The Evolution of Pinehurst Resort from a Pasture to a Golf Retreat and Where You Can Enjoy a Rewarding Round Today

For over a century, Pinehurst Resort has been challenging people from around the world with the ten amazing golf courses it features. Still, what some players might not know when it comes to the origins of this North Carolina resort is that it has a rich and fascinating history dating back to 1895.

That year, James Walker Tufts, a philanthropist, bought 5,800 acres of ravaged timberland in the Sandhills region at the mind-blowing price of $1 per acre. His original idea was to create a health resort, which eventually turned into what we know today as Pinehurst Resort.

While the debate about where golf was born as a sport is a complex and often endless one, at Pinehurst, we can safely say that it began when some hotel guests were hitting little white balls in the dairy cattle grazing fields. Shortly after, Tufts hired architect Dr. D. Leroy Culver to design a golf course, and in 1898, the resort boasted a rudimentary nine-hole one.

The first clubhouse was built several months later. Finally, in 1900, the philanthropist hired Donald J. Ross, a Scottish golf professional, to direct sports operations at Pinehurst Resort, and the rest is history.

Experience a Memorable Round of Golf at Two of Pinehurst's Finest Courses

Without a doubt, Pinehurst No. 2 should be on the bucket list of any golf enthusiast. You don't have to be a golf historian to know that this course is a huge deal. It hosted more major tournaments than any other course in the country and was also the lifelong project of Donald Ross, who opened it in 1907 and worked on it until his death in 1948.

Pinehurst No.2 features some of the strongest shot values in the world, and there is no part of your game that won't be put to the test. This mesmerizing golf course has greens that appear big, but the effective landing areas are quite small, with the slightest miscalculation being severely punished.

Other noteworthy features of this golf course include:

• The lack of roughness can lead to menacing lies where luck is the greatest factor after the ball chases through the fairway.
• Instead of the thick rough existing in the previous century, fairways are now expanded, and waste areas are exposed outside of the short grass.
• There isn't plenty of movement in the terrain except for a stretch on each nine, which is good for walking but not very engaging while playing.

The 18th hole is the highlight of Pinehurst No. 2, and you'll experience a lot of emotion playing it. However, you'll most likely face some trouble completing the golf course, as there will be a massive waste bunker crossing in front of the tee. Bunkers provide a defense wall in front of the elevated green and demand a high approach shot. This signature hole is the perfect example of what Pinehurst golf is all about - demanding yet fair.

Lastly, if we sparked your interest in booking a Pinehurst golf package, you can also try playing the No. 10 course, which has sand as the main defining characteristic. In the spring of this year, this new course, by renowned architect Tom Doak, opened at the resort.

The golf course sits in an area previously occupied by The Pit. Doak is one of the greatest routers that have ever existed, and the journey that Pinehurst No. 10 makes is complex. The beautiful 17th hole, which plays over a lake to a wonderfully located green, might have been routed by any older architect, but it would surely not have been executed so precisely.