For the Shorter and/or the Not-So-Experienced Golfer

There are obviously so many choices it could be difficult to decide how to make the most of your time in the area. Here is a perspective from a highly experience golfer who has been playing these courses for over three decades.
Pinehurst #2 and Pine Needles would be my first recommendations for reasons any golfer already understands. The only caveat is that #2 is very difficult. For this reason I would not urge a golfer that does not have a skill level that is at least mediocre to play it. It is just very difficult for the player who hasn't worked at their game a lot. Actually, it is a serious challenge for the worlds best!
For golfers that do not hit the ball that long my first recommendation would be Mid-Pines. To me it is the most charming course in the area. It is probably the most beautiful in the spring when the plants are in bloom. By the way, I recommend this course to all golfers. It is simply a great Donald Ross course with the most appealing finishing hole in the area.
My second recommendation to the not so long golfer would be either Southern Pines Golf Club or Pinehurst #3. Neither one is that long and they are both great layouts in very good shape. Southern Pines GC tends to be much less crowded than #3. SPCC is very highly rated by many golf design experts. Some people have valid objections to #3 because it is lined with condos and houses which are quite close to the fairways. That is quite true - but the course and especially the green complexes are so good that I would recommend it anyway. Regarding #3, consider golf design super-expert (and two time Masters Champion) Ben Crenshaw's take:
"I just don't think people understand how good those holes are. They're filled with interest. They're shorter, but there's plenty of character to them."

After these three courses I would recommend Pinehurst #1. I don't find the design quite as compelling as the previously mentioned but it is still well worth playing. There are many really well designed and intersting holes. Pinehurst recently did a first class job of re-planting the fairways and greens.

Many locals play Midland Country Club. It is a shorter 9 hole track that is no great frills but fun. It is also inexpensive.