#248 Oakmont Country Club – Forged in Steel, Crowned in Glory

When the U.S. Open returns to Oakmont Country Club in 2025, it won’t just revisit one of golf’s toughest venues—it will reignite a century of challenge, drama, and history. Located near Pittsburgh, Oakmont is where legends have been tested, putting feels like surgery, and every shot carries weight.

Opened in 1904 by Henry C. Fownes, the course was intended to be as hard as the iron from his foundry. His son, William C. Fownes, later made it tougher—transforming it “from iron to steel.” Their philosophy: reward only the most disciplined and resilient players. That spirit remains unchanged today.

The Greens – Oakmont’s Signature TestOakmont’s greens are feared and revered. Known as the fastest in championship golf, they don’t just break—they drift, streak, and punish. Sloping away from play, they turn routine putts into survival tests.

• In 2007, Aaron Baddeley triple-bogeyed hole 1, losing his lead.
• Dustin Johnson earned a penalty in 2016 when his ball refused to settle on the fifth green.
• Arnold Palmer three-putted ten times in 1962—Nicklaus only once.
• Johnny Miller’s sole bogey in his record 63 came on a 20-foot uphill putt.

Early groundskeeping used quarter-ton barrels and sand to ensure glass-like speed—Oakmont greens are unforgiving by design.

The Bunkers – Beauty with TeethOnce home to over 300 bunkers, Oakmont’s traps are brutal. Deep, steep, and often blind, they shape strategy and penalize error.

• Tiger Woods’s title bid ended in a bunker on hole 3 in 2007.
• WC Fownes had one built overnight during the 1951 PGA—Steve Sneed found it next day. Hidden bunkers on hole 14 trap even well-struck tee shots.

The Layout – Relentless Precision RequiredOakmont demands precision from the first swing. Fairways are narrow, sloped, and often blind. Hole 5 requires trust. Hole 12 deceives players into danger. Hole 1 is among the toughest openers in golf. Hole 9 features a multi-level “leviathan” green. Hole 17 tempts risk—and punishes it: Rogers made an 8 in 1962, Furyk lost ground there in 2007.

Even the finishing hole delivers drama: In 1962, Arnold Palmer conceded Jack Nicklaus’s final putt before he holed it, prompting a USGA official to intervene.

• Moments That Made HistoryOakmont has forged champions:Larry Nelson's 1983 comeback included a 60-foot putt on 16.
• Ben Hogan’s par on 16 in 1953 sealed his fourth Open win.
• Jack Nicklaus claimed his first major here in 1962.Johnny Miller’s 63 in 1973 remains one of golf’s finest rounds.

Every hole holds a story. At Oakmont, nothing is given—everything must be earned.

Oakmont’s LegacyWith a record nine U.S. Opens, Oakmont is the USGA’s most trusted venue—capable of hosting a major on just two weeks’ notice. Its aura endures. Its test is pure. Its soul is steel.

At Oakmont, champions aren’t just crowned. They’re forged.

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