Pinehurst No. 2
America’s Championship returns home to the American Home of Golf.
It’s as if it was always meant to be this way. With the recent relocation of the USGA’s headquarters to the grounds of Pinehurst Resort, it’s a setting that we are going to see for many years to come as they’ve announced that the 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047 U.S. Open Championships will all be held here making it an anchor location for this prestigious event.
Originally designed by Donald Ross in 1907, the course received a redesign by Robert Trent Jones in 1974 followed up by a masterful renovation by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2010 that has brought back a lot of the original charm of Ross’ design. This course is unique for a U.S. Open in the fact that there isn’t a single acre of rough on the course. This is a major departure from what we are used to seeing at other U.S. Open venues as maniacal rough is typically a major part of the story line of this tournament.
On No. 2, you’ll find that areas where you typically see rough on the course have been replaced with sandy waste areas that frequently feature pine straw and thousands of wire grass plugs that give the course its distinctive look. These waste areas can certainly bring a lot of luck into play with what kind of lie you draw, so don’t be surprised if they factor in at a pivotal point during the U.S. Open this year.
At Pinehurst No. 2, the greens are where the true test lies. The course is known for its “turtleback greens” that require absolute precision on approach shots in addition to a deft touch around the greens for any player that has their sights set on winning here.
For an in-depth look into what the best players in the world are about to face, here’s a breakdown of each hole on Pinehurst No. 2.
No. 1, Par 4
Donald Ross was always known for favoring an easier opening hole, and the 1st hole of Pinehurst No. 2 eases you into your round here. There is ample room off the tee here as players will find a large fairway that is lined by sandy waste areas that feature plenty of pine straw and wire grass plugs on each side. There’s plenty of room right of the green if you need to bail out on your approach, but players will have to work for their par if they do as the 1st green gives you your first glimpse into the challenge that these greens have to offer.
No. 2, Par 4
The “easing into your round” feel is quickly gone as the 2nd hole here is a long and difficult par-4 that tips out at 507 yards for the U.S. Open. A solid tee shot here favors the left side of the fairway to give you the best approach into an angled green that is heavily protected front right by a large bunker.
No. 3, Par 4
This short par-4 will typically require players to hit less than driver to leave themselves in position to attack this hole. You’ll need to ensure your tee shot stays short of the bunker that runs across the right side of the fairway as well as the bunkering at the left elbow of the fairway. Finding the right quadrant of the green on your approach is imperative here depending on where the pin is. Another fun fact about the 3rd hole is that you’ll find the Dornoch Cottage set back from the left woods here which was the famous home of Donald Ross that has now been renovated and is available for a site rental to Pinehurst Resort guests.
No. 4, Par 4
This beast of a par 4 will play a monstrous 529 yards long in the 2024 U.S. Open. Your downhill tee shot is best to favor the left side of the fairway to combat the sloping fairway. You’ll be left with a long approach shot to a wide yet narrow green with a false front and bunkering both short and long right.
No.5, Par 5
This gettable par-5 features a right to left sloping fairway with Pinehurst’s signature waste area that creeps a little further into the fairway near the landing zone for many tee shots. You’ll need to stick to the theme of avoiding left all the way up this hole as many players will likely have a go at this large green in two throughout the week.
No. 6, Par 3
The first par-3 on Pinehurst No. 2 packs a punch at 242 yards as this large green gives you a false sense of hope since its domed shape is known to repel golf balls into one of the surrounding bunkers or off the false front. Par here will likely lead to gaining some strokes on the field.
No. 7, Par 4
This sharp dogleg-right par-4 provides golfers with a scoring opportunity if you can avoid the difficult bunkering along the right corner of the dogleg. The approach here is well protected by bunkers, and slopes from back-to-front so players will need to factor that in depending on where the pin is placed.
No. 8, Par 4 (Normally a Par 5 for Resort Guests and Members)
This testy par-4 features a unique design where the first part of the fairway banks from left to right, but then shifts to bank from right to left further down the hole. The massive green doesn’t feature any greenside bunkers, but any approach shots that go long or left tend to run 20 to 30 yards off the putting surface and can lead to some extremely difficult up and down attempts.
No. 9, Par 3
The shortest hole on the course at 191 yards from the U.S. Open tees, your approach shot here needs to be precise as it is surrounded by bunkers short and a massive run off to the right of this green.
No. 10, Par 5
At 617 yards, this is the longest hole on the course and will likely play as a three-shot hole for most of the field. It may seem docile from the tee, but multiple bunkers come into play on the back half of this hole and will certainly play a factor into how players position their lay-up shots for an optimal third shot in here. Players who think their way through this hole have a good chance of making birdie here.
No. 11, Par 4
Pin position is key on this hole as the 11th is a straightforward par-4 that features an ample fairway that is lined on both sides with No. 2’s famous waste areas that can quickly increase the difficulty of the hole. Any left pin here brings into play two bunkers short left, so don’t be surprised to see players favoring the right side of this green with their approach shots regardless of where the pin is.
No. 12, Par 4
This slight dogleg right par-4 features the famous Pinehurst No. 2 waste areas up both sides of the hole. The landing area shrinks up around 150 yards out where the sandy area creeps in on the left side of the fairway. The bean shaped green features a slight drop off for approach shots that narrowly miss left, so like many holes here, pin position will come into play greatly here.
No. 13, Par 4
A perfect example of how course design can be more difficult than just making holes play longer, the 13th hole on No. 2 offers a surprisingly wide fairway for a shorter par-4 but that is because all the difficulty here tends to take place on your approach shot. Anything short here will find trouble as there is one large bunker short left and two smaller bunkers short right, and any shots that find the false front can come tumbling back down the fairway. Long is safer, but it’s far from a guaranteed up and in.
No. 14, Par 4
A long par-4 that will be stretched out to 473 yards for the 2024 U.S. Open, the 14th shares the same sandy waste area that plays on the right side of the 13th hole and pine trees all the way down the left side of the hole. A bunker also sneaks into play on the left side of the fairway and can come into play for longer hitters. The back to front sloping green is well protected by both bunkers and devilish slopes, so walking off with a four here will feel like a win for most of the field.
No. 15, Par 3
This 202-yard par-3 should play as one of the easier holes on the course, but that doesn’t mean that a par or birdie is guaranteed here as the subtle sloping on and around this green certainly will pique the player’s interests.
No. 16, Par 4 (Normally a Par 5 for Resort Guests and Members)
This long par-4 will catch your attention off the tee as it showcases the only water hazard on the course here at Pinehurst No. 2. Players will easily carry the water here as they try to keep their tee shots between the two sandy areas just left and past the water as well as right and through the fairway, which is the more likely obstacle. With a long second shot to a small green that is usually played as a par-5, this hole could play a pivotal role in the tournament come Sunday.
No. 17, Par 3
The 17th hole features a 205-yard tee shot to an extremely difficult green to hit that is surrounded by bunkers and a green surface that slopes from back to front in the front of the green, and front to back on the back side of the green. The green is angled from left to right making pin position, club selection, and pinpoint accuracy critical for your tee shot.
No. 18, Par 4
The uphill par-4 finishing hole features a wide fairway that slopes from left to right. The tee shot here will need to avoid the waste areas as well as a prominent bunker on the right side of the fairway. The massive green features a large depression in the middle of it making pin position key here once again. With the famous Pinehurst Clubhouse in the background as well as the statue commemorating Payne Stewart’s epic fist pump celebration of his winning putt here in the 1999 U.S. Open, the setting is perfect for the 2024 U.S. Open to produce another dramatic finish on this famous finishing hole.
Bring home a piece of history
To celebrate this iconic event, FootJoy has put together an exclusive lineup of Limited-Edition products just for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort. To see the entire collection of men’s products, please click here, and for women’s products, please click here.
While we certainly encourage you to look at the entire collection, we have taken the liberty of highlighting a few of our favorite items (click on any of the images if you want to learn more!):
Men’s 2024 U.S. Open Pinecone Print Lisle
This classic polo features FootJoy’s ProDry fabrication and anti-microbial technology that their polos are always known for, as well as a combination of materials to give it a consistently great fit. In addition to featuring the logo for the 2024 U.S. Open on the left chest, the shirt features a pattern of pinecones and a map of North Carolina that further embody this event and would be a perfect gift for any golfer.
Men’s 2024 U.S. Open Script Logo Hoodie
Available in two colorways, this premium quality hoodie features a large special edition logo for the event in the center of the chest. The perfect item to bring with you on the go, this is a great item for any golfer’s closet.
2024 U.S. Open Solid Quarter-Zip Mid-Layer
The subtle details of this quarter-zip from FootJoy really set this item off. With “US Open 2024” integrated into the zipper along with the patterned piping inside the collar, this logoed pullover is easy to throw on and off during your round making it a perfect layering addition to your wardrobe.
2024 U.S. Open Print Block Mid-Layer Women
Featuring the same unique “US Open 2024” zipper as the previously mentioned men’s quarter-zip, this women’s pullover features a solid blue color block along the sleeves and top of the pullover as well as a subtle pattern throughout the lower portion of the garment that will really catch your eye.
Why we love the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort
The video we highlighted earlier in this article of Payne Stewart’s winning moment at this iconic venue highlights so many of the things that we love about this event at this venue. It is America’s Championship at the Home of American Golf…does it get any more romantic than that? And while like most of you we will be glued to our television watching the drama unfold on this incredible course, this special venue reminds us of what happened after Payne made that legendary par putt on the 72nd hole of the 1999 U.S. Open. After enjoying the moment with his caddie, he walked straight over to Phil Mickelson who was famously just about to have a baby with his wife, Amy, grabbed him with both hands on either side of his head, and said “There’s nothing like being a father!”
It was the perfect display of perspective and sportsmanship all in one moment, and it could not have happened at a better venue.
With this year’s event culminating on Father’s Day as it traditionally does, be sure to check out the Limited-Edition items highlighted here from FootJoy to celebrate your dad with the perfect gift. Now, enjoy the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort!