#16 (World) / #10 (U.S.) / #3 (Public) - Pinehurst No. 2

November 20, 2014

One of my most cherished golf memories was formed over a full week in Pinehurst, North Carolina. When people say Pinehurst is a special place, you hear the words but it is hard to understand just what those people mean unless you have been to the city and the golf resort. I had always heard how special "The Cradle of American Golf" is, but I never fully understood just how special a place it is until I walked the halls of the hotels and clubhouses, until I strolled down main street and visited Old Sport and Gallery golf shop where I chatted for a good hour with Bob Hansen, the owner, until I stood next to the Putter Boy and Payne Stewart statues, and until I teed off on Pinehurst No. 2.

Pinehurst No. 2, the centerpiece of Pinehurst Resort, remains one of the world’s most celebrated golf courses. In 1996, Pinehurst was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the plaques designating it as such can be found, among other places, in the lobby of the Carolina Hotel where I stayed.

Pinehurst No. 2 has served as the site of more single golf championships than any course in the U.S. The first major hosted at Pinehurst No. 2 was the PGA Championship in 1936, won by Denny Shute. In 1951, the resort hosted the Ryder Cup, and in 1991 and 1992 it was the venue for the Tour Championship. In 1999, Pinehurst staged its second major, the U.S. Open, won by Payne Stewart at the No. 2 course. The U.S. Open returned in 2005, won by New Zealand's Michael Campbell.  The USGA brought both the men's U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open to Pinehurst No. 2 just five months before my visit.

No. 2 opened in 1907 and was designed by Donald Ross, who called it “the fairest test of championship golf I have ever designed.” Ross was associated with the course for nearly a half-century, building his house, the Dornoch Cottage, next to the 3rd green, so he could live next to his masterpiece, and improving the course continually until his death in 1948. No. 2 is best known for its crowned, undulating greens, which are some of the most complex and widely hailed in the world. Ross believed in providing golfers with strategic choices, and Pinehurst No. 2 was intended to epitomize that philosophy.

In February of 2010, the design firm of Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw began to restore the natural and strategic characteristics that were the essence of Ross’s original design. The project included the removal of about 35 acres of turf and the reintroduction of hardpan, natural bunker edges and native wire grasses. In 2011, Pinehurst No. 2 completed the $2.5 million, year-long renovation. The goal was to revert the course back to the original Donald Ross design and it appeared to have done just that.  After walking the halls of the various buildings on the resort property, seeing numerous old photos, and then playing the course, I can attest that the restoration was a huge success.

During my visit, the weather was pretty good, with only one day out of the seven canceled because of rain. Granted, there were one-hundred year old record low temperatures broken. Some mornings that I teed off, it was as cold as 22 degrees Fahrenheit; nothing that winter gloves, three layers of clothes, and a winter skull cap couldn't combat.  On a positive note, crisp, cold weather also makes for fantastically blue skies and great photos.

Before my round, I visited the famous Putter Boy statue. Afterall, a person can not visit Pinehurst and not visit the Putter Boy statue. It is iconic.

The famous Putter Boy statue.

Pinehurst No. 2 appears in both Fifty More Places to Play Golf Before You Die and The World's 500 Greatest Golf Holes and receives quite a few accolades. Among them are:

• Hole 5 is listed as one of the top 100 holes in the world.
• Holes 2 and 10 are listed as two of the top 500 holes in the world.
• Hole 5 is listed as one of the most difficult 18 holes in the world.
• Hole 5 is listed as one of the 18 hardest-to-putt greens in the world.
• Hole 5 is listed as one of the best 18 greensites in the world.
• Hole 5 is listed as one of the best 18 holes in America.
• Holes 2, 5, and 10 are listed as three of the top 18 holes designed by Donald Ross.
• Hole 5 is listed as one of the best18 holes you can play in the world.

I played Pinehurst No. 2 on my fifth day of my week-long stay. I was paired with Mark Legg from Tampa and a friend of his that I believe was from New Jersey. The golf gods smiled on me as they provided completely clear, crystal blue skies and not a cloud in sight. It was also the warmest day of the week. After introductions, and watching the group in front of us walk off the first green, we walked onto the first tee box.

The starters box located next to the first tee.

The plaque mounted to the front of the starters box.

Let me start by saying that Pinehurst No. 2 is hard. It is likely the most difficult course I have ever played. This is in large part due to the difficulty of the greens. With that in mind, my playing partners and I decided to play from the white tees. They are the middle of five sets of tee boxes (U.S. Open, Blue, White, Green, and Red). Even being the middle set, we were looking at 6,307 yards and a 70.7/126 rating and slope. But, I decided I would much rather enjoy this round than challenge myself to a much more difficult set of tees during my first visit.

A look down the fairway from the 1st tee box.

Hole #1 is a Par 4 that plays 376 yards. Ross once noted that the first hole of any golf course shouldn't be too difficult. It should "give the player a chance to warm up a bit." True to his design theory, this opening hole is fairly straightforward and not overly difficult. A solid drive in the fairway will leave a short iron to the green. Proper club selection is crucial because shots missed long or short will leave a demanding up and down. 

This hole also foretold of things to come. I generally have, at most, one three-putt a round. On the first green, I three-putted - the first of nine on the day!  Part of the difficulty was likely caused by frozen ground and the ball sliding across them like they were ice, or bouncing off of them on an approach shot as if they had bounced off a cart path. But the domed shaped greens are very difficult to putt and even moreso to read.

A look into the 1st green from 100 yards out.

A closer look onto the 1st green.

A look down the fairway from the 2nd tee. 

Hole #2 is a par that plays to 411 yards.  A drive favoring the left side of the fairway is best on this slight dogleg to the right. Bunkers guard the left side, but this position offers the best look at this green, which sits at an angle and is protected by a bunker on the right. There are several good hole locations on this green, in particular the one back-right, as an approach that comes up slightly short will roll back off the green, and an approach hit long or right will easily bounce away from the green.

A look into the 2nd green from 150 yards out.

A look onto the 2nd green from 50 yards out.

A closer look at the 2nd green.

A look down the fairway from the 3rd tee box.

Hole #3 is a par 4 that plays 330 yards. The fairway is pretty narrow on this hole, making you decide to either lay up between the bunkers on the left and waste-area on the right, leaving a short wedge approach shot, or go for it and try to clear all the sand by attempting to drive the green. This well-crowned green is sloped back to front and protected by three green-side bunkers. If you miss your shot long, it will keep rolling well past the green.

A look onto the 3rd green from 125 yards out.

A look onto the 3rd green from 60 yards out.

A closer look at the 3rd green.

A look down the fairway from the 4th tee box.

Hole #4 is a par 4 that plays 434 yards. Hitting the fairway is a must to get to this green in regulation. Avoiding the large fairway bunker on the left is crucial, so you should aim for the right side of the fairway. The fourth green is less "crowned" than many others on the course so this is a real chance to drop a stroke.

A look towards the 4th green from 200 yards out.

A closer look at the 4th green.

A closer look at the 4th green. 

A look down the fairway from the 5th tee box.

Hole #5 is the fist non-Par 4 on the course. It is a Par 5 that plays 462 yards. According to a caddie I talked to, Ross considered the approach to this green the most difficult shot on the entire course, as it has to be hit with a long iron with the ball above your feet. You should aim your approach shots for the right side of the green. Any missed shot to the left will leave a very demanding up and down.   

A look towards the 5th green from 200 yards out.

A look onto the 5th green from 100 yards out.

A look onto the green from the 6th tee box.

Hole #6 is the first Par 3 on the course and plays 178 yards (242 from the tips). I was advised that if the wind is up, the shot will most likely be hit into it, making it an even longer hole. The significant slope in the front portion of this green creates a false-front that will repel shots hitting short. The deep green-side bunker on the left will catch most balls hit that way, leading to a very difficult second shot and an up-and-down.

A closer look at the 6th green.

A look down the fairway from the 7th tee box.

Hole #7 is a par 4 that plays 385 yards and is the sharpest dogleg on the course. A cluster of bunkers on the right corner can grab tee shots that leak to the right. If you are a longer hitter, you can try to find the heart of the fairway beyond the bunkers that are more than 220 yards out, leaving a short iron into the green. For shorter hitters, it is unlikely you will clear the dogleg and have to rely on a long iron or hybrid for your approach shot. The putting surface, sloped from back to front, is well protected by one deep bunker on the right and two smaller bunkers on the front left.

A look towards the 7th green from 175 yards out.

A look onto the 7th green from 50 yards out.

A closer look onto the 7th green from the right side.  

 

A look down the fairway from the 8th tee box.

 Hole #8 is a par 4 that plays 440 yards. The drive should favor the right side of the fairway off the tee to allow for the best approach into the green. The approach is the key shot here. This green is dramatically sloped from back to front and guarded by a good bit of sand, so the heart of the green should be the target for the approach, as a missed shot left or long will find a collection area as much as 20 yards off the putting surface.

A look onto the 8th green from 50 yards out.

Hole #9 is a par 3 that plays 148 yards and is the shortest hole on the course. Shot selection from the tee critical because there is trouble for any shot that misses the green. Two deep bunkers flank the front, punishing you if you come up short. A steep slope and two more bunkers lie in wait over the green. This two-tiered green is wide and shallow, sloping from left to right, with a ridge running from back to front.

A look into the green from the 9th tee box.

A look down the fairway from the 10th tee box.

Hole #10 is a par 5 that plays a short 455 yards. A good drive and a solid second shot, steering clear of a bunker on the left side of the fairway, should leave you pretty close to the green. This green has a subtle slope from left to right and is protected by two bunkers. The putting surface falls off dramatically into a collection area behind the green.

A look into the 10th green from 200 yards out.

A look into the 10th green from 50 yards out. 

A look down the fairway from the 11th tee box.

Hole #11 is a par 4 that plays 375 yards. The fairway appears wide, but is bordered down the right side with a traditional Pinehurst hardpan sand and wire grass. The best advice for this hole is to favor the left side of the fairway which offers the best look at the green. The safe approach shot is to the right-center portion of the putting surface. Chatting it up with the bartender at the Ryder Cup Lounge one night, I was advised that this was Ben Hogan's favorite par four. I can't confirm or deny it, but it is a neat thought while out on the course.

A look onto the 11th green from 75 yards out.

A look onto the 11th green from the right side.

A closer look onto the 11th green. 

A look down the fairway from the 12th tee box.

Hole #12 is a par 4 that plays 360 yards. While an accurate tee shot is important on every hole at Pinehurst No. 2, it is particularly crucial on this hole. Holding this green with a shot hit from anywhere but the fairway is a particularly difficult task. The problem here is the deep swale that runs across the green from the left. It can kick what may seem like a workable approach off line significantly to the left. A left-center tee shot, avoiding the two fairway bunkers and waste areas on the right, affords the best angle into the green.

A look onto the 12th green from 120 yards out (right green is the 12th).

A closer look onto the 12th green.

A look down the fairway from the 13th tee box.

Hole #13 is a par 4 that plays 358 yards. You should not have much trouble safely clearing the fairway bunkers on the right, but navigating this narrow fairway may change your mind about what club to use off the tee. The green sits 15 to 20 feet higher than the fairway, protected by numerous bunkers, once again making club selection essential in trying to keep your ball on the putting surface. I recommend taking one club more than normal, because an approach hit even slightly short will roll back down into the fairway.

A look onto the 13th green from 120 yards out. 

A look down the fairway from the 14th tee box.

 Hole #14 is a par 4 that plays 419 yards. The drive requires a shot favoring the right side of the fairway, avoiding the bunkers on the left. The green here is an excellent example of how the many swales that Ross built into the perimeters of his putting surfaces, effectively shrink the size of the hittable area. On this hole, the most dangerous swales are those behind the green, because a ball that is hit long could roll down a slope as much as 25 yards beyond the green. The swale on the right is no joke either, because it kicks you away from the green and down into a green-side bunker which sits well below the putting surface.

A look onto the 14th green from 150 yards out.

A closer look onto the 14th green. 

A look into the green from the 15th tee box.

Hole #15 is a par 3 that plays 170 yards. Two of the last four holes at Pinehurst No. 2 are difficult par threes. The hole has one of the most severely crowned greens on the course. Getting the ball to stay on this green with the tee shot is an accomplishment worth having an ale over after the round. I landed my shot within two feet of the hole, but due to the design of the green, it rolled 20 feet down the hill behind it. The false front grabs any shots hit short, and the deep green-side bunkers swallow up any errant shots missed to the right.

A closer look into the 15th green. 

A look down the fairway from the 16th tee box.

 Hole #16 is a par 4 that plays 478 yards. The pond just off the tee is the only water on the course and it shouldn't come into play. The left-side fairway bunker should also pose no problem, but the two bunkers to the right of the landing area are very much in play. A long, well-positioned drive, followed by a solid second shot, should leave an easy approach to the green.

A look into the 16th green from 200 yards out. 

A look into the 16th tee box from 100 yards out.

A closer look at the 16th green.

A look into the green from the 17th tee box.

 Hole #17 is a par 3 that plays 162 yards is guarded by five bunkers. A large waste area in the front of the green, and a bunker in the back, stand ready to swallow mis-judged shots. The front portion of this green is sloped considerably from right-to-left.

A closer look at the 17th green.

A look down the fairway from the 18th tee box. 

Hole #18 is a par 4 that plays 366 yards. It plays uphill and slightly left-to-right. A hole location in the right portion of the green is far more accessible from the left side of the fairway-although a deep swale creeping into the putting surface from the right can kick approach shots well beyond the green. Avoiding the long, deep fairway bunker down the right side off the tee leaves a mid-to-short iron into the green. The green-side bunker short is particularly tough. You also don't want to be long as up-and-downs from behind the green are very tricky.

A look into the 18th green from 120 yards out.

A closer look onto the 18th green from the right side.

A look into the 18th green from 75 yards out.

A closer look onto the 18th green.

After finishing  a very difficult round, I made my way over to the Payne Stewart statue. Experiencing the course first hand clearly put into perspective exactly what Stewart was able to accomplish at the 1999 U.S. Open when he won.  On #16, Stewart hit a downhill, double-breaking, 20-foot putt that was the first of three clutch one-putts that propelled him to the U. S. Open victory. On #17, he scored a dramatic birdie to assume a one-shot lead heading into the final hole. On #18, he saved his par here by calmly rolling in an uphill 15 footer to a hole location that was 25 paces away and six from the right to win. The statue below immortalizes his his victory pose. 

The iconic Payne Stewart statue.

As I had read about in various books and blogs, and strongly suspected before I started the round, Pinehurst No. 2 has the most difficult greens I have ever putted on. I generally have one 3-putt in a round at most. On my round this day, I had nine.  I also wasn't hitting the ball poorly. I struck most shots pure. The greens are just that tough. I am hesitant to say that I didn't enjoy Pinehurst No. 2 as much as I thought I would have, but the difficulty of the course did put a damper on the experience.  However, it definitely deserves to be ranked among the best in the world. After experiencing it first hand, I understand why it is the perfect course to host a U.S. Open. As Donald Ross advised, “the fairest test of championship golf I have ever designed.” With all that said, I can't wait to go back (when it is 50 degrees warmer). It was a lifetime memory that I will cherish forever.