MGS Experiences: Pinehurst No. 2

Before we approached the first tee at Pinehurst No. 2, I asked to make a quick pit stop.

I didn’t need to go to the bathroom. I didn’t need to buy a box of balls from the clubhouse—though they definitely would have come in handy that day. I wanted to take a picture.

With putter in hand, I balanced on my left leg, leaned forward and thrust my right fist proudly into the air.

“Kick your back leg up and out a little bit more,” my photographer instructed as he snapped away.

Too stiff from a recent knee injury on this brisk winter morning, I did the best I could to replicate the iconic celebratory pose from 1999 U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart immortalized in bronze approximately 50 yards off the 18th green at Pinehurst No. 2.

Despite lacking both the flexibility and wardrobe of the three-time major champion who tragically passed away months after winning his second U.S. Open, I did my best to channel his passion and excitement for the game as I played the legendary course for the first time.

Playing Pinehurst No. 2

There’s a reason Pinehurst No. 2, home of this week’s U.S. Open, isn’t just the crown jewel of the Pinehurst Resort family but one of the top courses in the world.

Having hosted innumerable significant championships, the history that permeates throughout Pinehurst No. 2 is as prevalent—and daunting—as the tall longleaf pines and sand dunes that protect the Tifway Bermuda fairways sprawled across the 196 acres the course comprises.

A day after playing (and riding) Pinehurst No. 8, it was suggested we walk No. 2 to fully immerse ourselves in its majesty and history. Aided by our very knowledgeable caddies, that’s exactly what we did.

Like kids in a candy store, we soaked in our surroundings, mouths agape as we tried our best to conquer (survive) this Donald Ross masterpiece. As is the key to golf in general, starting each hole from the fairway rather than the fescue—in this case, Carolina Sandhills full of pine needles, pine cones, sand and wire grass—was certainly magnified at Pinehurst No. 2.

While merely stepping foot on the property at Pinehurst No. 2 can be as exciting as it is intimidating, the first hole is designed to give golfers a confidence boost to kickstart their round and “give the player a chance to warm up a bit,” according to Ross. At 376 yards from the white tees (and 402 for this week’s Open), you’re given plenty of room for your drive but success comes with your approach shot. A sign of things to come, any poor approach will be detrimental to your round, given the tough turtle back-design of the greens.

At 6,961 yards from the tips and 6,307 yards from the white tees, the par-72 Pinehurst No. 2 features four par-3s and four par-5s with pairs of each on the front and back nines. The No. 1 stroke hole is the 474-yard fourth. Reachable for long hitters, especially if they can favor the left side of the fairway with their tee shot to play perfectly into the slope, bunkers protect the green from either side of the fairway so a calculated approach shot is necessary.

Regardless of your handicap or tees you play from, Pinehurst No. 2 is all about accuracy. If you gamble, be prepared to pay for it as much as you’re rewarded. Being able to stick your approach on these tricky greens can be the difference between a birdie, bogey or worse.

Wrapping up the front nine is the short but punchy par-3 that measures 174 yards from the tips. With plenty of trouble short, left and long, club selection is of the utmost importance on this hole with its wide and shallow two-tiered green that slopes from left to right.

Immediately following the shortest hole on the course is the longest as the 10th comes in at 580 yards from the blue tees (and 617 yards this week). Four consecutive par-4s follow before the par-5 16th is sandwiched between a pair of par-3s.

The course culminates with the 415-yard 18th where Stewart recovered from a wayward tee shot in the right rough to eventually sink a 15-foot uphill putt for par to clinch his second U.S. Open trophy at the turn of the century.

MyGolfSpy Experiences: Final Thoughts

Breathing a sigh of relief as much as accomplishment after surviving my first experience at Pinehurst No. 2, I requested another pit stop before heading into the clubhouse. 

With the flag from the 18th green in hand, I proudly planted both legs this time, grinning from ear to ear that I was able to check this storied piece of Americana and golf lore off my bucket list.

Obviously, it goes without saying that any opportunity to visit Pinehurst Resort and play No. 2 is a dream come true for many golfers and it certainly was for me. While I don’t remember what I scored—which is probably for the best—I am left with countless memories and photos from before, during and after the round that serve as priceless mementos from an unforgettable experience.

As we walked toward the clubhouse, one of my playing partners commended me for suggesting our post-round photo op, saying she plans to print the picture and frame it on her desk. That’s what Pinehurst No. 2 does to anyone who has been fortunate enough to walk the property: it leaves a permanent impression.

As the 2024 U.S. Open tees off next week, expect plenty more picturesque moments, memories and mementos from “the pounding heart of Pinehurst Resort.”