Pinehurst No. 2 overrated

A freelancer of ours caused quite a stir a while back when he called Pinehurst No. 2 overrated. After playing it recently, I agree with him – with a qualification. All of No. 2’s difficulty lies in its greens, which resemble a stainless steel bowl turned upside down. You could throw a dart in the middle of most of those greens and it would roll off. I understand John Daly’s frustration at the 1999 US Open there, when he hit the same putt twice – after it came rolling back down.

The fairways are wide open, and there is virtually no water. It is a beautiful course, but for the hefty green fees you pay, it should present more of an overall challenge, other than its greens, which could legitimately be called unfair