Pinehurst (No. 2)
Pinehurst (No. 2)
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Course Type
Resort -
GOLF Top 100 World Rank (2023-24)
21 -
Year
1907 -
Architect
Donald Ross -
Par
72 -
Yardage
6961
Course Overview
Donald Ross’ chef d’oeuvre rolls spaciously through tall longleaf pines in the Carolina Sandhills with holes culminating with legendary inverted-saucer greens. For the 2014 U.S. Open, a Coore-Crenshaw restoration brought back the tawny-edged fairways and native areas last seen in the 1940s. Even with no rough, the runner-up could muster only one under par over four rounds. After the Women’s U.S. Open was played the following week, a powerful message had been broadcast around the world from the home of American golf about the virtues of width, short grass and great greens. This is one of a handful of courses that presents resort guests with a fun test on which they won’t lose a single ball, and a week later can be ready to host a U.S. Open. That’s the flexibility of short grass — and Ross’ design genius. The world will get another look at No. 2 in June 2024 when the course stages its fourth U.S. Open. (Photo: Joann Dost)
3 things to know
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Hole everyone talks about
No. 15, par-3, 202 yards: This one-shotter seems wide open from the tee, but bunkers and native areas protect the big, sloping and elevated green. -
Best non-golf amenity
Relive Pinehurst’s illustrious golf history with a walk through the Carolina Hotel’s Hallway of History, which also serves up one of the best breakfasts in the game. -
Insider tip
Don’t leave the resort without playing The Cradle, a fun, nine-hole par-3 course designed by legendary architect Gil Hanse.
