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Robert O Farren, Jr., CGCS
Bob Farren, CGCS, is the Director of Grounds and Golf Course Maintenance at Pinehurst Resort, home of nine courses including the Donald Ross classic Pinehurst No. 2. In his 38-year career at Pinehurst, Farren has managed course conditions for some of the world’s greatest golf championships, including three U.S. Open Championships, multiple U.S. Amateur Championships, the U.S. Senior Open and The TOUR Championship. Farren and his team received accolades from players, the USGA and international media for the incredible course conditions maintained throughout the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open Championships, which were held on Pinehurst No. 2 in back-to-back weeks in 2014.
The success of the U.S. Open Championships on the Coore-Crenshaw restored Pinehurst No. 2 provided a great platform to introduce a much more sustainable landscape for golf in the current minimalist age of golf course architecture, culminating in being honored by Golf Digest with the Green Star Award for outstanding environmental leadership in golf. Pinehurst has most recently received recognition for their involvement with architect Gil Hanse to build a new par-3 short course, The Cradle, and opened a newly Hanse-redesigned Pinehurst No. 4 with great success.
Farren is very active in the golf industry and has served on numerous GCSAA Committees, the USGA Green Section Committee, The First Tee, the Musser Foundation and the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), and has enjoyed many years of involvement with the Bayer/John Deere Green Start Academy. HIs most recent honor came in April 2019 when he was inducted into the Carolina’s Golf Association Hall of Fame.
The recognition and accolades continued in 2020 when the USGA announced that Pinehurst would serve as the U.S. Open’s first Anchor Site. In addition to the U.S. Open returning to Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024, the championship will also be played there in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.
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