Pinehurst (No. 2)

Donald Ross's masterpiece in the North Carolina Sandhills, known for domed, repelling greens and sandy wiregrass areas, and the USGA's anchor site for the U.S. Open.

Donald Ross opened No. 2 in 1907 and kept revising it for decades while living in the village. He described it as the fairest test of championship golf he had designed, and the North and South Amateur has been played there for more than a century. The course hosted the 1936 PGA Championship and 1951 Ryder Cup, then U.S. Opens in 1999, 2005, 2014 and 2024.

The greens are the defining feature: crowned surfaces with steep falloffs that send slightly mis-hit approaches into tight-mown swales. Coore and Crenshaw's 2010–11 restoration removed most of the rough and brought back sandy areas dotted with wiregrass, where lies vary from clean to unplayable. In 2014 No. 2 hosted the men's and women's U.S. Opens in consecutive weeks. Play is limited to resort guests, usually as part of a stay package.

Holes to know

5

Par 5 · 576 yd

Uneven lies on the way to a green with a false front, a drop-off at back right and guarding bunkers; one of the few holes where birdie feels necessary.

4

Par 4

Swapped pars with the 5th in the 2011 restoration and now plays as a par 4, where fairways narrow for longer hitters.

Championships

• U.S. Open 1999, 2005, 2014, 2024
• U.S. Women's Open 2014
• PGA Championship 1936
• Ryder Cup 1951
• U.S. Amateur 1962, 2008, 2019
• North and South Amateur annual

Design history

• 2010–11: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restoration, replacing rough with sandy native areas and wiregrass