Step back in time to a classic layout that's stood the test of time. Even though Dr. Leroy Culver built the first rudimentary nine holes and John Dunn Tucker added the next nine, it is clearly Donald Ross' touch that can be seen on this first golf course. Don't let the short 6,093-yard par 70 fool you - it's more of a course than it first appears. Wild drives or a sloppy short game can make for a long day. As with any course bearing Ross' name, it is ultimately very playable without losing its challenge - and a favorite for a great starting round.

It is a challenge not because of its length, topography, unruly routing, water features or green size - but because of the combination of factors that have made thousands laugh and cry at the same time. Crowned greens. Carefully placed bunkers. Strategic layout that tests both the long and short game. It is golf the way it was meant to be played, "the fairest test of championship golf" ever designed by Ross, in his own words. It is also top 10 in the country, and site of more championships than any other course in the country, including the 2005 U.S. Open Championship. The US Open will return in 2014.

Test your game on the rolling terrain of this classic Donald Ross short course. Its greens were recently renovated with the new Penn G-2 bent grass, making putting accuracy even more at a premium. Ben Crenshaw said it best in the 1970s, when No. 3 made an impression. "I just don't think people understand how good those holes are. They're filled with interest. They're shorter, but there's plenty of character to them."

Don't let the number fool you. We kept the old name, even the majority of Ross' original routing. But in 2000, Fazio officially opened No. 4 as a brand new course, his Tribute to Pinehurst. Site of the 2008 U.S. Amateur, it offers a championship challenge to those who dare, including over 140 pot bunkers that dot the landscape. It also offers some of the most picturesque scenes at Pinehurst, including the 13th and 14th water holes.

Pinehurst and the Maples family are indelibly intertwined, and more so with this Ellis Maples design. Opened in 1961, No. 5 holds true to a key Ross feature - Mother Nature as the best guide in golf architecture. The course has more water hazards to negotiate than any other course at Pinehurst. What you'll see is a lot of variety in the layout - uphill and downhill, left-to-right and right-to-left, long and short par fours. Overall, it is a very playable, enjoyable 18 holes that will not disappoint.

The Golf Club at No. 6, reopened in 2005 as a championship course. Renovations by Tom Fazio have increased shot values, developed all new putting greens and rebunkered the entire course - making it a strong addition to the championship golf set at Pinehurst. You'll find the terrain different here - rolling hills make for a test from the tee box. The back nine is one the most difficult anywhere. One thing rings true - it continues to be a favorite for those who love Fazio designs.

Located a mile away from the Main Clubhouse, No. 7, newly renovated in 2003, is one of the boldest and most dramatic golf courses at Pinehurst. Located on some of the most rugged land around the Village of Pinehurst, the course lends a mountainous feel to a course that literally backs up to the more gentle movement of the world-famous No. 2. The Rees Jones-designed masterpiece uses landforms in equal parts to assist and challenge the golfer - down off many tees into the fairway, back up on a number of holes into the greens. Add the wetlands that dot the landscape-particularly on the short, par 4 7th hole - along with vast expanses of the sand, the "fingers" of bunkers on the 16th and the large, undulating greens, this course is sure to leave you visually stimulated on each and every shot. Course No. 7 will make you think and reason to the very end... so come prepared.

No. 8 opened in 1996 to commemorate Pinehurst's centennial year. Fazio incorporated signature Ross features into the design of No. 8, including dips and swales around the greens, sloping greens and false fronts. The greens and tees are close together, making it a pleasure to walk. As the site of the PGA Club Pro Championship in 1997 and 1998, it is a proven championship course that daunts and delights all who play it. Located approximately 2 miles from the Main Clubhouse at the site of the former Gun Club, it is a celebration of a century of great golf.