Short Par 4 The Magazine Issue #2 October 2020 | Page 9

felt like the perfect mixed cocktail with past and present as the ingredients .

The Pinehurst # 2 vibe simply cannot be faked and rivals the euphoric feeling you get at places like St . Andrews and Pebble Beach . Standing on the first tee you are met with an onslaught of flashbacks to the videos that Pinehurst plays in your room at the Carolina . The countless U . S . Open ’ s , Payne Stewart ’ s triumph and legacy , and the countless number of the game ' s greats that have once stood in the same spot looking down the first fairway . The round that had escaped me for so long was about to start and I knew I was in for something special .

The first hole greeted our crew with a preview of what to expect right out of the gate . Narrowly missing fairways and navigating the native areas , watching great shots turn bad ,