Pinehurst No.2 Course
Lovers of golf should all pay a visit to Pinehurst at some point, if only to play the storied Pinehurst No. 2 Course, which has hosted more championships than any other in the USA, including the Ryder Cup, the US Open on three occasions and a PGA Championship.
Pinehurst No.2 is ranked as one of the best courses in America
The course opened for play in 1907 and from the outset, Donald Ross was clearly impressed with his efforts, referring to No. 2 as “the fairest test of championship golf I have ever designed.” Right up until 1948, Ross remained associated with his beloved course, constantly making improvements until he sadly passed away.
Best known for its crowned, undulating greens, which are some of the most difficult and widely celebrated in the world, it is clear that Pinehurst No. 2’s main design features were born out of Scottish influence, with Ross having cut his teeth at Royal Dornoch before he left for America.
The greens are small too, and are not for the faint hearted or the easily frustrated. With wicked fall offs around the edges of the putting surfaces, only the best approach shots will hold the greens, meaning solid iron play and a short game to match are the keys to scoring well around Pinehurst.
After the course had been taken in a direction not in keeping with the original Ross design, Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore were commissioned to return the course to its original 1930s glory. Renovation work included increasing the width of fairways, removing turf and areas of lush rough in order to restore the natural sandy waste areas that line the fairways, not to mention numerous bunker modifications. After the renovations had been completed and allowed to bed in, the US Open came to town in 2014, and the “new-old” Pinehurst No. 2 proved to be a formidable test for all but one player.
With an opening round of 65, Martin Kaymer put some distance between himself and the rest of the field, his second round of 65 put Kaymer 6 shots clear of Brendon Todd. Whilst many were expecting Kaymer to fall back into the field on Saturday as the course began to bite back but his round of 72 saw his lead cut by just 1 to 5 going into the final round with Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler his nearest competitors. Despite some ups and downs in his 3rd round Kaymer was able to regroup and hold his lead with his birdie on the 54th hole a huge confidence booster ahead of the final round. Kaymer's final round of 69 (-1), which contained 4 birdies, was good enough for a four-round total of 271 (-9) and an 8 shot victory.
With the course yielding just 959 birdies all week, it is safe to say that the USGA's set up was a very tricky examination. The toughest of all the holes were the par-3 6th hole which saw just 12 birdies and an average score of over 3.3. Unsurprisingly it was the par-5's which allowed a little respite for the players with the 5th hole providing 17 eagles, 144 birdies and an average of 4.8.
Course Information
| Par |
70 |
| Designed by |
Donald Ross |
| Opened for play |
1907 |
| Previously hosted |
US Open (1999, 2005, 2014), US Amateur (1962, 2008),
US Women’s Amateur (1989), US Women's Open (2014),
US Senior Open (1994), PGA Championship (1936)
Ryder Cup (1951) |
Tees
| Championship |
7,588 yards |
SSS 76.5 |
| Blue |
6,930 yards |
SSS 73.7 |
| White |
6,307 yards |
SSS 70.7 |
| Green |
5,822 yards |
SSS 68.2 |
| Red |
5,267 yards |
SSS 65.2 |
Signature Hole – No18: Par 4, 370 yards (Blue Tees)
It’s argued by many that there is no signature hole on Pinehurst No. 2. When compared to other American classics such as Pebble Beach, you don’t really get the breathtaking aesthetics. No. 2 certainly does prove though, that a golf course can offer much more than the sum of its parts.
If we were pressed however, it would be fair to say that the par 4 5th embodies all that is great about Pinehurst No. 2. This is arguably the most testing hole on the course and calls for sound strategy from tee to green, with little margin for error around the green.
The hole doglegs to the left and with a waste area on the inside corner and trees flanking down the right of the hole, your tee shot needs to be a solid one. The entire hole cambers to the left which makes the approach particularly difficult. Especially when you consider the fact that anything missing long and left will leave the most difficult of up and downs.
Pinehurst No.8 Course
Pinehurst No.8 Course
Commissioned to commemorate the resort's centenary in 1996, No. 8 rounds off Pinehurst's impressive portfolio, and has been extremely well received since opening. Tom Fazio's creation is a tribute to Donald Ross, the heart and soul of Pinehurst. Gullies and swales around the greens are typical, demanding a delicate short game above all else.
Make sure your short game is tight at Pinehurst; the crowned greens, with their notorious closely mown run-off areas, demand the most delicate touch.
Course Information
| Par |
72 |
| Designed by |
Tom Fazio |
| Opened for play |
1996 |
Tees
| Gold |
7,099 yards |
SSS 74.1 |
| Blue |
6,694 yards |
SSS 72.3 |
| White |
6,311 yards |
SSS 70.3 |
| Green |
5,805 yards |
SSS 68.0 |
| Red |
5,153 yards |
SSS 70.4 |
