The winner of this week’s U.S. Open will walk off with $4.3 million in prize money, enough to pay for a lot of rounds at Pinehurst No. 2.
How many rounds? That’s hard to say.
When it isn’t hosting a big-time event, the famous course is restricted to Pinehurst Resort guests. If you want to play it, you have to stay on property for a two-night minimum. Most bookings are package deals, which bundle the cost of golf, accommodations and meals.
“So, it’s tough to disentangle the green fee from the total price,” a Pinehurst reservationist told GOLF.com.
To further complicate the calculations, different packages offer different privileges, and not all include a round at No. 2. For packages that don’t, playing No. 2 comes with a $250 surcharge. If you want to play a second round on No. 2, it’s $595 peak season and $360 in the off-season, caddie not included.
Bottom line: what you pay for No. 2 depends on the type of package and the time of year. Something similar applies to Pinehurst’s other courses (the resort has 10 altogether, plus The Cradle, a nine-hole par-3 course). Here’s how access and pricing works for them.
The Cradle
The greens fee is currently $50 but that will change to $65 this fall. Non-resort guests can play it but can book no farther than 24 hours in advance. Juniors 17 and under staying at Pinehurst are free if playing with an adult.
Nos. 1, 3, 5 — For resort guests, green fees are bundled into stay-and-play packages. Additional rounds are $95. These three courses are also open to non-resort guests, with greens fees ranging from $100 to $135 depending on the time of year.
No. 4. — Accessible to resort guests only. Greens fees are bundled into stay-and-play packages. Additional rounds are $395.
Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9 — Accessible to resort guests only. Greens fees are bundled into stay-and-play packages. Additional rounds are $275.
No. 10 — Accessible to resort guests only. Like No. 2, it is not included in all stay-and-play packages. In cases where it is not included, a $125 surcharge applies. To play the course a second time is $450.
A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.
