We (Kate and I) played Pinehurst #6 on a Sunday morning around 8:30 a.m. There was a twosome in front of us (which we ended up passing), and a threesome two groups behind us. I love the feeling that we’re the only people on the golf course, and this course provided that. Great way to kick off the Pinehurst vacation!
I played the Blues, which measured 6,537. I ended up playing the Whites when playing Pinehurst #4, #7 (Blues on #8), but this was my first round, sun was shining and I was feeling strong; let’s go!
Got there early enough to hit the range, which was impressive. HUGE putting green to practice on, lots of stalls and a large Rolex clock to keep your tee time top of mind.
Pinehurst Six starts out with a straight uphill, 411-yard par 4. The fairway is wide, so I let it fly and pulled it a bit left. There are houses on this course (unlike #4 or #8), so I was close to a house but easily in bounds and only about 160 out. Hit the green, but 3-jacked for an opening bogey (if you haven’t noticed, the greens at Pinehurst are HUGE!)
The second hole is a dogleg left par 5. I hit a good drive but it tailed to the right, leaving me no option other than laying up. I pulled my second shot a bit, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering the bunkers in front of the green on the right side. Take a look:
The third hole is a medium length downhill par 3. From the Blues, it played 176, but with a bit of wind I took a full 5-iron and hit a rock-solid shot to about 8 feet. I made the putt for birdie! My first birdie at Pinehurst, and hopefully not my last.
The fourth is an interesting hole. For the entire length of the hole on this dogleg right, the entire right side is OB. Here’s a picture from the left edge of the beginning of the dogleg, which shows the right side of the fairway, and the chasm of death that it is. The entire fairway slopes towards this chasm, so be wary. This proved to be a much tougher hole than it looks like from the tee, and if I were to ever play it again, I’d play it much safer.
Just to the left of the 6th tee box is an on-course restroom. It was cleaner than expected, and well-stocked, which made this stop above average. Job well done Pinehurst!
The sixth hole is a 492 yard par 5. It’s tough seeing the layout from the tee, so I suggest hitting a driver and try to ride the left side of the fairway, landing just right of the left fairway bunker. Here’s a picture of it; the green/flag is over the right side of the bunker.
It’s possible to go for it, but there is water right and a bunker left, and long could be in someone’s yard (i.e., OB.) I suggest laying up to a good solid wedge. With an uphill third, you should be able to stick it, giving a great birdie chance.
Seven is a great par 3, measuring 171 from the Blues. With water right, the tendency is to bail left, which inevitably leaves you a tough chip. This green is a HUGE one, not unlike most here, so be sure to choose the right club or plan on a potential 3-putt (then you’ll be just like me.)
The tee shot on 9 is one of the most interesting on the course, and possibly of the four Pinehurst courses we played. From the tee, there are a collection of bunkers up the left side that could easily swallow a less-than-perfect drive, and a very thin fairway up the right side, with a large pine tree directly in the middle of both. Which direction to go? I chose left, and carried the bunkers (luckily, but I did.) Be sure to look at a larger size of this picture to fully understand the dilemma. I loved this hole.
Ten is the #2 handicap hole (#1 is #1), with a downhill tee shot (with water and trouble on both sides) and an uphill approach. I hit my tee shot well, but I came close enough to OB that I should’ve considered a 3-wood instead. Even with a longer than expected tee shot, I was left with a long approach, thanks to the uphill angle. It’s easy to grab a beer or dog or chips or something at the turn, and be in a hurry to start the backside. Don’t do it; this is a tough hole, so be sure to respect it or you could have a big number here.
Twelve is a dogleg left, with a sever up-slope on the approach shot. If you can, hug the left side of the fairway here; everything slopes right, and the further right you are, the longer your approach shot. The following is what my approach shot looked like. The flag is between the two bunkers on the left. It’s as uphill as it looks, and more.
Here’s a shot looking back from the green to the fairway below. Another difficult yet strong hole; I like this course. 
Thirteen is a downhill par 3, and probably the most downhill shot I hit on any of the Pinehurst courses. It measured 186, and I think I hit a 7 or an 8-iron. The green is huge, so just aim for the middle; makes the hole a lot easier. When choosing your club, respect the wind (probably in your face.) Honestly, I could’ve taken a 6-iron and been safe and on the green, instead of short due to the wind.
I did get the chance to see just how good the zoom was on my new camera on this hole, and I was impressed. Here’s a shot I took with the zoom fully extended. If you look close, you can see a band around the right leg.
On fifteen tee (well, under the Blue tees actually) there is an on-course restroom which again, was clean and well-stocked. In addition, there was a defibrillator available which is definitely a nice touch. Thumbs up to Pinehurst for attention to details.
Sixteen is a downhill par 3 with bunkers on both sides. This hole is pretty open, meaning the wind will potentially play a big role here, so be sure to make the right club selection.
Eighteen is relatively straight but long, and completely uphill. It played 425 from the Blues. It looks easy from the tee but the length is more than I expected.
Some folks that visit Pinehurst might not like the fact that most of the holes on Pinehurst #6 have houses on them. The original 5 courses (to my knowledge) have very, very few houses, so this course may be viewed as less than desirable. I couldn’t disagree more. This course was definitely challenging, visually a pleasure, and my wife appreciated the views and the ease of play from the Reds (5,001 yards.) Pinehurst #6 was a pleasure to play and I’d recommend it to anyone.
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You are back! Thanks for these reviews!