| FrontPageGolf |
News Commentary Opinion
| Copyright MMX, Front Page Golf. All Rights Reserved. www.FrontPageGolf.com is a trademark of FrontPageGolf. |
Bobby Jones described Pinehurst as, “the St. Andrews
of United States golf,” and the best known venue in this
small North Carolina village is Pinehurst Resort, home
to Donald Ross’ famous Course No. 2.
No. 2 has been the site for many epic golf battles and for
more than 100 years host to the North-South
Championship, the second most prestigious amateur
event after the U.S. Open. Jones, Nelson, Snead, Hogan,
Palmer, Nicklaus and virtually every other member of the
Hall of Fame competed over the Ross layout while in
modern times there is the memory of Payne Stewart’s
emotional 1999 U.S. Open victory four months before his
death.
of United States golf,” and the best known venue in this
small North Carolina village is Pinehurst Resort, home
to Donald Ross’ famous Course No. 2.
No. 2 has been the site for many epic golf battles and for
more than 100 years host to the North-South
Championship, the second most prestigious amateur
event after the U.S. Open. Jones, Nelson, Snead, Hogan,
Palmer, Nicklaus and virtually every other member of the
Hall of Fame competed over the Ross layout while in
modern times there is the memory of Payne Stewart’s
emotional 1999 U.S. Open victory four months before his
death.
Uncovering No.2
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
Pinehurst Resort was purchased in 1982 by tough-
minded golf club entrepreneur Robert Dedman Sr.
founder of ClubCorp who put the resort back on its feet
with an initial infusion of $100 million and followed by
tens of millions more culminating with the 1999 Open.
Today Dedman’s heirs are seeing that the legend
continues to grow. Last year the USGA awarded both the
2014 U.S. Open and 2014 U.S. Women’s Open
Championships to No. 2, to be played back to back - a
first for any golf course. Pinehurst CEO Bob Dedman Jr.
subsequently decided to restore No. 2 to the course
Ross originally wanted and continued to refine for more
than 40 years.
minded golf club entrepreneur Robert Dedman Sr.
founder of ClubCorp who put the resort back on its feet
with an initial infusion of $100 million and followed by
tens of millions more culminating with the 1999 Open.
Today Dedman’s heirs are seeing that the legend
continues to grow. Last year the USGA awarded both the
2014 U.S. Open and 2014 U.S. Women’s Open
Championships to No. 2, to be played back to back - a
first for any golf course. Pinehurst CEO Bob Dedman Jr.
subsequently decided to restore No. 2 to the course
Ross originally wanted and continued to refine for more
than 40 years.
Ross lived in the Village
of Pinehurst and
considered No. 2 his
favorite course
continuing to tweak and
tinker the design from its
opening in 1907 until the
end of his life in 1948.
The Tufts family, original
owners of Pinehurst
Resort, sold it in 1970 to
real estate mogul
Malcolm McLean who ran
the place into the ground
trying to make the golf
courses (then five in
number, now eight)
amenities to enhance the
sale of condominiums.
McLean’s failure in only a
few years meant a
consortium of eight
banks took over however
of Pinehurst and
considered No. 2 his
favorite course
continuing to tweak and
tinker the design from its
opening in 1907 until the
end of his life in 1948.
The Tufts family, original
owners of Pinehurst
Resort, sold it in 1970 to
real estate mogul
Malcolm McLean who ran
the place into the ground
trying to make the golf
courses (then five in
number, now eight)
amenities to enhance the
sale of condominiums.
McLean’s failure in only a
few years meant a
consortium of eight
banks took over however
Payne Stewart's statue
commemorates his stirring win of
the 1999 U.S. Open over
Pinehurst No.2 a few months
before his death in a plane crash.
commemorates his stirring win of
the 1999 U.S. Open over
Pinehurst No.2 a few months
before his death in a plane crash.
Tournament golf during the 1930s at Pinehurst No.2. One of
the many photographs consulted preparing for the courses
"uncovering."
the many photographs consulted preparing for the courses
"uncovering."
Crenshaw said of the work to be done, "When you see it
and feel Pinehurst, you know it's something different. In
Ross' mind, it was the best way he believed a course
should be played - his masterpiece. His courses are so
beautifully balanced, intended to test every part of your
game. This piece of ground was special to him. To
contribute our ideas here is a high, high honor."
A determination how these drastic changes will affect play
will have to wait, but when No. 2 reopens after being
closed this coming winter we will have good idea whether
brickbats or kudos are in order.
and feel Pinehurst, you know it's something different. In
Ross' mind, it was the best way he believed a course
should be played - his masterpiece. His courses are so
beautifully balanced, intended to test every part of your
game. This piece of ground was special to him. To
contribute our ideas here is a high, high honor."
A determination how these drastic changes will affect play
will have to wait, but when No. 2 reopens after being
closed this coming winter we will have good idea whether
brickbats or kudos are in order.
profit rather than preservation of Pinehurst traditions,
hotel and courses was still the rule.
For 15 years it was a sad story of mismanagement.
Ross’s masterpiece No. 2 was allowed to become just
another resort golf course. Nice perhaps but not
outstanding and certainly not the same course that Ross
had envisioned and players had raved about.
hotel and courses was still the rule.
For 15 years it was a sad story of mismanagement.
Ross’s masterpiece No. 2 was allowed to become just
another resort golf course. Nice perhaps but not
outstanding and certainly not the same course that Ross
had envisioned and players had raved about.
The Carolina hotel at Pinehurst Resort recently under
went an extensive renovation.
went an extensive renovation.
The goal was to “uncover No.2.”
In March of this year Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore were
hired to do the rejuvenation and after consulting photos
from the 1930s through the 1960s several things were
apparent, most of which have become project goals. For
example rather than the manicured, pristine character of
the typical resort course, such as what No. 2 had become,
Ross meant his jewel to have a natural look, unkempt if
you will, where the course was allowed to blend with the
land. Ross felt this was part of the strategy a golfer must
employ, making sometimes for difficult or unclear target
lines and putting shot placement at the forefront.
In general, fairways will be made wider by 50 to 60 yards
making for bigger landing zones but irrigation of the rough
will be eliminated meaning a lot more unknowns when a
fairway is missed. Turf is being removed from many
places where now is rough to recreate natural hardpan
sand conditions while native wiregrass will be planted this
fall outside what the USGA calls with classic
understatement, “closely mown areas through the green.”
Ultimately the course will be returned to the conditions
back when it was thought of one of the best courses in the
country. This is no cosmetic make-over. When completed
No. 2 will have between 30 and 40 percent less turf.
In March of this year Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore were
hired to do the rejuvenation and after consulting photos
from the 1930s through the 1960s several things were
apparent, most of which have become project goals. For
example rather than the manicured, pristine character of
the typical resort course, such as what No. 2 had become,
Ross meant his jewel to have a natural look, unkempt if
you will, where the course was allowed to blend with the
land. Ross felt this was part of the strategy a golfer must
employ, making sometimes for difficult or unclear target
lines and putting shot placement at the forefront.
In general, fairways will be made wider by 50 to 60 yards
making for bigger landing zones but irrigation of the rough
will be eliminated meaning a lot more unknowns when a
fairway is missed. Turf is being removed from many
places where now is rough to recreate natural hardpan
sand conditions while native wiregrass will be planted this
fall outside what the USGA calls with classic
understatement, “closely mown areas through the green.”
Ultimately the course will be returned to the conditions
back when it was thought of one of the best courses in the
country. This is no cosmetic make-over. When completed
No. 2 will have between 30 and 40 percent less turf.
Pinehurst course No.2 holes 13 and 14 showing the extensive work
being done by Coore and Crenshaw prior to the 2014 U.S. Open
and 2014 U.S. Women's Open. Note the adjustment of bunkers in
the right hand rendering compared to the left. Fairways are being
widened and the remaining rough being removed to the hard pan
sand. Native wiregrass will be planted to recreate playing
conditions as envisioned by Donald Ross.
being done by Coore and Crenshaw prior to the 2014 U.S. Open
and 2014 U.S. Women's Open. Note the adjustment of bunkers in
the right hand rendering compared to the left. Fairways are being
widened and the remaining rough being removed to the hard pan
sand. Native wiregrass will be planted to recreate playing
conditions as envisioned by Donald Ross.
 |  |  |  |  |
