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With each 18 featuring its own unique design, we challenged our GOLF.com editors to spin the Wheel of Courses only 30 minutes before their tee times. They landed on Pinehurst’s No. 1, No. 2, and No. 5. We pegged it all in the same afternoon, competing in a blind net birdie game, and learned that picking tee times at random is way more fun than you’d think.

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For some of us, it was a lovely walk through the tall trees in California. For others, it was a delightful romp on a par-69 in Maine. And of course, for the lucky bunch, the best that Bandon Dunes and Pinehurst have to offer. Here are the places that stood out to us in 2021.

TPC Harding Park, California

Northern California’s Bay Area is chock full of quality golf. Private courses like Olympic Club, San Francisco Golf Club and Cal Club highlight the menu, but there are plenty of high-caliber public tracks as well.

Presidio Golf Course, Sharp Park and (if you venture a little further south) Pasatiempo are all solid public-access tracks that should be on your radar if you’re in the area. But after receiving a facelift and hosting several big-time events over the last 20 years, TPC Harding Park might be the most well-known. – Zephyr Melton

Read more here.

Saratoga National, New York

Yes, we’d had a few close calls, but through some amalgam of skill, mental endurance and good fortune, Dad had always managed to wind up on top. And, as most good dads do, he never let me forget it.

“Oh, who’s the best golfer in the family?” He’d say to no one in particular. “Well, let me check the scorecard … Oh! That’s right. Me.” – James Colgan

Read more here.

Bandon Dunes, Oregon

Trapped in a bunker, I was thrown a lifeline. Or, in this case, a more-lofted sand wedge.

Over Labor Day weekend, I was fortunate enough to have made my first trip to Bandon Dunes, and over three days, I was fortunate enough to have played five of the six courses on the Bandon, Oregon property. (I missed just Old Macdonald.) And fortunately for me, Tyson was along for the ride. Especially deep into the back nine, and deep in the sand, at Bandon Trails.

“Here, use this,” Tyson said, handing me a wedge. – Nick Piastowski

Read more here.

Pasatiempo Golf Club, California

As with most courses that hold plenty of fanfare online, I held some skepticism about Pasatiempo. But when Alister MacKenzie calls it his best layout, well, you have to take the man at his word. It must be pretty good.

On paper, it might not wow you. Your view off the 1st tee offers a tattered driving range along the left side and a brutally long par-4 that slaps you from the jump; hope you’re ready. It plays just 6,450 yards from the tips and is priced at $325 during prime season, encouraging numerous golf buddies of mine to ask if Pasatiempo is worth extending their Bay Area or Monterey Peninsula golf trips. The answer is yes, every single time. Because at Pasatiempo you’ll pay a pricey rate but receive a 200-level class in course design. Thanks, Prof MacKenzie. – Sean Zak

Read more here.

Pinehurst No. 2, North Carolina

Pinehurst Resort is a bucket-list golf destination, and for good reason. There are nine courses to choose from, first-rate lodging, delicious dining, a quaint village, the list goes on.

Course No. 2 is also one that lives large in our collective imaginations. – Jessica Marksbury

Read more here.

Cape Arundel, Maine

I’d driven through Maine before, but had never spent any time there prior to this trip. My knowledge of the state was limited to fresh lobster and what I’d seen in L.L. Bean magazines, so I was excited to experience it for the first time. I was also a little nervous — this was my first trip for GOLF where I’d actually be the person playing golf, rather than just watching the pros do their thing.

I drove up to Boston, where I met Dylan fresh off his redeye from Seattle. The two of us then hopped on the road up the coast, meeting Sean in Portland. Our first stop (after lunch in Kennebunkport) was at Cape Arundel, and it was the perfect course to kick off a few days of golf. – Claire Rogers

Read more here.

Goat Hill Park, California

I was fortunate enough to play a lot of great public courses for the first time this year. From Pinehurst No. 2 to Harbour Town to every course at Bandon Dunes, I checked quite a few boxes off the Top 100 Courses list. Sorry for the humblebrag, but you don’t need me to explain how great any of those courses are. But when I look back on a public course that left a different kind of first impression on me, Goat Hill Park, in Oceanside, Calif., comes to mind. – Tim Reilly

Read more here.

Forest Dunes — The Loop, Michigan

When my friends and I received a wedding invite to take place in Northern Michigan, we immediately thought one thing: golf trip. We figured a road trip through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan with a few rounds of golf, a few baseball games and lots of Enya would be more memorable than an indirect flight out of JFK (yuck).

And, we were right. We played three rounds of golf and crossed Progressive Field and Comerica Park off our stadium bucket-lists (in truth, I didn’t even have one of those until this trip). The most memorable stop though, was to Forest Dunes. – Emily Haas

Read more here.

Need help unriddling the greens at your home course? Pick up a custom Green Book from 8AM Golf affiliate GolfLogix.

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Pinehurst Resort is a bucket-list golf destination, and for good reason. There are nine courses to choose from, first-rate lodging, delicious dining, a quaint village, the list goes on.

Course No. 2 is also one that lives large in our collective imaginations. We’ve seen plenty of it on TV, in recent men’s and women’s U.S. Opens, and as the USGA’s first anchor site, we’ll be seeing plenty more of it in the years to come.

It’s the course every guest itches the to play when they step foot on the property, in the same way that visitors to Monterey flock to Pebble Beach.

My trip to Pinehurst for GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers Summit in November was notable for me in a couple of different ways. It was the first time I’d traveled for work since the pandemic began, and the first time I’d seen colleagues in person in more than two years.

It was also the first time I’d had an opportunity to play golf on successive days in years. With two young kids at home, I’m not getting out nearly as much as I used to (though I’ve been trying to keep my game sharp in other ways) so it was a real treat to not only play, but play at such an iconic destination with people I’ve really missed.

November’s round marked the first time I’d seen the course since Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw completed their acclaimed restoration in 2011, and now I totally get what all the hype is about.

Rare is the course that can challenge the pros but also maintain its sense of resort playability. Such is the case with Pinehurst No. 2. It’s tough, no doubt about that — those undulating greens are no joke! But it’s eminently playable. You’re hard-pressed to lose a ball, and the sandy scrub, while certainly penal, isn’t the death you think it would be.

Travel

The other thing I loved about the experience was the walk. Once my college days were over, so too were my over-the-shoulder bag-schlepping days, I decided. I have been happy to take a cart for just about every round in my adulthood.

But the collection of push-carts at the starter’s hut on the first tee intrigued me. I’d never used one before. Pull carts? Yeah, been there, done that. But never the push! The weather was great — a little chilly, so I thought walking would do me good. I went for it, and wow. Push carts are amazing! The ride was smooth as butter and there were plenty of compartments for headcovers, drinks, snacks, you name it. I think I’m a convert for life!

Also, despite the fact that we were told the walk around No. 2 clocks in at around seven miles, the terrain is relatively flat and feels great on the feet. No body aches to speak of in the immediate aftermath or the next day. What a win!

The best part, though, was finishing the round in the magic evening hours, when the air gets brisk and the sun filters through the towering pines. It was heavenly. Special. I can’t wait to go back.

NEWSLETTER

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The best part? Playing at Pinehurst offers a golf architecture lesson of sorts, especially if you include courses No. 2 and No. 4 on your itinerary. Pinehurst No. 2 was famously designed by Donald Ross, and the Gil Hanse-re-designed No. 4 is the perfect complement.

Below, check out and inside look at some show-stopping holes you can look forward to on your next trip, and why you’ll find them so special.

Iconic Holes: Pinehurst No. 2, Hole No. 5

Not only is this hole aesthetically beautiful, it’s also a fun strategic challenge. Depending on the tee you elect the play from, the par-5 can be reachable, or a very comfortable three-shotter. The element of risk-reward here is very apparent! The generous landing area off the tee allows you to feel like you can whale away on your drive. Extra-long hitters will then be faced with a tough decision. Lay up, or go for it in two? Those who opt to go for it will need to beware of this intimidating, elevated green complex. Though there’s no trouble directly in front, sand awaits wayward shots to the left and right, which will leave players with a difficult approach to the green. And that goes for anyone with a short iron in his or her hands, too! The fairway also slopes a bit from right to left, further complicating both the second and approach shots.

Once you’re on the green, subtle contours await, so keeping the ball on the right side of the hole location is paramount. The best part? The beautiful, elevated vista you’re treated to after putting out.

Iconic Holes: Pinehurst No. 2, Hole No. 15

The beautiful par-3 15th hole looks pretty straightforward from the tee — mid-length, with bunkers flanking each side — but my oh my, will you get a surprise when you walk up to the green. Actually, you may not even need to approach the green to get an idea of the severity of the green’s slope. The turtleback green will reject any shot that lands short of the false front, so what looks like a good shot from the tee will leave you with a dejected feeling as it rolls backward, away from the hole — and you’re left with a very tricky up-and-down for par.

The green itself is large, and a bit faster than it looks. You’ll feel good about escaping this hole with a par! A word of advice: club up to give yourself the best chance of avoiding the false front.

Iconic Holes: Pinehurst No. 4 Hole No. 13

Pinehurst No. 4 is regarded by many as the resort’s most beautiful, and given the stunning vista that awaits you on the 13th hole, it’s easy to see why. A sparkling lake shapes this dogleg par-5, and adds intrigue to each shot — especially as you approach the green, when it juts across the fairway to force a carry.

There’s really no way to avoid the water — but the hole’s delight is that it’s up to you how much you want to bite off. Long hitters can reach the green in two — but will likely face a lengthy approach with a fairway wood. Going left is death — a watery one for your ball, anyway. Missing right lands you in the sandy scrub. The good news? The run-up to the green is wide open. And once you’re on the green, the slopes are far more benign than what you see on No. 2 — a break that feels much-deserved after the drama of getting there.

NEWSLETTER

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I know this reality because I have come into concerningly close proximity with it. For those of us hoping to avoid an untimely meeting with our creator? Keep a watchful eye around the tiny swathe of golf heaven fittingly called “The Cradle.”

Our would-be assailant wore a matching, head-to-toe ensemble that’d make Rickie Fowler blush. His one-piece, buttoned-down number featured powder blue flowers, a matching bucket hat and (most noticeably) the outward appearance of children’s pajamas.

If not for a sharp eye and well-timed yell from my playing partner Connor, I might not have seen our strangely dressed friend’s ball as it rocketed in my direction. A keen sidestep allowed me to dodge the shot comfortably. Drew and Chris, two of the other members of our sixsome at Pinehurst Resort, weren’t as lucky. Connor’s scream sent them straight to the deck, their fresh cocktails flying.

BANG.

The golf ball smashed into an oversized drinking cart made from old oak called “The Pinecone.” The cart proved an ample backboard for the bladed chip, sending the ball rolling back to the cusp of the green.

Down at the tee box, the man looked apoplectic. Half the course had witnessed him nearly kill us. His friends on the tee box howled. If only he knew the fate that loomed six holes away…

I. Here we go.

OUR JOURNEY to golf heaven began in early January, when I penned a short blurb for GOLF about a trip I hoped to take in 2021:

“Back when we were students at a certain frigid ACC school, my buddies and I established an affinity for road-tripping to the greener (read: warmer) pastures of North Carolina. The state (and its cities) are beautiful, cheap, and fun, particularly for a group of young bachelors. This year, we’re running it back and heading to the home of (American) golf, Pinehurst, for the buddies’ weekend of a lifetime.”

A few days later, I received an email from Pinehurst.

“Let’s make it happen.”

After a few weeks of back-and-forth, our trip was set. We’d see two cities, drive three cars, sample southern delicacies, drop in with friends from college and the professional world, and play six world-renowned golf courses: Tobacco Road, the Cradle and Pinehurst Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 8. We’d also pilfer through the area’s famed beer culture, devour bottles of wine and inhale a bottom-of-the-bar tequila shot (or 3 … or 7).

Travel

There were six of us on the trip: Chris, Tyler, Drew, Tim, Connor (“Fred”) and myself. Once upon a time, the six of us spent most waking moments together as students at Syracuse University. But we hadn’t been together since the night before graduation more than two years prior.

 On the morning of our flight to Raleigh, Connor wore an awestruck smile. “I can’t believe this is actually happening,” he said.

Neither could I.

II. The Trophy

WE PLAYED for bragging rights, mostly. But there was also something bigger on the line: the first-ever Beta Sig Cup.

Weeks before we left on the trip, Connor and I hashed out our competition. As a sixsome of widely varying skill levels, finding a format to equitably divide the competition was … challenging. We settled upon a convoluted scheme involving points, handicap indices, and a varying series of games.  The goal was to make each event worth its overall value to the trip — a casual afternoon nine at The Cradle would take on less value than No. 3, which would also take on less value than No. 2.

But any washed-up frat star can create a golf tournament for his buddies. It takes a special kind of idiot to purchase a legitimate trophy for the purposes of crowning a champion.

Fortunately, I’m a sucker, and the internet market for golf trophies is well-stocked. After several hours, I settled upon a cast-iron beer stein, staving off the urge to purchase some of the more “interesting” hardware options, which ranged from delightfully phallic (who knew they made that in chrome?) to outright ridiculous ($700 for a sterling silver cup? Don’t mind if I don’t!).

Our trophy was small enough to fit in my carry-on, sturdy enough to stay intact for years and, most importantly, capable of handling roughly 12 liquid ounces. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face when I surprised our group with the trophy on our first night. We took turns sipping from it, passing it around to each member. Before long, the trash-talking began.

Only one of us would be capable of taking home “the cup” from our week at Pinehurst. Now it was time to figure out who.

III. Reunion!

WE WERE an unusual group to be attending a golf trip together, largely because we’d spent the formative years of our friendship in one of the most golf-barren areas on earth.

Syracuse, N.Y. is 35 miles as the crow flies from the nearest professional-caliber course, but it might as well be 35,000. Syracuse’s golf season is five months long ­— from May through September — and shorter in years when winter stretches long. The remaining months are filled mostly by snow. Every year, Syracusians take pride in competing for the only documented form of seasonal depression iconography: a trophy called “The Golden Snowball” given annually to the town in Upstate New York with the most inches of snowfall in a single calendar year. (Syracuse has won seven times since 2010.)

For six young men enrolled at Syracuse University with summer plans of internships and time at home, golf fell low on the list of priorities — somewhere between “class” and “sleep.” Instead, we became friends the way most Syracuse students become friends: a not-insignificant allotment of Labatt Blue Light.

The Canadian light beer proved the perfect social lubricant for our group, and soon became the launching-off point for our counter-cultural rebellions. Our chief enemies were fraternities, who we protested by anointing our friend group “Beta Sigma Sigma Gamma” (Greek for B-E-E-R — Socrates would be proud). We sold shirts with our lettering on campus, reveling in sideways looks from real frat bros and giggles from freshmen. Later, we had the letters etched into our golf trophy.

On the three (or fewer) days each year when we weren’t at our beloved campus radio station, at home, or buried under several feet of snow, “Beta Sig” would sneak out to Syracuse’s campus course, a delightful dog-track named Drumlins Country Club.

Through a deal with the University, students could play for free on the West Course, the property’s public offering. Truthfully, that was an upsell. Drumlins West existed in a perpetual state of disarray, with dirt tee boxes and design features that one could charitably describe as “nonsensical.” For example, the 18^th, a par-3 where players hit tee shots from range mats over the side of a ravine, then scaled down it to the green below.

I’d like to think Mike Strantz would have enjoyed Drumlins West, or at the very least, would have gotten a kick out of our friend group drawing comparisons to our beloved college course as we stood on the 1st tee of his magnum opus, Tobacco Road.

Whereas Drumlins West is a likely product of architectural laziness, Strantz’s design at Tobacco is deliberately unhinged — its 1st hole is a 558-yard par-5 that bisects a rock quarry into a blind green. And that’s only the beginning of the absurdity. The course is 18 consecutive holes of sensory overload, overflowing with forced carries, blind tee shots and a borderline-unhealthy dose of deception.

Features

“If you don’t absolutely love Tobacco Road, you’re fired,” GOLF’s editor-in-chief told me with a laugh just before my tee time.

I kept my job, but then again, who wouldn’t? The place is impossible to hate. It’s golf’s biggest casino — slightly hokey, oddly self-aware, and purely entertainment. For every three sevens, there’s triple-seven hiding around the corner. It might be interpretationist golf, but who doesn’t love a good cover band?

IV. Smothered.

THERE IS at least one good thing that happens after 2:30 a.m., and it is called “Waffle House.” 

When the fine brothers of Beta Sigma Sigma Gamma stumbled into Waffle House on the morning of our arrival at Pinehurst Resort, we were firmly in the aforementioned sweet spot. It was 2:33 a.m., and we were on our way home from the local watering hole after a prolonged introduction with the region’s unofficial beer, Red Oak.

Twenty-five minutes later, we walked out with two shopping bags filled with waffles, loaded and smothered hashbrowns (surprisingly two different things), breakfast sandwiches, and eggs made every way. We tore into the food, sharing stories between bites from our rounds at Tobacco Road, our travels, and the previous two years of our lives. At one point, Tyler looked across the table.

“Can you believe we’re teeing off at Pinehurst in less than 12 hours?”

“Oh man,” I replied, remembering our scheduled 2:50 p.m. time on The Cradle. “I think it’s time for bed.”

We arrived at the Carolina Hotel 11 hours later with clubs, clothes, sleep deficits and ear-splitting headaches. We settled into our rooms just long enough to drop our bags and return to the car. It was time to play.

We giggled as we drove through the gates to the area labeled “Pinehurst Country Club” for the first time. A few seconds later, we grabbed our first glimpse at the property.

One member of our group gasped.

“Holy s—.”

Seven golf courses sat within eye’s reach, each more perfect than the last. Each perfectly maintained, each distinctly its own. Golfers whizzed by on carts, walked with trolleys, or slung clubs on their shoulders. Some listened to music, some held drinks in hand, but everyone — and I mean everyone — was smiling.

I wasn’t at a golf resort. I was in my own freakin’ nirvana.

By the time I reattached my jaw, it was time for our dinner reservation, a formal feast in the Carolina Dining Room. We gorged ourselves, completing our meal as only gentlemen could — with Key Lime Pie so large and delicious we nearly keeled over (order it and thank me later). We stumbled, or perhaps rolled, back to our respective rooms for the evening.

V. Playing Favorites

IF PINEHURST is the heartbeat of American golf, No. 2 is its carotid artery. The earth beneath No. 2 pulses with history, and in the early morning, the dew drips from the pines with the very lifeblood of the sport. On looks alone, it is enough to earn the distinction of being one of the few perfect routings on earth. Every blade of grass, every pine tree, every tee box and every delightfully evil turtleback green — it’s all perfect.

But somewhere around the 5th hole, it strikes you that your round has superseded its surroundings. In some small way, you begin to feel as if your name has been scrawled into the annals of golf history simply by being here. It’s an ephemeral, utterly intoxicating feeling; an emotion that leaves you floating through fairways and greens, simultaneously perplexed and awestruck.

It’s true, there aren’t any “signature holes” on No. 2. Rather, as one Pinehurst worker pointed out, there are 18 signature holes. How many courses can claim to leave you with a genuine sense of disappointment at the conclusion of the round? As far as I’m concerned, No. 1 on that list is No. 2 — even if my short game is unlikely to ever recover.

We left No. 2 with shattered confidence but spirits intact, making our way to No. 3 for the day’s second round. No. 3 is tiny, charming, and inviting — completely opposite to Ross’ work on No. 2. It’s the perfect spot for the emotional comedown that follows an all-time round. We spent most of our round as a sixsome, blasting music and trading laughs.

The sun had begun to dip below the sky when our round on No. 3 concluded. Mildly delirious and severely hungry, we dropped our bags at the clubhouse and headed into the village of Pinehurst for dinner.

On the corner of a quiet street in the center of town sits the pub that is the area’s best-kept secret. Duggan’s is everything a post-round watering hole should be: dingy, dimly lit and delicious. In other words, it’s the perfect place for a good, old-fashioned golf debate.

“I’m just going to say it now,” Drew piped up from across the table. “No. 4 is the best course at Pinehurst. There’s just no way it could go any worse than No. 2.”

“I’m in on that take,” Tyler chimed in, fresh off a three-digit shellacking on No. 2.

“No way, man,” Connor chirped back.

It’s not clear whether Drew or Tyler paid off our starter the next morning on No. 4, but I wouldn’t put it past them. Particularly not after said starter matter-of-factly revealed No. 4 to be the “best course on property” at no one’s prompting. We chatted a bit more, and he whispered a secret.

“You ask a lot of folks around here their favorite course, folks who work here … they’ll say No. 4.”

Travel

As it turns out, if you ask anyone about their favorite Pinehurst course, it’s likely you’ll get a fair amount of votes for No. 4. Gil Hanse’s 2015 renovation is a source of massive pride for Pinehurst, and for good reason. It’s excitable, walkable and playable, yet challenging enough to earn split duty for the 2019 U.S. Amateur.

No. 4 never stops being fun, from first tee box to 18th green — a point of emphasis for Hanse, who now owns the course’s design credit.

“I think what [co-designer Jim Wagner] and I tried to do is create great fun,” Hanse told me of his work on No. 4. “We wanted to make it memorable, and I think it is. I think people are enjoying the walk.”

As for whether it compares to No. 2? He gives a knowing chuckle.

“You know, No. 2 is The Mecca.”

If No. 4 is playful, its sister-course, No. 8, is peaceful. No. 8 is impossibly quiet, tucked away on its own piece of property that might as well be its own world. Bill, our shuttle driver, told us it was “the course that’d make us come back to Pinehurst.”

If he’d meant “in my nightmares,” perhaps he would’ve been right. My game did not travel with me on the short drive to No. 8, where Tom Fazio’s infuriatingly quick greens stupefied me into submission.

Still, it’s easy to see how people fall in love with No. 8. You feel as if you’re in your own world playing the course — completely removed from anyone or anything around you.

The 7th hole, a dogleg left par-4 over a cavern of sand, is when golfers first begin to see No. 8 for what it truly is — a little bit of everything.  It doesn’t grab you in the same way Nos. 2, 4 and The Cradle snatch your attention and later, your lust. But a trip to Pinehurst just isn’t complete without it.

Shortly after our round on No. 8 ended, we anointed Tim the winner of the first-annual Beta Sig Cup — handing off the hardware for his safe-keeping. The rest of us were forced to return only with our bags, a Brinks truck worth of Pinehurst gear and the warmth of our memories.

It was difficult to think of a better week. Hell, it was difficult to think of a better moment in our friendship. Well, except for the previous afternoon…

VI. Death (and other things)

TWENTY minutes after our brush with death, our sixsome finished our round at The Cradle.

The tiny nine-hole course became a beloved fixture of the golf world almost immediately upon its opening in 2017, and it’s easy to see why. Players are encouraged to walk barefoot, bringing only a handful of clubs and a single golf ball (anything more would be onerous). Music plays from every corner of the property, which also features the Pinecone, a bar-on-wheels tended by a transfusion-mixing superhero named Sheila. (Soon, the Pinecone will enter retirement, replaced by a full-time halfway house.) It’s impossible to leave The Cradle in a worse mood than you entered — even, it turns out, after a strangely dressed man’s bladed chip nearly brings your trip to an early end.

As we walked back in the direction of Pinehurst’s palatial clubhouse, a group of older men seated in Adirondack chairs overlooking the ninth (and final) green stopped us.

“Did you guys see Pajama Boy up there?”

“Excuse me?” I replied.

“This man, he was dressed in Pajamas or something, and he skulled a wedge that damn-near killed a group of guys.”

“We were that group of guys.”

Chris looked back at the course and flashed a smile.

“Guys, let’s grab a seat. I think I’ve got an idea.”

It took 30 minutes for Pajama Boy and his friends to make their way to the 9th hole, enough time for our party to recruit a few fellow bad actors. As Pajama Boy moved closer to us, Chris looked over at the small gallery we’d assembled.

“Alright, there he is. Everybody knows the plan, right?”

We nodded in his direction.

A few seconds later, Pajama Boy’s first playing partner stepped up to the tee box and placed his ball down. The 20 of us in Adirondack chairs showered him in thunderous applause.

Then came the group’s second player. The gallery followed suit, dousing the friend in a raucous cheer.

Then the third. More applause.

At long last, Pajama Boy stepped up to the tee box. He tipped his cap in our direction before reaching down to place his ball on the ground, preparing for another pleasant ovation to cap his round.

Instead, someone screamed.

“Oh s—! Not again!!!”

Down at the green, the gallery scattered, springing out of our chairs and barrel-rolling behind them as if to barricade ourselves from another wayward tee shot. We looked like we’d just crawled out of no man’s land, peering over the chairs gleefully. A handful of septuagenarians even joined in on the fun, giggling as they lumbered behind their seats.

As it turned out, our retaliatory prank had caused quite a commotion. A gathering of close to 100 on the patio behind us fell silent. Some golfers stared from hundreds of yards away. Others reflexively shielded themselves, too, not realizing it was all in jest.

Up at the tee box, Pajama Boy’s friends were beside themselves. They roared with laughter, doubled over as their poorly dressed friend turned a shade of magenta I’d never seen.

Miraculously, Pajama Boy summoned the wherewithal to strike his tee shot safely into a greenside bunker, and we returned to our seats. When his round ended, he came over and shook each of our hands.

“That was awesome, boys,” he said, his complexion still several shades rosier than it had been minutes before.

As Pajama Boy walked off into the distance, his friends stopped us.

“Seriously, thank you for that,” one of them said.

“We’re never going to forget that,” another friend chimed in. “And rest assured, we won’t ever let him forget it, either.”

Yes, it’s possible to die in golf heaven. But my god, whatever you do, don’t die of embarrassment.

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The post The best course at Pinehurst? Gil Hanse weighs in on the ‘battle’ between Nos. 2 and 4 appeared first on Golf.

The post The best course at Pinehurst? Gil Hanse weighs in on the ‘battle’ between Nos. 2 and 4 appeared first on Golf.

The most significant sound, though, isn’t much of a sound at all. It’s a whisper. The kind that escapes from the mouths of a startling number of guests at Pinehurst.

“You know,” they say, lowering their tone as they look you straight in the eye. “I think No. 4 is my favorite course on property.”

At first, it’s a friendly gentleman crossing paths with you in the posh lobby of the Carolina Hotel. But with each passing statement, the murmurs grow louder. Soon, a genteel Pinehurst employee is sharing that he’s always loved No. 2, but there’s just something special about No. 4.

Before long, it’s clear the sound you’re hearing is an argument. A respectful one, yes, but an argument all the same — a difference of opinion between a pair of (politely) warring factions. No. 2 versus No. 4 might be new to Pinehurst, but in truth, its construct is very old. The battle between the old guard and the young gun has been fought for generations, and at “the cradle of American golf,” it’s pitting one of the most famous golf courses in the world against one of its most beloved.

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“To someone who truly loves No. 4, I think I’d say ‘thank you.’ I think it’s a reflection that the course really works,” says Gil Hanse, the man who redesigned No. 4. “We hear that a lot. We hear it from players, we hear that from folks at Pinehurst. And all we can say is a humble ‘thank you,’ really, we greatly appreciate that.”

To understand the success of Hanse’s work on No. 4 is to understand the history of the course’s big brother. No. 2 is Pinehurst’s crown jewel, the inaugural member of the U.S. Open rota and perhaps the finest work of legendary designer Donald Ross. It rolls through an impeccable, undulating piece of property, is routed with ingenious simplicity, and manages to challenge great players even without demoralizing poorer ones. Its most notable design features are its turtleback greens, which reject approach shots into collection areas and induce three-putts with delightfully sadistic frequency.

If there’s a criticism to be made of No. 2, it’s that it is lacking in a single signature hole. But the course’s balance might be its most underrated feature. Sure, there’s no chart-topping hit, but this album has 18 terrific songs.

“I love the presentation,” Hanse says of No. 2. “I think I recognize the genius in the green complexes. I’m not sure I love them all the time. They can be really, really hard, but I respect the hell out of them. It really is an amazing, amazing golf course.”

In the mid-2000s, Pinehurst commissioned Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to restore No. 2 to its original Rossian glory in time for the 2014 U.S. Open. Coore and Crenshaw widened fairways, expanded green complexes, shaved down rough and redrafted tee boxes en route to one of the most successful restoration projects of the modern era.

Their work was such a smash-hit, Pinehurst began investigating whether there was room for a similar project elsewhere on property. Quickly, they zeroed in on another Ross design, No. 4, which had lost much of its original flavor after years of real estate development and renovation.

It soon became evident that a restoration project wasn’t in the cards — houses sat upon much of Ross’s original work. What the resort wanted was a recreation, a course in the ilk of the original No. 4, but with a new vigor. They called Hanse and his design partner Jim Wagner.

“It was an interesting exercise in that we basically had to go back in and rebuild the landscape,” Hanse said. “We were really more interested in trying to recreate the natural landscape that had been there before the golf courses were built. Then it became, ‘alright, now let’s plug in the elements. Let’s figure out how the greens are gonna sit, how the bunkers are gonna sit, and how people are gonna ultimately play.’ So it was kind of a two-part act in that we had to reconstruct the landscape and then actually go and build up golf holes.”

The design work turned out to be the easy part. Much harder was building something physically (but not figuratively) in the shadow of No. 2.

“We wanted to build a golf course that felt comfortable sitting next to course No. 2, but we didn’t want to build a golf course that was either going to compete with it or copy it,” Hanse said. “We really tried to build something that, if you’re playing No. 2 and you look over at No. 4, you’d think, ‘okay it feels like a continuation of the same landscape and the same theme and presentation.’”

Today, No. 4 is nothing if not Hanse’s description. On its own, it’s daring, boldly shaped, and notably strategic. Next to No. 2, it’s slightly easier, much wider, and has a handful of true “signature holes,” highlighted by a two-hole stretch along the water.

But that’s not why some consider No. 4 superior to No. 2. On a normal day at No. 4, the reason why Hanse’s work sits atop so many peoples’ Pinehurst power rankings is obvious: it’s fun. Hanse and Wagner placed a distinguishable emphasis on playability, leaving the fairways wide and shaping the green contours to receive (rather than reject) approach shots. The “average” player is far more likely to leave No. 4 with a birdie than No. 2, and much more likely to leave No. 4 with a grasp of the architect’s overarching strategy than at No. 2.

“I think we’re supposed to be having fun out there,” Hanse said. “I know a lot of times, myself included, that’s not the golfer mindset but what we believe is that we should have the flexibility to make a course play more difficult, but we should also have that flexibility to make it play easier. And I think that within our designs you can find both, and probably on a higher level, a little bit more of the fun and playable character versus the difficult character.”

Hanse might be gracious, but he seems uncomfortable with his work appearing in the same breath as No. 2. It’s clear now he might be alone in that opinion — the 2019 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst removed all doubt. The USGA thought so highly of the renovation, they elected to have the championship split between Nos. 2 and 4. Hanse was stunned.

“For a course that young to have been selected … We were hopeful when we were building it that we would be selected to amongst the other Pinehurst courses for qualifying,” Hanse said, a hint of incredulity still in his voice. “But when the USGA decided the quality was high enough that they would actually play the final match, you know 18 holes on both course No. 4 and course No. 2? That was a great honor.”

There’s an argument to be had about whether No. 4 is truly better than No. 2 — and it’ll take plenty of convincing for GOLF’s Top 100 Course Raters to agree (No. 2 ranked 11th on our latest list of Top 100 Courses in the U.S.; No. 4 was 92nd) … But if you walk 1,000 feet in any direction at Pinehurst, it’s likely you’ll hear someone having it. Even Hanse has his own opinion on it.

“This all started with No. 2,” he said. “No. 2 is the Mecca. Because of it, I think it’s allowed a lot of other really good architecture to shine and be restored.”

In the end, though, the arguments are semantic. Why does everything have to be ranked? Why can’t both courses be great in their own, slightly similar ways? Why do we need to pick the “best course at Pinehurst”?

After all, there’s already a right answer: The Cradle.

The post The best course at Pinehurst? Gil Hanse weighs in on the ‘battle’ between Nos. 2 and 4 appeared first on Golf.