The Cradle at Pinehurst

Gil Hanse's 2017 Cradle Short Course at Pinehurst, 789 yards of 9-hole par-27 golf built on the ten acres where Dr. Leroy Culver struck the resort's first shots in 1898. Hanse fashioned the routing to honor Culver, Donald Ross, and Pinehurst's origins, on the literal ground where the game began in the Sandhills. Holes range from 56 to 127 yards; pitching wedge is the longest club you'll need. The green complexes are surprisingly large for such a short course, with tiers, swales, false fronts, and drop-offs that make pin-hunting difficult. The 66-yard 3rd ('The Punchbowl') is the signature hole: elevated Adirondack chairs circle an amphitheater green where aiming long lets the ball funnel back toward the pin. The Pinecone, a teardrop-shaped bar with Pinehurst Brewing Co. beers, sits along the loop, passed twice per round. 26 on-course speakers play continuous music. The best short-course experience in American golf, and a great warm-up or wind-down to a Pinehurst No. 2 round. U18 players free.