Pinehurst No. 2 hosted the 2024 U.S. Open. It’ll host it again in 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047. The USGA saw what the course did to the world’s best players in 2014 and 2024 and decided they’d keep coming back until someone proves they can solve it.
The course is a Donald Ross masterpiece. Turtleback greens that reject good shots. Wiregrass and sandy waste areas instead of traditional rough. A routing that looks simple on paper and destroys you in practice.
On E6 Connect, it’s included in the Expanded tier. That’s a better deal than most people realize.
What Tier You Need
Pinehurst No. 2 is part of the Expanded ($600/year) tier. Not available in the Basic ($300/year) rotating library. If you’re on Basic, you can’t play it.
This is one of the courses that makes the Expanded tier worth considering. Pinehurst is not a premium add-on. It’s included in the standard Expanded library. You pay $600, you get Pinehurst, Bethpage Black, Torrey Pines, and 90+ other courses.
For a full breakdown of what each tier includes, read the Best Courses on E6 Connect guide.
Why Pinehurst Works on E6 Specifically
Pinehurst No. 2 is a test of precision, not power. The fairways are generous. The rough is replaced by wiregrass, pine straw, and sandy waste areas. The real challenge is the greens — inverted saucers that repel anything not hit to the center.
E6’s version captures the turtleback greens better than any community-built alternative. The scanning data picked up the subtle contours. The greens don’t just look like domes. They play like domes. Hit the wrong part of the green and your ball runs off the edge, down a slope, into a collection area where you’re chipping from 30 yards.
The waste areas are rendered accurately. They’re not just brown textures. They look like sand with pine straw mixed in. The lies are realistic — you can hit from them, but the ball comes out differently than from the fairway. E6’s handling of unusual lies is one of the platform’s strengths, and Pinehurst’s waste areas are the perfect showcase.
The wiregrass is also correct. In real life, wiregrass is a penalty that’s visible but not as severe as traditional rough. On E6, it’s rendered as a slightly worse lie than the fairway. You can advance the ball. You just can’t control it as well.
How to Access It
Open E6 Connect. Navigate to the course library. Filter by Expanded tier. Search “Pinehurst No. 2.” Add to your library. Play.
One note: there’s also a Pinehurst No. 8 in the standard library. That’s a different course. You want No. 2.
What It Actually Looks Like
E6’s Pinehurst is the best-looking sim version available. The contrast between the green fairways, the brown wiregrass, the white sand, and the pine trees is striking.
The 1st hole: The opening tee shot is straightforward — a 370-yard par 4 with a generous fairway. On E6, the visual of the clubhouse in the background and the wide fairway sets the tone. You’ll hit a good drive and think this is easy. Wait.
The 5th hole: The 500-yard par 4 from the tips. Downhill drive, uphill approach. The green is protected by a massive false front. On E6, you can see the false front clearly. You’ll still hit short and watch your ball roll back 20 yards.
The 16th hole: The par 4 with the Pinehurst chapel behind the green. On E6, the chapel is rendered. It’s a small detail. It makes the hole feel real.
The Holes That Shine on Sim
Hole 3 — The short par 4: 330 yards uphill to a green that rejects everything. The option is driver (which brings the waste area into play) or a 3-wood to the corner (which leaves a 120-yard approach to the hardest green on the course). On E6, you’ll debate this for 30 seconds, pick the wrong club, and spend the next hole thinking about it.
Hole 7 — The par 4 with the hidden green: The approach is blind. The green is hidden behind a ridge. On E6, you can’t see the pin. You have to trust your yardage and hit. That’s Pinehurst.
Hole 18 — The closing hole: The fairway is wide. The approach is straightforward. The green is one of the more forgiving on the course. Payne Stewart made the winning putt here in 1999. On E6, you’ll try to recreate it. You’ll probably miss.
What I’d Change
The waste areas could affect the lie more. In real Pinehurst, hitting from a sandy waste area changes your club selection significantly. On E6, it’s a minor adjustment. Not a dealbreaker — the course is excellent — but it’s the one area where the sim version falls short of the real thing.
The Bottom Line
Pinehurst No. 2 is one of the best courses on E6 Connect, and it’s included in the Expanded tier. No premium upsell. No $25 add-on. You pay $600 a year and Pinehurst is yours.
The turtleback greens are the star. They’ll frustrate you. They’ll make you three-putt. They’ll make you wonder why you ever thought golf was fun. Then you’ll hit the 5th green on your second try and feel like you won the Open.
That’s Pinehurst. That’s why it’s worth playing.
For the full list of courses worth playing on E6, read The Best Courses on E6 Connect. Need the full software breakdown? Check the E6 Connect Software Review.