In honor of US Open week, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the best courses currently in the US Open rotation.
While not as defined as the Open Championship rota, the US Open has several prominent venues that are crucial to the championship.
We’re not talking back-to-back places like Chambers Bay and Erin Hills; this list is exclusive to courses played multiple times in the modern era.
All of these places are good … but some of them stand above the others.
Winged Foot has hosted six US Opens and will return to the program in 2028.
I have a bitter taste from the 2020 event. Maybe because there were no fans (Covid-19) but the Winged Leg felt too flat to me.
It really turned into a bomb-and-gauge race. The fairways were so narrow that everyone would miss the fairways, so you might as well hit it as hard as possible. It really eliminated the shorter shots.
I know Bryson DeChambeau did very well that week en route to the win, but the road to that point was not very exciting. It’s hard to be hard. Players don’t have much choice.
6. Pebble beach
Pebble has hosted six US Opens and will add another next year. It is considered one of the three official anchorages.
I will say it: Pebble is vastly overrated as a championship golf course in the modern era. It’s too short, the greens are too small, and there’s no way to defend it without a ton of wind. The winning score in 2019 was 13th.
The history and beauty of the course is undeniable, but I think it’s a clear tier (or two) below the top US Open venues.
5. Country club
While it’s not my favorite US Open venue, I love the look of The Country Club. Brookline stands out with its rocky outcrops and elevation change along a wonderful stretch of property.
It has history with Francis Ouimet winning the 1913 US Open there, and it continues in the modern game with Matt Fitzpatrick winning at 5-under in 2022. We’ll see The Country Club return in 2038.
4. Oakmont
I realize that Oakmont can be a bit of a performer with comically thick greens and greens that run a zillion on the Stimpmeter. And there is some overlap with the Wing Foot in the feed for players who press the ball.
I think Oakmont has a lot more character. The treeless property, blind tee shots, penal bunkering and all running areas leading up to the holes give the course structure while still being an extremely demanding test.
We just saw Oakmont a year ago and will see it three more times between 2033 and 2049.
3. Merion
We haven’t seen Merio since 2013 when Justin Rose won, but we’ll see him again in 2030, 2040 and 2050 (yes, the 2050 US Open is already a given).
There is criticism of Merion that he had to cheat in 2013 to fight the pros, but I think the test was interesting. Players could not hit the driver anywhere they wanted. It required fairway irons and woods from the top – and they were no mean lays, given all the long fairways that were guarded by thick screes, creeks and OB posts.
The greens are heavily sloped and it’s a place where going over the hole really is a death sentence.
We will see this summer for the American amateur. I’m very interested in how it plays after Gil Hanse did a two-year renovation that ended in 2019.
2. Pinehurst no. 2
Another US Open anchor site, Pinehurst No. 2 is a phenomenal test that requires a ton of precision.
The domestic areas are a mess which I prefer compared to the larger US Open areas. You rarely have to hack it sideways. Sand areas lead players to try to get more than they should in many cases.
These green complexes are treacherous and you can’t do much. I like all the shots in short games where players have options.
It doesn’t look like anything needs to be cheated here. Bryson won with a 6 which feels like a fair winning score given the way the game has progressed with technology advances.
1. Shinnecock Hills
We’re looking at the best place this week.
It may not be the prettiest. There may not be the narrowest roads. There may not be faster greens.
But Shinnecock is the most complete test of golf the US Open has to offer.
In 2018, players hit 71 percent of their fairways but only 58 percent of their greens. And when the greens are missing, there are some really brutal spots.
It’s easier than other US Open appearances, but it raises a number of questions from that point on. And the wind always seems to play a factor which is a massive bonus.
For these reasons, Shinnecock takes my top spot.
What is your favorite US Open venue? Let me know below in the comments.
