The reason most golfers go to Pinehurst Resort is to play the famous course, Pinehurst #2 – home to so many USGA championships including the back-to-back US Open and US Women’s Open in 2014. Pinehurst #2 will also host the 2024 US Open.

I was excited to play but had mixed feelings because of the comments golfers made to me prior to my trip – “Get ready to get beat up,” “You will three and four putt many greens (because a good putt will roll off the green),” and my favorite comment when I said I was going to Pinehurst – “Great, just don’t play #2.” Of course, all these comments paid off because it made me really work on my game all summer to be ready for the challenge. And I am really glad I worked incredibly hard because I really enjoyed myself all week.

I only had one par on Pinehurst #2 at Hole 13, (Par 4, 278 yard) and almost parred Hole 1 (Par 4, 340 yards). I really should have parred it but I left an eight foot putt on the lip of the cup (the theme of my game at Pinehurst). I was also thrilled I had a string of one-putts on consecutive holes (10, 11, and 13) and I’m proud to report only two three-putts.

Below are the yardage book images for Hole 13 and Hole 1.

We teed off at 8:10 am and it was cold but we were walking so we warmed up quickly. We had a caddie, Chris and he was excellent. A good caddie makes such a difference (the caddie we had on #4 did not enhance the experience while Chris really added to the round on #2).

I will say one of my favorite things was walking the course. It was very pretty, an easy walk (because it is fairly flat, with only a few elevations at the greens). I just felt very relaxed (which probably help my game). The biggest challenge was the length – I basically felt like I was hitting my drive and three wood on every hole (unlike #8 where I used a variety of clubs in my bag). It kind of became a joke with Chris on Par 4s – what club? let me guess, a 3-wood.

The funniest thing on the course was the squirrel (very aggressive little guy) – he went right for our golf bags while we were waiting to tee off on the 15th hole. Chris said he has actually seen squirrels rip open a golf bag. I gave Chris a cracker and the squirrel actually “begged” so Chris gave the squirrel a piece of his cracker. Click on an image in the gallery to enlarge the photos.

As the second group off we were playing fast (which was refreshing since our other rounds were all more than five hours long). But Chris told us at the turn it would slow down because they were sending groups off the 10th hole. So sure enough we waited on many holes on the back nine. I took a video at “the turn” you can watch which begins with a view of the 11th hole then I pan to the “halfway house” then to hole 9, then you see Chris and Donna, and then hole 10.

The only time I got frustrated was on the 18th hole. I hit a beautiful drive and a perfect 3-wood. On my approach shot Chris told me to carry it 120 yards. I said “are you sure? It doesn’t look that far?” He replied “yes” I hit my 120 club perfectly OVER the green, onto the cart path between the hole and the veranda of “The Deuce” bar and grill. So I went from a possible par to a bogey on my last hole at Pinehurst. I was very disappointed in the moment but as we all say, “That’s golf!”

Final thoughts on my game at Pinehurst #2 – I walked away thrilled that I enjoyed my experience playing Pinehurst #2. Total Score was a 99 with 53 on the front nine and 46 on the back nine (a respectable score considering a slope of 133). I was happy to make at least one par and very proud to have only had two three-putts. I had a string of double bogies (holes 2-5) but Chris our caddie said the first six holes at Pinehurst #2 play the hardest so that neutralized any feelings of “I should have played those holes better.” Overall, I loved playing the challenge of Pinehurst #2 and relieved I avoided the prediction of getting “beat up.”

More Photos from our lovely walk playing Pinehurst #2