A Pinehurst golf trip centers on Pinehurst Resort’s 11 courses, including No. 2, which only resort guests can play: expect a two-night minimum stay and a green fee of roughly $495 to $695. Add Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Southern Pines and Tobacco Road nearby, and go in spring or fall.
Pinehurst calls itself the Cradle of American Golf, and for once the marketing line is fair. Donald Ross lived here, built No. 2 here, and shaped the way Americans thought about golf architecture for half a century. The U.S. Open has been played on No. 2 four times since 1999, and the USGA has made it the championship’s first “anchor site”, with more Opens scheduled well into the 2040s. The village itself is a Ross-era time capsule of shaded streets, porches and a general store, with a bar called The Deuce overlooking the 18th green of No. 2.
It’s also one of the more confusing golf trips to plan, which is why this page exists. Some courses are open to anyone, some only to resort guests, and some only as part of certain packages. Surcharges apply to the newest and most famous courses. Just down the road, a cluster of Ross courses in Southern Pines that many golfers love as much as the resort is run by entirely separate owners. The resort’s own website can’t tell you which of those to play instead of its own courses. We can.
This guide covers the resort’s courses and how access works, the best courses outside the resort, what a trip really costs, where to stay, when to go and how to fit the rest of North Carolina around it. It’s the hub for our Pinehurst and North Carolina guides, so each section points to a deeper page. Prices were checked in September 2026. Pinehurst prices its golf and rooms dynamically by date, so treat figures as ranges and confirm when you book.
At a glance
- Courses at the resort: 11 numbered 18-hole courses (No. 1 to No. 11), plus The Cradle (a 9-hole short course) and Thistle Dhu (a putting course).
- No. 2: resort guests only, usually with a two-night minimum stay; about $495 to $695 per round depending on season, with caddies extra.
- Packages: typical resort packages include golf on Nos. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9; No. 2 adds a surcharge of about $250, and Nos. 10 and 11 about $125.
- Beyond the resort: Mid Pines (about $150–$250), Pine Needles, Southern Pines Golf Club and Tobacco Road, all within about 40 minutes.
- Best time: April to early June, and mid-September to mid-November.
- Getting there: Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is about 70 miles and 1 hour 15 minutes away; Charlotte (CLT) is about 100 miles and 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Typical cost: about $2,000–$3,500 per golfer for three nights and four rounds including No. 2 and flights; less if you skip No. 2 or stay in Southern Pines.
Is a Pinehurst golf trip worth it?
Yes, if you care about golf history and great classic architecture. Pinehurst offers the best concentration of Donald Ross golf in the world, a walkable old village and a U.S. Open course you can actually play. It’s not cheap, and No. 2 requires a resort stay. Golfers wanting ocean views or nightlife should look elsewhere.
The honest case for Pinehurst rests on three things.
The golf is deep, not just famous. No. 2 gets the headlines, but a trip here can include No. 4 (a Gil Hanse redesign), No. 10 (Tom Doak’s 2024 course on old sand-mining land), The Cradle for a beer-in-hand evening, and Mid Pines and Pine Needles, two of the most charming Ross courses in the country. You can play five different great courses in five days without driving more than 20 minutes.
It’s walkable golf in a walkable town. No. 2 and several other courses are best walked, with a caddie or a push cart, and the village has pubs, restaurants and hotels within a few blocks of the clubhouse. Few American golf destinations feel so much like a golf town.
It’s easy to reach. Raleigh-Durham is a short drive, and so is Charlotte. You don’t need a connecting flight to a small regional airport, as you do for Bandon Dunes.
The case against:
- No. 2 costs a lot and needs a stay. A round there is a significant spend on top of resort rooms, which are priced like a luxury resort in peak season.
- The scenery is subtle. Longleaf pines, sandy waste areas and wiregrass. No ocean, no mountains. Some golfers who come from Pebble Beach expectations are underwhelmed. Most who love architecture are thrilled.
- The greens on No. 2 are brutal. The famous crowned, “turtle-back” greens repel mediocre approach shots, and scoring well is hard. If you’ll be miserable shooting 95, set expectations.
- Evenings are quiet. It’s a village, not a city. The Deuce, the Pinehurst Brewing Company and a few restaurants are the scene.
For golfers comparing bucket-list trips, Pinehurst sits between Pebble Beach (more spectacular and expensive, harder to access) and Bandon Dunes (more remote, more pure golf). Our list of bucket list golf courses puts them side by side.
A short history of Pinehurst, and why it matters for your trip
Knowing a little history makes the golf more fun, and it explains why things are the way they are.
Pinehurst was founded in 1895 by James Walker Tufts, a Boston soda-fountain magnate, as a health resort in the North Carolina Sandhills. Golf came within a few years, and in 1900 Tufts hired a young Scottish professional named Donald Ross. Ross opened No. 2 in 1907 and kept refining it until his death in 1948, while designing hundreds of courses across the country from his base here.
Over the next century Pinehurst became a center of American golf. The North and South Amateur has been played here since 1901, the 1936 PGA Championship and 1951 Ryder Cup came to No. 2, and the U.S. Open arrived in 1999, when Payne Stewart holed the winning putt on the 18th and struck the pose that’s now a statue behind the green. Michael Campbell won in 2005 and Martin Kaymer in 2014, the same year Michelle Wie won the U.S. Women’s Open on the same course the following week. Bryson DeChambeau won the most recent one, in 2024, with a bunker shot and a short putt on the 18th that golfers will be re-creating for decades.
The course you’ll play today owes a lot to Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, who restored No. 2 around 2010 and 2011. They ripped out wall-to-wall rough and brought back the sandy, wiregrass-dotted waste areas Ross intended. That restoration is why No. 2 looks so different from most American championship courses, and why its fairways feel wide until you miss one.
The USGA has since moved one of its main offices to Pinehurst and named No. 2 its first U.S. Open anchor site, with championships scheduled for 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047. For visiting golfers, that means No. 2 will close for weeks around each of those Opens, and interest (and prices) will spike in the years around them.
Pinehurst Resort’s courses: the full list
Pinehurst Resort has 11 numbered 18-hole courses, plus The Cradle and the Thistle Dhu putting course. Here’s how they compare, what each is like, and who can play them.
| Course | Architect(s) | Character | Access | Walking / caddies | Typical cost notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Donald Ross (updated since) | Short, classic, gentle | Resort guests; often open to non-guests | Walking or cart | Among the cheapest on property |
| No. 2 | Donald Ross; restored by Coore & Crenshaw | U.S. Open venue, crowned greens, sandy waste areas | Resort guests only, usually two-night minimum | Walking with caddie or push cart encouraged | About $495–$695; surcharge about $250 on standard packages |
| No. 3 | Donald Ross | Short, quirky, fun | Resort guests; often open to non-guests | Walking or cart | Value round |
| No. 4 | Gil Hanse (2018 redesign) | Wide, sandy, strategic; the resort’s second-best course for many | Resort guests | Walking or cart | Higher tier |
| No. 5 | Ellis Maples | Hilly by Pinehurst standards, water in play | Resort guests; often open to non-guests | Cart | Value round |
| No. 6 | Tom and George Fazio | Parkland, more modern | Resort guests | Cart | Package staple |
| No. 7 | Rees Jones | Wetlands, elevation changes | Resort guests | Cart | Package staple |
| No. 8 | Tom Fazio (1996) | Built for the resort’s centennial, polished | Resort guests | Cart or walking | Package staple; new cottages overlook it |
| No. 9 | Jack Nicklaus | Renovated and reopened in 2026 | Resort guests | Cart | Package staple |
| No. 10 | Tom Doak (opened April 3, 2024) | Big sandy site, old sand mine, dramatic | Resort guests | Walking encouraged | About $125 premium on packages |
| No. 11 | Pinehurst Sandmines | The newest course, next to No. 10 | Resort guests | Walking encouraged | About $125 premium on packages |
| The Cradle | Gil Hanse | 9-hole short course next to the clubhouse | Open to all | Walking | Inexpensive, and unlimited play on some packages |
| Thistle Dhu | Resort | 18-hole putting course | Open to all | Walking | Free or cheap; bring a drink |
A few thoughts the table can’t carry.
No. 2 is the reason most people come, and it deserves it. The greens are the course. They’re crowned, fast and fall away at the edges, so approach shots that land just off the center roll into collection areas, and the short game becomes a series of choices between putter, hybrid, wedge and prayer. You’ll probably score worse than usual and enjoy it anyway. Take a caddie; it’s the only way to know which side of each green to miss on.
No. 4 is the one locals often prefer. Gil Hanse’s 2018 redesign opened up the land, removed trees and added sandy scrub, and it now plays like a close cousin of No. 2 with more forgiving greens.
No. 10 changed what Pinehurst offers. Tom Doak built it on former sand-mining land a few miles from the village, with big elevation changes and dunes-like sand that feel different from anything else here. It opened in April 2024, and No. 11 followed on the neighboring Sandmines land. If you’ve played No. 2 before, those two are the reason to come back.
Nos. 1, 3 and 5 are the value rounds. They’re shorter and simpler, and they’ve historically been open to golfers not staying at the resort. For a first-timer who wants to experience Pinehurst without paying for No. 2, they’re a good start.
The Cradle is the best $65 in golf, or thereabouts. Nine short holes by Gil Hanse, music playing, drinks in hand, all within sight of the clubhouse porch. Play it every evening.
Full course rankings are in Pinehurst courses ranked, and the newest course is covered in Pinehurst No. 10.
How do you play Pinehurst No. 2?
Stay at Pinehurst Resort. No. 2 is reserved for resort guests, usually with a two-night minimum stay, and you book the round through the resort or a package. Expect to pay about $495 to $695 per round depending on season, with a caddie fee and tip on top. Non-guests can’t simply book a tee time.
The details:
- Book a stay at one of the resort’s hotels, the Carolina, the Holly Inn or the Manor, or in resort villas or cottages. Resort lodging is what gives you access.
- Choose a package that includes No. 2, or add it. Many standard packages include rounds on Nos. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with No. 2 available for a surcharge of about $250 per round.
- Book early. Spring and fall weekends fill months ahead. The resort’s pricing is dynamic, so the same room and round can cost noticeably more in April than in July.
- Take a caddie, or at least a forecaddie for the group. The fee is paid to the resort, and a tip on top is customary. A Pinehurst caddie quoted by The Caddie Network suggested at least $50 per bag for a single loop, though many golfers tip more for a good caddie at a course like No. 2.
- Consider a second round. Replays on No. 2 on the same trip have historically been cheaper than the first round, and on a longer trip it’s the best way to learn those greens.
If No. 2 is out of budget, you still get a great Pinehurst trip from No. 4, No. 10, The Cradle and the Southern Pines courses, and you can walk out to watch groups finish on No. 2 from The Deuce. We cover access rules and ways to save in the Pinehurst No. 2 green fee guide.
The best golf courses near Pinehurst
A lot of golfers who visit Pinehurst end up saying their favorite round was somewhere else. The Sandhills around the resort are full of excellent golf, much of it by Donald Ross and much of it cheaper and easier to book.
| Course | Location | Architect | Why play it | Typical 2026 cost | Distance from Pinehurst village |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Pines | Southern Pines | Donald Ross (1921), restored by Kyle Franz | Pure, playable Ross; lovely old inn | About $150–$250 | About 15 minutes |
| Pine Needles | Southern Pines | Donald Ross (1927) | Four-time U.S. Women’s Open host; the Peggy Kirk Bell legacy | Higher than Mid Pines; check rates | About 15 minutes |
| Southern Pines Golf Club | Southern Pines | Donald Ross, restored by Kyle Franz | Hilly, sandy, fun, and very good value | Moderate | About 15 minutes |
| Tobacco Road | Sanford | Mike Strantz (1998) | Wild, blind, sandy and unforgettable | Moderate to high; check rates | About 40 minutes |
| Talamore | Southern Pines | Rees Jones | Good, affordable resort-style round | Moderate | About 15 minutes |
| Pinewild, Legacy, Longleaf and others | Around the Sandhills | Various | Budget options and replay rounds | Lower | 10–25 minutes |
Mid Pines and Pine Needles sit across the road from each other in Southern Pines and share ownership. Mid Pines is the one golf architecture fans rave about: Kyle Franz’s restoration brought back sandy scrub and firm turf, and it’s one of the best-value classic courses in America. Pine Needles has hosted the U.S. Women’s Open four times (1996, 2001, 2007 and 2022) and was long run by Peggy Kirk Bell, a founding figure in women’s golf. Both have lodging, and a stay-and-play at the Mid Pines Inn is a lovely alternative to the resort.
Southern Pines Golf Club is the sleeper. Another Ross course restored by Kyle Franz, with more elevation than most Sandhills layouts, and priced well below the resort’s courses.
Tobacco Road in Sanford is completely different. Mike Strantz, who also designed Caledonia and True Blue in Myrtle Beach, built it on an old sand quarry and tobacco farm, and it’s full of blind shots, giant sandy walls and greens hidden behind hills. Some golfers think it’s a masterpiece and some think it’s a joke that went too far. Everyone agrees they’ve never played anything like it. It’s about 40 minutes from Pinehurst, and it offers its own stay-and-play packages, plus a new 12-hole short course called The Matchbox.
A good compromise trip plays No. 2 once, No. 4 or No. 10 once, and then Mid Pines, Southern Pines or Tobacco Road for the rest. Our golf courses near Pinehurst guide ranks the rest of the Sandhills, and our Tobacco Road Golf Club guide covers the course and its packages.
How much does a Pinehurst golf trip cost?
A three-night, four-round trip with one round on No. 2 and a stay at the resort typically costs about $2,000 to $3,500 per golfer including flights, caddies and meals. Skip No. 2 and stay in Southern Pines, and the same trip can cost closer to $1,200 to $2,000.
Here’s how that breaks down per golfer, sharing a room, for a spring trip.
| Line item | Resort trip with No. 2 | Sandhills value trip | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights to RDU or CLT | $250–$500 | $250–$500 | Origin, season, how early you book |
| Lodging, 3 nights, shared room | $600–$1,200 (resort hotel or villa) | $300–$600 (Southern Pines inn or rental) | Season, room type, dynamic pricing |
| Golf, 4 rounds | $900–$1,500 (No. 2 plus three resort courses, with No. 2 surcharge) | $500–$800 (Mid Pines, Southern Pines, Tobacco Road, a resort value course) | Which courses, replay rounds |
| Caddies and tips | $150–$300 | $0–$100 | Caddie on No. 2 is the main cost |
| Rental car, shared | $50–$100 | $50–$100 | Car size, trip length |
| Food and drink | $250–$450 | $200–$350 | Resort dining vs village pubs |
| Total per golfer | About $2,200–$4,050 | About $1,300–$2,450 |
The resort’s packages bundle lodging, golf and sometimes breakfast into one price, which is often better value than booking each piece separately. Look at the package page for your dates first, then compare with booking rooms and golf directly.
The detailed breakdown with examples for a couples trip and a group of eight is in how much a Pinehurst golf trip costs. For how Pinehurst compares with other resort trips, see the best golf resorts in the US.
Pinehurst golf packages: what to look for
Pinehurst sells a rotating set of packages, and the names change from year to year. They usually fall into a few types:
- Standard golf packages. A room, daily breakfast and golf on the resort’s included courses (typically Nos. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9), with No. 2 and the newest courses available for a surcharge.
- Premium packages. Include one round on No. 2, or on No. 4 or No. 10, with better rooms and more inclusions.
- Cottage and group packages. The resort’s newer multi-bedroom cottages overlooking No. 8 (four and eight bedrooms, with shared fire pits and a private putting green) are designed for buddies trips.
- Golf school packages. The Pinehurst Golf Academy’s Weekend School runs Thursday to Sunday with three instruction days and four rounds, with 2026 pricing from about $2,635 to $5,206 per person including lodging and meals. Every 2026 weekend session sold out, so book early if that’s your plan.
- Seasonal offers. Summer and winter deals, sometimes with lower No. 2 surcharges.
What to check before you book:
- Exactly which courses are included, and what the surcharge is for the ones that aren’t.
- Minimum stay and arrival days. Some packages require specific arrival days in peak season.
- Whether caddie fees and tips are included. Usually not.
- Cancellation terms. Deposits and cancellation windows are stricter in peak season.
- Whether taxes and resort fees are included in the quoted price.
Our Pinehurst golf packages guide compares current packages and the questions to ask. If a golf school is the goal, see golf school vacations for how Pinehurst’s academy compares with the rest.
Where to stay for a Pinehurst golf trip
There are three broad choices, and the right one depends on whether you want No. 2 access and how much you want to spend.
Pinehurst Resort. The only way to play No. 2 and the most convenient base for the resort’s other courses.
- The Carolina Hotel. The grand, 1901-era main hotel with a long porch, a spa and the most amenities. The classic choice.
- The Holly Inn. The resort’s original 1895 hotel, smaller and right in the village, with the excellent 1895 Grille and the Tavern.
- The Manor. A smaller, simpler inn, often the least expensive resort hotel and walking distance to the clubhouse and village.
- Villas, condos and cottages. Better for groups. The newer cottages at No. 8 are built for four or eight golfers.
The Village of Pinehurst and Southern Pines. The Pine Crest Inn, once owned by Donald Ross, is a golfers’ institution with a lively bar. Mid Pines Inn and Pine Needles Lodge offer stay-and-play packages at their own courses. Southern Pines has a walkable downtown along the railroad tracks, with good restaurants and breweries.
Rental houses. Golf-town rentals are plentiful in Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Whispering Pines, and for groups of eight or more a rental house is often the best value. You won’t have No. 2 access, but you’ll have everything else.
Our where to stay in Pinehurst guide compares the hotels and neighborhoods in detail.
When is the best time for a Pinehurst golf trip?
April to early June and mid-September to mid-November are the best times, with warm days, cool evenings and firm conditions. They’re also the busiest and most expensive. Summer is hot and humid but cheaper, and winter is mild and quiet, with the lowest prices but dormant turf.
Month by month:
- March. Spring starts, with highs in the 60s°F. Good value, sometimes cool and windy, and the grass is still waking up.
- April and May. Peak season. Azaleas and dogwoods bloom, highs are in the 70s and low 80s°F, and the courses are firm and fast. Book months ahead.
- June. Warmer, into the high 80s°F, and humid by afternoon. Still a good month if you play early.
- July and August. Hot and humid, with highs around 90°F and afternoon thunderstorms. The lowest prices of the golf season. Tee off early and spend afternoons at the pool.
- September. Still warm early in the month, improving fast. A good shoulder-season month.
- October and early November. Arguably the best time of year: dry, warm days, cool mornings and firm courses. Also peak pricing.
- December to February. Quiet and cheap, with highs typically in the 50s°F. The Bermuda grass on many courses goes dormant and brown, but it still plays well, and the resort offers winter deals.
A note on U.S. Open years. No. 2 closes to resort guests for an extended period around each championship, and 2029 will be the next one. Check blackout dates before booking a trip in the spring of an Open year.
Getting to Pinehurst and getting around
Flying. Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) is the closest major airport, about 70 miles and 1 hour 15 minutes away, with nonstop flights from most big US hubs. Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 100 miles and 1 hour 45 minutes, is American Airlines’ hub and often has cheaper or more frequent flights. Moore County Airport, a few miles from the village, handles private aviation. Fayetteville (FAY) is closer than RDU but has limited service.
Driving. Pinehurst is a realistic drive from much of the East Coast: about 2 hours from Wilmington, around 3.5 to 4 hours from Richmond or Myrtle Beach, and 6 to 8 hours from Atlanta or Washington, DC.
Getting around. You’ll need a car to play courses outside the resort, and a large SUV or minivan if there are four of you with golf bags. The resort runs shuttles between its hotels and clubhouse, and the village is walkable. Rideshares exist but can be slow in the evenings.
Clubs. Pinehurst is used to receiving shipped golf bags, and resorts handle them routinely. Our flying with golf clubs guide explains when shipping beats flying.
A sample four-day Pinehurst golf itinerary
Here’s how a good first Pinehurst trip might run for a group of four staying at the resort. It plays No. 2 once, samples the newest and most-loved courses, and saves an afternoon for The Cradle.
- Day 1 (arrival). Fly into RDU by midday, drive down, check in. Hit balls at the resort’s practice facility, play Thistle Dhu or The Cradle before dinner, and eat at the Pine Crest Inn.
- Day 2 (No. 2). Morning round on No. 2 with a caddie. Lunch on the clubhouse porch, then a quiet afternoon, and drinks at The Deuce watching groups finish on the 18th.
- Day 3 (the new courses). Morning round on No. 10, then an afternoon nine at The Cradle. Dinner at the 1895 Grille in the Holly Inn.
- Day 4 (outside the gates). Morning round at Mid Pines or Southern Pines Golf Club. Lunch in downtown Southern Pines.
- Day 5 (departure). Early round on No. 4, or Tobacco Road on the way to RDU (it’s on the route), then fly home.
For groups who can’t stay at the resort, swap No. 2 for No. 1 or No. 3 (if open to non-guests on your dates), and base in Southern Pines. A good non-resort version runs Mid Pines on day two, Tobacco Road on day three, Southern Pines Golf Club and Pine Needles on day four, and an evening at The Cradle, which is open to everyone, on any night. It costs much less, and many golfers who have done both versions say they enjoyed the non-resort trip just as much. You can always walk up to The Deuce for a drink overlooking No. 2’s 18th green and plan the resort trip for next year.
North Carolina golf beyond Pinehurst
Pinehurst is the headline, but North Carolina has three other golf regions worth knowing about if you’re building a longer trip or coming back.
The mountains. Western North Carolina has cool summer golf with big views. The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville has a Donald Ross course, and the Blue Ridge Mountains around Boone, Blowing Rock and Highlands are home to many excellent private clubs and a smaller number of resorts. Summer highs in the 70s°F make it an ideal escape when the Sandhills are hot. It’s about 3.5 to 4 hours’ drive from Pinehurst to Asheville. See North Carolina mountain golf.
The coast. Brunswick County, in the far southeast corner of the state, is effectively the northern end of the Myrtle Beach golf market, with dozens of resort and public courses around Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle and Calabash. Wilmington and the Outer Banks have good golf too.
The Piedmont. Charlotte, Greensboro and the Triangle have strong public golf and several PGA Tour venues. Quail Hollow in Charlotte hosted the 2025 PGA Championship, but it’s a private club. Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, a Donald Ross design, hosts the Wyndham Championship.
Many golfers combine Pinehurst with Myrtle Beach, about four hours away, for a longer Carolina golf trip.
Things to do in Pinehurst when you’re not playing
Pinehurst is a golf town, but non-golfers and golfers on a day off will find plenty to do.
- Walk the village. The Village of Pinehurst’s shaded streets, shops and cottages are a National Historic Landmark district.
- The Tufts Archives, in the village library, hold a collection of Pinehurst and Donald Ross history, including Ross’s own drawings.
- Putt at Thistle Dhu. Free-spirited, beautifully kept and more competitive than you’d expect after dinner.
- The Spa at Pinehurst. One of the better resort spas in the Southeast.
- Downtown Southern Pines. Shops, restaurants and breweries around the railroad tracks.
- Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve. Longleaf pine forest trails, and a chance to understand the landscape the courses are built on.
- Horse country. The Sandhills have a long equestrian tradition, with the Pinehurst Harness Track in the village and horse shows through the year.
- USGA Golf House Pinehurst. The USGA’s campus beside the resort, with exhibits on the U.S. Open and golf history; check what’s open to visitors before you go.
More ideas in things to do in Pinehurst.
Pinehurst vs Pebble Beach vs Bandon Dunes
These are the three American golf trips people argue about most, and they suit different golfers. Here’s how they compare in practice.
| Pinehurst | Pebble Beach | Bandon Dunes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature course | No. 2 (resort guests only) | Pebble Beach Golf Links (guest priority; non-guests mainly close to the date) | Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Old Macdonald and more |
| Headline green fee (2026) | About $495–$695 | $695 (April 2026 to March 2027) | $130–$375 for resort guests by season |
| Minimum stay for the best access | Usually 2 nights | 2 nights (3 nights Thursday to Sunday in fall) | None required, but guests book first |
| Number of courses | 11 plus The Cradle | Four resort courses on the peninsula | Five 18-hole courses plus two short courses |
| How you play | Walk or ride; caddies on No. 2 | Carts or caddies | Walking only, caddies available |
| Getting there | 1–2 hours from RDU or CLT | About 2 hours from SFO or SJC | Small regional airport or a long drive |
| Off-course | A village, quiet evenings | Carmel and Monterey | Almost nothing, by design |
| Best for | Architecture lovers, history, groups who like to walk and drink at a village bar | A once-in-a-lifetime round with ocean views | Pure golf trips with friends |
Our view: Pinehurst is the best first bucket-list trip for most American golfers because it’s easy to reach, has the most variety at different price levels, and still gets you on a U.S. Open course. Pebble is the most spectacular single round. Bandon is the best pure golf trip. For a deeper comparison of America’s top resorts, see the best golf resorts in the US.
Caddies, walking and pace at Pinehurst
Pinehurst is one of the few American resorts where walking is the normal way to play its best courses, and it’s the right way to experience No. 2.
Caddies. Pinehurst has a large caddie program, and caddies are available on No. 2, No. 4, No. 10 and No. 11 in particular. You can take a single caddie per golfer, a double bag (one caddie carrying two bags) or a forecaddie who walks ahead of the group, reads putts and finds balls while the group uses push carts. The caddie fee is charged by the resort, and the tip is paid in cash to the caddie at the end. As a rough guide, one Pinehurst caddie quoted by The Caddie Network suggested at least $50 per bag for a single loop and $30 per bag for a double. Many golfers tip more at No. 2, especially for a caddie who saved them five shots on the greens.
Push carts. Available at most resort courses and at Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Southern Pines. On a hot summer day, a push cart makes 18 holes on foot far more comfortable than carrying.
Riding. Carts are available on most resort courses. On No. 2, walking is strongly encouraged, and the course is noticeably better on foot.
Pace. Pinehurst courses aim for rounds of around four and a half hours. On No. 2, with its tricky greens, rounds can run longer, so don’t book a tee time right before dinner reservations.
Dress. The resort expects collared shirts and golf attire on its courses. Shorts are fine, and denim is not.
Pinehurst trip mistakes to avoid
- Assuming you can book No. 2 without staying. You can’t. Plan the stay first.
- Playing No. 2 on arrival day. You’ve paid a lot for it. Play it rested, and preferably after a practice round somewhere else.
- Skipping a caddie on No. 2. The greens make local knowledge unusually valuable.
- Ignoring the courses outside the gates. Mid Pines, Southern Pines and Tobacco Road are all trip highlights for many golfers.
- Booking in summer without checking the heat. July in the Sandhills regularly reaches 90°F with high humidity.
- Forgetting U.S. Open closures. In 2029 and the years around future Opens, check No. 2 availability early.
- Not reading package inclusions. A cheap package that excludes No. 2, No. 4 and No. 10 is cheap for a reason.
- Bringing a cart-only mindset. Pinehurst is best walked. Pack comfortable shoes and use push carts or caddies.
Every guide to Pinehurst and North Carolina golf
This page is the hub. Each guide below goes deeper on one part of a Pinehurst or North Carolina golf trip.
Planning a Pinehurst trip
- Pinehurst golf packages
- How much a Pinehurst golf trip costs
- Where to stay in Pinehurst
- Things to do in Pinehurst
The courses
- Pinehurst No. 2 green fee and access
- Pinehurst courses ranked
- Pinehurst No. 10
- Golf courses near Pinehurst
- Tobacco Road Golf Club
Beyond the Sandhills
- North Carolina mountain golf
Frequently asked questions
Can you play Pinehurst No. 2 without staying at the resort?
No. Pinehurst No. 2 is reserved for guests of Pinehurst Resort, usually with a two-night minimum stay. Non-guests can play some of the resort’s other courses on certain dates, plus The Cradle and Thistle Dhu, and can play Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Southern Pines and Tobacco Road nearby.
How much does it cost to play Pinehurst No. 2?
Around $495 to $695 per round in 2026, depending on season, according to published guides, with a caddie fee and tip extra. On standard resort packages that don’t include No. 2, the surcharge to add a round is about $250. Replay rounds have historically cost less.
How many golf courses are at Pinehurst Resort?
Eleven numbered 18-hole courses, No. 1 through No. 11, plus The Cradle, a 9-hole short course, and Thistle Dhu, an 18-hole putting course. No. 10 opened in 2024 and No. 11 followed on the neighboring Sandmines property.
What is the best time of year to golf in Pinehurst?
April, May and October are the best months for weather and course conditions, and the most expensive. Summer is hot and humid but cheaper, and winter is mild, quiet and the lowest-priced season.
Is Pinehurst walking only?
No, but walking is encouraged, especially on No. 2, No. 4, No. 10 and No. 11, and caddies and push carts are available. Most other resort courses offer carts. Walking No. 2 with a caddie is how most golfers recommend playing it.
What are the best golf courses near Pinehurst?
Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Southern Pines Golf Club, all Donald Ross designs in Southern Pines, are the most popular. Tobacco Road in Sanford, a Mike Strantz design, is about 40 minutes away and completely different in style.
What airport do you fly into for Pinehurst?
Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), about 70 miles and 1 hour 15 minutes away, is the usual choice. Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 100 miles away, often has more flights and sometimes cheaper fares.
Is Pinehurst good for a buddies golf trip?
Yes. Groups of four to eight can play No. 2 once, then mix No. 4, No. 10, The Cradle and the Southern Pines courses. The resort’s multi-bedroom cottages at No. 8 are built for groups, and rental houses in Southern Pines are a cheaper option without No. 2 access.
Do you need a caddie at Pinehurst No. 2?
A caddie isn’t strictly required, but most golfers take one, or a forecaddie for the group. No. 2’s crowned greens punish approach shots missed on the wrong side, and a caddie’s advice on where to aim saves strokes. Budget for the resort’s caddie fee plus a cash tip of $50 or more per bag.
Is Pinehurst family friendly?
Yes. The Cradle, Thistle Dhu, the pools and the walkable village suit families, and the Pinehurst Golf Academy runs parent-and-child and junior schools. The resort’s hotels welcome children, and Southern Pines has restaurants and parks within 15 minutes.
When is the next U.S. Open at Pinehurst?
The next U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 is scheduled for 2029, followed by 2035, 2041 and 2047, as part of the USGA’s anchor-site arrangement. No. 2 closes to resort guests for an extended period around each championship.
Sources
Primary sources and official pages, checked September 2026 unless noted.
- Pinehurst Resort, golf packages: pinehurst.com
- Pinehurst Resort, No. 10 opening announcement: pinehurst.com
- Pinehurst Golf Academy, Weekend School 2026: pinehurst.com
- Tobacco Road Golf Club: tobaccoroadgolf.com
- USGA, future U.S. Open sites: usopen.com
- Also consulted: GOLF.com on the cost of playing every Pinehurst course; The Birdie Report’s 2026 Pinehurst course guide (No. 2 and Mid Pines rate ranges); The Caddie Network on caddie tipping (2019); search-result summaries of Pinehurst’s package pages (No. 9 reopening, No. 10 and No. 11 premiums, Cottages at No. 8), September 2026.
Image credits
| Image | Credit and license |
|---|---|
| TobaccoRd 16 (featured) | Photo by Joe Gay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Pinehurst No. 2 sign | Photo by Zhans33, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Postcard depicting the Carolina Hotel; Pinehurst, NC c. 1910 – PhC 205 4 062 | Photo by State Archives of North Carolina, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| MidPines, Southern Pines, North Carolina (2575102085) | Photo by Dan Perry from Atlanta, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Mystic Cottage (Pinehurst, North Carolina) 001 | Photo by Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. |
| Bank of Pinehurst in the 1920s | Photo by Pryor Emerson Humphrey, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons. |