#2
Pinehurst, NC, USA
Pinehurst No. 2, a testament to strategic golf, is where legends are forged and humbled. Rooted in the Carolina Sandhills, its undulating fairways and deceptively simple aesthetic belie the course's intricate challenges. This is Golden Age design at its most cunning. Designed by Donald Ross, with significant restorations by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, No. 2 demands imagination over brute force. The course favors those who can master the ground game, rewarding thoughtful approaches and penalizing wayward shots into the native wiregrass. Its crowned greens, a Ross signature, are notoriously difficult to hold, making for exhilarating and often exasperating putting surfaces. This feature in particular, makes the course especially tricky to manage. As a frequent host of the U.S. Open (1999, 2005, 2014, 2024) and the Ryder Cup in 1951, Pinehurst No. 2 has witnessed some of golf’s most dramatic moments. Its reputation as a demanding test has made it a revered championship venue, attracting players who relish the challenge of strategic play over raw power. The club is known for its close-knit membership, comprised of golfers who appreciate the game's traditions and the course's inherent difficulty; their weekly games often decided by skillful recovery shots and clutch putts. Beyond the championship pedigree and challenging layout, No. 2 is a place where the spirit of the game is celebrated with its timeless design and classic atmosphere. The membership is known for its casual elegance on and off the course, often enjoying post-round conversations on the clubhouse veranda.
#1
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
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Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
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Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
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Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
The Cradle
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Public: #40
Best in USA
Public: #12
Best in NC
Public: #1
Golfers say Pinehurst No. 2 is a Donald Ross masterpiece and a must-play bucket-list course, praising its iconic turtle-back greens, wide fairways framed by Carolina pines, and strategic wiregrass waste areas that replace traditional rough. Most find the green complexes severely sloped and lightning-fast, demanding precise approach shots and disciplined lag putting, with many noting the course is incredibly difficult yet fair—you won't lose balls, but you'll struggle to score if you miss greens. Reviewers consistently highlight memorable stretches like holes 3–6 and the closing run from 14–18, though a few feel individual holes lack visual intrigue or that the layout blends together. The overall Pinehurst experience—steeped in major championship history, excellent conditioning, and top-tier hospitality—earns near-universal acclaim, though some mention slow pace of play and premium pricing for rounds, lodging, and food. While one golfer finds it overhyped and easier than expected, the vast majority would happily return, calling it one of the finest public courses in America.
9.1
830 players
This is a Donald Ross masterpiece. This is a great layout that is fun, but incredibly difficult. The greens are extremely severe and fast. The course has lots of history and is super cool to play, but it will not be a fast round by any means. Fairways are relatively wide, but missing them is penalized with the native area being difficult. This is a great spot and one of my favorite places I've ever played, just be ready to play good golf, or you have a high chance of being beat up.
Great walk, greens super tough but very enjoyable
What a fantastic major championship venue. I think the front 9 as a whole might be better than the back 9. 1 is a great opener. 3 green, 4 tee, 5 green, 6 tee is such a great little area. The run from 3-9 is fantastic. My favorite hole on the back might have been 13. 14-18 is a great way to end the round. Greens were much bigger than I thought they’d be and the courts was very playable. Obviously when the greens are glass it makes it harder but I really enjoyed the single cut on the fairways. I’d love to go back and play it again a few times.
Pinehurst’s crown jewel, No. 2, is a masterpiece. I’ve been lucky to play here several times and it never gets old. Donald Ross’s architecture here is so so good with tons of variety that forces you to hit tons of different shots. The Carolina pines frame the course beautifully, too. Golf is just in the air at Pinehurst. The course is perhaps best known for its turtle shell greens and waste areas just off the fairway, which are much more difficult to play from than conventional rough. Whether your ball ends up sitting up on pine straw and/or sand or lodged into a fern in the waste area is completely random. I always marvel at Ross’s green complexes on No. 2, they are essentially all turtle shells, and reject any approach shot that isn’t well-hit. No. 2 is a must play - it is always a treat, even in the colder months.
Should be on the bucket list for any golf fan and architecture person. The course is a must play once in your life or maybe every 10 years, but I wouldn’t want to play it consistently just based on the difficult shots that are required to hold some greens. Very fun to watch on TV and glad to see it consistently as the USGA anchor
Played 2 weeks to closing for US open prep, we had a great day weather and course conditions were great, took the Kaymer approach and didn’t chip around greens a few buddies didn’t and paid the price 😂
#2 is overhyped for me. Very enjoyable round, wonderful conditioning, all the usual care and natural character of a Coore/Crenshaw classic. Wiregrass is a unique feature well-implemented to add some variance to wayward drives. But it played like one of the easiest courses I’ve ever played, very flat, and holes blend together without much visual intrigue. Holes 1, 17, 18, 3-6 are great but it’s way overrated by the big ratings publications currently
It’s in the name. Of course I love this place. Can’t even remember how many times I’ve been here for tournaments.
Maybe the most expensive place I’ve ever been. Pay $300 for a round then another $40-$80 for food and drinks then another $500 for the hotel. Very convenient when you are there with shuttles from hotels and airport but it can break the bank.
Great golf course, where the best holes are the stretch of 3-6. Might shoot a million but won’t lose a golf ball. Pace can be an issue. Always a treat.
Public courses closest to #2 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.
The journey to Pinehurst Resort & Country Club typically begins at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), followed by a scenic, hour-and-a-quarter drive south into the quiet heart of the North Carolina Sandhills. For those arriving private, Moore County Airport offers a seamless touchdown just minutes from the resort grounds. The final approach gently trades modern highways for winding roads lined with towering longleaf pines, culminating at the historic white-columned facade of the Carolina Hotel - a fittingly grand prelude to the Cradle of American Golf.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
#2 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club has a Course Vaults score of 9.1 out of 10 based on 338 explicit golfer ratings.
#2 was designed by Donald Ross, Ben Crenshaw, Bill Coore, Robert Trent Jones, Rees Jones, and George Waters.
Yes. #2 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at #2 is 72.
#2 plays 7,588 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at #2 is 137.
