How to Play Pinehurst No. 2: Taming Donald Ross's Crowned Greens

Pinehurst No. 2 is the kind of course that looks gentle and plays like a chess match. There's no ocean, no island green and very little water. Instead, Donald Ross built a test around the greens: domed, turtleback putting surfaces that shed weak shots into tightly mown hollows, sandy waste and wiregrass. Approach shots that land a few paces off target roll away, and the real challenge begins from there.

The course is a true American classic, host of multiple U.S. Opens, including back-to-back men's and women's championships in 2014 and the 2024 U.S. Open. In 2011, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw led a restoration that stripped out roughly 35 acres of turf, eliminated hundreds of irrigation heads and planted over 200,000 wiregrass plants, returning the sandy, rugged look of Ross's era. Golfers who love thinking around the greens, creative chipping and a classic walk through the pines will be in heaven. Golfers who rely on flop shots and soft greens may have a long afternoon.

Before you go

• Book through the resort. No. 2 is part of Pinehurst Resort, and staying on property is the most reliable route to a tee time, especially in spring and fall.
• Walk it if you can. You can walk with a caddie or carry your own bag, and the course flows beautifully on foot. Carts are restricted to the paths, which means a lot of back-and-forth. A caddie's knowledge of the greens is worth every penny.
• Pick the right tees. The championship tees were extended significantly during the restoration. Play the set that leaves mid-irons into most par 4s; long-iron approaches to crowned greens are no fun.
• Know the seasons. Spring and fall are prime time in the North Carolina Sandhills. Summer can be hot and humid, so book early or late in the day.
• Warm up your short game. Spend more time on the chipping green than on the range before your round. You'll need it.

Hole-by-hole strategy

The big picture: playing to crowned greens

Before we get to specific holes, understand the core principle. Most greens on No. 2 are raised and rounded, with the edges falling off into short grass. That means the "green" you can actually hold is much smaller than the putting surface you see. Aim at the middle of the green on almost every approach, and pay attention to where the falloff is steepest; that's the side you can't miss on. A ball that finishes 20 feet from the hole on the green is a good shot. A ball that finishes 8 feet from the hole but rolls off the edge may leave you a tricky up-and-down.

Holes 1–3: A gentle handshake

The opener is a mid-length par 4 with a generous fairway and sandy, wiregrass areas framing the sides. Put the ball in the fairway and play to the middle of the green. The 2nd is a longer, tougher par 4 where the green is well protected; a miss short and in the fairway is the right one. The 3rd is a short par 4, a hole where you're tempted to get aggressive. Instead, place your tee shot to give you a full wedge, since a partial wedge to a crowned green is one of the hardest shots in golf.

Holes 4–9: Ross's sandy middle

Through this stretch, the restored sand and wiregrass come into play more. Lies in the native areas are unpredictable, from clean sand to a ball nestled against a wiregrass clump. The rule is simple: get it back into play first. The 6th and 9th are par 3s where the safe target is the front-center of the green. Long misses tend to roll away and leave delicate chips coming back across the crown. Through the middle holes, accept bogeys gracefully; there's plenty of course left.

Holes 10–14: The long stretch

The 10th is the longest hole on the course, a big par 5 where three solid shots are the plan. Place the layup where you'll have your favorite full wedge into the green. The 11th was a favorite of Ben Hogan and was restored to give it back some of its strategic character; favor the side of the fairway that gives you the straightest angle into the green. Holes 12 through 14 are solid two-shot holes. Keep the ball in play off the tee, and use the ground: on many approaches, a lower shot that lands short and bounces up is more reliable than a high iron that lands near the flag and rolls through.

Holes 15–18: The finishing test

The 15th and 17th are the par 3s on the closing stretch, and both feature greens that reject anything weak or too bold. On each, take enough club to reach the middle, and remember that a ball just off the front is far better than one over the back. The 16th is a long, demanding hole where a good drive is essential. The 18th is a strong par 4 home, rising toward the clubhouse and the famous statue of Payne Stewart celebrating his 1999 U.S. Open win. Aim the drive down the center, then play to the middle of the green and leave yourself a putt you can lag. Make your par, and shake hands with a smile.

Scoring tips for mid-handicappers

• Putt from off the green. The closely mown runoffs make the putter your most reliable club from just off the edge. Even from 20 or 30 feet off, a firm putt usually beats a pitch.
• Try the hybrid chip. When the putter won't work, a bump with a hybrid or 7-iron gets the ball rolling quickly and is far more forgiving than a lofted wedge from a tight lie.
• Aim at the middle of every green. Pin-seeking on crowned greens often ends with the ball rolling off the far side. Middle-of-the-green targets dramatically reduce big numbers.
• Escape the native areas sensibly. From sand and wiregrass, take a club that guarantees you get back to short grass. Don't chase the green from a sketchy lie.
• Play for bogey on the hardest holes. Two-putt bogeys on the toughest par 4s keep the scorecard clean and your head in the game.
• Lag carefully. On crowned greens, putts that miss can run several feet past, or off the green entirely. Prioritize speed over line on long putts.

Pinehurst No. 2 is a masterclass in the short game. Hit to the middle, embrace the putter around the greens and stay patient through the sandy stretches, and you'll understand why so many golfers call it Donald Ross's masterpiece.