PINEHURST — There are 11 golf courses at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, including the historic No. 2 course, site of the 2024 U.S. Open.
While No. 2 is the headliner, golfers around the world visit the Sandhills of North Carolina to experience a crowd of different layouts in Moore County.
Known as “The Cradle of American Golf,” Pinehurst is hosting the United States Golf Association’s 1,000th championship this week. The No. 2 course has hosted four men’s U.S. Open tournaments in the last 25 years.
The Golf House Pinehurst and the World Golf Hall of Fame opened in May across from the resort’s main clubhouse, officially making Pinehurst the USGA’s first anchor site.
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Here’s a breakdown of Pinehurst’s 11 golf courses.
Pinehurst No. 1
The course that started it all in 1897, No. 1 provides a great warmup for golfers who want to ease into things before testing their talents at No. 2. It’s a must-play track for golfers enamored with the history of Pinehurst. The par-70 course measures at 5,806 yards from the white tees.
Pinehurst No. 2
Ranked Golfweek’s best public course in North Carolina for 2024, Donald Ross’ masterpiece allows golfers the opportunity to enjoy the mystique of navigating a major championship course. The par-72 course measures at 6,307 yards from the white tees. For the 2024 U.S. Open, the course will be set up at 7,548 yards as a par-70 track.
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Pinehurst No. 3
No. 3 is the shortest 18-hole course at Pinehurst, but don’t let that trick you into thinking it’s easy to navigate. The course defends itself with Donald Ross turtleback greens and a slew of doglegs, making precision more important than power. The par-68 track measures at 5,155 yards from the white tees.
Pinehurst No. 4
Second only to No. 2 on Golfweek’s list of top in-state public courses for 2024, No. 4 is a stunning silver medalist. Since Gil Hanse redesigned the course in 2018, No. 4 has rivaled No. 2 as a favorite of locals. It hosted the 2019 U.S. Amateur and measures at 6,428 yards as a par-72 course.
Pinehurst No. 5
A fun and forgiving course, according to Pinehurst, No. 5 is open but also features more water hazards than any other track at the resort. The par-3 14th, nicknamed the “Cathedral Hole,” features a pond in front of the green, which is surrounded by pine trees as one of the signature holes in the Sandhills. It plays at 6,174 yards from the white tees as a par 72.
Pinehurst No. 6
Site of the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open in 2022, No. 6 showcased the talent of the world’s best golfers with disabilities in back-to-back years. The Tom Fazio-designed course features undulating greens, elevation changes and water hazards. It plays at 6,180 yards from the white tees as a par 72. Golfweek has it 20th among the state’s top public courses in 2024.
Pinehurst No. 7
Ranked No. 13 on Golfweek’s list of in-state public courses, No. 7 is long and strong with tough terrain to tame. In 1992, it became the site of Tiger Woods’ only Pinehurst victory at the Big I Junior Classic. A decade later, it was renovated. The par-72 course features 75 bunkers and 25 acres of wetlands, measuring at 6,347 yards from the white tees.
Pinehurst No. 8
Nicknamed “The Centennial Course” after opening in 1996 to celebrate a century for Pinehurst, No. 8 comes in at No. 6 on Golfweek’s list of top in-state public courses for 2024. Designed by Tom Fazio, No. 8 has narrow fairways and brings plenty of water hazards into play. It measures at 6,311 yards as a par 72.
Pinehurst No. 9
Designed by 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, No. 9 has wider fairways, few waste areas and more forgiving greens than No. 2. Tied for 14th on Golfweek’s list of public in-state courses, No. 9 plays at 6,147 yards from the white tees as a par 72.
Pinehurst No. 10
The newest course at Pinehurst opened in April 2024 and covers more than 900 acres in the seclusion of the Pinehurst Sandmines, away from the resort’s other courses. Designed by Tom Doak, the par-70 course plays at 6,439 yards from the white tees, making it the longest course among the resort’s tracks.
The Cradle
Dubbed “the most fun 10 acres in all of golf,” The Cradle is a nine-hole test of a golfer’s par-3 skills positioned near the main clubhouse at Pinehurst. To make things better, replay rounds are free.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.