Pinehurst No. 4 Named GOLF Magazine’s ‘Best New Course You Can Play’ of 2018
The No. 4 course at Pinehurst Resort, unveiled in late September, has been named 2018’s “Best New Course You Can Play” by GOLF Magazine.
No. 4 was first built by Donald Ross in 1919. Architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner’s latest iteration is a complete overhaul of Tom Fazio’s 1999 redesign, brilliantly aligning the layout with the region’s Sandhills aesthetic.
“This year, Hanse, partner Jim Wagner and their team collected a few more trophies, none more richly deserved than what they earned for their extreme makeover of Pinehurst No. 4,” write the editors of GOLF Magazine. “Whether this is a redesign, as Hanse’s working plans state, or a brand new course, as Hanse himself asserts, it’s a remarkable piece of work.”
Hanse and Wagner set out to re-connect the golf course with its rolling topography and natural ridge lines to create dramatic vistas and strategic options on every hole. Exposed sandy areas, vast cross bunkers and native wire grasses produce an 18-hole test that plays as natural as it looks. The end product features a brave new expression of pure, timeless golf in the Carolina Sandhills.
“For No. 4 to receive this recognition by a publication as esteemed and trusted as GOLF Magazine is a true honor,” says Tom Pashley, President of Pinehurst Resort. “Gil and Jim’s transformation of No. 4 has been stunning to watch and is a cornerstone of the new era at Pinehurst.”
In 2019, the United States Golf Association will host the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst, with courses No. 4 and No. 2 serving as companion courses. Stroke play will be contested on both courses with the match play championship held on No. 2. All along, Hanse envisioned No. 4 as a seamless complement to the U.S. Open-host No. 2.
“No. 4 is a companion in the landscape, but it is not a tribute to No. 2 in the features,” says Hanse. “The greens are different, the approaches are different and we wanted to take advantage of the landforms, which are much more dramatic than those on No. 2.”
The redesign of No. 4 is the latest in a series of bold moves for one of the world’s most iconic golf destinations. The restoration of No. 2, opening of The Cradle (also designed by Hanse), acquisition of No. 9, enhancements to No. 3 and expansion of the 18-hole putting course, Thistle Dhu, prove Pinehurst’s commitment to progress. The Pinehurst Brewing Company, located in the village’s former steam power plant, opened this fall and quickly became the unofficial hangout for residents and guests alike.
For more visuals of No. 4, follow the link here.
About Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
Established in 1985 in the Sandhills of North Carolina, Pinehurst Resort & Country Club is a 2,200-acre property featuring nine outstanding golf courses, a 9-hole par-3 course, 16 clay tennis courts, an award-winning spa, other recreation and social activities for families, and elegant accommodations across one hotel, two inns and condos. Widely known as the Cradle of American Golf, Pinehurst hosted more single golf championships – including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup and PGA TOUR Championship – than any other site in North America. In 2024, it will again welcome the U.S. Open. The resort is slightly more than an hour from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, 90 minutes from Charlotte Douglas International Airport and only a half-day drive from many east coast cities.
To book tee times and golf packages: www.pinehurstresort.com, 855.235.8507.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Alex Podlogar, Pinehurst Resort
