Change is coming to Pinehurst Resort as staff announce plans to break ground on its first new golf course in nearly 30 years. Construction will begin on the new addition this month, and it will be designed by one of the most respected golf course architects of the modern era, Tom Doak.

Located four miles south of the main resort clubhouse, Doak’s 18-hole routing is expected to open late spring of 2024, coinciding with the return of the U.S. Open to Pinehurst No. 2.

Doak envisions a course that complements the resort’s other courses through its contrasts.

“The site is topographically distinct and drastically different from anywhere in Pinehurst,” Doak said in a press release. “It’s bigger, bolder and more dramatic. There’s about 75 feet of elevation change, and we’ll work our way up to it around the mid-point of the layout. You’ll have expansive views from this apex over the rest of the course. It will be an unforgettable experience for golfers.”

The new course will incorporate rugged dunes that were mined at the location at the turn of the 20th century, and feature the native sand and wiregrass that are characteristic to the area.

“Tom Doak builds incredible golf courses on sand and we’re excited to see what he’ll create in the North Carolina Sandhills,” says Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley in a press release. “We’ve worked with some amazing golf architects who’ve embraced our natural aesthetic and believe Tom will do something fantastic on this site.”

Doak has chosen Angela Moser as his lead design associate for this project. Moser’s impressive international credentials include work at LACC North, St. Patrick’s Links, Te Arai Links and Ohoopee Match Club.

“The number one thing that excited us about the project is working with the beautiful sand that’s native to this region,” Doak said in a press release. “The sand, the wiregrass, the bluestem grass, and other native grasses that grow around the Sandhills create a fabulous texture for golf. It’s something most places just don’t have.”

In addition to Doak’s routing, Pinehurst envisions the potential for more growth in the area, which encompasses 900 total acres in Aberdeen. A variety of development opportunities will be evaluated with town officials, including additional golf, short course, clubhouse, guest cottages and other lodging.