Oakmont Country Club

File:Oakmont, PA Aerial 20250420.jpg

The course, the only design by Henry Fownes, opened {{Years or months ago|1903}} in 1903. With a crew of 150 men and a little under two dozen mule teams, Henry Fownes spent a year building Oakmont on old farmland, ideal for a links-style course. It straddles the Allegheny River Valley and uniquely has virtually no water hazards and, since 2007, almost no trees. With a USGA course rating of 77.5 and 175 bunkers, it is generally regarded in the golf community as one of the most difficult in the United States. It features large, extremely fast, and undulating greens. All are original, but the 8th was moved several yards to the left to make way for the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the late 1940s. Originally a links course, trees were added in the 1950s-1960s. Most were removed beginning after the 1994 U.S. Open, with between 5,000 and 8,000 eliminated during a 2007 renovation alone.Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07042/761220-382.stm Oakmont clears trees to revive Scottish-links look for U.S. Open] 2007-2-11. Retrieved 2010-7-8{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h0taAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JCgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=944%2C4127190 |newspaper=Observer Reporter |location=Washington, Pennsylvania |title=Oakmont going back to its roots |date=June 10, 2007 |page=C6 }} Greens are planted with Poa annua,{{cite news | last = Dvorchak | first = Robert | title = Oakmont-inspired Stimpmeter allows USGA to accurately measure speed, consistency of putting surfaces | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07164/793591-382.stm | access-date = 2008-11-07 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2007-06-13}} and par for members is 71.

The course is also noted for its slope. In particular, on holes 1, 3, 10, and 12, the greens pitch away from the fairway.{{cite news | title = Oakmont: Rock & roll (& roll & roll & roll) nightmare | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | url = http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07161/792746-382.stm | date = 2007-06-10 | access-date = 2007-06-10 | archive-date = October 10, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010164853/http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07161/792746-382.stm | url-status = dead }}

One of Oakmont's most famous hazards is the Church Pews bunker that comes into play on the 3rd and 4th holes. It measures approximately {{convert|100|by|40|yd}} and features twelve grass covered traversing ridges that resemble church pews.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cYQ0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=vccEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4704%2C2319959 |newspaper=Times Daily |location=Florence, Alabama |agency=Associated Press |title=Church Pews still a menace |first=John |last=Raby |date=June 16, 1994 |page=1C }}

For many years, Oakmont's bunkers were groomed with a rake with wider than normal tines, creating deep furrows. The rakes were last used in U.S. Open competition in 1962 and eliminated from the club in 1964.{{cite news | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06166/698442-136.stm | title = U.S. Open Notebook: Oakmont eyes tougher bunkers in '07 | last = Dulac | first = Gerry | access-date = 2007-06-17 | date = 2007-06-15 | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette }}

The course has been consistently ranked as one of the five best by Golf Digest 100 Greatest Golf Courses in America. In 2007 Oakmont was placed in 5th by the magazine.{{cite web | url = http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/americasgreatest/index.ssf?/courses/americasgreatest/gd200705greatestranking.html | title = America's 100 Greatest Courses | work = Golf Digest | date = May 2007 | access-date = 2007-06-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070607164409/http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/americasgreatest/index.ssf?%2Fcourses%2Famericasgreatest%2Fgd200705greatestranking.html | archive-date = 2007-06-07 | url-status = dead }} It is one of only a few courses ranked in the top ten every year of the publication's history. The top 50 toughest courses ranks Oakmont also at number 5,{{cite web | url = http://www.golfdiscussions.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=13091.0;wap2 | title = America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses | work = Golf Digest | date = March 2007 | access-date = 2007-06-10 | archive-date = March 4, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123409/http://www.golfdiscussions.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=13091.0;wap2 | url-status = dead }} while GolfLink.com ranks it at #3 overall.{{cite web | url = http://www.golflink.com/top-golf-courses/ | title = Top 100 United States Golf Courses | year = 2007 | access-date = 2007-06-10 | work = Golf Link }}

{{Golf18|center=true|title=Oakmont Country Club}}

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{{white18|M:72.3 / 131
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{{tee18|Brown|bcolor=brown|tcolor=white|M:70.0 / 128
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{{gold18|M:67.6 / 126
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{{yellow18|name=Fairway Tees|M:63.9 / 115
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{{par18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 71}}

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{{end}}

A hole-by-hole course map from GOLF magazine (June 2007) can be viewed here [https://web.archive.org/web/20070514005029/http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1628322,00.html]

Flyovers of the holes can be seen here [https://web.archive.org/web/20070715093800/http://www.usopen.com/course/flyovers.html]

Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open nine times, more than any other course, most recently in 2016, and is scheduled for its tenth in 2025.{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/2009/06/05/U-S-Open-to-return-to-Oakmont-in-2016/stories/200906050195 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Dulac |first=Gerry |title=U.S. Open to return to Oakmont in 2016 |date=June 5, 2009|access-date=April 11, 2016}} It has also hosted three PGA Championships, six U.S. Amateurs, three NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, and two U.S. Women's Opens. In total championships hosted (21) [need clarification - "championships" is not defined and the number of championships listed below is only 19], it also far outranks any other course [need citation].

Photo galleries of the U.S. Opens at Oakmont from the USGA's official site can be seen here [https://web.archive.org/web/20050618001437/http://www.usopen.com/photos/]

The first U.S. Open at Oakmont was won by Tommy Armour, who defeated Harry Cooper in an 18-hole Friday playoff. Their 72-hole score was 301 (+13); the par-72 course played to {{convert|6929|yd}} in 1927 (the first and ninth holes were both par 5).[https://web.archive.org/web/19990823030217/http://usopen.com/news/fact_sheet.html] The average score for the field was 78.6 (+ 6.6) and the field recorded just 2 rounds under par. The total purse of prize money was $800 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|800|1927|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).[https://web.archive.org/web/20070514005029/http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1624560,00.html]

Won by Sam Parks Jr. at 11 strokes over par. The par 72 course played to {{convert|6981|yd}} in 1935 and the average score for the field was 80.55 (+ 8.55) and the field recorded 3 rounds under par. The total purse of prize money was $5,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|5000|1935|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars) with a winner's share of $1,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000|1935|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

Ben Hogan won the second of his three straight majors in 1953 at Oakmont by six strokes, coming in at five under par.

Scheduling conflicts made it impossible to win all four majors that year, as the late rounds of the PGA Championship, then a match play event, and the mandatory 36-hole qualifier directly preceding the British Open overlapped in early July. Hogan won The Masters by five strokes and the British Open at Carnoustie by four strokes. The par-72 Oakmont course played at {{convert|6916|yd}} in 1953, and the average score for the field was 77.12 (+ 5.12); the field recorded 20 rounds under par. The purse was $14,900 and the champion earned $5,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|14900|1953|r=0}}}} and ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|5000|1953|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

At the 1962 U.S. Open, an up-and-coming 22-year-old named Jack Nicklaus defeated the world's top player at the time, the 33-year-old Arnold Palmer, in a Sunday playoff round in Palmer's "backyard".

Both competitors had completed the 72 holes with a 283 (–1). It was the first professional victory for Nicklaus, and the first of his 18 professional majors. Palmer won the next major, the 1962 British Open, and his fourth Masters in 1964, but never another U.S. Open. In 1962, par was reduced by a stroke to 71 (the first hole became a par-4) and the course length was slightly reduced to {{convert|6893|yd}}; the average score for the field was 75.86 (+ 4.86) and the field recorded 19 rounds under par. The purse was $81,600 and the champion earned $17,500 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|81600|1962|r=0}}}} and ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|17500|1962|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}

Johnny Miller shot a final round 63 (–8) to set a record low score at a U.S. Open, and finished at 279 (–5) to win by one stroke in 1973.{{cite news |url=http://www.usopen.com/en_US/news/articles/2016-05-24/fact_and_fiction_of_us_opens_most_famous_final_round.html |publisher=USGA |last=Driscoll |first=Ron |title=1973: Fact and fiction in the U.S. Open's most famous final round |date=May 24, 2016 |access-date=June 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528133256/http://www.usopen.com/en_US/news/articles/2016-05-24/fact_and_fiction_of_us_opens_most_famous_final_round.html |archive-date=May 28, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Following an overnight rainstorm, Miller entered the final round in 12th place at three-over, six strokes behind the four co-leaders.[https://web.archive.org/web/20061123200451/http://www.usopen.com/2006/history/pastchamps/1973.html USOpen.com] - 2006 - history - past champs - 1973 Miller had carded a disappointing five-over 76 on Saturday, and his tee time on Sunday was about an hour ahead of the final pairing, which included Arnold Palmer.

Miller birdied the first four holes and hit all 18 greens in regulation, and used only 29 putts. Miller and four others were the only ones to break par during the final round in 1973. The par 71 course played at {{convert|6921|yd}} and the average score for the field was 75.45 (+ 4.45) and the field recorded 40 rounds under par. The purse was $219,400 and the champion earned $35,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|219400|1973|r=0}}}} and ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|35000|1973|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

Miller's low score (9 birdies with 1 bogey) led the USGA to set up the course at the following year's championship, now known as The Massacre at Winged Foot, in an extremely challenging manner; Hale Irwin's winning score in 1974 was seven strokes over par.

Club selection and results - June 17, 1973{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/golf/tournaments/usopen/story/10223088|work=CBS Sports|title=Miller's magical 63 in '73 a round to remember|last=Elling |first=Steve|date=June 12, 2007 |access-date=June 2, 2012}}

In 1983, Larry Nelson was at 148 (+6) after the first two rounds. He then established the 36-hole record at the U.S. Open when he finished 65–67 to finish at 280 (–4), one stroke ahead of runner-up and defending champion Tom Watson. Nelson's two-round total of 132 (–10) broke the 51-year-old record by four shots, established by Gene Sarazen in 1932. Nelson's record, although not receiving level acclaim to Miller's 63 finish, stood until 2011 when Rory McIlroy broke it. The par 71 course played at {{convert|6972|yd|m}} in 1983, and the average score for the field was 76.13 (+ 5.13), and the field recorded 27 rounds under par. The purse was $506,184 and the champion earned $72,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|506184|1983|r=0}}}} and ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|72000|1983|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

In 1994, a 24-year-old Ernie Els outlasted Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in another Monday playoff round to capture the U.S. Open, his first major and first victory in the U.S. It was the first three-way playoff at the U.S. Open since 1963.

The three in the playoff completed the four rounds at 279 (–5), but all were well over par early in the playoff round, played in oppressive heat and humidity, as temperatures approached {{convert|100|F|0}}.[http://golf.about.com/od/majorchampionships/l/bl1994usopen.htm USOpen.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407045122/http://golf.about.com/od/majorchampionships/l/bl1994usopen.htm |date=April 7, 2015 }} - Oakmont 1994 Montgomerie shot a 42 on the front nine, ending at 78 (+7) and was eliminated. However, Els and Roberts were tied at 3-over 74, with Roberts missing a short putt on the 18th hole to win outright, so they kept playing as a sudden-death playoff. On the second extra hole, Roberts bogeyed, and Els made par to win the championship. The par 71 course played at {{convert|6946|yd|m}} in 1994, and the average score for the field was 74.25 (+ 3.25); the field recorded 62 rounds under par. The purse was $1.75 million and the champion earned $320,000 (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1750000|1994|r=1}}}} and ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|320000|1994|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

Ángel Cabrera of Argentina shot 285 (+5) in 2007, one stroke ahead of runners-up Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.

A course renovation had deepened the bunkers and removed over 4,000 trees that had been planted mostly in the 1960s, returning the course to its original links-style appearance.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070514005029/http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1630756,00.html Golf.com] The course was lengthened to {{convert|7230|yd|0}} and par was reduced by a stroke to 70, as the uphill 9th hole became a par-4. The par-3 8th hole played at {{convert|300|yd|0}} in Round 4, the par-5 12th hole at over {{convert|660|yd|0}}, and the par-4 15th at {{convert|500|yd|0}}. The average score for the field in 2007 was 75.72 (+ 5.72), with every hole averaging an over-par score.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070616201217/http://www.usopen.com/scoring/uni/csuma.htm USOpen.com] - scoring The field recorded just 8 rounds under par, only two per round. Cabrera had two of these sub-par rounds, shooting a 69 (-1) on Thursday and Sunday.

The weather was much more agreeable than in 1994: the high temperatures were {{convert|75|-|80|F|C|0}} for the first three rounds and {{convert|90|F|0}} for the final round, and there were no weather delays in any of the rounds. The total purse was $7.0 million and the champion earned $1.26 million (${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|7000000|2007|r=0}}}} and ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1260000|2007|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars).

The club hosted the U.S. Open for a record ninth time in 2016, and Dustin Johnson shot 276 (–4) to win his first major title by three strokes.

Oakmont is scheduled to host its tenth U.S. Open in 2025, as announced by the USGA in June 2016.

• USGA Sr. Director of Rules and Competitions Mike Davis: "There's a reason [the U.S. Open is] coming back to Oakmont. This really is the gold standard for championship golf. It doesn't get any better than Oakmont."{{cite news | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title = U.S. Open: At Oakmont, golf is played the way it was meant to be | date = 2007-06-10 | access-date = 2007-06-17 | url = http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07161/792986-382.stm | last = Dvorchak | first = Robert }}
• Lee Trevino: "There's only one course in the country where you could step out right now — right now — and play the U.S. Open, and that's Oakmont."{{cite news | work = Pittsburgh Quarterly | title = The Course Loved 'Round the World | date = Summer 2007 | access-date = 2010-06-10 | url = http://www.pittsburghquarterly.com | last = Parascenzo | first = Marino }}
• Phil Mickelson: "It's really a neat, special place."{{cite news | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title = Oakmont Country Club: Awakening of The Beast | url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07161/792747-382.stm | date = 2007-06-10 | access-date = 2007-06-17 | last = Dulac | first = Gerry }}
• Johnny Miller: "It's probably the best course in the world . . . This is the greatest course I've ever played."

On Oakmont's greens:

• Tiger Woods:"That golf course is going to be one of the toughest tests that we've ever played in a U.S. Open, especially if it's dry, it will be unreal because those greens are so severe."
• Arnold Palmer: "You can hit 72 greens [in regulation] in the Open at Oakmont and not come close to winning."
• Rocco Mediate said of the greens that they are "almost impossible"
• Sam Snead once quipped that he tried to mark his ball on one of Oakmont's greens but the coin slid off.
• Lee Trevino claimed every time he two-putted at Oakmont, he knew he was passing somebody on the leader board.
• Johnny Miller said that Oakmont's are the greatest greens for testing a player's ability to putt.
• USGA Sr. Director Mike Davis: "[Oakmont's greens are the] scariest in golf."

The stimpmeter, a device for measuring the speed of greens, was developed by Edward Stimpson (1904–1985), an accomplished amateur player from Massachusetts, shortly after attending the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XbINAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GXIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6316%2C551978 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|last=Dvorchak|first=Robert|title=Reading the greens|date=June 13, 2007|page=E-6}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324539304578263953206840258 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |last=Newport |first=John Paul |title=Ta-Da! Stimpmeter makeover |date=January 25, 2013 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/imported/StimpmeterBookletFINAL.pdf |publisher=United States Golf Association |title=Stimpmeter instruction booklet |date=2012 |page=1 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/28/sports/edward-s-stimpson.html |newspaper=New York Times |agency=UPI |title=Edward S. Stimpson |date=March 28, 1985 |access-date=April 11, 2016}}

• List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|author=Pat Ward-Thomas|title=World Atlas of Golf|last2=Charles Price|last3=Peter Thomson|location=London|publisher=Hamlyn|year=2002|isbn=0-600-60720-8}}

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• {{Official website|http://www.oakmont-countryclub.org/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20101107031446/http://www.usga.org/news/2010/October/America-s-Toughest-Course-(Part-I) USGA's series on "America's Toughest Course Part I"]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070509201628/http://www.usopen.com/multimedia/video/oakmont/ U.S. Open video of all eight tournaments at Oakmont]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070518071219/http://www.usopen.com/news/fact_sheet.html U.S. Open.com] – 2007 U.S. Open Fact Sheet
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070616201217/http://www.usopen.com/scoring/uni/csuma.htm 2007 U.S. Open] – course statistics – all rounds
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070105170619/http://www.golfclubatlas.com/oakmont1.html Oakmont Guide at GolfClubAtlas.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223506/http://www.gcsaa.org/news/factsheets/TFS_detail.asp?EventID=281&CourseID=496&tfsSource=currentYear&selectedYear=2007 GCSAA.org] – superintendents' fact sheet – 2007 U.S. Open
• [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/golf/pga/usopen/s_506261.html Description of Oakmont's clubhouse]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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{{U.S. Open golf venues}}

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Category:National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania

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Category:Golf clubs and courses in Pennsylvania

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Category:Sports venues completed in 1903

Category:Buildings and structures in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

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Category:Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks

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