The home of American Golf is the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Above Left the Carolina Hotel, Right the Donald Ross home off the third hole of his famed Pinehurst Course No.2., Pinehurst home of the 2017 USGA Fourball Championship, the 2019 U.S. Amateur, and the 2024 U.S. Open. For more information visit Pinehurst.com. ______________________________________________________________________
The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. With the flag stick on 18 at Pinehurst #8.
What started out as a sleepy little community in the Sandhills of North Carolina, has turned into something much more than that.
Pinehurst North Carolina is a place that attracts golfers from everywhere, because it is as advertised, “The Home of American Golf.”
It’s a place where the game of golfs greatest architect lived, yes you can say Donald Ross slept here.
The games governing body is a frequent visitor. The United States Golf Association can’t get enough of Pinehurst, which is why they will bring three of their championships to town in the next nine years. Yes, one of those is a U.S. Open in 2024. It will be the fifth open to played on the Ross masterpiece course Pinehurst No.2.
Four of those opens will be on the men’s side, but in 2014 the USGA played the men’s and women’s opens there in back-to-back weeks. That had never been tried before, and of course, Pinehurst pulled it off with flying colors.
The 18th green on Pinehurst No.2, made famous when the late Payne Stewart holed his U.S. Open winning putt there in 1999.
While some courses can’t land one U.S. Open after years of trying, Pinehurst will have 5 in just 25 years, no other course can boost that kind of record.
Much of what most people read about Pinehurst, is about the famed No.2 Course. But Pinehurst is much more than that, in fact the resort now has 9 courses. More than any other resort in the country.
It’s believed that Pinehurst will have a 10th course before too many years pass us by, the resort bought a nearby course called “The Pit” a few years ago. The resort doesn’t hide the fact that designers Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore have been on site there, and have done a preliminary routing, but nothing seems to be happening on that front right now, but someday it’s likely that a course No.10 will happen. Happening early in 2016, will be a new sports pub behind the 18th green of course No.2 and located in the main clubhouse, called “Deuces.”
What has happened at Pinehurst in the last year is the resorts acquisition of a Pinehurst No.9 golf course (formerly known as Pinehurst National Country Club by Jack Nicklaus, above left the Par 3, second hole), and the building of a state of the art pool complex (right). Which has received rave reviews from the guests and members who have enjoyed it.
Members, yes members. Pinehurst is a resort but it is a golf club with memberships, and some of the locals will tell you it’s one of the best deals to join a club you will find anywhere. The members clubhouse located behind the first tee and 18th green of the famed No.2 course has had a recent renovation, that is also getting a lot of praise. One of the new features in the members clubhouse is Payne’s Pub, complete with tributes and memorabilia from the late 1999 U.S. Open Champion at Pinehurst, Payne Stewart. If you enjoy a great variety of beer or liquors from anywhere in the world, you will find them there.
Putterboy is the proud symbol and logo of Pinehurst.
Putterboy and Putterboy golf apparel is a big part of Pinehurst. Putterboy was created in 1912 by Lucy Richards, it’s size and location are because Putterboy was originally designed as a sundial.
Putterboy has been a part of the U.S. Open logo’s for the 1999, 2005 and 2014 U.S. Opens. It will be interesting to see what Pinehurst will create for upcoming USGA events that will be held at the property.
The main dining room in the Carolina Hotel, home of the famous Pinehurst breakfast.
The main dining room in the Carolina Hotel has recently been remodeled, but still oozes with the charm it’s always had.
Regardless of how early their tee time is, most Pinehurst golfers do not pass up a chance to enjoy the best breakfast in golf.
Whatever your choice is for an All-American breakfast, you will find it in the main dinning room. Fresh fruit, cereal, bacon, eggs, toast, omlets, french toast, waffles and much, much more. With all the Pinehurst breakfast has to offer, there is no reason for any golfer to be hungry on the first tee or Maniac Hill.
What is Maniac Hill. It is the reason golfers have so many places to practice. Plain and simple it was America’s first driving range, the facility includes the Thistle Dhu putting course and a full-sized short game area.
Tom Pashley is the resort president of Pinehurst. Pashley has been moving Pinehurst into the future, while preserving it’s tradition and history.
Pinehurst is the home of american golf, but it is made up of more than golf.
The Spa at Pinehurst is how golfers are relaxing between rounds. The spa has 28 treatment rooms, a full-sized fitness center, steam rooms, lap pool, whirlpools, a salon and boutique.
There is no reason now for Pinehurst golfers to have aches and pains between rounds of golf, whether they are riding, or enjoying the tradition of golfing while walking with a caddie.
Pinehurst has more traditions than golf. Like enjoying the beach club at the 200 acre Lake Pinehurst, playing tennis on one of the 24 tennis courts. Lawn bowling has never been more fun than when you play it in Pinehurst. There is plenty of places to shop, or see while ride through Pinehurst in a horse-driven carriage. If you are bringing the kids to introduce them to Pinehursts charms at an early age, do make sure they take full advantage of the Kids Club.
Jack Bickart is Pinehurst’s Vice President of Sales, Jack and his team are waiting to put together your next visit to Pinehurst.
In addition to the having the best breakfast in golf, there are plenty of other places to eat and drink in Pinehurst.
The historic Holly Inn was the first hotel in Pinehurst, it dates back to New Years Eve in 1895 where 20 guests paid three dollars a night to stay in the hotel, and welcome in the year of 1896.
The holly was the first hotel in Pinehurst. It is home to the 1895 grill and “The Tavern”.
The list doesn’t stop there. There is the Donald Ross Grill, the Fairwoods dining room at Pinehurst 7, the Centennial Dining Room at Pinehurst 8, the Ryder Cup room in Carolina Hotel that now has a fireplace and couches to enjoy your food and beverages like you are in the comfort of your own living room.
The Donald Ross portrait in the Donald Ross 91st hole dining room.
The courses that Ross left his name on in Pinehurst, are courses 1-4 between 1901 and 1919. Ellis Maples designed Pinehurst 5 in 1961, George and Tom Fazio were the creators of Pinehurst 6 in 1979, in 1986 it was Rees Jones that built Pinehurst 7, and in 1996 Tom Fazio designed Pinehurst 8, the newly acquire Pinehurst 9 is the only Jack Nicklaus design in Pinehurst, it was opened for play back in 1988.
If you love golf, enjoy golf, or just play golf here and there, you must play Pinehurst and you must play a Donald Ross course or four. Pinehurst is where Ross, who built over 400 golf courses, built his masterpiece course No.2. In Pinehurst Ross is not forgotten, when planning your next golf trip, don’t forget Pinehurst. Call (844)-662-0534 or visit online Pinehurst.com, experience golf at it’s very finest, and at it’s roots.