Pinehurst No. 2 Claims Top Spot in 2026 North Carolina Golf Rankings

Pinehurst No. 2 has seized the lead in the 2026 North Carolina Golf Panel rankings. The 7,588-yard course held its status as the state's premier golfing destination.

The Sandhills region placed a record 20 courses in the Top 100 rankings. Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club ranked third, while the Dogwood Course at The Country Club of North Carolina came in fifth. Pinehurst No. 4 rounded out the top 10.

Fourteen courses from the Sandhills area landed in the Top 50. This region also dominated the Top 60 Courses You Can Play list with 17 locations, accounting for nearly 30 percent.

"The Pinehurst area is known as the home of American golf for a reason, and having one-fifth of the best golf courses in the state here makes a huge statement to the quality of golf we enjoy," said Phil Werz, president and CEO for Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen, per Business North Carolina.

The North Carolina Golf Panel includes nearly 200 golfers who judge courses on 10 categories: routing, flow, design, strategy, fairness, memorability, condition, variety, aesthetics, and ambiance.

Woodlake Country Club in Vass broke into the Top 100 at No. 91 following a 2022 renovation by Kris Spence. Five courses gained at least 10 slots in the rankings. The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh jumped from 75th to 94th.

Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte ranked fourth. This facility hosted the PGA Championship in 2017 and 2025, the Presidents Cup in 2022, and annual PGA Tour events stretching back decades.

Pinehurst No. 2 will host U.S. Open championships in 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047. It will also host the 2027 U.S. Women's Amateur.