The 14th green on the No. 2 course characterizes Donald Ross' design of humped greens. (John Mummert/USGA)

By Dave Shedloski

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – General raves about the virtues of No. 2 when August daylight begins to diminish might emanate most distinctly from a pencil factory. Sharpen the focus to golf and the reference is unmistakable.

The No. 2 Course at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, the host course of this week's 108^th U.S. Amateur, is arguably one of the most renowned in the world and one of the most complete examinations in championship golf. It represents the signature design of prolific course architect Donald Ross, who first created the links course in 1903 and nurtured it until his death in 1948.

Located in the sand hills of central North Carolina, Pinehurst Resort offers eight distinct golf courses, but its famed No. 2 Course has always been the spotlight attraction and long has been a prime destination for the game's best players. It hosted the 1936 PGA Championship won by Denny Shute and the 1951 Ryder Cup. Ben Hogan won his first professional title, the 1940 North & South Open, at No. 2. More recently, it welcomed the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Opens, the former representing the last victory of the late Payne Stewart. In all, Pinehurst has hosted eight USGA events, more than any other club in the state, and is scheduled to host its ninth with the 114th U.S. Open in 2014.

Among the eight was another U.S. Amateur, this one in 1962 when Labron Harris Jr. of Enid, Okla., rallied from a five-hole deficit to defeat A. Downing Gray of Pensacola, Fla., 1 up. That edition featured the 50^th and final appearance by former champion Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Former President Dwight Eisenhower was among the spectators during the final round.

That championship was contested solely on the No. 2 course, which at 7,051 yards was then the longest course to host a USGA event. But it was played at its regulation par 72. This year, it plays to 7,281 yards and par 70.

And No. 2 is not the sole layout this week, either. The No. 4 Course, also created by Donald Ross, serves as a second site for the two rounds of qualifying for the 315 participants. The No. 4 course opened in 1919, and has undergone a couple of renovations, but the most significant work was done by Tom Fazio in 2000. The makeover brought the layout to 7,030 yards from the championship tees and included the addition to 140 pot bunkers.

Like No. 2, the No. 4 course features unique putting surfaces with challenging contours, a staple of Ross' work, and the original Ross routing was preserved. It also offers some of the most picturesque scenes at Pinehurst, including the 13th and 14th water holes.

While water does not come into play on the No. 2 course – there is only one water hazard on the course – on the converted par-4 16^th hole – the No. 4 course features a prominent lake that Fazio added, which serves as a significant hazard for holes 4, 13 and 14. They don't necessarily adhere to the work of Ross but nonetheless provide some dramatic views and shot values.

The USGA course rating for No. 4 is 74.2 strokes with a 138 slope. That matches up favorably with the more challenging No. 2, which comes in at hefty settings of 76.2 stroke rating and 140 slope.

Dave Shedloski is a freelance writer whose work has previously appeared on www.usamateur.org.