Part 1
The Future Ahead
External moves are also in place. The World Golf Hall of Fame — now located in St. Augustine, FL — is heading back in 2024 to its original location in Pinehurst. The move works in tandem with the USGA opening a Golf House Complex in the community taking place that same year.
In addition, the USGA announced five U.S. Opens are scheduled in ’24, ’29, ’35, ’41 and ’47. The event in ’29 will feature a repeat of the Men’s and Women’s Opens played in consecutive weeks — similar to what was done in ’14.
Amazingly, no American facility will have hosted more U.S. Opens than Pinehurst between the period of 1999 and 2047 — a total of eight championships.
Pinehurst is now home to nine courses. That’s no misprint. This year the USGA staged its first Adaptive National Championship on Pinehurst #6. On September 2, Pinehurst #8 reopened. The layout came into existence in 1996 in time for the facility’s centennial celebration. The improvements included new TifEagle greens, fully restored bunkers with fresh sand, improved drainage throughout the course and the removal of invasive trees limiting views and inhibiting sunlight impacting turf quality.
The most memorable aspect of being at Pinehurst is when you step out to the rear of the massive clubhouse. The smell of golf whiffs through the pines — the buzz of golfers engrossed in their games self-evident. Off to one side you see players sharpening their skills at the uniquely named practice area — “Maniac Hill.” Tommy Armour, one of golf’s premier players in the pre- World War II dubbed the acreage, “… to golf what Kitty Hawk is to flying.”
Nearby is Dhistle Dhu where you will see a range of ages enjoying the twists and turns provided by the massive practice green. Adding to the enjoyment is The Cradle — the aforementioned 9-hole short course.
The range of golf choices is akin to a diner menu with no end in offerings. Undoubtedly, many who come will want to sample the flagship #2 Course. Keep in mind, the total cost to play an 18-hole round on the Ross signature design is not inexpensive.
The layout presents an array of nuanced dimensions and some when the round is completed, may wonder why the reputation is so revered. The character of #2 comes from repeated plays which only then showcase the rich level of details tied to the highest level of golf dexterity that’s called upon.
There is something magical when one plays #2 with a caddie walking step-by-step during the round. You savor the moment — relishing the unrelenting high bar of requisite shotmaking where adroit positioning of one’s golf ball is central to success. The inverted saucer shape greens repel all but the finest of plays but still permit the higher handicap golfer to get around the course while still using one’s original ball.
As you complete the round you see off the side of the 18th green four statues honoring the men who each played pivotal roles with the facility’s success. Donald Ross, Richard S. Tufts, Robert Dedman, Sr. and the joyous fist pump putt celebration of Payne Stewart when capturing the 1999 U.S. Open.
The connection the past is clearly celebrated but the facility is hardly standing still in a range of other notable ways.
Phase one of The Carolina Hotel’s renovation is nearing completion. Updated guest rooms reopened following an expansive transformation blending modern luxuries with Pinehurst’s historic charm and comfort.
Improvements continue outside the hotel — namely the Ryder Cup Terrace. For decades, Pinehurst’s guests retreated to the sweeping veranda circling The Carolina Hotel, soaking in the sounds and pine-scented air that makes the Sandhills region so endearing. Steps from the veranda and adjacent to the Ryder Cup Lounge, the Ryder Cup Terrace provides intimate fire pits and soft seating that fosters conversations relishing the day of golf enjoyed and what lies ahead during one’s stay.
Phase 2 will begin on November 7th, 2022 and will be finished @ June 30th 2023. Phase 3 fourth floor begins May 15th, 2023 – with phase 3 fourth floor being turned over by the end of December 2023, and third and second floors complete by early April just in time prior to the staging of the 2024 U.S. Open.
The “Village in the Forest” personifies the genuine human spirit that James Walker Tufts envisioned. Peace. Passion. Pride. Three singular words singularly noted and collectively reinforced on a daily basis.
Just over 16,000 people call Pinehurst home now but the close-knit community feel is still alive and well. The golf dimension honors the past but even more so looks forward to a promising future. There have been noticeable bumps on the road but through the resolute leadership of Robert H. Dedman, Jr. — the pathway at Pinehurst is more than just a promise — but an actuality.
Authenticity is often boasted by a range of facilities but the connection is tied to the hype rather than true substance. Conviviality resonates front and center at Pinehurst. Golf drives the agenda and the totality of the spirit fostered by its founder James Walker Tufts remains firmly in place.
Pinehurst’s story is indeed peerless in American golf.
Golf at a glance
Pinehurst #1
6089 Yards / Par-70
Original design by Leroy Culver and John Tucker (1898) with modifications
by Donald Ross.
Pinehurst #2
7,588 Yards / Par-72
Donald Ross (1902-48)
Updated by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw (2009)
*Played as par-70 during U.S. Open events
Pinehurst #3
5,159 Yards / Par-68
Donald Ross (1910)
Pinehurst #4
7,227 Yards / Par-72
Donald Ross (1919), with major modifications by Tom Fazio (2000)
and most recently by Gil Hanse (2018)
Pinehurst #5
6,828 Yards / Par- 72
Ellis Maples (1961), later modified by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.
Pinehurst #6
7,053 Yards / Par-72
George and Tom Fazio (1979)
Pinehurst #7
7,216 Yards / Par-72
Rees Jones (1986)
Pinehurst #8
7,099 Yards / Par-72
Tom Fazio (1996)
Pinehurst #9
7,106 Yards / Par-72
Jack Nicklaus (1988)
*Formerly called Pinehurst National
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All photos courtesy of Pinehurst Resort
