The 188-yard 14th, known as the Cathedral Hole, is the point on Pinehurst No. 5 that tends to stay with you. Played from the Gold tees, this par three sits within a course where pine scenery and lake views regularly frame the next shot. Ellis Maples, who learned design alongside Donald Ross, laid out No. 5 around the ground already there rather than forcing a rigid route through it. From the back, it is a par 72 of 6,823 yards, with two par 36 nines. There is useful flexibility for a mixed group too, with six tee choices running from 4,357 yards at Yellow to 6,617 yards at Blue, before reaching the Gold markers. It is a course that rewards sensible club selection and an appreciation of the ground beneath your feet.
Opened in 1961, No. 5 forms part of the wider Pinehurst Resort golf offering and is associated with The Carolina Hotel. A stay here puts a great deal of golf within easy reach, with eleven 18-hole courses across the resort, plus the nine-hole Cradle and the Thistle Dhu putting course for a shorter afternoon challenge. Before the round, the 91st Hole is the place to begin the day, while The Deuce provides post-round refreshments. The resort’s interactive historical hallway adds context between rounds without taking focus away from the golf. For players wanting to work on a particular part of their game, the Pinehurst Golf Academy offers swing analysis and short-game coaching, making it possible to combine a relaxed holiday round on No. 5 with time on the practice ground.
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