The Best Golf Courses in Pinehurst for a Buddies Trip (Ranked)

1. 1

   Pinehurst No. 2

   Pinehurst Resort · Bucket-list

   Donald Ross’s masterpiece and host of the U.S. Open in 1999, 2005, 2014, and 2024 — a designated anchor site going forward. The famous crowned, turtleback greens repel anything but a perfect shot. Restored by Coore & Crenshaw to its natural, sandy, wiregrass character. Play it with a caddie.

2. 2

   Tobacco Road

   Sanford (~30 min) · Cult favorite

   Mike Strantz’s wild, blind-shot thrill ride through old sand quarries — towering dunes, hidden greens, and shots you’ll talk about for years. Utterly polarizing and utterly unforgettable. The perfect foil to No. 2’s restraint.

3. 3

   Pinehurst No. 10

   Pinehurst Resort · Newest

   A Tom Doak design opened in 2024 on rolling, sandy land a few minutes from the main resort. Instantly acclaimed — big, natural, and a thrilling modern counterpoint to the classics.

4. 4

   Mid Pines

   Southern Pines · Ross classic

   A 1921 Donald Ross gem, beautifully restored, that walks in about three hours and charms everyone who plays it. Brilliant value and many a group’s sleeper favorite of the trip.

5. 5

   Pinehurst No. 4

   Pinehurst Resort · Modern Ross-land

   Gil Hanse’s 2018 redesign reintroduced bold sandy scrub and rugged bunkering — a muscular, modern complement to No. 2 right next door. A great warm-up or second resort round.

6. 6

   Pine Needles

   Southern Pines · Championship

   Another Donald Ross classic and a repeat U.S. Women’s Open host, sister property to Mid Pines. Stately, fair, and walkable — a championship pedigree without the championship stress.

7. 7

   Southern Pines Golf Club

   Southern Pines · Restored Ross

   A rollicking, hilly Ross layout sympathetically restored by Kyle Franz. Tremendous fun, excellent value, and a reminder of just how much great golf is packed into these few square miles.

8. 8

   The Cradle

   Pinehurst Resort · Short course

   A 9-hole Gil Hanse short course and the most pure fun on the property — music playing, drinks flowing, everyone hitting wedges and laughing. Non-negotiable on any group trip.

Pinehurst gives you a rare combination: a true U.S. Open course you can actually play, surrounded by a density of classic golf you won’t find anywhere else in America. The ranking below weighs the experience, the history, the conditioning, and how much fun a group of mixed handicaps will have — balancing the must-play reverence of No. 2 with the sheer joy of the Cradle and Tobacco Road.

A note on the ranking: this is for buddies trips, weighting courses that are memorable, group-friendly, and accessible (most here are, via resort and public play). A few strong private clubs in the area are left off because you can’t simply book a tee time.

How to sequence them

1. Ease in. Open on a resort course like No. 4, or the brilliant, low-key Mid Pines, to settle the group after travel.
2. Adventure. Take the short drive to Tobacco Road for the wildest round of the trip.
3. Peak. Make No. 2 your centerpiece — mid-trip, with caddies, when everyone’s dialed in.
4. Relax (and always). The Cradle isn’t a round you schedule around; it’s the thing you keep coming back to. Build in an evening loop with beers.

A word on cost

No. 2 is a premium, peak-priced round, and Pinehurst’s spring and fall seasons are its dearest. Resort stay-and-play packages can bundle rooms, rounds, and caddies efficiently. That mix is exactly why we don’t publish package prices — we build each trip backwards from your budget, spending on the bucket-list round and finding value on the (genuinely excellent) supporting cast.

Want this sequenced, booked, and confirmed — caddies and all — without the spreadsheet? Tell us about your group.

Frequently asked

What is the best golf course in Pinehurst?

Pinehurst No. 2, Donald Ross’s masterpiece and a U.S. Open anchor site, is the headline round. For a completely different, wilder experience, Tobacco Road nearby is the cult favorite — many groups consider it the most memorable round of the trip.

Can you play Pinehurst No. 2 without staying at the resort?

Tee times are easiest and most reliable as a resort stay-and-play guest; public access is limited, especially in peak season. We handle securing No. 2 in the right window, ideally with caddies.

How many golf courses are in Pinehurst?

Pinehurst Resort has 10 courses (No. 1 through No. 10) plus the Cradle short course and the Thistle Dhu putting green. The surrounding Sandhills add standouts like Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Southern Pines, and Tobacco Road.

Is Pinehurst walkable golf?

Yes — Pinehurst is a walking-golf stronghold with caddies widely available, especially on No. 2. Many of the Ross courses (Mid Pines, Pine Needles) are pleasant, natural walks, and the Village itself is walkable to dinner.