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USA Today
29-04-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Pinehurst Resort closing course No. 4 for summer to repair greens
Pinehurst Resort closing course No. 4 for summer to repair greens Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina has announced it will close its No. 4 course for most of this summer to resurface its greens that didn't survive winter as well as customary at the famous North Carolina Resort. The course will close May 19-Aug. 7 for the re-grassing. The Ultradwarf Bermuda greens have been in rough shape, but resort operators had been told they should recover as spring warmed up the courses and promoted the growth of the grass. That didn't happen as hoped, so the resort made the difficult decision to close the course instead of sending out golfers to play with less than stellar conditions. News of the upcoming resurfacing was first reported by Joe GolfTraveler on X, formerly Twitter. Pinehurst Resort currently is home to 10 full-sized layouts, including the famed No. 2 that has hosted several U.S. Opens in recent decades and the new No. 10 designed by Tom Doak that opened last year. It was announced last week that architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw will build the new No. 11 course for the resort. Pinehurst No. 4 originally was a Donald Ross design that opened in 1919. The layout was renovated extensively over the years, most recently in 2018 by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. It has since been used as one of the courses in play at the 2019 U.S. Amateur and in the top-tier North & South Amateur. No. 4 is ranked second on Golfweek's Best ranking of top public-access courses in North Carolina, trailing only the No. 2 course. The No. 4 course ranks 95th on the list of top modern courses in the United States, and it ties for 29th on the ranking of top resort courses in the United States. The statement from the resort about the greens is as follows:
Forbes
21-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Pinehurst Unveils Course No. 11 As Golf's Biggest Resort Grows Again
An aerial image of the routing for Pinehurst No. 11, which is situated on the resort's Sandmines ... More property next to its No. 10 course. The biggest golf resort in the U.S. is growing yet again, with the iconic Pinehurst Resort in the sand hills of North Carolina unveiling plans for its 11th 18-hole course. Designed by the accomplished team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, Pinehurst No. 11 will sit adjacent to Pinehurst No. 10, which debuted last year on the site of a former sand mine that sat unused for more than a decade. Construction will begin later this year, with No. 11 expected to open for play in Fall of 2027. 'I don't think I have ever seen two more physically different sites that are contiguous, literally touching each other than the sites for No. 10 and No. 11,' said Coore, who grew up in North Carolina and has been playing courses in the Pinehurst area since his youth. 'They're monumentally different in terms of their character. And the two courses will (also) be massively different in terms of their characteristics, just because of the landforms.' The routing for the new course is situated at Pinehurst Sandmines, a 900-acre property that Pinehurst President Tom Pashley has called the resort's 'Field of Dreams' – an area that could realize the evolving demands of destination golf in a modern way. Once Tom Doak and Angela Moser were enlisted to build No. 10 on the site, expectations were that it would eventually include two championship courses, a short course, a putting course, a new clubhouse, pro shop, and golf lodging for guests. Designed by Tom Doak and Angela Moser, Pinehurst No. 10 opened in 2024 on a 900-acre property that ... More was acquired by the resort in 2011. After sitting on the land from 2011 to 2023, the opportunity is ripe for Pinehurst to pursue continued growth. There have not only been a record number of rounds of golf played in recent years, but the number of U.S. golf travelers has topped 12 million in each of the past three years, the highest levels on record, according to the National Golf Foundation. Coore and Crenshaw, who were responsible for the major restoration of Pinehurst's flagship No. 2 course in 2011, had done a routing in 2012 for a course on the property that is now Sandmines. But Pashley has said he's grateful it wasn't pursued at the time because the resort has learned much more about the look and feel of the 'future of golf.' After the restoration of No. 2, Pinehurst introduced its nearly two-acre Thistle Dhu putting course in 2012 and opened its hugely popular Cradle par-3 course just outside the main clubhouse in 2017. Architect Gil Hanse, who built the Cradle, was celebrated in 2018 for his redesign of Pinehurst No. 4. Pinehurst No. 8 also underwent a facelift, but the construction of No. 10 – along with the branding of Pinehurst Sandmines – represented the resort's first new 18-hole course project in nearly three decades. Pinehurst No. 10 has the Sandmines logo. While No. 11 will sit next to its predecessor, the terrain for the two courses is very different. As a result, the designs will complement each other by contrasting with one another. 'The two courses really couldn't be more different, and we love that,' says Pashley. 'Golf in the North Carolina Sandhills can be an experience unlike any other, and we believe the golf at Pinehurst Sandmines will be a great representation of that.' While Pinehurst No. 10 has elevation changes and expansive vistas that are noteworthy for the area, No. 11 will play over and around jutting ridges and massive mounds of material left over from long-time mining operations. The dunes aren't natural, but these so-called spoils are deposits left by miners who decades ago were stripping sand and other material. 'We expected sand here,' said Coore. 'What we didn't expect were these created landforms that have now matured into a very natural appearance and condition. We have sand, interesting landforms, (and) trees. It's pretty good.' Bill Coore on the site that will be home to Pinehurst No. 11. Coore says there's a more intimate scale to the land, which he describes with terms like quirky, choppy and ridgey. 'You're winding your way through trees and over old piles and across ridges," added Coore. "We're far, far from the sea, but we have these contours and features and landforms that remind you of spots in Ireland or Scotland. And yet here it is, in Pinehurst.' As far as Pinehurst's continued growth, the 6,000-square-foot pro shop and locker room for Sandmines will open this June, with a restaurant and bar to follow in August. Plans for guests to stay on the property, which is about four miles south of the resort's main clubhouse, are ongoing and could be in place by the end of 2027. Aerial of the 17th hole at Pinehurst No. 11, which breaks ground on construction later in 2025. 'We want Pinehurst Sandmines to be a special place not just in Pinehurst, but in the game of golf that will stand the test of time and enhance the soul of American golf,' says Bob Dedman Jr., the owner and CEO of Pinehurst Resort. 'The vision Coore and Crenshaw have for No. 11 coupled with what Tom Doak has already done at No. 10 makes that hope more of a possibility, and we couldn't be more excited about what the future has in store.' When No. 11 opens, it will give Pinehurst 207 holes in total, further solidifying the resort's standing as the largest in the world of destination golf. The only other public resorts with more than 100 holes are Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia (126), Bandon Dunes in Oregon (122) and Gull Lake View in Michigan (108).
USA Today
29-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What hole did architect Tom Doak think could make the difference at the Houston Open?
What hole did architect Tom Doak think could make the difference at the Houston Open? HOUSTON — The courses that comprise the PGA Tour schedule are chock-full of 200-plus-yard par 3s. It's understandable. With the precision that tournament pros bring to the world's best courses, it's typical for designers to simply push the tees back in a last-gasp preservation effort, a sort of distance moat. When renowned architect Tom Doak took on the renovation project at Memorial Park, he asked major champ Brooks Koepka for his input. While Koepka insists he didn't get too technical while lending advice, he did plead with Doak to make sure variety on shorter holes was a priority. Case in point — the short, but scary 15th hole. At under 160 yards (for tournament play), it feels like easy picking for the strong field on hand this week, at least in terms of distance. But No. 15 is no pushover. In fact, with a creek running along the entire left side and some massive slopes on either side, this short hole could very well be the decisive one during Sunday's final round of the Houston Open. "Yeah, 15 is a really dangerous hole. That's one of the ones. Brooks said when we started we'd be heroes if we just make par 3s short and not make them all 210 yards, because that's what they usually do for Tour courses these days," Doak said. "Especially that one, it's the shortest one and it's the nastiest one." The stats bear that out. In each of the first two rounds when the tournament debuted at Memorial, 15 gave up its share of birdies. The first day of play in 2020, for example, the hole was playing at just 110 yards, and with a front-right pin placement, the hole surrendered 35 birdies. But those who missed the green found it difficult to get up and down for par. A total of 15 players made bogey on the hole and 11 more made double. "I told Tom I really just wanted a short par 3 that was very brutal, where if you miss the green you could make double, definitely making bogey," Koepka said. "Who knows, maybe even triple if you miss it in the wrong spot." Or quintuple-bogey, in some cases. With pin placements in the back for rounds 2 and 3 par there were fewer doubles and triples. But expect the pin to be tucked back up front for Sunday's final round, possibly in the front-left where the creek comes more into play. "I hope the most famous hole of the week is for something somebody does that's great," Doak said. (Editor's note: This story originally ran in 2020)
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where to watch the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open: TV and streaming information
Where to watch the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open: TV and streaming information The Texas Children's Houston Open is the 14th event on the PGA Tour's 2025 schedule. Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston is the host venue. It measures 7,475 yards and will play as a par 70. Originally built as a nine-hole course in 1912, an extensive redesign by John Bredemus (who co-founded the Texas Professional Golfers Association in 1922) led to its 'official' 18-hole opening in 1936. It underwent extensive work under the watchful eye of Tom Doak ahead of the 2020 tournament to the tune of a $34 million renovation that was funded through a foundation headed by Jim Crane, owner of the Houston Astros. The defending tournament champion is Stephan Jaeger. Who's in the field at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open? This week should be a fun one, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, Nos. 1 and 2 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking, highlighting the field. What's the prize money at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open? The total purse in Houston is $9,500,000, and the winner takes home $1,710,000. How to watch Texas Children's Houston Open 2025 The Houston Open will be carried by the NBC family of networks, including Golf Channel for Thursday and Friday as well as early-round coverage this weekend. NBC will take over down the stretch on Saturday and Sunday. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will have featured holes and featured groups all four days. NBC's weekend coverage will be simulcast on Peacock as well as the NBC Sports app. Thursday, March 27 First round 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m. ET, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ 1-7 p.m. ET, SiriusXM PGA Tour radio 4-7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel, NBC Sports app Friday, March 28 Second round 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m. ET, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ 1-7 p.m. ET, SiriusXM PGA Tour radio 4-7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel, NBC Sports app Saturday, March 29 Third round 11 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ 1-6 p.m. ET, SiriusXM PGA Tour radio 1-3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel 3-6 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports app Sunday, March 30 Final round 11 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ 1-6 p.m. ET, SiriusXM PGA Tour radio 1-3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel 3-6 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports app We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Yahoo
Is this the best place to live in Northern Ireland?
Nestled between the Mourne Mountains and the Dromara Hills, this sleepy village is awakening to the news of being crowned the best place to live in Northern Ireland. Topping a list in the Sunday Times, Dundrum in County Down has plenty to offer. Not just for the outstanding scenery and views from every window, but having spent a day here, it's evident how the people and the strong sense of community have won over critics. As is the case in many rural towns and villages, the local pub is the focal point, and the manager of the Dundrum Inn, Tom Doak, said the village's success is a reflection of its people. "It's the locals, that make this place so special," he said. "It's a very close-knit community, everybody knows everybody and that's sometimes good and sometimes bad." The business was recently taken over, and he said, "everyone has been so supportive and accepting of us. We're blow-ins as they say, and it has been such a success." Amanda Kirkpatrick moved to the village five years ago. "I moved here because I wanted to live by the sea, and I didn't know anybody, not having any friends, or family. But, it feels like home, I was just welcomed into the community," she told BBC News NI. The natural environment hasn't been lost on Ms Kirkpatrick. She said: "It has so much to offer. My pill was the sea, the mountains, the nature reserve, it has that wow-factor that you could quite easily miss if you were just driving through on your way to Newcastle or somewhere else." "But whenever you take the time to actually stop and have a walk around, then it's like a wee hidden treasure." This isn't the first award to be given to Dundrum, the coastal rowing club has a few rosettes to its name. As Coastal Skiffie World Champions, the village pulls well beyond its weight. Former chairman Andrew Boyd said the club's success is down to local support. "When you get a community that comes together and you get a passion to do something, the desire to help all of the people and you get support for that, that's pretty unstoppable," he said. Mr Boyd was born and bred in the village and said it has been a fantastic place to grow up. "There is a great sense of community now, especially the past five or six years. That's because people are giving up their own time to help other people to achieve things and be creative." He added: "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Michelin stars are hard to come by, but Dundrum has more than one. Chef Alex Greene has returned to his roots and invested in the village he grew up in. After taking over the restaurant that gave him his first job, The Buck's Head, he has come full circle after travelling the world. "Dundrum, and Northern Ireland as a whole, is a special place," he said. "To be crowned the best village, I think it's a great reflection of the people." Mr Greene said the village is on an upward spiral. "I go back 20 years to when I was a bit younger, the same buildings that were derelict then are turning around, I see a lot of change." He said the real charm of Dundrum is its location. "It will be nice for this coast to be a bit more of a spectacle, it is not just the north coast of Northern Ireland that is beautiful," he added. Business partner, Bronagh McCormick said: "It's very, exciting and you can see why as well. It's such a beautiful part of the world and obviously, we've invested here, we believe in this area." The local produce available is important to Mourne Seafood Bar's Chris McCann. "We are right on the footstep of the biggest fishing port in Northern Ireland," he said, "It is a big advantage to us." Having grown up in the village, he took over the restaurant 10 years ago. He said the people make the village thrive. "The people that live here have pride in it. So we do our best to maintain our old building here, it is probably one of the oldest buildings on the street. "It's our responsibility to make sure it's in good nick and part of the picture of Dundrum." The Dundrum Village Association said it aims to improve the quality of life for everyone living there. Alan Cooley, the committee treasurer, said that living there all his life may make him underplay how great the village is. "It's beautiful scenery, I can't say any more than that, and the people of course," he said. Mr Cooley added that young and old people benefit from groups across the village. "The work of the development association has improved the village so much, for example the cricket club facilities would make anyone envious, there are very few negatives to being here." Lifelong resident Marty Cardwell said he feels proud of his home, with its new recognition. "I feel very privileged to live here," he said, "it's great to see the passion within the community again." Mr Cardwell reminisced: "Years ago we used to have a regatta every summer and there was a great sense of community pride and, seeing the summer festival taking place again now, has brought that sense of pride back." Marcus Orsi moved to the village with his wife after spending the past 40 years in Switzerland, now he feels "as local as these guys". "I felt welcome... It's also cosmopolitan, my wife and I are part of a French-speaking group with locals in the area. "It just shows you it's not just locals, it's got an international flavour." WW2 mortar shell found on beach Patrick Kielty recalls first 'terrifying' show Roman rings declared as treasure
