Stephen Szurlej
Dom Furore
Stephen Szurlej
Dom Furore
The 13th hole at Pinehurst No. 2.
Courtesy of the resort
Dom Furore
Dom Furore
Pinehurst #2
Pinehurst, NC • Public
Pinehurst #2
80 Carolina Vista Dr
Pinehurst, NC 28374
United States
Telephone
Overview
In 2010, a team led by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw killed and ripped out all the Bermudagrass rough on Pinehurst #2 that had been foolishly planted in the 1970s. Between fairways and tree lines, they established vast bands of native hardpan sand dotted with clumps of wiregrass and scattered pine needles. They reduced the irrigation to mere single rows in fairways to prevent grass from ever returning to the new sandy wastelands. Playing firm and fast, it was wildly successful as the site of the 2014 Men’s and Women’s U.S. Opens, played on consecutive weeks, and produced an even more exciting Open in 2024 when Bryson DeChambeau beat Rory McIlroy on the final hole. It's the rare course that a wide variety of resort players can enjoy and play quickly one day, and be a test for tour pros the next by essentially just quickening the greens. A new favorite of the USGA with a headquarters in town, Pinehurst #2 will host Opens again in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 1966. Ranked among the Top 40 since the inaugural edition in 1985.
Highest ranking: 9th, 1995-2002.
Previous ranking: 29th.
2025-'26 ranking: 32nd.
100 Greatest Public: Ranked since 2003.
Highest ranking: 2nd, 2003-'06.
2025-'26 ranking: 6th (since 2017).
Best in State: Ranked Top 5 in North Carolina since 2011.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 2nd.
Watch our exclusive drone tour
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Pinehurst # 2 is one of the must play golf courses in the USA, steeped in history and site of many memorable golf tournaments. It is Donald Ross at his best, a course that he continually tinkered with throughout his life. It reflects his architectural artistry and the way that he strategically thought about a golf course, and even reflects his Scottish roots. I've played this course both pre and post the Coore Crenshaw renovation. The underlying character and feel of the course remains the same, while C&C "roughened it up" a bit to give it more character. The greens were less punitive than I remembered (in fact I would call them very fair), but perhaps that simply reflects that I was having a better round than in the past. The greens reward a good shot, and punish a mediocre shot. A golfer must think and concentrate across the entire golf course on every shot. It also requires that you hit every club in your bag, due to the variety of the holes and necessity to position your shots. My only minor criticism is that I believe that the par 3s should vary more in distance and feel. The bunkers were excellent, and the overall conditioning from tee to green was the best that we experienced on this trip to the Carolinas. 18 is a great finishing hole, which is why it has witnessed some great finishes (e.g. Payne Stewart's victory in 1999. No other course in the Pinehurst complex matches Pinehurst # 2."
Read More2026
Review
“Pinehurst # 2 is one of the must play golf courses in the USA, steeped in history and site of many memorable golf tournaments. It is Donald Ross at his best, a course that he continually tinkered with throughout his life. It reflects his architectural artistry and the way that he strategically thought about a golf course, and even reflects his Scottish roots. I've played this course both pre and post the Coore Crenshaw renovation. The underlying character and feel of the course remains the same, while C&C "roughened it up" a bit to give it more character. The greens were less punitive than I remembered (in fact I would call them very fair), but perhaps that simply reflects that I was having a better round than in the past. The greens reward a good shot, and punish a mediocre shot. A golfer must think and concentrate across the entire golf course on every shot. It also requires that you hit every club in your bag, due to the variety of the holes and necessity to position your shots. My only minor criticism is that I believe that the par 3s should vary more in distance and feel. The bunkers were excellent, and the overall conditioning from tee to green was the best that we experienced on this trip to the Carolinas. 18 is a great finishing hole, which is why it has witnessed some great finishes (e.g. Payne Stewart's victory in 1999. No other course in the Pinehurst complex matches Pinehurst # 2."
Read More2026
Review
“One of the finest end to end golf experiences I've had the privilege of taking in. A must for any serious players bucket list A Donald Ross design returned to its original look and feel and risk/reward. Excellent caddies to help guide you."
Read More2026
Review
“Difficulty at Pinehurst No. 2 isn't obvious on a first play, and many holes can seem interchangeable against the unchanging pine-and-sand backdrop. Repeated rounds reveal how different the green sites actually are, with subtle contours and approach angles that only become legible with familiarity. The sandy waste areas introduce a genuine element of randomness, and the elevated, wildly contoured putting surfaces punish anything less than a precise approach. Par threes are exceptional, and there's no question this is the best course that could have been built on this ground."
Read More2026
Review
“Difficulty at Pinehurst No. 2 isn't obvious on a first play, and many holes can seem interchangeable against the unchanging pine-and-sand backdrop. Repeated rounds reveal how different the green sites actually are, with subtle contours and approach angles that only become legible with familiarity. The sandy waste areas introduce a genuine element of randomness, and the elevated, wildly contoured putting surfaces punish anything less than a precise approach. Par threes are exceptional, and there's no question this is the best course that could have been built on this ground."
Read More2026
Review
“One of the hardest golf courses in the country. Character and challenge rank very high. Layout variety is very similar, many golf holes have a similar feel. A great and fair test of golf, need to be a pure ball-striker to play well here. Distance control is rewarded and emphasized."
Read More2026
Review
“I did not expect the love this course so much. This is how golf should be. If you hit it offline you know you are in the waste area and get to anticipate whether you have a play or not. If you keep it in play you get to watch the ball roll until it stops to see if it stays on the fairway or stays on the green. This is so much more fun compared to your typical american course where if you hit it on line you know it going to bounce soft and stay in the fairway or stay on the green."
Read More2026
Review
“Classic American course, presents challenges for all levels of golfers while at the same time providing the high handicapper the opportunity to work through the course without being penalized by the design. Wide fairways give some flexibility to the tee shot but Ross put a premium on shot placement. The same fairways tighten at the appropriate length to challenge the long hitters, making them decide whether to avoid the hazards or gamble. Crenshaw and Coore returned #2 to its old glory by bringing back the sand dune and wire grass roughs and returning shot strategy to the playing agenda. Through the years, sand topdressing has given Ross' original greens the upside down bowl characteristics that he's famous for (even though you don't see them in most of his other designs), and there is no question the green complexes are the ultimate challenges to conquer. It's best to bring your best short game to Pinehurst #2 because no matter what the skill level, the best score will be the result of how well you can get up and down."
Read More2025
Review
“Pinehurst No 2 is fun. It's one of the closest examples of true links golf in the United States (minus the ocean...ha!). The firm, fast playing areas combined with the sandy waste that is dotted with native grasses gives Pinehurst No 2 a very distinct, unique, and charming character. The green complexes are genius and invoke thought and process on each shot. As you play the course, you are presented with several options on almost every tee, approach, and short-game shot. A true American gem."
Read More2025
Review
“Easily one of my top 5 golf courses! There a reason yer after year it makes it to the top!"
Read More2025
