For a location with self-styled nickname of the, 'Capital of
American Golf,' first-time visitors to this small village in the sandhills of
southeast North Carolina could dismiss this as a marketing gimmick or wildly
optimistic claim.
But it only take a few days, or even a few hours, at this golf-rich
destination, largely the creation of Scottish architect Donald Ross and Boston
businessman James M. Turfs, to realize no place in the U.S. is more well-suited
for a total American golf immersion.
There are more than three dozen courses in Pinehurst area, two hours east of state's largest city of Charlotte, 1 1/2 hours south of the capital of Raleigh, but all golf should begin and possibly end with the resort of the same name.
It has eight courses, all available for public play, highlighted by the recently restored No. 2 course along three grand lodging options, a world class spa and just as importantly a world-famous breakfast buffet.
In the more than 110 years since it first opened, Pinehurst has welcomed
kings and commoners, the world's greatest players at two U.S. Opens (with
a third slated for 2014) and very humble hackers, all happy to trod on the
famous sandy soil.
All a far cry from when Tufts, who made his fortune in the Northeast U.S., purchased 5,500 acres here at roughly $1 dollar an acre in 1895 as a calmer and warmer retreat from his Boston home.
Two significant early moves marked this place for the hollowed golf destination it has become. First, Tufts hired Lew Olmsted, who has laid out Central Park in New York, to design the village.
The resort first opened in December 1895 with the Holly Inn, which still stands today, and the majestic Carolina Hotel followed in 1901 along with the first golf course.
But the second and perhaps longest-lasting decision was to entice Ross to make the trip from his native Scotland to 1900, staying here mainly until his death in 1945.
It was Ross, who designed some of the world's classic courses, who put his undeniable stamp on Pinehurst and considered the world famous No. 2 course, opened in 1907, his crowning achievement of American golf architecture.
More than a century after its opened, Ross' spiritual architect heirs, Texans Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, returned to restore Par 72 No. 2 to its original Ross design in a $2.5 million dollar project which re-opened in April.
They removed nearly 35 acres of turf, which had overgrown the course, and restored it to its original Ross routing by planting 100,000 sandy wiregrass plants. They also removed 500 sprinkler heads along with a strips of irrigation which had kept the course artificially green with the newly restored sandy soil catching errant tee shots which rolled off the fairways.
The fairways themselves were expanded 10-20 yards in most places, but the bunkers were made deeper and more severe with the sandy soil and wiregrass looking much like it did when Ross first opened it.
"We just hope that if Donald Ross could see it, that he’d be pleased with what we’ve done,” Crenshaw said. “It was truly an honor to be involved in this project."
Other notable courses at the Pinehurst Resort include No. 5, an Ellis Maples design, which showcases the local beauty without the devilishly crowned Ross putting greens. Tom Fazio designed course No. 4, his first solo Pinehurst design while courses 7-8, done by Rees Jones and Fazio, were opened to honor the resorts centennial and need for more great public golf.
If polishing Pinehurst's crown jewel wasn't enough for Kite and Crenshaw, they built their own Pinehurst-area course, The Dormie Club. Opened in 2010, it's spectacular exhibit of their mimilistic design of strategic links style golf. While designed as a private club, it's currently offering limited outside play and worthy of a visit from any true golf fan.
Not content with just golf, Ross operated and stayed at the Pinecrest Inn in the Village where nightly chipping contests into a large stone fireplace are still held.
To say Pinehurst, the resort, and Pinehurst, the town, have a true embarrassment of great golf options, would be a vast understatement.
But the experience of seeing golf's past come to life in new ways will make any visitor feel the capital of U.S. Golf is in very good hands indeed.
For more information, go to www.pinehurst.com and www.dormieclub.com
Written by
There are more than three dozen courses in Pinehurst area, two hours east of state's largest city of Charlotte, 1 1/2 hours south of the capital of Raleigh, but all golf should begin and possibly end with the resort of the same name.
It has eight courses, all available for public play, highlighted by the recently restored No. 2 course along three grand lodging options, a world class spa and just as importantly a world-famous breakfast buffet.
 |
| Seventeenth hole at the Pinehurst No.2 Photo by Isifa/Getty Images |
All a far cry from when Tufts, who made his fortune in the Northeast U.S., purchased 5,500 acres here at roughly $1 dollar an acre in 1895 as a calmer and warmer retreat from his Boston home.
 |
| Pinehurst No. 2 Photo by Isifa/Getty Images |
Two significant early moves marked this place for the hollowed golf destination it has become. First, Tufts hired Lew Olmsted, who has laid out Central Park in New York, to design the village.
The resort first opened in December 1895 with the Holly Inn, which still stands today, and the majestic Carolina Hotel followed in 1901 along with the first golf course.
But the second and perhaps longest-lasting decision was to entice Ross to make the trip from his native Scotland to 1900, staying here mainly until his death in 1945.
It was Ross, who designed some of the world's classic courses, who put his undeniable stamp on Pinehurst and considered the world famous No. 2 course, opened in 1907, his crowning achievement of American golf architecture.
More than a century after its opened, Ross' spiritual architect heirs, Texans Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, returned to restore Par 72 No. 2 to its original Ross design in a $2.5 million dollar project which re-opened in April.
 |
| Clubhouse Photo by Isifa/Getty Images |
They removed nearly 35 acres of turf, which had overgrown the course, and restored it to its original Ross routing by planting 100,000 sandy wiregrass plants. They also removed 500 sprinkler heads along with a strips of irrigation which had kept the course artificially green with the newly restored sandy soil catching errant tee shots which rolled off the fairways.
The fairways themselves were expanded 10-20 yards in most places, but the bunkers were made deeper and more severe with the sandy soil and wiregrass looking much like it did when Ross first opened it.
"We just hope that if Donald Ross could see it, that he’d be pleased with what we’ve done,” Crenshaw said. “It was truly an honor to be involved in this project."
Other notable courses at the Pinehurst Resort include No. 5, an Ellis Maples design, which showcases the local beauty without the devilishly crowned Ross putting greens. Tom Fazio designed course No. 4, his first solo Pinehurst design while courses 7-8, done by Rees Jones and Fazio, were opened to honor the resorts centennial and need for more great public golf.
If polishing Pinehurst's crown jewel wasn't enough for Kite and Crenshaw, they built their own Pinehurst-area course, The Dormie Club. Opened in 2010, it's spectacular exhibit of their mimilistic design of strategic links style golf. While designed as a private club, it's currently offering limited outside play and worthy of a visit from any true golf fan.
Not content with just golf, Ross operated and stayed at the Pinecrest Inn in the Village where nightly chipping contests into a large stone fireplace are still held.
To say Pinehurst, the resort, and Pinehurst, the town, have a true embarrassment of great golf options, would be a vast understatement.
But the experience of seeing golf's past come to life in new ways will make any visitor feel the capital of U.S. Golf is in very good hands indeed.
For more information, go to www.pinehurst.com and www.dormieclub.com
Written by
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