Overview

The Tin Whistles is the oldest continuous men’s golfing society in the United States, founded in 1904 for the purpose of promoting the game of golf and it’s customs, traditions, courtesies and the rules of golf at Pinehurst Country Club. We conduct weekly tournaments for our membership of 200+ golfers, host six tournaments each year for the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) of the Sandhills, and provide six four-year scholarships and three nursing scholarships to Sandhills Community College to Moore County high school students. Our members are also very active as volunteers for the North-South Amateurs and for USGA Championships like the US Amateur as well as LPGA events held at Pinehurst Country Club.

MISSION: The Tin Whistles will promote golf in a social setting at Pinehurst Country Club, actively participate in events to benefit our community, and support our youth through scholarships and character development programs.

History

Founded in 1904, the oldest continuous Men's Golf Society/Philanthropic Organization in the country Original objective - promote a golfing and social experience for the early travelers to Pinehurst, thereby making it pleasant to return year after year.

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Founded in Pinehurst, NC - 1904

THE TIN WHISTLES, national golf organization, had its beginning in Pinehurst, North Carolina in 1904. The many and varied accounts of its birth run all the way from one that a tin whistle was blown in the village street to call the players to the links to another that the whistle was blown at the spring, near the present twelfth hole on No. 1 course, advising golfers that a corn concoction was being served. However, the consensus is that a group of New Yorkers were vacationing at the Holly Inn, dividing their time equally between the links and the little brown jug. They organized a tournament, the prizes being “two Scotch golf clubs,” to be opened at the finish and dispensed, forthwith. The winners carried the “clubs” back to the Inn, beneath checkered vests, and with great pomp and ceremony, promptly consumed them. At this time, outsiders called them the Wow Wows. During this Pinehurst visit, a copy of Alfred Henry Lewis’ book, “The Boss,” appeared. It is a story of the Old Tammany and gave considerable space to a hoodlum gang known as the TIN WHISTLES. The name was given them because they were summoned to their duty of breaking up polling places, which were unfriendly to Tammany, by the blowing of a whistle. For some reason, unknown, this appealed sufficiently to have the golfers adopt the name “THE TIN WHISTLES The stated objectives of the organization were: “To promote a golfing fellowship at Pinehurst and to maintain there a neutral zone for a choice and chosen few from outside organizations to which it will be pleasant to return year by year.” “It shall be the duty of each member to suppress the incipient conceit of any fellow member who thinks he is in line for the United North and South Amateur Championship.” In recent years, the Constitution has been rewritten and the more prosaic wording of the club objectives stated, “It is formed for social purposes and to promote the customs, traditions, and the “Rules of Golf” at Pinehurst, North Carolina.”

The first group by year of origin is the Tin Whistles, founded in 1904 for the express purpose of enjoying the camaraderie associated with the game of golf. …The group plays by the Rules of Golf, no exceptions. They never permit Mulligans, nor “gimmees”, nor “favored lies”. Violators are given one warning by the Captain…Then on any repetition, the offender is summarily ousted, his vacancy easily replaced from a long number of eager applicants. You can turn your back on any player and know he will play the game fairly. Thus, the listed handicaps are the most accurate of any club in the country.

From the book "TBD Wolves Club"
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The Tin Whistles Archives - 2008
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The Tin Whistles - 1915
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Marshall Parshall & Bobby Jones
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The Tin Whistles Spring House
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The Tin Whistles Spring House plaque
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The Tin Whistles - 1928
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The Tin Whistles plaque presented to Pinehurst 2004

Golfing

  • Saturday games
  • 9 Major Tournaments
  • 7-8 away games; (CCNC, Pine Needles, Mid Pines, Duke, Finley, Cheraw State Park,...)
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Tin Whistles Scholarship Foundation

  • Initiated in 1978
  • Funds Annual College Scholarships for Moore County High School Students.
  • Currently, Six $6,000 scholarships per year for 4-years and Three 3-year nursing scholarships at Sandhills Community College
  • Nearly $2M awarded since inception
  • Scholarships are provided to seniors graduating from one of the four Moore County high schools (North Moore, O’Neal, Pinecrest and Union Pines) who have been admitted to or applied to an accredited four-year college or university. Students wishing to apply for a scholarship should request an application from their school's College Guidance Counselor in late January or early February
  • TWSF Information
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Tin Whistles Scholars

The Tin Whistles' Tour Championship

2024 will be the 17th year for the Tin Whistles' Tour Championship. Six 9-hole tournaments will be scheduled at different local golf courses. The players are boys & girls ages 6 thru 12. Tournaments are hosted by the Tin Whistles for the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA). Schedule for 2024 will be posted in March or April of 2024 on the TYGA website. At the end of the season a Champion is named. The Champion and his family are guests of the Tin Whistles' Christmas Dinner Dance.

We have players from a wide area of the state (Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Fayetteville). The Champion is determined by player scores in relation to par for a minimum of 4 tournaments.

Congratulations to our Champion and Runner-up for 2023

Champion

The 2023 Champion is Ethan Elzer from Pinehurst, NC. Ethan was awarded a replica of the Champion's trophy at the Tin Whistles' Christmas Dinner Dance. Ethan and his parents were the guests of the Tin Whistles. Ethan's name is inscribed on the Champion's trophy located at the Tufts Archives.

Runner-up

For 2023 runner-up is Teddy Michalek.

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Ethan Elzer – 2023 Tour Champion.
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For 2023 runner-up is Teddy Michalek.

Band of Brothers

The Tin Whistles of Pinehurst have received a 25-year recognition award from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for its service in participating in the Adopt-A-Highway Program. The award plaque is inscribed that the NCDOT “recognizes The Tin Whistles of Pinehurst for outstanding public stewardship and commitment by protecting North Carolina’s environment by participating in the “Adopt-A-Highway program for 25 consecutive years, 1993-2018.” Over those twenty-five years a group of Tin Whistles – The Band of Brothers - have met in the early morning once a month to pick up trash on Morganton Road from US 15-501 to NC Route 5.

The recognition plaque is signed by Transportation Secretary James Trogdon and Governor Roy Cooper

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Adopt a Highway Sign on Morganton Road, Pinehurst, NC
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Adopt a Highway Plaque

Membership

300 Golfing Members, Social Members, Honorary Members

Membership by Election from PCC membership, men active in golf, respect the rules and courtesies of the game, give back to the game through volunteering and also give back to the community.