Will commercial flight service ever return to the Moore County Airport? We may know soon according to the facility's new director, Rick Cloutier. He was named director in the fall of 2023 taking over from long-time director Ron Maness. Cloutier brings a wealth of aviation experience to his new role and steps in as the airport plans to welcome playe…

Dr. Tom Dorsel is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, a clinical/sport psychologist, and author of the best selling book, “GOLF: The Mental Game.” He currently works with golfers in both Hilton Head and Pinehurst. With major championship golf season upon us in 2024, what better time than to talk about the most challenging six inches in the golf game …

Dan Van Horn is the President and Founder of U.S. Kids Golf. What started as a father simply trying to make golf easier and more enjoyable for his kids has become the world’s leading provider of kids’ golf equipment, tournaments, and development best practices in the world. Since 2018, U.S. Kids Golf has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Busine…

Robert Hayter is a landscape architect by trade, but there is no one title that defines him. Hayter possesses a wealth of knowledge not only about his trade, but also about a number of topics which made for one of our most interesting Paradise in the Pines episodes.Among his accomplishments, Hayter co-authored Pinehurst's first unified development …

If you visit or reside in the Pinehurst area, or Moore County in general, you likely have seen the work of Bob Koontz and his team from KoontzJones Design. As a landscape architect and planner, some examples of his team's work include USGA's Golf House Pinehurst, Golf Pride's Global Innovation headquarters, Pinehurst No. 10, Morganton Park (where t…

forthcoming

Mitch Capel is a storyteller, poet, recording artist, actor and author born in Southern Pines. Since 1985, he has been bringing stories to life and delighting audiences throughout the United States with his warmth, wit and compelling storytelling style. As a youth, he was inspired by “The Life & Works of Paul Laurence Dunbar." The genius of Dunbar’…

This is one podcast you want to check out! Warren Lewis is a chef, entrepreneur, world traveler, wildlife photographer and true Renaissance man. More affectionately known in the Sandhills as "Chef Warren" and proprietor of the impeccable dining establishment in Southern Pines that bears his name, he is always into something. And whatever it is, Lew…

The son of a farmer and a school teacher from RichmondCounty, Tom McInnis was raised on traditional values and beliefs. As a reigning fifth-term North Carolina Senator, McInnis is in the midst of an effort to secure a sixth term as he serves constituents in Moore and Cumberland counties. While the CVB does not endorse candidates and is non-politica…

Happy New Year! We hope you all had a great holiday season and welcome to 2024! This episode of Paradise in the Pines is our look ahead at 2024. As we celebrate two years and 45 episodes in, we take a look back over the last year and share some highlights from past guests, including a little of what to expect in 2024. Enjoy, be sure to search for P…

Taylor Clement is the newly elected mayor of Southern Pines. Aside from being mayor, she is a wife, mother of three, entrepreneur and business owner. The thread through all of those attributes is a passion for the town of Southern Pines and a vision for the future inside one of most rapidly growing areas of North Carolina.Check out this latest epis…

Bill Fields is an award-winning golf writer and journalist from Southern Pines who got interested in writing about sports as a boy in North Carolina sharing the sports section of The Greensboro Daily News every morning with his father. His writing continued through high school and later as editor of The Daily Tar Heel as a student at UNC.Throughout…

Talk about insider politics, Brian Lewis is the ultimate insider at the N.C. General Assembly. As a lobbyist and the owner/principal for New Frame, he and his colleagues gauge the bipartisan pulse of our lawmakers in Raleigh. Among many political topics and issues, Lewis is a huge friend and advocate of the tourism industry as he possesses a vast k…

Jaime Diaz has spent 40 years documenting happenings in the world of golf. The respect among his peers and a long list of career accolades are many. Diaz is a nine-time Golf Writers Association of America award-winner; earned the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism in 2012; and was recognized by Jack Nicklaus as the recipient of the Memori…

Eric Kuester started his career at Pinehurst Resort as a front desk agent. Fast forward 20 years and Kuester is now on the front lines of one of America’s greatest golf resorts poised to host the 2024 U.S. Open, its first such championship in 10 years. Since the Resort hosted its first U.S. Open in 1999, capped off with one of the most memorable mo…

For nearly 10 years, Linda Parsons has served as the President and CEO of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce. During her tenure, Parsons has witnessed the growth of the Moore County business community, seen it more recently impacted by the COVID pandemic, and now emerging as one of the leading areas in North Carolina for growth and a positive bus…

We hope you have been enjoying our bi-monthly podcast, Paradise in the Pines. The podcast is all about the people, places and stories that make us the Home of American Golf. This time, the podcast offers a unique twist. In a somewhat hostile takeover, we’re giving our boss a break and taking over the airwaves! In this episode, listen as CVB staffer…

From a humble upbringing in Raeford, North Carolina, Sally Austin is recognized inside the Home of American Golf and beyond as a champion and trailblazer for women's golf. Austin's love for the game was instilled by her father and she honed her skills under the tutelage of the legendary Peggy Kirk Bell at Pine Needles, where she still teaches the g…

With Pinehurst Resort officially "on the clock" for the 2024 U.S. Open, we wanted to check in with Janeen Driscoll from the USGA to get the latest updates as we countdown to golf's national championship returning to the Home of American Golf. Plus, what's going on with the build out of Golf House Pinehurst, the World Golf Hall of Fame and so much m…

U.S. Kids Golf is a global brand, recognized around the world as one of the leaders in attracting youth golfers to the game. However, the epicenter of the efforts and leadership for U.S. Kids Golf is right here in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina. Chris Vonderkall is vice-president of the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation and has been with the organiza…

North Carolina is the sixth most-visited state in the country. The main reason why people make plans to visit the Tarheel State is Wit Tuttell, the Executive Director of Visit NC. Tuttell oversees a team passionate about everything from Murphy to Manteo and every town and hamlet in between, including the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area.To …

Natalie Hawkins has been leading the charge for Moore County's economic development for over two years. As president of the Moore County Economic Development Partnership (formerly Partners in Progress), she and her team are constantly seeking new business opportunities and enhancing current ones to define the future of the area. To accomplish these…

Happy Anniversary to the Country Club of North Carolina as they celebrate their 60th year. The club has a championship pedigree dating back decades and has witnessed some of the greats in the game compete in USGA and other notable events, including the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Hal Sutton, Fred Couples and Webb Simpson, among many other…

Joshua Peyton is a purpose-driven person. As president of the Veteran Golfers Association (VGA) which he founded in Pinehurst in 2014, and as an Army veteran, served 20 years at Fort Bragg as part of the 82nd Airborne division.The VGA is a national non-profit organization that offers military veterans the opportunity to enjoy competition and commun…

The fourth annual Painted Ponies Art Walk is a sure sign of spring in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area of North Carolina. More than a dozen beautifully painted ponies line the streets of downtown Southern Pines along Broad Street between February to early April in celebration of the deep equestrian culture in the Sandhills.The Painted P…

Bob Farren is known as the “keeper of the greens” at Pinehurst Resort, a responsibility he has enjoyed for 41 years as the Director of Golf Course & Ground Management. In 41 years, you could say Farren has seen it all – a resort that was owned by the bank when he arrived in 1982 to now one of the most revered and globally-recognized golf resorts in…

If you are a fan of the arts, you are familiar with the Arts Council of Moore County. That means you likely know Chris Dunn and Ray Owen, a dynamic duo that are passionate about the arts and its place in the culture of Moore County. The Arts Council is the center of a thriving creative district, with arts and cultural industries generating $13.2 mi…

If you follow professional golf, the names inside the ropes are household names. As a journalist covering the sport, Ron Green, Jr. is one of the most respected names inside the ropes and in the industry. This year, Green, Jr. was named the 2023 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism by the PGA of America. He is the 32nd recipien…

If you haven't been to Red's Corner in Southern Pines, what are you waiting for? North Carolina's first and only permanent food truck and beer pavilion is the hottest place to be and be seen in Moore County. The vision for Red's Corner comes from owner, Rachel Jurgens who is from Bend, Oregon where food trucks have been prevelent for years, so she …

Abby Liebenthal has a passion for the game of golf. She grew up around the game in Toledo, Ohio and as the assistant dirctor of media and CRM marketing for the USGA, she enjoys working and playing in the Home of American Golf otherwise known as Pinehurst, NC. Aside from her main career role, she has found another purpose as the founder and presiden…

Kevin Drum is someone you should meet. Better yet, sit at the bar in the establishment he owns, the Drum & Quill, and enjoy a long conversation with a guy who loves Pinehurst almost more than life itself. Business owner, marketer, storyteller, and more, Kevin is passionate about life, golf, a good cocktail, and life in Pinehurst. Kevin's dad was Bo…

The brainchild of Pinehurst entrepreneurs Angela Robb and Nicole Stein, the Sandhills Trolley Company has taken the Sandhills by storm. This is not your granddaddy's trolley with the boring tour guide droning on. These trolley tours are fun, interactive and the themes are seemingly endless. From Brews Cruises to Comedy Cruises to Coffee Tours and m…

For the first anniversary Paradise in the Pines podcast, we bring back our inaugural guest - Tom Pashley, president of Pinehurst Resort. Perfect timing, too as the Resort is still basking in the glow of the annoucement that the tenth golf course will be built. Yes, the "tenth course" not Pinehurst No. 10. Pinehurst's newest golf course will be crea…

Jessica Halling and her husband, Brad, are Army veterans and proud owners of what will become the newest distillery in Moore County, NC – the Brad Halling American Whiskey Ko. (BHAWK). The destination distillery is expected to open in early 2024, just in time for the U.S. Open which is set to be played at Pinehurst No. 2 in June of that year. The c…

Forthcoming

Micah Niebauer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Southern Pines Brewing Company in Southern Pines, NC. He spent 11 years in the United States Army serving as a green beret, 3rd Special Forces Group, Company Commander. Micah Niebauer attended The Wharton School and received his MBA from the insitution in 2019. Entrepreneur, innovator, brewmaster, leader,…

Ben and Phil talk pots and Seagrove history.

Maness has been involved with aviation his entire career: for over 10 years with the Air Force, including as a Captain for the inaugural class of the first TOPGUN training wing in California and two years as a pilot for the Air Force precision flight squadron, the Thunderbirds. Following his military career, Maness joined U.S. Airways where he serv…

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After 33 years as president of Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, North Carolina, Dr. John Dempsey is stepping down at the end of December 2022. Dempsey has been president of Sandhills Community College since 1989. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds a master’s degree in Government from the College of William and Mary …

Christopher Prieto is a champion pitmaster and the self-proclaimed #BBQNerd. He is the headliner for the second annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival, Sept. 2-4, 2022 in the Village of Pinehurst in North Carolina. Prieto is of Puerto Rican descent and was raised in Texas, a state synonymous with great barbecue. In recent years, Prieto and his family m…

Lee Pace is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina based author, editor, publisher and broadcaster who has spent the last thirty years writing about golf in the Carolinas and beyond. He visited the Paradise in the Pines podcast to talk about his being in residence as a writer at the Weymouth Center and the James Boyd House in Southern Pines, NC and his pass…

David Woronoff is a legend among the world of journalism and publishing in North Carolina. He became publisher of The Pilot newspaper in Southern Pines, NC on July 1, 1996 when he and a group of buyers including Frank Daniels, III and Frank Daniels, Jr. purchased it. Since then, Woronoff has led not only the growth of the publication named “Best Co…

Alec Allred has big plans and bigger dreams for the Sandhills. Come meet him and the field where he's planting dreams as we gear up for the first season of the Sandhills Bogeys baseball. Allred is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Old North State League. Allred was the Director of Baseball Operations during his first three years with…

John Maginnes is a former PGA Tour player who spent more than a decade and a half playing professional golf. While recovering from elbow surgery in 2004, John was offered an opportunity as a USA Network on-course commentator covering Thursday and Friday rounds on the PGA Tour. With microphone in hand, John found his second passion. He stayed with U…

Jack Nance has been executive director of the Carolinas Golf Association since 1991 and leads the second largest such organization in the country spanning both North Carolina and South Carolina. Prior to joining the CGA, Nance played golf at Wake Forest. The CGA is a non-profit service organization that was formed in 1909 to conduct championships a…

Katie Wyatt is living her best life and has landed her dream job. Last summer, Wyatt was named exectuive director of the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities in Southern Pines, NC. The daughter of Army parents and raised in the Washington, DC area, Wyatt found at an early age that music presented a great opportunity to communicate among divers…

Bernie Carbo is a hero in Boston Red Sox lore. His three-run home run in Game 6 of the famous 1975 World Series against the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds is one of the most memorable moments in MLB history. In 1965, Carbo was a first round draft pick of the Cincinanti Reds and was even picked ahead of Johnny Bench, an eventual Hall-of-Fame player…

Elite golf instructor, mentor, best-selling author and Ryder Cup champion. For more than 25 years, Nick Bradley has built a enormous reputation in the golf industry and now has found a home in the Pinehurst, NC area. Bradley’s client list has included a World #1 player, several World #5 players, European Order of Merit champions, eight national ama…

For more than seven decades, Golf Pride has been the global leader in golf grip innovation and technology. Plus, Golf Pride can boast more professional tour and major wins than any other grip company. More than 80% of Tour professional choose to play Golf Pride grip and not one of them is paid to do so. Golf Pride’s Global Innovation Center is loca…