Pinehurst, in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., has signed an agreement with the firm of Coore and Crenshaw Inc., to return both natural and strategic character to its championship No. 2 course. Work will be conducted gradually in 2010 without any closure to the course or to individual holes until mid-November.
The project’s philosophy is to restore the course’s natural aesthetic characteristics and to bring back strategic play originally crafted by Donald Ross, but that have been lost over time. The changes include returning sandy waste areas, native wiregrass and natural bunker edges; widening the fairways to play as they did in the era from 1935 to 1960; and reducing the amount of manicured rough.
The project began earlier this month, when the design team conducted its first planning meeting with Pinehurst executives and golf course management leadership. For more of their vision for the project, go to http://www.facebook.com/PinehurstResort.
Initial steps have already commenced beginning with widening of the fairways, and will continue through the spring and summer with gradual turf reduction in the rough areas.
Course work is not expected to impact play on No. 2 until the course closes for the winter off-season, from November 15 until March 2, 2011. The signature greens of No. 2 will not be touched, nor will significant length be added to the course as a result of the project. With the exception of the seventh hole, tees will remain the same as well. When the majority of the work is completed in early 2011, the course will have minimal mowed rough, larger playing areas, and a better fit into the Sandhills landscape that existed during the time of Hogan, Snead, Nelson and Nicklaus.
The USGA was informed of the project earlier this year.
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