The Massacre at Winged Foot: Hale Irwin’s Win at the 1974 U.S. Open
It’s been 50 years since the USGA turned the West Course at Winged Foot Golf Club in New York into a golfing minefield. The course setup isn’t the only remarkable memory of the 1974 U.S. Open, though. A flushed long-iron approach at the 72nd hole to secure a major championship tends to be spoken of […]
The Legacy of Sand Greens
Donald Ross’s original greens for Pinehurst No. 2 lacked one critical component—grass Only a dozen years old yet already a burgeoning golf mecca, the Pinehurst Resort saw its reputation soar soon after Donald Ross expanded and redesigned Pinehurst No. 2 in 1907. Dozens of golf ’s most influential figures praised the layout in reverential terms. […]
What to Know About USGA’s Golf House Pinehurst
Since its inception, the USGA has amassed the most extensive collection of golf artifacts and memorabilia in the world. The USGA Museum was originally located in New York City, but the organization eventually chose a location in Liberty Corner, N.J., where the museum opened to visitors in 1972 in a location adjacent to USGA headquarters. […]
Characters: Pinehurst Caddie Thomas Trinchitella
After a tumultuous introduction to golf, Thomas Trinchitella has carved out an unlikely career as Pinehurst Resort’s most trusted caddie Few people would develop into avid swimmers if their introductory lessons included being thrown into the deep end of a pool and being told to figure it out. But that was how Thomas Trinchitella learned […]
Best Public Golf Around Pinehurst
Come for one of the country’s premier golf resorts—but stay (or come back) for the incredible collection of public courses around Pinehurst Let’s cut to the chase. There’s one reason every golfer wants to haul their sticks to the middle of North Carolina: taking on Donald Ross’s “Mona Lisa,” Course No. 2, and the rest […]
A Chat with Putter Boy
After holding the same pose for 112 years, it’s no surprise golf’s eternal child has become a little bent One of the game’s oldest living statues, Pinehurst’s iconic Putter Boy turned 112 this year. Despite his advanced age, the lad’s mind remains sharp—indeed acerbic—and he was gracious enough to grant LINKS Magazine a rare interview […]
First Peek: Pinehurst No. 10
Pinehurst Resort’s first new course in nearly three decades is part of a property that will redefine the Cradle of American Golf There’s not much out at the Pinehurst Sandmines (yet), the 900-acre, mostly wooded parcel of land in development at Pinehurst Resort about four miles south of the main clubhouse. But there is a […]
13 Years Later: Bill Coore Reflects on the Restoration of Pinehurst No. 2
Of course they were honored—which golf course architect wouldn’t be? Of course they were humbled—again, would anyone whose vocation in life was to build, renovate, and revive great golf courses not question if they were up to the task, if only for a moment? And yes, of course they were a little nervous about the […]
5 Important Questions for USGA CEO Mike Whan
After a 12-year run as Commissioner of the LPGA, Mike Whan took the helm of the USGA on July 1, 2021. While professional golf may be at a crossroads due to the PGA Tour/LIV divide, Whan is bullish on the game of golf itself, which is currently flourishing under the auspices of his organization. With […]
Have You Ever Played a U.S. Open Course?
