senior years she still teaches the game she so loves to aspiring youngsters at a private training centre opposite the lodge’s impressive practice area. Suddenly, finding Pinehurst was furthest from our thoughts.

“Let’s stay here tonight and we’ll play Pine Needles early tomorrow morning,” said my friend enthusiastically.

“Sorry, but a junior golf tournament is being held here this weekend and Pine Needles is fully booked,” said the apologetic receptionist. “We can get you onto the course tomorrow morning but you’ll have to stay across the street at our sister property, Mid Pines Inn. There’s a Donald Ross golf course there, too.”

That’s like being told you can’t stay in Buckingham Palace so you’ll have to settle for the Taj Mahal.

The majestic hotel at Mid Pines looks like it jumped off the pages of an American novel about the old south - wraparound balconies come complete with rocking chairs; grand white columns accent the grandeur of the historic façade; opulent public areas abound; comfortable rooms with overstuffed beds make you feel at home; and a stately ambience that rivals anything at Pinehurst Resort, the area’s grandest lodging, is just some of its highlights.

Pine Needles, on the other hand, has that cottage-country thing going for it. Its state-of-the-art “cabins” come with relaxed public areas that are perfectly suited for golf groups to gather for drinks and some laughs at the end of a round on one of the finest examples of Donald Ross’ genius. One set of cabins even has its own driving range and there’s a three-hole warm-up area perfect for early morning practice or late-night betting hijinks at Pine Needles.

After checking into Mid Pines, there was still enough daylight to get in a quick round, on the course Donald Ross designed in 1921.

Pine Needles acquired Mid Pines in 1994 but the challenges and charm first presented by Ross are still very much in evidence and in fact, of the seven courses designed by the legendary Ross in the immediate area, Mid Pines is the only one with the distinction of still having every hole in the same place where the designer first placed them. A renovation is due in the next few years but you can bet it will be just minor touches, not a complete overhaul.

Ross once described Mid Pines as “an every man’s course” but after playing it, I think he should have said it’s a “thinking man’s course.”

Placement is key on this North Carolina beauty, and there’s no better example on that than on the short par 4s or the difficult 14th green where playing below the hole is key. The par-5 10th and par-3 second are also gems.

Like its sister course across the street, Mid Pines has played host to an A-list of golf and entertainment personalities, not surprising since Peggy Kirk Bell’s friends would join her here in the summer months. Former PGA great Julius Boros was the long-time head pro at Mid Pines and Bell’s best friend, Babe Didrickson Zaharias was a regular visitor.

Both Pine Needles and Mid Pines are ranked among Golf Digest’s 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America and justifiably so. Besides great golf, the accommodation and service are 5-star and, because it lies just a few miles outside snooty Pinehurst, it offer much better value for golfers.

For my liking, the town of Southern Pines is suited more to golfers - offering better nightlife and a variety of eating establishments. The old town is also every bit as pretty as enchanting Pinehurst.

Next morning, we were up bright and early and eager to test our games against one of the best challenges in golf - Pine Needles, or, as some people call it, the poor man’s Pinehurst No. 2.

Ross, who learned his craft in his native Scotland at the elbow of legendary Old Tom Morris, did himself proud with his Pine Needles design. The course was freshened up recently and Kirk Bell will tell you it’s better than ever.

LPGA great Karrie Webb once said of Pine Needles: “It is probably my favourite (U.S.) Open course anywhere.”

Many other professionals agree so when we mere mortals reach the first tee, please forgive our shaking hands and knocking knees - the hype about this golf landmark can be a bit intimidating.

However, Ross rewards smart play with good results and he left enough safe landing spots for smart amateurs to walk away feeling pretty good about themselves and their game.

Ross starts players off with a gentle dogleg right par-5 (I love par 5s to start a round) and follows that up with a wide-open par 4 which requires a long second shot to a sloping green. Ouch!

The par-3 third demands a precise tee shot over a small pond that poses big problems for anything a bit off target. The course’s No. 1 handicap hole is found on the front 9, and the par 4 sixth is as an imposing hole as ever you’ll find. Long hitters who can catch the fairway slope can get as much as 30 extra yards in distance but the ground falls sharply away from the green so accuracy accounts for a lot here.

Ross starts you off on the back nine with a par 5 where A yawning bunker protects the turn on this dogleg that can quickly bite you. The par 4 14th is the second hardest hole on the course and as part of the course renovations the tees here have been moved up to match Ross’s first design. The redesign makes this the No. 1 hole in my opinion.

Nestled in the middle of the course is a bit of area history - the original grand hotel first built at Pine Needles but later turned into St. Josephs’s Hospital for the elderly.

Bell’s late husband built the present-day lodge-style accommodation at Pine Needles later and it’s a perfect compliment to the stuffy but very enjoyable Mid Pines hotel.

After playing Mid Pines and Pine Needles, we didn’t bother going to Pinehurst - we’d already played the two best courses in the area.