Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
Pinehurst, North Carolina, United States
18 Holes · Par 72 · No single published green fee; No. 2 rounds are bundled into resort stay-and-play packages · Parkland
— About
About Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
Pinehurst No. 2 is the flagship course of Pinehurst Resort in the North Carolina Sandhills. Donald Ross designed it, and it opened in 1907. The course is known above all for its greens, which are raised like upturned saucers and send any ball that lands near the edge rolling into runoff areas. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the layout in 2010 and 2011. They took out the rough, removed about 35 acres of irrigated turf and planted more than 200,000 wiregrass plants, so sand and native ground now frame the fairways. The USGA treats Pinehurst as an anchor site for the U.S. Open, and No. 2 has held the championship in 1999, 2005, 2014 and 2024. In 2014 the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open were played here in consecutive weeks, won by Martin Kaymer and Michelle Wie. In 2024 Bryson DeChambeau beat Rory McIlroy by one stroke. Unlike most courses of this standing, No. 2 belongs to a resort. It is sold mainly through stay-and-play packages at the resort's hotels and cottages, and no single green fee is published, so the price depends on what you book. Confirm current booking rules with the resort before planning a trip.
- The 2010-2011 Coore and Crenshaw restoration removed about 35 acres of irrigated turf and added over 200,000 wiregrass plants across the property.
- Kaymer and Wie won the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open here in consecutive weeks in 2014, a first for the women's championship.
- Bryson DeChambeau won the 2024 U.S. Open by one stroke over Rory McIlroy, finishing six under par at Pinehurst.
- The greens are shaped like inverted saucers, so approach shots that finish near the edge tend to roll away into runoff areas.
- Rounds on No. 2 are sold mainly through resort stay-and-play packages, and the resort publishes no single green fee for the course.
History of Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
Donald Ross opened No. 2 in 1907 at a resort that had been operating in the Sandhills for more than a century by the time of its most recent championship. The course hosted the 1936 PGA Championship and, much later, became the first anchor site of the U.S. Open. Over the decades the fairways grew wider and greener and the sandy native areas shrank. Coore and Crenshaw reversed that in 2010 and 2011, bringing back the tawny fairway edges and native ground that had not been seen since the 1940s. The restoration set up 2014, when the men's and women's national opens were played on consecutive weeks, and 2024, when DeChambeau edged McIlroy at Pinehurst. The USGA has said it will bring the U.S. Open back on a regular schedule, with dates set for 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
Signature holes at Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
The 15th is a par 3 of about 202 yards, with a big, sloping, elevated green that bunkers and native areas guard on every side. It is the hole most often singled out on the course. The stretch from the 16th to the 18th decided the 2024 U.S. Open. The 16th is one of the longest par 4s on the course, and Rory McIlroy missed short putts at both the 16th and the 18th on Sunday. On the last hole DeChambeau got up and down to save par and win by one stroke.
When to play Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
Pinehurst sits in the Sandhills of central North Carolina, and No. 2 is sold mainly through stay-and-play packages, so book a stay early. The 2024 U.S. Open was played in June, and the 2014 championship ended on the third Sunday of that month, so late spring and early summer are when the course is presented at its firmest championship standard. Confirm the current booking rules with the resort directly before you plan the trip.
Playing Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort): tips
Book through Pinehurst Resort, by phone at 855-235-8507 or online, and expect rounds on No. 2 to be tied to a stay at one of the resort's hotels or cottages. Rounds are sold mainly through stay-and-play packages, and the resort publishes no single green fee, so price a whole trip rather than one tee time. Off the fairway you will find sand, wiregrass and pine straw instead of rough, so play the ball as it lies. On the greens, aim for the middle, because balls near the edges roll away into runoffs.
Visit Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
80 Carolina Vista, Pinehurst, NC
Pinehurst, North Carolina, United States
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Pinehurst No. 2 (Pinehurst Resort)
Can anyone play Pinehurst No. 2?
Yes, it is a resort course, but rounds are sold mainly through Pinehurst Resort stay-and-play packages rather than as standalone tee times. Check with the resort for current booking rules.
How much does it cost to play Pinehurst No. 2?
The resort publishes no single green fee for No. 2. Rounds are usually bundled with lodging in stay-and-play packages, so the cost depends on the package and the season.
Which major championships has Pinehurst No. 2 hosted?
It has hosted the U.S. Open in 1999, 2005, 2014 and 2024, plus the 2014 U.S. Women's Open and the 1936 PGA Championship. More U.S. Opens are scheduled for 2029 and beyond.
What airport is closest to Pinehurst?
Most visitors fly into Raleigh-Durham International, which is roughly an hour to an hour and a half by road from the resort. Ask the resort about ground transport when you book your stay.