Pinehurst Resort

Def worth it to play the Cradle whenever you are in Pinehurst. What the course lacks in length it makes up for in fun. Easy walk, on a real golf course many of the greens and surrounding areas would be consider kinda wanky, but for a par 3 course it results in big time fun. You do hit off of mats and the greens seemed a bit hairy to me, but all in all, it was an awesome time.

Played Pinehurst 5 for the first time today, and while this may seem like a knock, its not. Its actually a really good course. It is about like playing at a nice local country club. Good (not great) conditions and a varied layout. Probably worth about $75 if it did not have the Pinehurst name attached. I played 2 days after it reopened for aerification, which I knew going in, so the greens were not healed completely. This made putting inconsistent. The fairways and tees were in good shape. The layout is really fun. The fairways are very generous. There is a pretty wide variety of holes, long par 4s, short par 4s, several doglegs, and a surprising amount of elevation change. All in all it was a really fun round. However, if I were staying at Pinehurst and playing a package, I would not pick this course, unless I needed to knock some rust off from a long layoff. I got on with the walk on tee times available on 1,3, and 5 during the summer, and if I'd do it again, but I would probably play 1.

Played 2,4,7,8,and 10. First off, the resort accommodations and ambience are world class. I stayed at the Holly Inn, which was fantastic. Renovated, but still classic. Food was great, service was great, and everything is self contained and coordinated by the staff. No expense is spared. Of the courses, 8 was my favorite. 10 was great, and 4 is also outstanding. I rate these things in terms of aesthetics, and conditioning, mainly. I'm not quite as concerned about how strategically a hole plays, which may be whey I'm not that high on 2, although the turf there is outstanding. If you're a lifelong golfer like myself, at some point you just have to go, before it's too late, and you can no longer walk the courses.

If you come to Pinehurst, the golf cradle, you almost have to play number 2, but you may be disappointed. The routing, terrain, and foliage are underwhelming. It's essentially a flat course, on uninspiring terrain, made much tougher by the turtle-backed greens. It's treelined - by slash pines, and the fairways are lined by a contrived mix of waste areas and scrubland weeds. So, it's not aesthetically pleasing, even as average courses go. Maybe there's something about it I'm just not getting, but I've been playing for 60 years, including on some really great tracks. To me, this just isn't one of them. Sorry guys, I'll have kinder things to say about numbers 8 and 10.

No. 7 is the one Pinehurst course that doesn't fit my game, so therefore I don't love it. It's a parade of tough approach shots to elevated greens or over wetland hazards. The ranger proudly told us that its slope and rating is more difficult from the tips than Pinehurst No. 2. I can see why. I would probably shoot lower on No. 2 than I would on No. 7 more than 90 percent of the time for the simple fact that my putter can handle the greens on No. 2 but my ball-striking off the ground can't handle the demands of No. 7.

My third visit to Pinehurst was my favorite. I played in a fantastic event - the national finals of the Crystal Cup - and was first off on No. 10 the following day. The walk with caddies was much different than the tournament rounds taking a cart on no. 6 and no. 7, two of the most real-estate-oriented Pinehurst courses. No. 10 is free of homes. It's just you against the rolling terrain with a forest of trees as your witness. The par 3s are compelling. The lines off the tee are a choose your own adventure of risk-reward. While I was playing conservative away from the sandy zones, my two scratch playing partners were bombing drives over them. Although I didn't have time to dine, I'm told the restaurant is fantastic. All the modern amenities, from the stone clubhouse and firepits, feel so different compared to the traditional look at feel at the other eight Pinehurst courses (No. 9 is an outlier all together). Put this one on your immediate bucket list.

I've lived in the Pinehurst/Southern Pines area for around 35 years and have literally played every course within a 100 miles to include every Pinehurst Course, except this course, No. 3 (I avoided because of it's short/"senior" distance (5155)).
To give the reader some insight as to the golfer I am, I try to play at least twice a week and currently have a 9.5 GHIN handicap. i am writing this review in an effort to educate visiting golfers who might want to know what they are getting into.
In as short as possible fashion, here is the skinny on the experience:
if you are not a resort guest, you can ONLY get a tee-time for the "non-premier" courses - No. 1, 3, 5. You CANNOT schedule that tee time more than 24 hrs prior (understandable, resort guests get priority) I called for 2 days, receiving an automated message that said to leave my information for a call back which I never received. So, decided to drive to the clubhouse and made reservations in person. I was the first in the clubhouse and the staff were kind and accommodating. Paid $120 pp for our group of 8 on course No. 3. After overhearing that the driving range was closed due to the wear and tear it experienced during the US Open played there 9 MONTHS prior, I asked when it would open and was told "it should be open tomorrow" before our round. We all showed up an hour or more prior to warm up for our Saturday round and was told, "it should be open tomorrow." Ugh.
Putted around on the Thistle Dhu (fun as always) and did some chipping off mats at the chipping green.
Went to the 1st tee where there was a little chaos between the starters of courses No. 3 and 5, both starting at the same location. No big deal, got through it teed off about ten minutes later than scheduled - it's Saturday, got it.
Now the round - course conditions were...average at best. Typical for sandhills, there were barren areas but, this is Pinehurst right? We weren't informed by staff and It wasn't wet but, many of the holes were cart path only-which obviously, did NOT help with the pace of play and was strange because the fairways looked fine (I'm sure it bc of the traffic these courses get but c'mon, that's why you pay right?). Additionally, all par 3s, you had to hit from mats! Not large or well conditioned mats but, worn, 4x4' mats you barely had the room to stand on, setup for right-handers to tee, not lefties, of which we had two.
Finally, made it to the half-way house where we purchased domestic beer for $38 a six-pack. I just had to laugh. There are a literally a dozen other courses nearby you can play for half the price, are in better condition, and that have holes that will actually give you pause to take in the beauty of the layout.
I shot a decent 79 this day and was glad for the experience...because without it, I may have never known how right I was to never had played a round of golf on old No. 3. The choice is yours.

This is Jack's stamp on Sandhills golf and it does not disappoint. Surprisingly close to the main resort, it has a completely different feel than the other courses that share its name. 9 sits in a quiet unassuming setting and has the feel of a laid back country club.

The layout is tricky with several seemingly demanding teeshots and daunting approaches that don't seem to let up until the seventh hole. For me the routing was fun, as someone who plays a cut off the tee I found a lot of fairways. Every hole presents a new challenge with plenty opportunity to score if you can find the right angles to the flag.

The conditions were spectacular, the greens are interesting, and the setting is amazing as you work your way amongst the mirrored lakes and wooded hilly terrain. Even with the changes in elevation the course is walkable, and definitely recommend it.

Pinehurst 9 was a welcome change of pace on a great golf trip in the Sandhills. I could argue that after 2 and 10, 9 would be squarely in third place amongst the collection of courses at the resort. Play it if you can!

This course plays as far away from the other Pinehurst Resort courses as the literal distance it stretches from the rest of the main resort. Number 10 is unrestrained and it feels as if the serene forest surrounding the course grew in after the first holes were cut. The course blends in perfectly with its surroundings.

This is a spectacular routing in a beautiful setting. The course is so new that the clubhouse is still a trailer, and the only finished structure is the snack shack around the 9th tee. I'm sure the amenities will come soon enough, but it was wonderful to play this course in this state.

The walk is not difficult, but there are some elevation changes throughout the massive property. Players are rewarded with hole after hole of interesting looks and challenges off the tee. This course has everything you could ever want from a day on the links.

The reveal between the quirky 8th and the punishing par 4 9th is one of the best I have ever seen. The setting there is beautiful, and I feel like I could spend all day at the aforementioned snack shack and just take in the view of 3 spectacular holes converging. (and some exciting tee shots on 15)

While i did find the closing hole to be a bit mundane, the whole back 9 makes up for it. This course is anything but basic. The risk-reward tee shot on 15 is sure to claim lots of balls in the lake, and is amongst the most exciting on the course.

Pinehurst gave us something different at 10, and we are lucky that it is there for all of us to enjoy if you can just get a tee time!

The greens are tricky (especially on hole 2) and the layout is interesting. Pinehurst made the most of an area that could be just sitting there, and created a short shot playground for golf lovers of all backgrounds.

If you can't have fun at the Cradle then you may want to just quit the game. Grab some drinks, pick a game, and go hit some shots. Look forward to laughter and high fives as you work your way around 700 yards of enjoyment.

The Cradle is a great play any time of day.

Number 1 is a great option as a second round at the resort. This is where it all started, and it's definitely worth your time to see and play this fun layout. It's not an Ross deign, but he did add some features to the course.

This course winds its way through the wooded area across the train tracks from the main clubhouse, and while there are some houses around the course, I never felt like they got too close. The track has wide fairways and quite a bit of elevation changes.

The conditions were good and the old greens putted true on our round. This isn't quite the test that you'll get out of course 2, but there is plenty of challenge in this fun and interesting golf course.

Definitely worth playing if you are in town!

A round on this course would be special any time, but being here on a US Open year made our day exceptional. While walking the fairways of 2 you cannot help but sensing the history and replaying the moments. Molinari's Ace, Rory's miss, and Bryson's sensational up and down. Playing here is like nothing I have ever experienced.

This course is big, it is unique, and it is immensely challenging. The fairways are generous and it's always driver off the tee. The approaches are the real testers. The putting surfaces are large, but they are realistically much smaller than they appear. The slopes around the edges are treacherous. Getting a ball to stick on the putting surface is a win, and for me a two-putt was a triumph.

I have never been more frustrated with so many apparently easy golf shots that had no chance of staying on the putting surface. It is amazing to think of how good the pros are after playing out here one morning. While I had a tough day on the greens, I still loved the challenge.

Setting the difficulty aside, the course is absolutely spectacular. There is no doubt that this is golf Nirvana. The routing is magnificent and it is such an enjoyable walk through history.

Our day ended on the par 3 9th as we had an alternate tee start. When I finally holed out I had to take some time to process what had just taken place. I can't recall a round of golf that ever put me into such deep contemplation of my round. The course frustrated and enthralled me. It was beautiful and disheartening. It was golf in it's purest form, and I am so lucky to have experienced this place.

Like most of its latter-day courses, Pinehurst No. 6 is not the course you’ll plan a trip around, but it can certainly help round it out. Routed through a mature community of homes that are well set back from fairways, it provides a good amount of room to play as well as some decent elevation changes. There’s nothing offensive here, but a little more design daring might have been welcome. The back nine is home to the most interesting holes.

No. 6’s setting might be its best asset. The small clubhouse, tucked into trees at the end of a lengthy entrance, is one of Pinehurst’s coziest social spaces, and the practice facility is very nice as well. It’s a good area to linger pre- and post-round.

Justifiably, Pinehurst is known for its excellent classic golf. Its latter-day courses are good, but they’re not the main attraction. Not originally part of the resort but rather acquired more than a decade ago, No. 9 offers a different take on golf in the Sandhills.

Nicklaus’ 1980s courses are famously difficult, and this is no great exception, but from the right tees, it’s manageable for most. The greens are the main curiosity here; some of them have a stunning amount of contour, especially for the era in which they were built. The par-4 3rd green alone might be worth the trip, though the scenic lakeside 9th and 18th holes help justify the green fee as well.

Pinehurst has so many golf holes, so it's not surprising that a few of them may be sub-par. #3 has a lot of those holes. Everywhere else we played was excellent. This course just did not hit.

Conditions at 3 were far below the standard set by other courses on our trip. The routing felt congested. There were houses everywhere and it felt like they were right on top of us.

If you have to play a Ross course and can't play #2, play #1, that's a cool golf course. If you want a short course, play the Cradle. I guarantee you will have more fun there than on 3.

#7 at Pinehurst appeared to be quite polarizing amongst members and staff during our trip. We played it as a second round of the day a couple times on our trip since it was wide open in the afternoons.

We were told by some staff that #7 was the toughest course of the resort, and the greens were extremely fast. Some staff members appeared to dislike the course entirely. In my opinion it is a nice course with several elevated greens. Nothing spectacular or difficult about the routing. The greens were nice and smooth, but not terribly fast, and you could hold a shot on most surfaces. The course does require the ball to be in the air to get on several of the greens.

A couple of the par 5s are funky dog legs. I was hitting 6 iron off the white tees. Other than that most holes are pretty good.

Conditions were good, the staff is very friendly, and since it was lightly played during our trip, pace was excellent. We enjoyed our rounds on #7, and they did have the cheapest snack bar food of all the courses which was nice. $5 hot dog instead of $8 at main resort.

After having our butts kicked on #2 a day earlier, this was a nice reprieve from difficult conditions. #8 is a fun routing with gentle elevation changes and a great variety of holes.Prepare to hit every shot in your arsenal as you navigate this track. There are quite a few forced carries and penalty areas, but landing areas off the tee are quite generous, and the greens are very receptive.

The course is lots of fun to play and conditions were excellent. I would be happy to return on the next trip to the area!

Pinehurst No. 10 kicks off an exciting new chapter to the history of one of America's great golf places. The course is the first amenity at a new Pinehurst Sandmines complex five miles from the main resort. In time it will be joined by more golf (long and short) and lodging.

For now, visitors will find a big-ballpark golf course with expansive fairways, exciting greens more than 100 feet of elevation change and a naturalistic aesthetic that has gradually been restored to Pinehurst's older courses. In that sense, it is both pure Pinehurst and something new entirely. The brilliant routing and design make instant resort-wide standouts of holes like the long par-4 6th, wildly undulating par-4 8th and commanding par-5 10th.

Open since early April, it is in tremendous early shape and while the peripheral amenities are coming online, it is absolutely worth playing if you can arrange it on a future visit to the "American Home of Golf." Walking, usually with caddies, is the prevailing culture at No. 10.

Beautiful layout, excellent conditions, competes with any course in the area.