"Not too short! Nothing drastic!" admonished Angela's husband Gregg as he dropped her off to start our "Girls' Getaway." His face went white when I told him that Angela's long dark locks would be returning in a Baggie because she was scheduled for a Pink-esque makeover.

"She's just kidding, Gregg," Angela soothed. "honest, she's just kidding."

Angela, Carol and I had been planning this sojourn for weeks. The Spa at Pinehurst, completed in 2002, is the perfect adjunct to golf junkies who venture into the North Carolina Sandhills for their rounds. Massages for golfers are on the menu, but really, this stand-alone facility makes for a perfect getaway for those who don't golf, and for those spouses and companions who accompany the duffers but wouldn't know a nine-iron from a food processor. That's where Carol, Angela and I fit in.

We had meticulously arranged our visit to include a Bed and Breakfast package at the exquisite Holly Inn, one of several resort choices in the Pinehust Village complex. And we arranged it so that we could also have the signature Sunday Champagne Brunch in The Carolina Resort, the venerable and recognizable gold-domed structure that anchors the community. Angela and I shared a room, Carol had her own.

The airport closest to Pinehurst is Fayetteville Regional, but the most practical (and usually most convenient in terms of flights) is Raleigh-Durham, about an hour and a half away in low-traffic times. If you're driving with a golfer, don't worry... he (or she) will know how to get to Pinehurst.

Angela is in her mid-30s and a mom to four active youngsters; Carol and I are in our mid... well, let's just say that we are older than Angela, and our kids are grown and out of the house. Of the three of us, it was probably Angela who most appreciated the respite; not only the spa services but adult interaction and activities. Carol and I, though, had our sundry stresses too... and couldn't have been more welcoming of the break.

We checked in to our gorgeous rooms and met again in the lobby. The front desk clerk called the Pinehurst transportation van for us; this is a complimentary service of the resort. We were picked up in front of the Holly Inn and taken to the door of the spa by a lovely gentleman attired in golfer's plaids. Only later did we realize that the spa is only two blocks away and we could easily walk, but the sense of pampering began with our Holly Inn check-in and continued with the van ride.

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