If your next golf trip runs from the Washington DC area down to Pinehurst, North Carolina, you do not
have to treat the drive as dead time. A route that starts at Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club in
Virginia, stops at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount, and finishes at Tobacco Road Golf Club near
Pinehurst turns the highway miles into part of the experience.
From Raspberry Falls to Pinehurst
Many DC‑area golfers know Raspberry Falls as one of the region’s standout daily‑fee layouts. The
Leesburg course is a Gary Player design set over rolling Virginia countryside, with stacked sod
bunkers and views that feel more like the British Isles than suburban Washington. Starting your trip
there gives the day a proper send‑off before you head south toward North Carolina.
From the DC suburbs, the most direct path toward Pinehurst uses I‑95 south through Virginia and into
North Carolina before cutting inland toward the Sandhills. That puts Rocky Mount and Belmont Lake Golf
Club in a natural position as a break point: far enough from home that you feel like you are on the
road, but early enough that you can still arrive near Pinehurst the same day.
See the route from Washington DC to Pinehurst
This sample route starts at Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club near Leesburg, continues to
Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount, then finishes at Tobacco Road Golf Course on the way
into the Pinehurst area.
Why Belmont Lake fits the DC to Pinehurst drive
Belmont Lake Golf Club sits in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, about 4 miles and roughly 5 minutes from
I‑95 at Exit 138. That easy on‑and‑off access is exactly what golf groups want on a long‑haul drive:
enough of a detour to find a real course and a meal, but close enough to the interstate that the day’s
schedule still works.
The course itself is an 18‑hole championship layout designed by David Johnson. It stretches to just
over 7,000 yards from the back tees, with multiple tee options that let every player in the group find
the right challenge. Traveling golfers often point to the strong greens and overall conditioning, and
the layout emphasizes strategic shot‑making rather than just grip‑and‑rip golf.
For road‑trippers, Belmont offers more than just the scorecard. Practice facilities include a driving
range, putting green, and chipping area, and the club’s on‑site Tavern 19 provides a place to eat and
relax before getting back on I‑95. It feels like a proper golf stop, not just a gas station snack break
in the middle of a long drive.
A route built around memorable golf
What makes this DC‑to‑Pinehurst route work is that every major stop is a course golfers actually talk
about. Raspberry Falls is Virginia’s only Gary Player designed 18‑hole championship course, giving DC
players a familiar and scenic starting point. Belmont Lake then breaks up the interstate miles with a
full round and a meal in Rocky Mount.
From there, the trip can finish with a round at Tobacco Road Golf Club on the way into the Pinehurst
area. Tobacco Road is widely known as one of the most unique golf courses golfers can play, with bold
contours, dramatic bunkering, and memorable risk‑reward decisions on almost every hole. Ending the
drive there sets the tone for the rest of a Pinehurst‑area trip.
Built for buddy trips and group travel
Buddy trips out of Washington, DC often juggle tight schedules, varying handicaps, and different
appetites for long days on the road. Stopping at Belmont Lake Golf Club on the way to Pinehurst helps
solve all three. The quick access from I‑95 keeps the day on track, the course offers enough variety to
be fun for a wide range of players, and the on‑site food and drink mean the group does not have to
scramble to find a post‑round spot.
The overall rhythm works well: play early or mid‑morning in Virginia, drive a few hours, tee it up at
Belmont in the afternoon, then continue south toward Tobacco Road and Pinehurst with most of the
highway miles behind you. Instead of arriving stiff and tired, your group shows up having already
played two rounds at memorable courses along the way.
Driving from Washington DC to Pinehurst?
If you are planning a golf trip from the Washington DC area to Pinehurst, consider building a route
that includes Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount. Its location near I‑95 makes it a natural stop
between Virginia and the Sandhills, and the combination of a full 18, practice facilities, and on‑site
dining fits easily into a single travel day.
Use our sample golf road‑trip directions to map the drive from Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club to
Belmont Lake Golf Club and on to Tobacco Road Golf Club. Belmont is close enough to the interstate to
make a round, range session, or lunch stop realistic without turning the trip into a detour.