The Tufts family, founders of Pinehurst Resort, and Donald Ross, architect of our No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 courses, always envisioned the “Cradle of American Golf” being open and inviting to the public golfer.
That spirit lives on through our numerous amateur and professional championships, and the fact anyone can book a round of golf on one of our nine regulation golf courses and par-3 short course, The Cradle.
Golf Digest’s latest ranking of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses further reinforces Pinehurst Resort’s public persona, as No. 2, No. 4 and No. 8 are included on the magazine’s vaunted list.
“We’re honored to have three courses on a list as longstanding and well-respected as Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses,” says Pinehurst Resort’s Director of Golf Ben Bridgers. “No. 2 and No. 8 have been ranked since its first year in 2003, and we’re excited to have No. 4 debut in the top 40.”
No. 2, the first United States Golf Association (USGA) U.S. Open Anchor Site has maintained its spot at No. 6. The course will host our national golf championship in 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047. Because of its dramatic reduction in water use, No. 2 was recently awarded a Green Star environmental award by Golf Digest.
The second green of Pinehurst No. 4, with the fifth hole in the background.
Then there’s upstart No. 4 debuting at No. 32. Wrote Derek Duncan, Golf Digest’s architecture editor who took over for Ron Whitten last year:
“[Gil] Hanse’s and [Jim] Wagner’s new iteration ties No. 4 into the resort’s long-established genetics with exposed sand, provocative green contours, broad fairways and contiguous short-grass recovery areas. While it looks at home in the Pinehurst sand hills, it functions as an extroverted counterpoint to the No. 2 course’s subtler stateliness.”
The Centennial course, No. 8, checks in at No. 76 on the Golf Digest list. Golf Digest refers to it as one of Tom Fazio’s “most versatile” designs featuring a mix of 18 truly unique holes. With No. 2 and No. 4 grabbing so many headlines these days, it’s important to remember that No. 8 is still one of the best golf courses in the U.S.
Want to play all three? Check out our popular Donald Ross Golf Package, which includes a two-night stay, three rounds of golf and breakfast each day.
14th Hole, Pinehurst No. 8