Pinehurst No. 4's Scottish influence can be seen in the many bunkers. (Tim McDonald/WorldGolf.com)

Pinehurst No. 4: Measure your game against the masters of design

By Tim McDonald,
Contributor

PINEHURST, N.C. - Pinehurst Resort is like a living museum, and they don't let just anyone fool around with the exhibits.

The No. 4 course at Pinehurst was designed by the original master, Donald Ross, back in 1919; redesigns were carried out by Robert Trent Jones in 1973 and Rees Jones in 1982.

These are heavyweights in the course-design pantheon, and when it came time for yet another update, Pinehurst turned to a contemporary all-star, Tom Fazio.

Fazio's mission was to create a modern golf experience in a historical setting at the core of the old resort, and to give golfers a play that stacked up to Ross' famed No. 2. He did that by brushing the course with a Scottish influence and crowning the greens, the element many say makes No. 2 the ultimate golfing challenge.

The Scottish influence is obvious: More than 140 pot bunkers are scattered throughout the classic, rolling Sandhills terrain, all there for strategy rather than show, guarding greens and doglegs and catching wayward tee shots.

Add the bowl-shaped greens that reject any approach shot long, short, wide or otherwise errant and you have a considerable challenge. For those not enjoying a day of precision, No. 4 can be maddening, as well as confusing.

"There's no little trouble out here, only big," said Jim Murphy, a New Jersey golfer who returns again and again to Pinehurst. "The first time I played it I thought Pete Dye designed it, I swear to God."

No. 4 has another distinction, being perhaps the most scenic of the resort's eight courses. It is an absolutely lovely walk, with a five-acre lake dominating the layout The course uses the water to near perfection, especially at the 13th and 14th. No. 4 has the region's characteristic wire grass as well as longleaf pines, hollies, magnolias, dogwoods and azaleas. The elevation changes around the course ensure you get the big pictures.

"I think this is the prettiest course at Pinehurst," said Murphy, who has played them all many times.

The verdict

The scheduled site of the 2008 U.S. Amateur, No. 4 is a beautiful course that can be treacherous, with nasty bunkering, crowned greens and more than a few trouble spots that can't be seen. At 7,117 yards from the back tees, it demands both length and accuracy if you want any chance of leaving with a good score.

Any number of holes that will stick with you. The 13th is a fairly short par 5 with a waste area to the left and a lake that sits between you and the green, which sits at a 45-degree angle to the end of the fairway. You can go for it in two over the water or play safe to the middle.

All the par 3s are picturesque and most are downhill, offering great views. The closing hole, a 456-yard par 4 with waste areas near the hole that nearly meet in the middle of the fairway, is a masterpiece both visually and strategically.

My only complaint was the state of the greens in late August. They were pretty beaten up, the result of the U.S. Kids World Golf Championships played here a few weeks previous. It featured nearly 900 juniors between the ages of 11-16, and according to caddie Eric Stang, "Every parent I saw, not one of them fixed a ball mark."

Dining out

The resort's 1895 Grille offers Southern-influenced fare along the lines of Blue Ridge trout and stone-ground grits. The Carolina Dining Room, opened in 1901, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, the latter featuring steaks, chops and seafood and a jacket requirement for the gents.

Fast Fact

No. 4's tee boxes, fairways and rough are all Tifway Bermuda, while the greens are Penn G-2.

September 25, 2006

Veteran golf writer Tim McDonald keeps one eye on the PGA Tour and another watching golf vacation hotspots and letting travelers in on the best place to vacation.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.