No. 9 Designed by Jack Nicklaus


The Nicklaus Touch

Jack Nicklaus has long commented that Pinehurst No. 2 is his favorite golf course from a design standpoint. On No. 9, he has constructed his masterpiece set amidst the longleaf pines. No. 9 is a magnificent 7,122-yard course and is as meticulously designed as it is compelling.

Course History

  • Course Designers

    1988: Jack Nicklaus

  • Redesigns & restorations

    2012: Jack Nicklaus

Course Overview

  • Hole Par Gold Blue White Green Red
    1 4 413 393 374 296 275
    2 3 189 175 167 151 101
    3 4 404 366 327 290 271
    4 5 571 549 499 469 414
    5 4 430 387 373 338 305
    6 4 424 398 361 318 313
    7 4 421 371 356 322 274
    8 5 535 503 492 451 389
    9 3 177 158 144 124 90
    10 5 514 487 458 420 374
    11 4 422 389 331 313 291
    12 3 176 163 154 134 103
    13 4 437 398 356 322 279
    14 4 417 402 375 325 325
    15 5 530 502 479 405 375
    16 4 381 355 314 308 266
    17 3 220 188 173 146 140
    18 4 457 417 382 341 337
    Total 72 7118 6601 6115 5473 4922
  • A Detailed map of course No. 9

  • No. 9

    Landscaping

    • Tees

      Bermuda 419

    • Fairways

      Bermuda 419

    • Rough

      Bermuda 419

    • Greens

      Penn A-1/A-4 creeping bentgrass

Hole-by-Hole

The 1st Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 13/5

A dogleg left is your opener to the Nicklaus Signature design on No. 9. Play your drive down the right center of the fairway to give yourself the best angle to the green. Avoid the bunkers short and right of the green. The only bail out is short & left of the green.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 1

Yardage

  • Gold 413
  • Blue 393
  • White 374
  • Green 296
  • Red 275

The 2nd Hole on No. 9

Par 3 | HCP 17/13

The Doon Conservatory guards the front & right side of the green. Missing the green left is no bargain since it leaves you with an awkward chip shot with the green sloping toward the water.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 2

Yardage

  • Gold 189
  • Blue 175
  • White 167
  • Green 151
  • Red 101

The 3rd Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 7/7

This sharp dogleg right will test your shotmaking abilities as the hole is made for a power fade off the tee. Avoid the fairway bunker by staying left or, for you longer hitters, by carrying it. The approach is drastically uphill so hit an extra club. You can use the severe tier in the middle of the green as a backstop.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 3

Yardage

  • Gold 404
  • Blue 366
  • White 327
  • Green 290
  • Red 271

The 4th Hole on No. 9

Par 5 | HCP 1/1

This par 5 is a true 3-shot hole, which doglegs sharply right. The banking on the left side of the fairway allows you to aim away from the water off the tee. Avoid the fairway bunkers on your layup shot. Your approach needs to be high into the elevated green.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 4

Yardage

  • Gold 571
  • Blue 549
  • White 499
  • Green 469
  • Red 414

The 5th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 5/3

Play your tee shot down the right side of the fairway to avoid the bunkers on the left. The difficult downhill approach shot is the key to playing this hole well. If you’re not sure of the club selection, over club & play a bank shot off the slope that flanks the back left of the green.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 5

Yardage

  • Gold 430
  • Blue 387
  • White 373
  • Green 338
  • Red 305

The 6th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 9/11

Hit the sloping left-to-right fairway off the tee as you need to spin your approach on this bunker-free par 4. The front left of the green is a false front that funnels short approach shots off the green. Note the severe tier in the middle of the green that slopes from front to back. Club selection and placement are crucial to hit this green in regulation.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 6

Yardage

  • Gold 424
  • Blue 398
  • White 361
  • Green 318
  • Red 313

The 7th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 11/9

A wonderful par 4 that plays short, where if you play with control, there is a good chance for a birdie. Position your tee shot to the left-center of the fairway to have the best angle to the green. The deep green gets narrow towards the back.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 7

Yardage

  • Gold 421
  • Blue 371
  • White 356
  • Green 322
  • Red 274

The 8th Hole on No. 9

Par 5 | HCP 3/15

This par 5 offers the best scoring opportunity on the front 9. Play your drive down the right side to give yourself a chance at hitting the green in two. The very deep green slopes dangerously from the front to back.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 8

Yardage

  • Gold 535
  • Blue 503
  • White 492
  • Green 451
  • Red 389

The 9th Hole on No. 9

Par 3 | HCP 15/17

With water flanking the left side of the green, the picturesque par-3 9th will test your nerves. Note the collection area on the right side of the green that funnels marginal shots off the green. And be wary of the slope off the back of the green.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 9

Yardage

  • Gold 177
  • Blue 158
  • White 144
  • Green 124
  • Red 90

The 10th Hole on No. 9

Par 5 | HCP 2/10

This is a classic risk/reward par 5. It is reachable in two for many golfers, but the lake that flanks the right side of the entire hole has captured numerous misplayed shots. Play smart and note the 130-yard lay-up distance to position yourself for a wedge approach.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 10

Yardage

  • Gold 514
  • Blue 487
  • White 458
  • Green 420
  • Red 374

The 11th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 12/14

This short par 4 demands precision placement. If the pin is on the right side of the green, your tee shot needs to be on the left side of the fairway to see the flagstick. This green is very wide, but the ridge in the middle of the green makes an accurate approach shot necessary.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 11

Yardage

  • Gold 422
  • Blue 389
  • White 331
  • Green 313
  • Red 291

The 12th Hole on No. 9

Par 3 | HCP 18/18

The shortest par 3 on the course, but varying winds and hole location can make this hole play as much as two clubs longer. Avoid the bunkers on the right at all costs. This dramatic two-tiered green makes putting from the wrong tier very challenging.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 12

Yardage

  • Gold 176
  • Blue 163
  • White 154
  • Green 134
  • Red 103

The 13th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 8/6

Your tee shot should favor the left-center to avoid the large pine tree on the right. Big hitters may want to choose a club that will leave them no closer than 125 yards to the green. A good drive leaves a mid-iron to this three-tiered green, which is well-bunkered on both sides.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 13

Yardage

  • Gold 437
  • Blue 398
  • White 356
  • Green 322
  • Red 279

The 14th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 6/2

The most demanding par 4 on the course. The fairway has a large slope down the right side that will feed drives to the left. Accuracy is a must off the tee to approach this green, which is guarded by bunkers short and left. To approach this elevated green, note the green depth & hole location.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 14

Yardage

  • Gold 417
  • Blue 402
  • White 375
  • Green 325
  • Red 325

The 15th Hole on No. 9

Par 5 | HCP 4/12

Play your tee shot down the right-center of the fairway. No need to flirt with the left fairway bunker. In planning your approach shot, be sure to consider the multi-tiered green. A ball hit towards the front-left half of the green will roll off left. The back half has a gentle slope towards the back and there is an elevated tier on the middle left of the green.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 15

Yardage

  • Gold 530
  • Blue 502
  • White 479
  • Green 405
  • Red 375

The 16th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 14/8

Big hitters may not want to hit a driver on this hole. Choose a club that will leave you 85-to-125 yards to the green. The middle of the green is the smallest target as there is a formidable drop off from front to back.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 16

Yardage

  • Gold 381
  • Blue 355
  • White 314
  • Green 308
  • Red 266

The 17th Hole on No. 9

Par 3 | HCP 16/16

This hole looks deceptively shorter when looking at the bunker that is actually well short & left of the green. Trust the yardage & note the green depth and hole location. You can roll the ball onto the left half of the green, but a high shot is necessary to get the ball close to any right-side hole location.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 17

Yardage

  • Gold 220
  • Blue 188
  • White 173
  • Green 146
  • Red 140

The 18th Hole on No. 9

Par 4 | HCP 10/4

This long par 4 will make you earn a good score to close your round. By playing your tee shot down the right side you may be able to shorten the hole, but you run the risk of getting hung up in the trees. Your approach shot requires a long iron into a well-guarded green. Par is a good score on this testy finishing hole.

Hole Illustration for Pinehurst No. 18

Yardage

  • Gold 457
  • Blue 417
  • White 382
  • Green 341
  • Red 337
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