The course usually is the star of the U.S. Open. None come bigger than Shinnecock Hills.
Supporters of Pebble Beach might disagree. Those ocean vistas make a compelling argument.
Pebble Beach, though, also has some ordinary holes. That isn’t the case at Shinnecock Hills. There isn’t a weak hole in the bunch.
Tom Lehman calls it his favorite course in the country. NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller said Shinnecock doesn’t have an equal, and that includes Augusta National.
“It’s the Holy Grail of golf in America,” Miller said. “Shot for shot, Shinnecock is America’s best.”
Here’s a look at the course
ITS ORIGINS: It was founded in 1891 and expanded to 18 holes in 1896, becoming the second course in America to have a full complement. Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton was the first.
STYLE: Although not located directly on the water, it is considered America’s finest links course. The sandy terrain, ocean breezes, mostly treeless landscape and fescue grasses create the illusion of being in the British Isles. “I don’t think there’s another U.S. Open like this one,” said Tiger Woods. “This is very much like a British Open.”
OPEN HISTORY: This is the fourth Open at Shinnecock. It was the scene of the second Open in 1896, which James Foulis of Chicago Golf won.
The Open didn’t return until 1986, when Raymond Floyd had a two-stroke victory over Lanny Wadkins and Chip Beck. Corey Pavin (left) had a two-shot victory over Greg Norman in 1995.
In both recent Opens, the champions were the only players to break par.
PAVIN’S 4-WOOD:
Pavin hit one of the most memorable shots in Open history during the final round in 1995. Nursing a one-shot lead on the difficult par-4 18th, Pavin knocked a 4-wood from 228 yards to 5 feet. He made the par to ice the victory.
“The second I hit it, I knew it was going to be good,” Pavin said. “I had to run up the hill so I could watch it land.”
THE MEMBERSHIP: Located in the ultrarich Hamptons, the club is ultraexclusive. The reported initiation fee of $50,000 is the least of a prospective member’s challenge.
Getting into this club is a matter of having the proper connections.
THE SHINNECOCK NATION: The course was named for the Shinnecock Nation of Native Americans. Many of them used to take care of the course, including serving as its superintendents. Now only two members of the nation are part of the grounds crew, much to the dismay of the Shinnecocks. They feel a tradition has been broken.
THE YARDAGE: In an era when major courses are pushing 7,600 yards, Shinnecock will play to a par 70, 6,996 yards. But with all its twists and turns, the course will play long enough. As always, the wind will be a key element.
“It’s a great design,”Woods said. “[The longer holes] are with the prevailing wind, and the short holes play dead into the wind. It seems like you hit about the same club whether it’s downwind or not.”
HOLE TO WATCH: The players expect the par-3 seventh to play the toughest. The 189-yard hole features the famous Redan green designed by Charles Blair McDonald, who did Chicago Golf. The difficulty is the sloping right-toleft green that makes it nearly impossible to hold a tee shot with long irons into the wind.
“Even a perfect shot won’t get you in the right spot there,” Vijay Singh said. “You have to hit a good shot and be lucky as well to stay on the green. I’d be very happy making two, three pars and a bogey. If I make four pars, I’ll really be tickled.”
CHANGES SINCE 1995: Many of the trees were knocked down to give the course more of a links feel. Also, the U.S. Golf Association has cut the grass around the greens to create more chipping areas.
“You don’t need to do much to Shinnecock,” Pavin said. “It has held up over time. I expect it to be similar this year.”
