In Volume 2 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Tom Doak published that:

“Number three was Pinehurst’s premier course until the mid-1930s, when Ross sculpted the new greens for #2. Some of its best holes were stolen in 1960 so that course #5 could also start and finish at the clubhouse; yet the small, elevated greens make even the shortest of the holes tricky enough to hold your attention. How wonderful would it be if a big-name resort like Pinehurst invested its resources to restore a charming 6000-yard course?"

Pinehurst No. 3 received a score of 4 out of 10 from Tom Doak, and scores of 3 and 4 from two of his co-authors.