Pinehurst No. 8

Pinehurst No. 8 was designed by Tom Fazio to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pinehurst Resort and opened in 1996. Often called the Centennial Course, Fazio built crowned greens with greenside swales as a deliberate salute to Donald Ross and Pinehurst No. 2.

No. 8 is the most secluded of the Pinehurst resort courses, routed through dense longleaf pines with no residential development visible from any hole. The course features dramatic waste areas, bold shaping, and water hazards absent from the more minimalist Ross courses.

The course received agronomic enhancements in 2022, refreshing playing surfaces while maintaining Fazio's original design intent. No. 8 regularly ranks among the best resort courses in America.

No. 8 offers a distinctly different experience from the classic Ross courses. Fazio's bold style features dramatic shaping, waste areas, and water hazards creating visual excitement. The routing through secluded longleaf pines means no houses or distractions.

At 7,092 yards from the tips, the course is a serious test but plays fairly from forward tees. The crowned greens demand thoughtful approach play.

The crowned greens are the defining challenge. Balls missing the center roll into collection areas. Aim for green centers and work toward pins only when confident in distance control.

Waste areas are played as through-the-green so you can ground your club. Course management through the pines is essential as wayward drives leave difficult recoveries.