What's good. . . about Pinehurst on April 10th?

A high temperature in the low 70's, a clear Carolina Blue sky, a soft murmuring breeze and the pine pollen has been washed away by Friday's early (I mean EARLY) morning rain. This day is designed for golf, or tennis, or hiking, or biking, or equestrian activities, or gardening or most anything you might want to do outside. You might consider visiting any of dozens of open houses
today as it day one of the REALTOR Nationwide Open House days this weekend. If that's on your agenda, I hope you will consider visiting me at 21 Village Green in Southern Pines, a really handsome 3 bedroom, 3 bath townhome in the Village Green complex. If you can't make it, or want to have an idea what's in store for you if you do, click here for a preview.

Yesterday was a beauty too, after a couple unseasonably hot days, (one of which we spent at the Masters--I know I promised an update and pictures, watch for them shortly). I spent the day with my brother Geoff and his wife on their first visit to Pinehurst. My brother, the golfer in the family, had been here with 'the guys' 20 years ago, but he was seriously sick and doesn't remember much of his round on #2, or much else about the trip. Geoff's been playing golf since he was about 8 or 9, played in high school and college, and carries a single digit handicap. I mention all that because it is all about completely opposite of my golf experience. I pretty much never picked up a club until I was 50. And I have golf course Alzheimer's, cannot for the life of me remember my strokes from tee to green if there's more than three of 'em (and trust me, there's never less than more than three of 'em) so I don't even HAVE a handicap except maybe that I get out there in the first place!

Geoff on the other hand is on the Golf Digest rater's panel and plays golf at the MOST amazing courses (Shadow Creek, Cascata, etc) all over the country. He and Margaret spent Weds and Thursday at Augusta and then headed over here Thursday night. We had only a day, as they were driving and afraid of Easter Week traffic heading home. We started out after breakfast at the BEST men's golf shirt outlet store on the planet (on Midland Road in Pinehurst). Les Sladkus of Royal Threads has an extraordinary collection of great shirts and pretty much nothing in the store is over $20. There is a $5 room, a $7 room, one for $10 shirts and one with $20 beauties. My brother bought 6 shirts for a friend, about 8 for himself and a beautiful pink v neck sweater that he wore yesterday. I think he spent 230 buck for all of it. Every one of those shirts would have at least an $80 price tag on it in a real store. Did I mention that my brother spent his entire life, almost as long as he has been playing golf, in the men's clothing business? After nearly two hours in this little concrete block building my sister-in-law and I finally went out and started the car. We could not DRAG him out of that place! From there a quick spin through the village, a loop thru the Carolina and by the PCC clubhouses. We drove thru National, then lunch at Whispering Woods and finished up with a 1:40 tee time on the North course at Forest Creek. Thanks to Chuck Cordell, Marketing Director at Forest Creek, and the Golf Digest rater's panel we had a wonderful afternoon, on a glorious course, on a near perfect Carolina spring day. Finished off the day at the Bell Tree Tavern on Broad Street in Southern Pines, so we could watch the late afternoon Master's coverage (and I could enjoy THE BEST shrimp and grits in several counties) and put them on the road home.

By the way, Dogwoods are at their glorious best and the azaleas have begun their show too--so get outside today!