Brad and I recently returned from our annual destination golf trip. This year we went to Pinehurst, referred to as ‘The Cradle’ of American golf. With ten courses, a nine hole Par 3, and an 18 hole putting green, there are a lot of choices when it comes to golf. In fact, there are so many choices it can make it hard to decide which courses you should play. Since I caught some grief for not reviewing the courses from our last trip to Phoenix promptly (yes, I’m looking at you Connor), here are my thoughts on the courses at Pinehurst while the trip is fresh in my mind.
Pinehurst offers some great golf packages through their website, and we chose their 3-night Premier package which comes with unlimited golf, breakfast and dinner, and accommodations at one of their on-site properties.
The result of our choice? Eight rounds of golf over four days.
I was confident that four of the rounds would involve playing No. 2, No. 10, No. 4 and No. 8. The hard part was figuring out the remaining four to choose, which ended up being No. 1, No. 5, No. 7, and No. 9. Here’s my take on the eight courses we played, based on the ones I liked best.
Top course: No. 2
There’s a reason they play the U.S. Open on No. 2. It’s a true test of one’s golfing ability. A test which I failed miserably. The turtleback greens play every bit as difficult as advertised, and while the fairways are generous, there is very little rough before wayward shots are collected in the waste areas. Even though I struggled with the driver the entire round and don’t have the short game to navigate the greens, I can’t say enough about how impressive a course it is. If it’s your first trip to Pinehurst, No. 2 needs to be at the top of your list. I would recommend setting low expectations for your score and just enjoy the walk. It will increase your appreciation of how good the pros are given how well they are able to score on such a difficult course.
Must plays: No. 10 and No. 4
No. 10 is the new kid on the block at Pinehurst, but it has quickly risen to one of the best courses on the property. It’s a Tom Doak layout that reminded us a lot of the Pacific Dunes tract he designed at Bandon Dunes Resort minus the ocean views. Doak did a great job using the natural contours of the sand mines that were present on the property to create interesting visuals with challenging slopes and elevation changes. Fortunately, we played it in March when the weather was relatively cool. We heard that it can be a challenging walk during the warmer months of July and August, so be prepared if you’re playing it during the summer months.
No. 4 is right up there with No. 10 in terms of layout and challenge. No. 4 is closer in feel to No. 2 without as many punishing turtleback greens. The waste areas are just as prevalent along the course as No. 2, but aren’t as penal. Overall, it’s a strong layout that mimics No. 2 but gives the opportunity to shoot a better score and enjoy your round.
Highly recommend: No. 8, No. 1, No. 9
Both No. 8 and No. 1 are strong courses that have a similar feel to No. 2 and No. 4. The layouts aren’t as memorable nor as strong as the top courses, but they are still worth playing. On the other hand, No. 9 is a different animal. It’s a Nicklaus designed course that requires a lot of thought to navigate tee-to-green. Scoring on No. 9 requires precision as there are specific targets you need to hit and places you need to be if you’re going to score well. The other big difference with No. 9 are the bent grass greens, which is different than the Bermuda grass used on all other courses. No. 9 wasn’t one of my favorites on the trip, but it’s a course I would consider playing again.
The rest: No. 7, No. 5
To be honest, there aren’t any bad courses at Pinehurst. There are just some that I like better than others. While No. 7 and No. 5 weren’t my favorite courses of the trip, they were my least favorite courses. If I was going back to Pinehurst, I’d probably put No. 6 or No. 3 on my dance card over these since I haven’t played those two courses yet. I can’t say with experience or certainty that those courses are better than No. 7 or No. 5, just that I would want to try those first before replaying these. Bottom line, No. 3, No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 are courses you can use to fill any remaining slots after booking No. 2, No. 10, No. 4, No. 8, No. 1, and No. 9.
General recommendations while at Pinehurst
Caddies
Caddies are not required while playing Pinehurst, but I would highly recommend them on courses No. 2, No. 4, and No. 10, which are walking only. Sure, you could push or carry your own bag, but Pinehurst has an excellent caddie program. Our caddies were extremely knowledgeable, fun to be around, and enhanced our overall experience and enjoyment of our rounds. It’s an added expense, but one that is well worth it for those three courses, especially if it’s your first time.
The Cradle and Thistle Dhu
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to squeeze in a round on The Cradle, the par 3 course, nor did we get a chance to experience Thistle Dhu, the 18 hole putting green. To be fair, we were pretty fried both physically and mentally after playing 36 holes each day. However, we heard only good things about both venues during our stay, so I’d recommend making the effort to squeeze these in if you can. It will definitely be on my to-do list the next time I visit the resort.
The Deuce, Carolina Vista Lounge, and The 1895 Grille
These were the best places we ate at while on property. The Deuce is in the main clubhouse that overlooks the 18th green. While the food and drink selection are good, it’s the atmosphere that really makes The Deuce worth stopping at for lunch or dinner.
Located in the The Carolina Hotel, Carolina Vista Lounge had the best bar area on the property. The drinks, food, and atmosphere were excellent, and there was plenty of seating and standing room around the bar if you have a larger group.
Finally, for a more upscale meal, The 1895 Grille in The Holly Inn was my favorite. I can’t speak to everything on the menu, but I would highly recommend the sourdough bread. It was by far the closest I’ve had to true artisan sourdough while dining out.
Overall, it was another great golf trip. While I didn’t play my best throughout the week, there were flashes of brilliance which culminated in a great round on No. 10 that was aided by at least a half dozen great reads on the green by our caddie. Above all, getting to spend the week with Brad at The Cradle of American golf was an experience I will cherish and always remember.
Needless to say, if you haven’t made the trip to Pinehurst, I’d highly recommend putting it at or near the top of your list of destination golf trip.