Historic Pine Crest Inn Reveals Room Redesigns, Property Renovations and a New Bench

(Pinehurst, NC) - This Spring, the owners of the Pine Crest Inn, Bobby and Peter Barrett, revealed several property improvements along with the addition of a wooden bench, donated by a group of classmates who celebrated the 25th anniversary of their annual golf trip.

Preserving history is a never-ending task at the Pine Crest Inn. Owners and staff at the Inn were busy over the past few months working on re-decorating and renovating several rooms on the property including the newly renamed, Ross Room.

Formerly known as the Back Dining Room, the Ross Room has been freshly repainted and outfitted with both artwork and photographs of the former Pine Crest Inn owner, Donald Ross. New table lamps and assorted linens give the room a warm and intimate feeling that evokes a comfortable dining atmosphere.

The new décor includes 20 pictures of Donald Ross that were purchased from The Tufts Archives, a painting of the Royal Dornoch Golf Club where Donald Ross was born, a framed Centennial Year poster, and other pictures and paintings that have been owned by the Pine Crest Inn over the years.

No sooner had the late Donald Ross, who is a symbol of the Inn, been honored within the Ross Room decor, when another symbol on the grounds had fallen into disrepair. Over the winter the lamp post near the Telephone Cottage at the Inn received a new look.

When the Village of Pinehurst installed a new sidewalk in front of the Pine Crest Inn, shrubbery was cut back to make walking room near the corner of Dogwood Road and Magnolia Road. This wooded area near the Telephone Cottage had become overrun with very dense overgrowth of vines and bushes. Underneath the jungle of greenery stood a classic 1940s era lamp post, a piece certainly part of Pine Crest Inn history, that was in need of much repair.

With the assistance of Hank and Tommy Sponik, the old lamp post is back in working order. It now stands proudly next to the rear entrance of the Telephone Cottage guiding guests to their temporary home while visiting the Pine Crest Inn.

The newest addition to the grounds is a wooden bench that was presented to the Pine Crest Inn in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 78 Cup Players.

In 1989 several classmates of the St. Christopher’s School (Richmond, VA) Class of 1978 went to Myrtle Beach for a golf trip. The original group of 4 had such a great time that they decided to make the trip an annual affair. After several years, the group grew from 4 to 8 and then to 12. While many members of the core group are classmates, other friends have joined the trip through the years. Over the last 25 years, 14 different classmates have attended at one time or another. Dr. Ed Schoeffler, self-proclaimed benevolent dictator of the group, has attended each of the 25 years.

In 1997 the group decided to move the trip to Pinehurst, NC. This was felt to be an upgrade as Pinehurst has challenging golf courses and friendly accommodations that are located close together. The group began staying at the Pine Crest Inn in 1998.

In 2000, the group was named the 78 CUP when the official trophy was purchased with prize money left over from a rained-out round.

The 78 CUP group celebrated its 25th Anniversary earlier this year and to honor this special trip, they presented a bench to the Pine Crest Inn to commemorate not only their quarter of a century anniversary but also Pine Crest Inn’s Centennial. It is hoped that many other golfers will enjoy this bench as they relax during their own golf trips. Dr. Schoeffler says, “The dedicated staff at the Pine Crest Inn has been there so long that they get to know you like family. They are so helpful with arranging the golf and getting the accommodations in line that each trip is in a way like coming home.” As one member of the group describes it, “the Pine Crest Inn is like your favorite pair of loafers: it never goes out of style and is always comfortable.”

For more information, see www.pinecrestinnpinehurst.com.

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