Incredible Golf Trip Destinations: Meet the Llamas at North Carolina’s Talamore Golf Resort

Fifty-four holes of championship golf. A wide array of lodging options (for up to 400 guests at a time). Gorgeous weather, nearly year-round.

To say the least, there are numerous reasons why golfers should visit Southern Pines, North Carolina’s Talamore Golf Resort.

But there is one aspect that truly sets the resort apart from others: llamas. Yes, llamas. Unlike virtually any other golf resort, at least in the United States, Talamore has llamas.

When the resort’s Talamore Golf Club first opened in 1991, it even had llama caddies for a few years. Although llamas are no longer caddying for guests, they still remain a key component of the resort, as Talamore Golf Club’s logo is a llama. In addition, the club’s 14th hole currently has six llama residents.

“We had two llamas for a while and one passed away,” says Matt Hausser, PGA General Manager at Talamore Golf Resort. “So, we bought a pregnant mother who recently had a baby. The first baby was named Arnold, while the second was named Rees.”

Why the names Arnold and Rees, one may ask? Well, they were named after two golf legends (Arnold Palmer and Rees Jones) who happened to design two of the resort’s three 18-hole courses.

Without question, the resort’s unusual “friends” will lead many to visit it, just to experience something they can’t on practically any other golf course. But, as evidenced by its two namesake course designers, Talamore Golf Resort has more to offer guests than its unusual “friends”—far more, in fact!

Located on the Talamore Golf Resort property, Mid South Club is a beautiful, challenging course that everyone will enjoy, as it has six tee boxes to choose from. Ranging in length from 4,136 to 7,003 yards, the Arnold Palmer design features a variety of lakes and tree-lined fairways, along with rolling terrain.

“It’s one of the area’s best golf courses,” Hausser notes. “And it’s getting better and better, as the club continues to invest in it and enhance it.”

For example, behind-the-scenes work, such as drainage renovations, have been occurring, ensuring golfers’ experiences will continuously improve long term. As a result, the course—which Golfweek named one of the “Top 200 Resort Courses in America” as recently as 2023—will likely be recognized for years to come, in honor of The King.

Again, Talamore Golf Club’s 14th hole is highly unusual for its four llama residents. Yet, as soon as guests arrive at the course’s 1st hole, they won’t even be thinking about the llamas. Instead, they’ll be focused on the course’s exquisiteness and conditioning.

“We’ve reinvested back into this course too,” Hausser emphasizes. “It’s more enjoyable for more golfers now, and the pace of play has improved.”

Much like Mid South Club, Talamore Golf Club’s greens have been restored (so that they’re the same size they originally were, leading to larger surfaces). Additionally, each green now has Champion Bermudagrass, rather than bentgrass. And, of equal importance, every green has 60-inch Tif Grand green collars as well.

Created by Jack Nicklaus’s Nicklaus Design, Legacy Golf Links is located about 10 minutes from Talamore Golf Resort, which purchased it in September 2024. Since buying the course, the resort has reinvigorated it, too.

“We’re also striving to improve golfers’ experiences here, as it's recently been renovated,” Hausser says. “Now that all of the renovations have been completed, it is now open for public play once again.”

When golfers aren’t preparing to relish this 4.5-star course (according to Golf Digest), which is renowned for its par-3 holes and par-4 18th (“The Bear”), they can play several other local courses as well, many of which have partnered with Talamore.

“We focus solely on golf and pride ourselves on this main amenity,” Hausser adds. “Due to our courses, golfers have been visiting Talamore Golf Resort every year for decades—and will continue to.”

Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club: Designed by Donald Ross in 1927, this 7,035-yard course was modernized by Kyle Franz 90 years later.

Southern Pines Golf Club: Opened in 1906, this course provides golfers an opportunity to experience one of Donald Ross’s earliest designs. Franz has recently restored it, too.