When I was staying down in Pinehurst, I kept driving by the Cradle but when I looked across the street I noticed a couple really interesting holes namely the 16th hole on Course #3.
I wasn't planning on playing it, but it looked interesting enough to check out for a twilight round.
Holy cow...I loved it!
It's not remotely long by today's standards at 5,100 yards from the back tees, however it packs a ton of interest mainly due to an absolutely wonderful set of greens.
The course opens with a flat, 283 yard, par 4. Yet at the end is a small, turtle back green with a big false front front and left. Talk about a fun little pitch shot.
It then moves to the really pleasant 113 yard 2nd, slightly downhill and partially blind. Very cool.
The third hole is fantastic, especially for a nearly 90* dogleg right par-4 with a blind tee shot over a big waste bunker and a big turtleback green with a massive fall off behind the green.
After an attractive par-3 over a pond, you come to a terrific short par-4 at the 5th with another blind tee shot that plays into a big wide field consisting of all short grass. The 5th green is another full of shape and contour and very interesting even when approaching with a short wedge.
The 7th is a spectacular dogleg left with a unreal benched green with a big gnarly bunker on the left and a wild green. In the background is a beautiful short par-3 with a lake as a backdrop and a tiny green with a small point in the back making for an awesome do-or-die pin position.
You make the turn with another two par-4's with really fun greens followed by the really neat par-5 11th (the first of the day!) where you hug the waste bunker on the right to get the best angle to attack a tiny undulating back green in two.
Showing some variety after a couple 100 yard and a 150 yard par 3s, you come to the 200-yard and uphill 12th which is intimidating due to the cross bunker short off the tee and a green that slopes hard back to front.
The 13th is another fun par-5...at 423 yards
The course ends with 4 par-4's which range from the pitch and putt 15th to the 380 yard 18th. The uphill 16th is beautiful moving up toward a green with the old railcars behind the green on the left.
The course also features old-school short pins (about 4ft tall) with little pennant flags, each with a big 3. Sounds like the Sugarloaf guys "rebranded" the course when they were working on #4 and I think they did a really nice job. Frankly the resort should hire them to do the remaining courses.
Sure, the course works its way around and through some fairly heavy residential areas. However, the course is a blast and the greens are terrific. It's "short" at 5100 yards but there is really only one par-5 and with the size and severity of the greens it hardly feels like a pitch and putt. Most importantly it is very, very fun.
I wouldn't miss it on your next trip to Pinehurst. To me its a pretty clear Top 3 at the resort with #2 and #4. It would be a perfect addition to a 36-hole day.
It would really be something if the Resort did a similar amount of work on their #1 course, which sits on some really nice land (and less houses!) in the near future.
A few photos from the Pinehurst Resort website:
