When you hear “Pinehurst,” one image immediately comes to mind: those distinctive crowned greens that have humbled the world’s best golfers for over a century. Pinehurst No. 2 isn’t just a golf course – it’s a rite of passage for serious competitive golfers.

If you’re planning to compete at Pinehurst, or simply want to understand one of golf’s most revered venues, this deep dive will prepare you for everything this masterpiece has to offer.

Designed by Donald Ross in 1907, Pinehurst No. 2 has been testing golfers for more than 115 years. Ross continually refined the course during his lifetime, and a major restoration by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2010–2011) reinstated his intended sandy waste areas, strategic corridors, and green surrounds.

This isn’t a course that yields to power or intimidates with length – it’s a strategic masterpiece that rewards precision, course management, and mental toughness.

Pinehurst No. 2 has hosted more single golf championships than any other course in America, including:

• Five U.S. Opens (1999, 2005, 2014, 2024, with 2029 already scheduled)
• One PGA Championship (1936, won by Denny Shute)
• Multiple U.S. Amateurs (1962, 2008, 2019) and other USGA events
• The unique back-to-back U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open in 2014

It is now a designated USGA “anchor site,” locked in to host U.S. Opens in 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047.

When the USGA wants to crown a champion, they come to Pinehurst.

Everything at Pinehurst revolves around Ross’s crowned, turtle-back greens. These putting surfaces are elevated and slope away from the center in all directions, creating what many consider the most challenging greens in professional golf.

Key Green Characteristics:

• Crowned design: Balls naturally roll off toward collection areas
• Firm and fast: Championship greens regularly exceed 13+ on the Stimpmeter
• Strategic pin positions: Some are accessible, others nearly impossible
• Recovery challenges: Missing the green often means chipping back up severe slopes

Strategy tip: Approach shots must land in the correct section of each green. A pin-high shot to the wrong tier can result in a 40-foot putt with multiple breaks.

Hole #5 (Par 4, ~482 yards)

The fairway slopes left toward trouble, but the best angle to approach the crowned green is from the left side.

Playing Tip: Favor the right side for safety, even if it leaves a longer approach.

Hole #8 (Par 4, ~485 yards)

Second shot plays uphill over a depression. Anything short is rejected.

Playing Tip: Take one more club than you think and aim for the center.

Hole #15 (Par 3, ~190-206 yards)

Plays long into a severely crowned green. Yardage varies with setup.

Playing Tip: Conservative play to the middle; missing long or short is costly.

Hole #18 (Par 4, ~446 yards)

One of golf’s great finishing holes. A precise approach to a green sloping from back to front, with the clubhouse looming.

Playing Tip: Respect a back pin – better to be below the hole than long.

Some of the game’s iconic moments have happened on No. 2:

• Payne Stewart (1999 U.S. Open): His winning putt and iconic celebration remain unforgettable
• Martin Kaymer (2014 U.S. Open): Won by eight shots through flawless course management
• Michelle Wie West (2014 U.S. Women’s Open): Proved that No. 2 challenges both men and women equally
• Bryson DeChambeau (2024 U.S. Open): Captured the title at -6, showing that patience and discipline prevail

Typical Championship Setup:

• Greens rolling at 13+ Stimp
• Native sandy waste areas replacing rough
• Firm, running fairways
• Scoring averages often 2-4 shots over par

Off the Tee

Accuracy > distance. Fairways bleed into sandy wiregrass.

Key Strategy Points:

• Position drives for approach angles, not raw yardage
• Conservative tee shots often save strokes
• A knowledgeable caddie can be worth multiple shots

Approach Play

Greens are the defense.

Critical Approach Principles:

• Favor the center over chasing tucked pins
• Missing on the correct side is often better than hitting “close”
• Sometimes the smartest play is aiming away from the flag

Around the Greens

Collection areas force imagination.

Short Game Essentials:

• Practice bump-and-runs, uphill chips, and hybrid putts
• Use slopes to funnel balls toward pins
• Accept that conservative recovery is often the best play

Getting There

• Closest major airport: Raleigh-Durham (RDU) – ~90 minutes
• Regional: Moore County Airport (SOP) – ~10 minutes (private flights)
• Driving: ~2 hours from Charlotte, ~3 hours from Richmond, VA

Where to Stay

On-site: The Carolina Hotel, Holly Inn, Manor Inn

Nearby: Southern Pines & Aberdeen (hotels and rentals)

Weather

• Spring & Fall: Ideal playing conditions
• Summer: Hot, humid, storm-prone
• Winter: Playable but can be cool and breezy

Practice Priorities

1. Putting: Lag putts and slope reading
2. Chipping: Uphill chips, use of slopes
3. Irons: Precision > distance
4. Course management: Study layouts and miss zones

Mental Prep

• Embrace patience: No. 2 punishes impatience
• Respect the history: Don’t force heroics
• Focus on position and discipline

Equipment

• Fresh grooves on wedges
• Reliable putter for lightning-fast greens
• Consistent golf ball for spin and feel on firm turf

The Pinehurst Effect

Playing Pinehurst No. 2 changes how you see golf architecture and strategy. The experience teaches lessons about precision, patience, and creativity that carry into every round you play afterward.

For many, the first round at No. 2 is humbling. The second is enlightening. By the third, you begin to understand why it has tested champions for more than a century.

Planning to compete at Pinehurst? Use Hubble’s tournament database to find upcoming events and connect with golfers who’ve played No. 2. Shared insights and preparation tips from the community can give you a crucial edge before you step onto one of golf’s greatest stages.