5 Day Pinehurst Golf Itinerary
Five days in the cradle of American golf, one great course a day, all within a short walk or cart ride of the Pinehurst clubhouse. From the Donald Ross masterpiece at No. 2 to Tom Doak's new No. 10 and the wild sandscapes of Gil Hanse's No. 4, this is the heart of the North Carolina Sandhills laid out as a stay and play week, with indicative 2026 costs and how to book the resort.
Photograph: Pinehurst No. 2, via Google
Who this trip suits
Pinehurst is the closest thing American golf has to St Andrews: a whole village built around the game, where nine courses radiate from a single clubhouse and you never need to drive more than a few minutes between tee times. This five day plan is built for the golfer who wants to play the marquee courses back to back, soak up the history of the cradle of American golf, and do it all on foot or by cart from one base. It suits a buddies trip or a couple of serious players who would rather go deep on one storied resort than chase courses across a state.
The whole resort runs on stay and play packages, so the trip is as much about the village as the golf: dinner at the Carolina, a nightcap on the clubhouse veranda, the museum, and the easy ritual of walking to the first tee each morning. Reserve early, because the prime spring and autumn weeks on No. 2 and No. 10 fill a long way out, and bring your patience for the famous turtleback greens that have humbled US Open fields.
The 5 day plan
Pinehurst No. 4
Warm up on the most dramatic looking course at the resort. Originally a Donald Ross layout from 1919, No. 4 was stripped back by Gil Hanse and reopened in 2018 with vast sandy waste areas, hardpan and wire grass in place of rough and pot bunkers. It sits right across from No. 2 and shares the same firm, sand based turf, a thrilling, rugged opener that eases you into the Pinehurst examination before the main event.
Pinehurst No. 2
Give the masterpiece your freshest legs. Donald Ross's No. 2, opened in 1907 and restored to its sandy, natural character by Coore and Crenshaw in 2010 and 2011, is the most famous course in the resort and one of the great strategic tests in golf. The crowned, turtleback greens that repel anything less than a precise approach have decided US Opens, most recently in 2014 and 2024. Take a caddie, expect to be humbled around the greens, and savour every hole.
Pinehurst No. 10
The newest course at the resort and an instant favourite. Tom Doak's No. 10 opened in spring 2024 on dramatic, sandy ground a short drive from the village, with more elevation change and reclaimed sand mining features than the central courses. It stretches to around 7,000 yards from the tips and quickly earned a place on the national rankings, a bold, modern counterpoint to the Ross classics and a highlight of any current Pinehurst trip.
Pinehurst No. 8 and The Cradle
Play Tom Fazio's No. 8, opened in 1996 for the resort's centennial on a quieter parcel of wetlands and sandhills a few minutes out, a strong, spacious championship layout that rewards a calmer day after No. 2 and No. 10. Then close the afternoon on The Cradle, the nine hole Gil Hanse par 3 course beside the clubhouse, with a drink in hand and the day's golf behind you. It is the most fun nine holes in the resort and pure Pinehurst.
Pinehurst No. 9
Finish on the Jack Nicklaus design, the former National Golf Club acquired by the resort and renamed No. 9. It is the most modern parkland test in the stable, longer and more muscular than the central courses, with water and bolder shaping. A fitting, big swinging close to the week before you head home, or swap in a return round on No. 2 if the masterpiece has got under your skin, as it usually does.
Costs, access and logistics
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Resort guests only | No. 2, 4, 8, 9 and 10; two night minimum stay |
| Add No. 2 to a package | Around 250 dollars surcharge | When a package does not already include it |
| Second round on No. 2 | Around 360 to 595 dollars | Off season to peak; caddie extra |
| Extra championship round | Around 275 dollars | No. 4, 8, 9, 10 for resort guests |
| The Cradle | Around 50 to 65 dollars | 9 hole par 3; open to the public, 24 hour booking |
| Getting there | About 1 hour 15 from RDU | Raleigh Durham airport; the village is walkable |
Pinehurst golf is sold as packages, so totals depend on room, season and rounds. The add on, second round and extra round figures above were verified indicatively in June 2026 from resort and golf media listings; they change without notice, so always confirm current package pricing and availability directly before booking. Find a Pinehurst stay and play.
When to go and where to stay
Play Pinehurst in spring or autumn, roughly March to May or September to November, for warm, dry days, firm sandy turf and the courses at their best, with summer hotter, humid and cheaper and winter mild between cold snaps. Stay on property to unlock the championship courses: The Carolina is the grand hotel anchor, the Holly Inn sits in the village by the shops and restaurants, and the Manor and the cottages and condos suit groups. All put you within a walk or short cart ride of the clubhouse, the practice grounds, The Cradle and the first tees, which is the whole point of a Pinehurst week. RDU airport is about an hour and a quarter away, so the resort works as a long weekend or a fuller five day stay.
Plan your Pinehurst golf trip
We hold the tee times across No. 2, No. 4, No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10, match your package and rooms to the golf, and slot The Cradle and the village around the rounds. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Pinehurst itinerary questions
What is the best 5 day golf itinerary at Pinehurst?
A five day Pinehurst trip plays the resort's marquee courses one per day. Open on the wild, sand splashed No. 4 by Gil Hanse, give the famous Donald Ross No. 2 your freshest legs on day two, take on Tom Doak's new No. 10 on day three, pair Tom Fazio's No. 8 with an evening loop of The Cradle on day four, and close on the Jack Nicklaus No. 9. All sit within the resort village around the Pinehurst clubhouse. Always confirm current tee times and packages directly before booking.
Do you have to stay at the resort to play Pinehurst No. 2?
Yes. Tee times on No. 2, No. 4, No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10 are reserved for Pinehurst Resort guests, with a two night minimum stay, and most golf is sold as a stay and play package that bundles rooms, rounds and meals. The nine hole par 3 Cradle and the Thistle Dhu putting course are open to the public on a 24 hour booking window. These rules change, so always confirm directly before booking.
How much does a Pinehurst golf trip cost?
Pinehurst is sold as packages rather than single green fees, so the total depends on your room, season and how many rounds you add. As an indication for 2026, adding a round of No. 2 to a package that does not include it has carried a surcharge of around 250 dollars, a second No. 2 round has run roughly 360 dollars off season to 595 dollars in peak, additional rounds on the other championship courses around 275 dollars, and The Cradle around 50 to 65 dollars. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current package pricing directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf at Pinehurst?
Spring, roughly March to May, and autumn, September to November, are the prime seasons in the North Carolina Sandhills, with warm, dry days, firm sandy turf and the courses at their best. Summer is hot and humid but quieter and cheaper, and winter stays playable and mild between cold snaps. Aim for the shoulder months for the finest conditions, and book well ahead, as the prime weeks fill early. Always confirm conditions and rates before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time releases, green fee changes and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, years and indicative costs verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.