To miss one of the inverted-saucer greens at Pinehurst No. 2 is to open a
Pandora’s Box of short-game possibilities. Hit a soft lob onto the putting
surface? Bump the ball into the slope? Chip with a hybrid or fairway wood?
Putt?A great golf course offers numerous options, as does a great golf
resort. Although Pinehurst is known for Donald Ross’ lifetime masterpiece,
two-time U.S. Open site No. 2, its eight-course menu is what truly makes the
resort a mecca for any serious golfer.
Those other courses aren’t merely
supporting players, either. Ross’ No. 4, Rees Jones’ No. 7 and Tom Fazio’s No. 8
all could be headliners at other resorts. But invariably and justifiably, the
true measure of Pinehurst is distilled into the 18 holes that Ross, who lived on
the property, lovingly watched over.
At first glance, the holes at No. 2, set
amid wide corridors framed by tall pines, appear inviting, encouraging you to
swing away. But it only takes a couple of holes to realize that from the wrong
angle, even the wrong half of the fairway, it is all but impossible to hit and
hold the undulating plateau greens—even shots landing on the green can roll off
the precipice-like edges, ending up several feet below the putting
surface.
From these closely mown chipping areas, you face the situation
presented above—shots that are challenging, stimulating and above all, fun. And
so it goes hole after hole, without a single boring shot in the bunch. There is
no such thing as a routine play: Each drive, approach, pitch, chip or putt
demands that you consider every option and hit the shot that maybe even you
didn’t know you were capable of executing. That is what makes a round at
Pinehurst No. 2 so memorable.
Next: Ultimate Driving Experience
