Pinehurst No.2 is one of the world's most famous and loved golf courses, with the stunning North Carolina layout hosting its fourth US Open this week.
It is receiving huge acclaim from players and fans alike, although one Major champion took the opposite view in calling it the world's most overrated golf course.
Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 Open Champion at Royal Troon, made his feelings clear on X (formerly Twitter), where he said he is "ready for some abuse" before making his bold Pinehurst No.2 take.
"I’m ready for some abuse. Just gonna spit it out!! Pinehurst is such a cool area with great courses. #2 ain’t one of them. Most overrated course in the world!! Lemme have it!! But it’s true."
'Calc' as he's often known later called the course "awful" and revealed why he thinks it's overrated. "Greens. No OB. No water and almost impossible to hit a tree. And pot luck if u miss fairways," he said.
The greens at Pinehurst are somewhat controversial, as they're all in the style of upturned saucers with devilish run-offs. They're the main protection of the course and the key reason why scoring is so high at the US Opens it hosts.
He did praise the area, though, revealing that his favorite courses to play when in the region are "Pine Needles. Mid Pines. Southern Pines. CCNC [the Country Club of North Carolina]."
While Calcaecchia is entitled to his opinion, Golf Magazine rank the resort's world famous No.2 course as the 21st best golf course in the world, while the USGA have set up its 'second home' at the venue.
Pinehurst is one of the USGA's new Anchor Sites, meaning the organization can set up more of a base there and the US Open will return on a more frequent basis.
The resort will host the US Open again in just five years' time and then every six years in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
