Pinehurst Resort

I would rate this a strong 4.5 stars. It's not the beast that #2 or #8 can be, but as far as fun golf on a beautiful layout... #3 delivers! Perfect Donald Ross greens and great overall turf conditions. At 5100 yards there is a fair number of short holes, but each has character and the overall experience is just fun. The last 4 or 5 holes can surprise you as the course gets tougher on the home stretch. A wonderful walk on a perfect late May day!

Thoroughly enjoyed #6 from the Blue tees at about 6500 hundred yards. Not a bad hole on the course and some of the better Par 3's you will find. I have only played #2, #8, #3 and now #6. #2 and #8 are definitely a notch above, but this is a really beautiful layout with a great mix of holes. Course conditions were perfect!

I'm a Pinehurst CC member and note this course's reviews are WAY out of date. Course #7 is bounded by the two US Am courses, #2 and #4, but has the most changes in elevation (of any of the 9 PCC courses). Along with recent addition #9 (formerly known as National) and #8, #7 is PCC's Signature club-within-club. Each course 7-9 has its own clubhouse; and because their first tees do not start near the main clubhouse, they don't get the attention of resort players...in fact, access is limited. Plus 7 is a tough track...Bluegolf shows course ratings and slopes from white and blue tees akin to #2 and #4. Pace of play is rapid, and playing conditions reliably superior, because #7 is the least played PCC course. Members like it that way. So forget you read this if you can; if you can't, see if the resort can get you a slot, or meet a member. :-)

Great time had with friends. Found the greens to be very grainy. Staff very friendly, caddy was average and cost was high.

Pinehurst is a great environment.

Traveled from CT for a 5-day Pine Hurst trip Dec 4-8th. We played the Cradle on two different days after our rounds. The Cradle is $50 for all you can play. It’s a fun 9-hole pitch and putt course on property at the main club house. For me the disappointment was that we had to play from mats, the greens had hundreds of deep unfixed ball marks and the price did not match the conditions. If you’ve been to Pine Hurst you know the staff is fantastic! They let all 8 of us play together as long as we let others play through. It was fun to play but just don’t have the same expectations for conditions as you would for the championship courses.

Disappointed with the Par 3s on the reimagined #4. I enjoyed the walk. I shot 4 over and had 5 three putts, go figure. Obviously I struggled with the contours and the bermuda greens. I had played the Fazio renovation and didn't like all the pot bunkers but did like the Par 3s. Walk it if you can, nothing like enjoying the Carolina Pines. Come play it, I didn't lose a ball.

If you're planning to play #2, your probably dreaming of its extensive championship golf (pro & amateur) history, its consistent top 10 rating and all the kudos the Crenshaw/Coore remodel has received.

You're probably well aware of the $400-$600 you'll drop to play.

What you're probably not thinking about are the forced minimum 5+ hour rounds, greens that are built for scratch golfers and the roll of the dice luck with the love grass in the sandy waste areas.

If you've never played and love golf history, then it's definitely a bucket list course. The restoration made great improvements to a great course. But the goal of this course is to host championships, not your average resort or club golfer. The greens and surrounds are not built for hybrid and long iron approaches. Unless your a single digit handicap, I would not recommend the white tees (6300 yards) even though the length is reasonable - move up to the white/green or the green to give yourself a chance to hold the greens (and almost always just shoot for the middle of the green) and shoot a "happy score".

The tee shots are not overly demanding, though our group found the sandy waste areas far too often and it's 50-50 whether you can do anything but a punch out. The greenside bunkering is usually fair. But you have to be able to hold the greens or you'll have a challenging recovery shot (many times you'll be able to use your putter vs. chipping off thin lies).

#2 (like #4) is cart path only and the paths are set well back from the fairways. Trolleys are available, but if you can afford it, taking a caddie is well worth the advice you'll get and not much more walking than taking a cart.

Unfortunately like too many bucket list courses, management is trying to maximize revenue (see other reviews about rain checks) and sets playing time at 2:30 a side (tee times off both #1 and #10 from 8:00 thru 10:20). After taking our time and having a ranger ask us to slow down, we finished the back in 2:10, waited 25 minutes at the turn and played the front nine behind the last #1 tee time in 2:45.

So do you play #2 or play 4 other very solid Pinehurst area courses for the same money? I leave that choice to the reader.

It had been years since I played the Fazio version of #4 so I don't remember much to compare the Hanse version. But the new #4 is much closer to #2 in temperament than the Fazio version was. Some people will like that and some will hate it - even the members seem fairly split on it.

Visually, #4 is even better than #2 - more of the natural sand flashes throughout the course. The greens are quite quick and flat is not a word in Hanse's design philosophy.

There are a lot of good holes on this course - the par 4 5th and the par 5 13th stood out to me. But there are several weaker holes that prevent this from being a 5-star, top 100 course for the players in our group. The par 5 9th with the large exposed sand waste area that the 2nd shot must carry is reminiscent of H*ll's Half Acre at Pine Valley, but a more strategic scattering of bunkers for both the tee shot and the 2nd shot might have made a more challenging and visually interesting hole. The par 3 11th felt like a bit ho-hum. But the two short par 4s, 15 and 16, received the most criticism. The 15th green provides a challenge with its multiple tiers, but the 16th really felt like it was just stuck in to make it a par 72. With back-to-back short par 4s, they each have to bring something to make them interesting/special.

I would certainly give it another go as I'm sure more of the courses mysteries would be unveiled with further play.

Two suggestions for future players. While a cart is certainly more manageable on #4 vs #2, a caddy is highly recommended for their knowledge of the course and the greens. If you are more of an average golfer, move up from the whites (6400 yards) and play the white/green combo or even the greens. You'll enjoy it more.

The course was in excellent condition. #8 is "off property" and is hillier than the courses over at the main resort.

While many of the Pinehurst members I talked to listed this as one of the favorite courses (often ahead of #2 and #4), this is a course built for the better (single digit) player. While the fairways are not unreasonable, where the course gets you is the approach shot and the greens and surrounds. The greens are quite firm and undulating and the surrounds generally repel shots. Add in some tough greenside bunkering and it makes for a tough examination. Unless you hit the ball quite long off the tee or hit your irons high and straight, moving up a set of tees or two is highly recommended - believe me, it will still be a challenge.

I took my son out and had a great time at #4. Of course we warmed up with 9 holes on the Cradle. We had a great time and actually decided to walk with their push cart vs getting a cart bc it’s cart path only. We got paired up with 2 guys that took the cart and they agreed we made the right call. It was expensive for me at $325, but juniors play for $65 which was an incredible deal for him. Would definitely play it again.

The course refused to return each of our $300 deposit after determining that hurricane Dorian wouldn’t affect the golfing. Unfortunately, they didn’t make this determination until the day that we were supposed to play. This was a golf trip planned with 8 guys and the timing of their decision would not have allowed us a chance to cancel flights and make any new golf reservations. It basically left the group hanging. This was a very inconsiderate action to paying guests. Be very careful when planning a trip during hurricane season as you will likely lose your money if a hurricane hits NC.

Yes, it's a bucket list course. Yes I get the "it's the whole experience" thing. Facilities are second to none, caddie and walking the course is the way golf should be played. Everything about Pinehurst is great. But if just talk about the course, #2 isn't that "great." Greens are borderline goofy golf, and the rest is beautiful, and can played at several other courses right down the road. Nothing different about it than Pine Needles? Dormie's a way better Track. It's a beautiful above average track with goofy greens. Was the experience great, yes. I Paid $195 + $65. And am satisfied with checking it off my bucket list. But I wouldn't pay it again. And NO WAY would I pay $400+. And you wantto know how nice Pinehurst Management is, there is a sign right where you pay, No rain checks given for any reason. If you pay for your round and they tell you to get off the course because of lightning, no refund. That is a ridiculous policy and definitely not customer friendly. I'm glad I played it and the "experience" is amazing, but it's just not that great of a course. Sorry, very nice but over rated. No way #2 should be in the Top 50 courses.

We caught playing #4 at a good time... a day before the women’s north/south and less than a month before the Men’s U.S. Amateur. Course was in fantastic shape with very lush fairways and the greens were rolling around 11 and were true.. The layout demands a good approach shot, much like #2. Greens that really stood out to me were hole 2 and hole 16. 16 is a short, driveable par 4 and the only pin location for a decent putt is in the back left... - middle/front pins are extremely demanding. Hole 2 is a reachable par 5 but there are wild undulations that make going for it and hitting it close is nearly impossible. Also, like course #2, it’s hard to lose a ball which makes it very playable off the tee and relatively score-able if you’re driving it well. The greens are very firm right now (1 year old) so the run out is still 10 feet more than it should be on approach shots. Pace of play was slow, slower than it should be for sure. I think people are playing the wrong tees and spending a lot of time on the greens since they are so tricky, and they are tricky - the whites are all the course you need if you’re not a scratch. A bonus is you wind thru a few holes of course #2 and the layout on 4 is now surprisingly similar with the same grass and waste areas. All-in, course #2 is the king of the resort, but #4 is a really nice track and, for me, the second best course at Pinehurst.

After reading others' reviews of #9, I was excited to play it. Course was very wet, and greens were marked up a lot. Every green complex was a challenge, and almost every hole was unique and pretty.

The trouble is that when paying 200+ dollars, I expect course conditions to be immaculate and they were not. bunkers weren't raked, and there were many instances of casual water. This is the 2nd time in a year Pinehurst has disappointed in this regard. I was glad to check the course off my list, but honestly it isn't worth the money to play.

The Good: Gil Hanse's redesign of Tom Fazio's previous rendition of a Donald Ross routing is truly stunning. As beautiful and compelling of any land at the Pinehurst Resort, No. 4 stays true to Fazio/Ross' vision but is a significant upgrade in terms of green complexes. Excellent variety in Par 4's with several doglegs both left/right and a couple drivable "go for broke" holes on the back nine. The 13th/14th one-two punch around the pond is one of the best at the entire resort. As impeccably conditioned of any course I've played from tee-to-green. First-class clubhouse, practice facilities (including Hanse's newly created short course The Cradle nearby), and on-course amenities throughout make for an unforgettable experience. The staff is extremely friendly and accommodating throughout the resort. The $175 "Evergreen" rates from November to February are a steal!

The Bad: Pace of play for a Thursday afternoon round was fair at best, taking us nearly 5 hours. The greens, while extremely interesting, didn't hold very well and were inconsistent at times. No GPS on the carts and limited yardage markers on the course. Comes with a heft price tag for an "inland" course.

The Verdict: Pinehurst No.4 is an outstanding overall experience and one of the better courses in North Carolina. A Top 10 course that I've played. A truly fun, memorable golf experience!

Best Hole(s): The aforementioned 13th is a long Par 5 that borders a pond and requires approaches to cross the hazard at many angles. The Par 3 14th is a tough little Par 3 with water left and tough bunker right. Great back-to-back holes!

What can be said that hasn't already been said about Ross' finest work of art in #2? I can tell you this much, no picture or video or painting can do it justice if you haven't seen it for yourself. It is like stepping back in time and playing something that is out of a golf course design museum.

Conditions were a perfect 10 and as one caddie said, it is US Open ready right now. So much has been said about the greens and rightfully so, they are unlike anything you have ever seen. When you miss and you will miss(or not hold) a green, your chip shot will be hit with no perspective for distance, It will inevitably be up hill without sight of the hole and off a tight lie. It is something to behold.

Tee to green is fair but the fairways are on the tighter side and a miss will be left to fate in the copious amounts of sand and wire grass where you will undoubtedly find your ball but be praying for a good lie while looking.

This is a course that demands precision and short games will be exposed. Still no matter the score, the more you reflect on it, the more you will love it. It is an experience akin to the Old Course, Muirfield, Pebble, etc. It is a must -do and one you will want to do again. No trip to Pinehurst is complete without a visit here.

After your round, you will sit on the veranda, cocktail in hand and watch this beauty as the sun sets and the pines cast their shadows across the landscape. You will reflect on shots made and missed, then yearn to walk it again,

Was able to squeeze in a round at The Cradle after meetings and before heading to the airport. Everything you've heard about The Cradle is absolutely true.

This 9-hole track was designed by renowned course architect Gil Hanse and intended to provide golfers of all ages and skill levels a wonderful way to experience Pinehurst. The location is literally at the epicenter of the entire Pinehurst Resort experience.

Having played a number of courses at Pinehurst about 10 yrs ago, in addition to The Cradle, the resort has made some amazing upgrades including:

- Full renovations/retrovations of No's 2 and 4

- New Thistle Dhu putting course,

- New food and bev options called The Deuce and the Pinehurst Brewing Company.

Though The Cradle definitely falls on the shorter end of the 'short course' spectrum, the architecture provides for a ton of different shots to test your short game. Pinehurst has the ability to vary the tees significantly and for our round the longest hole was 120 yds and the shortest was 56 yds.

The course is great fun with a vibe to match. There's music playing on outdoor speakers throughout, people are allowed to play in bare feet and the routing shrewdly runs you by "The Pinecone" refreshment station on three occasions in 9 holes!

I was a huge fan of The Cradle (who wouldn't be) and regret we didn't have time for another round. This track would make a fantastic addition to any afternoon Pinehurst itinerary,

We played #4 three times prior to the redesign and it was our favorite course in the area. Played it this year after the redesign and think the course took a step backwards. The best example was the par-3 fourth hole. What was once a beautiful, uphill hole with azaleas in the back is now a super-short side-hill hole with a deep sandtrap where the azaleas used to be. The greens were sandy and bumpy. Maybe things will improve as the new turf matures, but as it is, this course was not worth the money, and we played well below the list price of $385.

The course is well manicured, great layout and the greens were awesome!!!! They were not rolling as fast as the first time I played them. This day they were rolling around a 10, and they looked as if they were recently rolled. You will not be disappointed when you play this course.

The staff was fantastic and so is the course lay out. Practice green, driving range and clubhouse are great as well. But the grass on the course was tan and dormant, greens were mowed down to be like concrete and dyed green just so they weren't brown. The tradition there is 2nd to none but it is not worth the money.... Just my opinion..

I am sure if I played it in another month or two that it would receive 5 stars all the around... except for price....