Pinehurst Resort (No. 2 Course) - North Carolina, U.S.A.

The Pinehurst Resort is the most famous American golf resort and the one that most often draws comparisons with St. Andrew, for although it is far from the sea in the sandy wastes of central North Carolina, it is a planned village that has become dedicated to golf The irony is that when Pinehurst was founded in 1895 by James Tufts, the wealthy Bostonian manufacturer of soda fountains, there was no golf there at all. In its first few years, Pinehurst was a retreat for New Englanders of modest means who were convalescing from respiratory illnesses, where the favorite pastime was roque, a form of croquet. The recreational picture began to change in 1899 when a nine-hole course was built. In 1900, Tufts hired Donald Ross, the transplanted Scottish professional, to come to Pinehurst to embark on designing what was to become a series of courses. Ross's Pinehurst No.2 is an endless source of inspiration and fascination-a course that appears relatively benign but whose challenging angles of play and crowned greens with fall-away slopes make it inordinately difficult. The 31O-room hotel is a national landmark and the resort also owns the Holly Inn. In 1999, Pinehurst hosted its first U.S. Open, which proved to be a worthy and exacting test for the pros, with the late Payne Stewart winning the championship. The Open returns to Pinehurst in 2005.

Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club - North Carolina, U.S.A.

Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Pinehurst tends to be overshadowed by the more f.1mous and much larger Pinehurst Resort, but Pine Needles has a charm and bonhomie all its own that should not be overlooked. Pine Needles was designed by Donald Ross, the sage of Pinehurst, in 1927. Though not as demanding or intricate as Pinehurst No.2, Pine Needles is pure Ross and a sheer pleasure to play, while still providing plenty of challenge. The holes are decep­tively difficult and water does come into play, particularly on the short third hole, one of Ross's most memorable par threes. The course hosted the u.s. Women's Open in 1996 and 2001, won by Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb, respectively, and the event is returning to Pine Needles in 2007. It is fitting that the Women's Open should be held there, since the resort is owned and run by Peggy Kirk Bell, a charter member of the LPGA and one of America's top teachers, who acquired the course with her late husband Warren "Bullet" Bell in 1953. The resort has a cozy, down-home style and Peggy Bell seems like she is always on hand to greet guests.