Oakmont - what kind of course is it?u

[Hankshank]

A thread is already started for the difficulty of the course. Apart from that, what kind of course will we see for the US open?

Many of you may have played the course, or have vivid memories of the course from previous Tournaments. I have not. The last years venues have been quite different. Merion, old style, very well integrated to the landscape, which gave all the holed different identities. Two years ago, Pinehurst, which was quite the opposite, I just remember a lot of long par 4's among the pines. And then Chambers Bay which was different from anything seen before, both in terms of landscape. design and greens...

 

So, what to expect this year? Looking at the flyovers on the home page my first impression is, apart from "difficult" is No Water, No Trees, quite flat. Am I right?

[HoffTTM]

It isn't flat,

 

think

a) super deep & dense cabbage

b) fastest greens of the year, faster than when they messed up at the players

c) significant tilt to the greens, often front to back (at least much more often than other courses)

d) proper penal bunkers for the most part.

e) really tightly cut approaches with false fronts

 

Anything under par is winning by at least 5 imo

[Hankshank]

It isn't flat,

 

think

a) super deep & dense cabbage

b) fastest greens of the year, faster than when they messed up at the players

c) significant tilt to the greens, often front to back (at least much more often than other courses)

d) proper penal bunkers for the most part.

e) really tightly cut approaches with false fronts

 

Anything under par is winning by at least 5 imo

 

But the layout, as it looks is set in some kind of landscape reminding of a Scottish heath? from the flyover it reminds me a little of Muirfield.

[braincramp52]

Hard. Winning score will be above par.

[NevinW]

It has a links look to it since they removed all of the trees. A very controversial decision, I might add. When I played it, it was a parkland course with tree-lined fairways. Now it is wide open and you can see everything including the trouble and how narrow everything is. Looks dramatically different.

[driveandputtmachine]

I was lucky to play it twice, once in 95 when the course was tree lined. It was one of if not the hardest golf course I had ever played. I played it again in 2008 and it was a completely different course. For the pros, trees might be in play on 3 - 5 holes. 1,2,3 and then if they are way off line I could see a possibility on 17, possibly 18.

 

I hit it in the trees on 2,3. I was CLOSE on 17 and 18.

 

If the pro's manage to find a tree anywhere else then they hit an absolutely horrible shot.

[ZBUCK]

never been to Oakmont but I'll definitely be playing it on the PS4 until Thursday to see the layout! :)

[dlygrisse]

To me when I think of the perfect US Open course I think Oakmont. It was designed to be penal, and the USGA does not have to trick it up much to get ready as the members play a very difficult course anyway.

 

Since it's inception it has been known for having some of the fastest most undulating greens in the world. It was known for this before this became a mainstream concept. How fast they were before the modern greens mower I don't really know....but I remember reading one of Bobby Jone's books and in the 1920's when he competed there he stated that they were very fast and difficult.

 

The fairways will be lined with deep thick rough, how deep will depend on how the USGA decides to cut them prior to Thursday, and will they use graduated rough or just make it deep?

 

The fairways undulate a good amount, the greens have run off areas, and false fronts, the lack of trees will make wind come into play if it blows.

 

So if the course drys out, the greens are firm and the fairways are firm and the rough is left long look for it to be a grueling test with the winner well over par.

[c7015]

seeing Justin and Rickie and Brysons snapchats of the course , the rough looks menacing ...balls just disappear from sight as soon as they hit the grass

 

Greens look like there glass

 

I predict +8 to win by 4 shots

[chigolfer1]

Whats the story with the tree removal?

 

 

It has a links look to it since they removed all of the trees. A very controversial decision, I might add. When I played it, it was a parkland course with tree-lined fairways. Now it is wide open and you can see everything including the trouble and how narrow everything is. Looks dramatically different.

[Santiago Golf]

It has a links look to it since they removed all of the trees. A very controversial decision, I might add. When I played it, it was a parkland course with tree-lined fairways. Now it is wide open and you can see everything including the trouble and how narrow everything is. Looks dramatically different.

 

It was originally designed as a links course. Then they ruined the classic the design by adding trees. Same thing they did to Oakland Hills. Now they are getting rid of them all

[c7015]

this kind of stuff is going to be fun !!

[DickieThon]

Going on Friday. I'm more excited about this than a man my age should be.

[Apex93]

I think of it as a "second shot golf course" - placement (well, assuming you get off the tee in the fairway, obviously) of the approach has to be perfect with tilted greens combined with green speed and firmness - a lot of holes where you don't fire at flagsticks - you aim at areas to funnel the ball towards the hole. There were some shots where I couldn't get a high wedge to stop (landed on the front, and somehow the ball got all the way to the back). Actually, many shots where I was amazed how far past the hole I ended up, even on the long par 3 8th hole (note - there is plenty of room to land it short (to the right of the bunker), so it is not like you are trying to stick a FW wood!).

I wouldn't really describe it as a links - maybe parkland without trees given the fairway canting, slight doglegs, and aim lines? Fairway bunkering could probably be referred to as links-style in the sense that a bad lie might demand a sideways/backwards wedge out.

 

I didn't think the fairways were tight, but I played there when the rough wasn't like it is now. That's going to be looming in everyone's head. Good mix of short holes and long holes.

 

Lastly, it's a supremely difficult course for anyone but the most confident putter - the ball does not stop as it nears the hole, so you have to start it on line, or you'll be left with a difficult 8 foot comebacker. The greens are certainly as fast as advertised - they were US-open-ready last year. Though there weren't many places where I was aiming putts way away from the hole, I had a harder time on those greens than Augusta!

 

Toughest scoring (most penal) golf course I've ever played. Can't wait to watch this.

[that0neguy]

Start here.

 

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[Huskypride28]

Open championship layout, with Bethpage cabbage rough, and Augusta greens

[WV-Hick]

seeing Justin and Rickie and Brysons snapchats of the course , the rough looks menacing ...balls just disappear from sight as soon as they hit the grass Greens look like there glass I predict +8 to win by 4 shots

 

I hope you're right, but I suspect the USGA will panic and the greens will be slowed a bit and the rough cut.

[DLiver]

It is a course that requires precision on every shot. The fairways are firm, and bunker surrounds are mowed to nearly fairway height, so balls can easily roll into them. You must be able to control trajectory and spin or you will never hold the green. The course is treeless, so you feel every breath of wind, however since there are very few trees, the winds don't swirl like on parkland course. Great shots are rewarded, good shots are penalized, and mediocre shots get the death penalty. Because there are so few trees, you always have a direct shot to the green. This means the course needs substantial rough to protect par. However the rough I've seen is just plain stupid.

 

The property is quite undulating, so you need to take that into account tee to green. I would say that good short game is a must, but if they have silly-deep rough around the greens, then it is just going to be a matter of luck.

[Sun Devil]

It has a links look to it since they removed all of the trees. A very controversial decision, I might add. When I played it, it was a parkland course with tree-lined fairways. Now it is wide open and you can see everything including the trouble and how narrow everything is. Looks dramatically different.

 

It was originally designed as a links course. Then they ruined the classic the design by adding trees. Same thing they did to Oakland Hills. Now they are getting rid of them all

 

I like it without the trees. Now the pros can maneuver their tee shots easier to hit the fairways. Why have trees that narrow the fairways AND penal rough at the same time? Looking forward to see this.

[farmer]

Henry Fownes intent was to build a links style course. The trees were added gradually over the years until it became a parkland course. The trees were removed when the club decided to get back to their roots, and when the trees were hurting the greens and fairways. I read an article at the time in which the greens supt. remarked that they had tree roots coming up in some greens, and that there were fairway areas starved for sunlight.

[Fade to Black]

Some cool insight into how deep the rough is and fast the greens are!!

 

http://golf.swingbyswing.com/article/oakmont-looks-ready-for-the-u-s-open/?utm_content=1653

[Roadking2003]

It was originally designed as a links course. Then they ruined the classic the design by adding trees. Same thing they did to Oakland Hills. Now they are getting rid of them all

 

I love trees. I don't see how you could ruin anything by planting trees.

[Roadking2003]

I think of it as a "second shot golf course" -

 

I've heard that about other courses but don't know what people mean with that expression. Every course I play is a second shot course.

[bscinstnct]

Some cool insight into how deep the rough is and fast the greens are!!

 

http://golf.swingbys...tm_content=1653

 

Thanks!

 

That is completely insane.

[elwhippy]

Err Gentlemen it is not in any way a Links course. Links courses are built on linksland, that is the land between the sea and farmland. It is parkland.

[knock it close]

Err Gentlemen it is not in any way a Links course. Links courses are built on linksland, that is the land between the sea and farmland. It is parkland.

There are like 4 trees on the property, not really parkland.

[farmer]

And the pedagogue steps in. It was designed as a links STYLE course.

[NevinW]

Henry Fownes intent was to build a links style course. The trees were added gradually over the years until it became a parkland course. The trees were removed when the club decided to get back to their roots, and when the trees were hurting the greens and fairways. I read an article at the time in which the greens supt. remarked that they had tree roots coming up in some greens, and that there were fairway areas starved for sunlight.

 

That sums it up precisely. All the old photos showed it be a links style. The trees had grown so much that it was effecting the ability to grow grass in some areas. When the decision was made, there were some people who were quite vocal about their opposition to removing the trees. However, to me It appears to be the right decision.

[rtran]

Whoever is the luckiest will win.

[kobes31]

I just got back from the course. Significant elevation changes on the majority of holes, nothing dramatic but significant. Many of the flat landing spots off the tee are blind and the rest are uneven. Fairways are running so fast they can easily run out straight into a bunker. Those look fun too, very few greenside that aren't several feet below the putting surface.