News

Oakmont Returns to Its Roots

No other venue has hosted as many U.S. Opens as Oakmont Country Club, what makes this course so unique and what is its history with the U.S. Open?

Published

17 years ago

Jun 12, 2007

K Vakamudi

U.S. Open Oakmont 2007 The Oakmont story begins in 1903 when avid amateur golfer Henry C. Fownes purchases 200 acres of farmland in the Pittsburg suburb of Oakmont nestled in the Allegheny River Valley. Fownes longed to build a true links style course and with a minimal crew of men and machines fulfilled his dream.

Fownes and his son worked hard to utilize the existing landscape to create a course rife with challenge and difficulty. At its opening in 1904, Oakmont played to a par of 80 at 6400 yards. Fast forward to 2007, Oakmont has hosted eight more U.S. Opens, its list of winners is a who’s who of golfing royalty, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, and Johnny Miller have all been crowned U.S. Open Champion at Oakmont Country Club, and the this year, the course will play a staggering 7,230 yards at par 70.

Oakmont has always been known for one thing – its difficulty. This feeling was instilled early on in the club’s life. Although it has no water hazards, Oakmont makes up for it with devilish bunkering. The first U.S. Open was held at Oakmont in 1927. W.C. Fownes set out to make it the most challenging course in the world by allowing the rough to grow up past player’s knees and increasing the number of bunkers to 220. Fownes had one more trick up his sleeve, the bunker rakes he used had widely spaced teeth in them to create furrows inside the bunkers making escaping the sandy hazards incredibly difficult even for the best players in the world. Jack Nicklaus has once again brought these rakes to the forefront of the golfing world by using them at his Memorial Tournament. While the bunker rakes are now gone, their legacy of penal bunkers and difficult course setup remains to this day among the members and management of Oakmont.

Of all the lasting images of Oakmont, none is as iconic as the Church Pew bunkers placed between holes 3 and 4. The exact origin of the Church Pews is difficult to ascertain, no one is quite sure if it was Henry Fownes or his son, W.C. who came up with the idea. What is certain is that there may not be a more penal bunker in the United States. Within the heart of the bunker lies twelve mounds planted with long fescue grass. Originally the bunker contained 8 pews, but over the years the entire bunker has been widened and the number of pews increased to 12. In preparation for this year’s U.S. Open, Head Greens Keeper John Zimmers has made some other changes to make the Church Pews even more difficult. The coarse sand formerly found in the Church Pews has been replaced with a finer grained sand to increase the chances of finding a buried lie. The former mixture of grasses found on the pews themselves has been replaced with pure fescue making even the simple task of pitching out a difficult proposition.

Oakmont Church Pews

Yet the bunkers aren’t the only defense of Oakmont. The Oakmont greens hold the unique distinction of having the most tilt of any golf course in the world. Combine that with the USGA’s pension for ramping up green speeds into the 13 foot range on the stimpmeter, Oakmont will likely be an incredibly difficult test this year. Last week, defending champion Geoff Ogilvy played his first practice round and his caddie estimated his score around 85. Ogilvy said, "It’s pretty tough, the hardest course I’ve ever seen . . . A lot of things can happen before next week, a lot of grass can be cut and a lot of rain can fall, but Oakmont is pretty tough."

Oakmont 8th Hole As if the hazards and greens weren’t enough to cause trepidation among the best golfers in the world, one major topic of conversation has been the par 3 8th hole. While the 8th hole has traditionally played at 252 yards, it has now been stretched to a staggering 289 yards at its greatest. Reactions among players has been mixed to say the least, Retief Goosen said, "Sounds to me like it’s a bit silly, but we’ll find out when we get there." Mike Davis, Director of Rules and Competition for the USGA has said the back tee will be rotated with the shorter one playing at 252 yards, he explained the reasoning of the hole by saying, "When we were here in 2003 and we started watching players in the U.S. Amateur routinely hit 2-irons, 4-irons, 5-irons [from 252 yards], a few of us shook our heads and said, this doesn’t need to be done for the Open. We thought this distance would really put, you know, 1-irons, 3-woods, even drivers, back in the players’ hands. If we have a few players who can’t get it there, so be it."

However, Oakmont might not even be hosting the U.S. Open this year, were it not for the efforts of Mark Studer. During the 1960’s Oakmont underwent drastic changes thanks to a major tree planting effort that rewrote Oakmont’s links style character with a decidedly parkland flair. In 1995 Studer presented a plan to Oakmont’s Board which attempted to persuade them to restore the course to the links style layout H.C. Fownes originally intended. The plan was accepted over the next ten years, over 5,000 trees were removed from Oakmont. Oakmont’s plan to recapture its former glory stands in stark contrast to several other famous golf clubs which have continually made changes which take them further and further away from the intents of their founders. Yet, there is little doubt from all the pre-tournament talk this week that the Oakmont plan has produced a remarkable course, one which stays true to its original design intents, and one that will be a fitting challenge to the best golfers in the world.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 3M Open

Published

1 day ago

Jul 23, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at TPC Twin Cities for the 2024 3M Open for the penultimate event of the PGA Tour’s regular season.

The photos are flying in from Blaine, Minnesota. We’ve already assembled general galleries and a fresh Tony Finau WITB.

Check back throughout the week for more photos!

General Albums

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See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

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Courses

The BEST hidden gem links courses in the UK & Ireland

Published

1 day ago

Jul 23, 2024

Josh Post, Golfbreaks

Another Open Championship has come and gone and links golf was once again in the spotlight at Royal Troon! For those who have never played a links course (like myself), it sparks a desire to fly across the pond to experience it for ourselves. While a golf trip to the UK or Ireland is a bucket-list item, most people look to play the big-name courses (Old Course, Carnoustie, Lahinch, Royal Portrush,etc.), but don’t realize they can get a similar experience by traveling to some of the lesser known destinations where you will find some of the purest links courses in the world. With this in mind, here are our picks for the best hidden gem links courses you should play when you book a UK or Ireland trip:

IRELAND

Ballyliffin

We start our list off with a 36-hole club in the Northwest of Ireland, a remote area of the Emerald Isle that is known for its rugged terrain and spectacular scenery. Bordering the Wild Atlantic Way, Ballyliffin is relatively newer (est. 1947) but offers golfers one of the purest links golf experiences anywhere in the country. While not easy to get to, the two courses onsite (Old and Glashedy) are well worth the travel with large dunes shaping the fairways that overlook the North Atlantic Ocean and a myriad of pot bunkers everywhere you look. Even Rory McIlroy believes that “Ballyliffin’s two courses are a must play on any golf trip to Ireland.” and we tend to agree.

How to incorporate Ballyliffin in a golf trip:

Stay:Ballyliffin Lodge, Hotel & Spa

Play: Old Links & Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin, and Old Tom Morris Links or Sandy Hills Course at Rosapenna

Enniscrone

The next course on the list is in the Sligo area of the Northwest where we find Enniscrone, roughly 3 hours (by car) south of Ballyliffin. Like many links courses, Enniscrone was originally a 9-hole course when it was opened in 1918 before an additional 9 holes were added 12 years later. In 1970, Eddie Hackett was tasked with redesigning the course to help the two 9-hole courses flow effortlessly into one 18 hole layout. A big feature that can be seen throughout your round here are the towering dunes that shape the course and protect some holes from the ocean winds. Built right out of the landscape of the dunes bordering the sea, the course has a lot of undulation in the fairways and greens with some elevated tee boxes providing unreal views of the natural land.

How to incorporate Enniscrone in a golf trip:

Stay: The Glasshouse Hotel, Sligo

Play: Enniscrone, County Sligo, and Donegal

Additional Courses: Strandhill, Carne, and Narin & Portnoo

St. Patrick’s Links

Another fantastic gem on the Northwest coast of Ireland is the NEW (2020) St. Patricks Links at Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Links. The land was purchased back in 2012 which was already a 36-hole facility and Tom Doak was brought in to reimagine the property to the layout it currently is today. Large sand dunes shape the front 9 holes before heading back through some more subtle dunes back towards the clubhouse. The course offers elevation changes with some tee boxes sitting atop the dunes offering spectacular views of Sheephaven Bay and beyond. With two other courses and a fantastic hotel on property, this destination is all you could ever ask for.

How to incorporate St. Patricks in a golf trip:

Stay: Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Links

Play: St. Patrick’s Links, Sandy Hills Course , and Old Tom Morris Links (all at Rosapenna)

Island Club

For our last hidden gem in Ireland, we head 30 minutes north of the country’s capital, Dublin, to The Island Club. Built along rugged terrain and the highest sand dunes on the east coast of Ireland, the Island Club is situated on a small peninsula surrounded by water on three sides providing a difficult challenge, especially with the winds. Founded in 1890, the Island Club continues to be ranked in the Top 10 courses in Ireland and has held some Amateur Championships and Open Championship Regional Qualifiers.

How to incorporate The Island Club in a golf trip:

Stay: The Grand Hotel, Malahide

Play: Island Club, Portmarnock Old, County Louth

Additional Courses: Royal Dublin

SCOTLAND

Dunbar

Located along “Scotland’s Golf Coast” of East Lothian is where we find the classic links of Dunbar. Opened in 1856 with only 15 holes, this is one of the many courses in Scotland that Old Tom Morris had a hand in crafting. Laid out along rocky and rocky terrain, the course is only 6500 yards long and while not long by modern standards, the course requires shot making and proper club selection to play well. The course has held many national and international tournaments including a few rounds of The Open Final Qualifying.

How to incorporate Dunbar in a golf trip:

Stay: No. 12 Hotel & Bistro

Play: Dunbar, Gullane (No.1), North Berwick

Additional Courses: Craigielaw, Kilspindie, Gullane (No.2, No. 3)

Cruden Bay

The next course on our list brings us to the Scottish Highlands, one of the lesser traveled destinations in Scotland, but still home to some amazing links courses including Cruden Bay! Located 25 miles north of Aberdeen on the east coast of the Highlands, Cruden Bay was opened in 1899, although history would indicate golf has been played at the property since 1791. Another Old Tom Morris design, the course is consistently ranked in the Top 25 of courses in Scotland and it is easy to see why. At only 6600 yards, it is relatively short, but the natural lay of the land provides elevation changes, punchbowl greens, and some large, 3-story high dunes that offer spectacular views for a classic links experience.

How to incorporate Cruden Bay in a golf trip:

Stay: Leonardo Hotel Aberdeen

Play: Cruden Bay, Trump International Links, Royal Aberdeen

Additional Courses: Murcar

Brora

We head back to the Highlands just north of Dornoch to where we find Brora Golf Club. Similar to a lot of links courses, Brora opened as only 9 holes in 1891, but that only lasted for 9 years before an additional 9 was added in 1900 before a James Braid redesign in 1924. At just over 6200 yards, this is one of those courses that will make you appreciate links golf in Scotland with cattle and sheep roaming freely around the property. The course is a typical links routing with the front 9 going out and the back 9 coming back to the clubhouse. The defense of the course is the wind (naturally), but the greens are relatively small with pot bunkers standing guard to catch errant approach shots.

How to incorporate Brora in a golf trip:

Stay: Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch

Play: Brora, Royal Dornoch – Struie & Championship

Additional Courses: Golspie, Tain

Nairn

Staying in the Scottish Highlands, the last Scotland links gem on the list is just outside of Inverness at The Nairn Golf Club. The narrow fairways are fast and firm leading to decent sized, tricky greens that roll true, but are guarded by devious pot bunkers. The first seven holes play right along the water and with not a ton of elevation changes, spectacular views across the Moray Firth can be seen throughout the course. With fantastic course conditions throughout the season, this fantastic links is an absolute must-play when visiting the Highlands.

How to incorporate Nairn in a golf trip:

Stay: Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness

Play: Nairn, Castle Stuart (Cabot Highlands), Fortrose & Rosemarkie

Additional Courses: Nairn Dunbar, Moray

Golfbreaks by PGA TOUR highly recommends you start planning your trip across the pond AT LEAST 12-18 months in advance in order to secure tee times and hotel rooms over the dates you desire. With more and more people taking up the game of golf, these bucket list trips have already become extremely popular and will continue to gain interest so make sure to start planning early!

Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.

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News

Forum Giveaway: TaylorMade P7CB “Proto” irons

Published

2 days ago

Jul 22, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX and TaylorMade Golf have teamed up for one of the most exciting giveaways in recent memory. We are giving away one (1) set (3-PW) of the P7CB “Proto” irons, built to order for one lucky forum member! These yet-to-be-released irons have recently made it into the bag for both Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa.