Golf
The oldest incorporated country club in the United States (1891), Shinnecock Hills was one of the USGA’s five founding clubs, and it hosted both the second US Open and second US Amateur in 1896.
The present layout was designed by William Flynn in 1931. Flynn was known for routing his designs in a way that incorporated natural features and the prevailing wind.
There are three sets of consecutive holes that form triangles, configured in such a way that regardless of the prevailing wind on a given day, players are faced with a variety of shot-making challenges throughout the round.
In this respect, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is a golf course built for the elements, incorporating appropriate amounts of width, angles, and features that leverage the windswept nature of Long Island’s East End.
Par 70 | 7 440 yards
HOLE 1
PAR 4 | 394 YARDS
Appropriately named “Westward Ho”, the opening tee shot for the players gives players a sweeping westward view of the fairway below. While the landing area appears generous, the fairway quickly narrows at the 300-yard mark. As the crow flies, the hole measures 365 yards to the front edge of the green and with a southeast wind at the players’ back, there may be some players that attempt to hit driver close to or onto the putting surface.
HOLE 2
Par 3 | 252 YARDS
The second hole is the longest par-3 on the course and with a deep green, it can effectively play anywhere from 200 yards to 260+ yards depending on where tee-markers are placed and the hole is located. Over the course of the championship, players could hit anything from a 5-iron to a fairway wood. The opening at the front of the green allows for players to use the ground to get their ball onto the putting surface.
HOLE 3
Par 4 | 501 YARDS
While the fairway is relatively generous in the landing area, the right side of the fairway slopes into a fairway bunker that sits between 275 yards and 300 yards. Depending on the wind, players will need to pick the proper line to carry the dogleg and avoid the bunker. The green complex features an area in the front-right and middle to back left for hole locations, which are guarded by severe slopes throughout the putting green.
HOLE 4
Par 4 | 476 YARDS
Both the tee shot and approach shot will typically play into the prevailing wind. A pair of bunkers guard the right side of the fairway, beginning at 270 yards and extending to 335 yards. From the tee, the bunkers naturally shift the players eye to the left side of the fairway; however, the right side of the fairway is the preferred angle to play from, especially to any left hole locations.
HOLE 5
Par 5 | 592 YARDS
This reachable par-5 plays downwind in the prevailing breeze and presents the best opportunity for a birdie on the opening nine. The tee shot offers a split fairway, and most players will opt to play to the left side, rather than negotiating the right fairway which ends at 315 yards. The green sits perched above the fairway and is surrounded by closely mown turf and a menacing bunker short, right of the putting surface. Any players choosing to go for the green in two will need to be precise and avoid missing left or right, as the pitch back up to the green is quite challenging from areas far below the putting green surface.
HOLE 6
Par 4 | 495 YARDS
Playing back into the prevailing breeze, a 245-yard carry is needed to play to the right side of the fairway, which is hidden from the players eye on the tee. A well-positioned tee shot leaves an approach shot of 190 yards to a green guarded by a large bunker on the left side. The lone penalty area on the course for which the hole is named (“Pond”) should not come into play, unless a poor tee shot leaves the player out of position and in the natural area or fairway bunkers.
HOLE 7
Par 3 | 187 YARDS
A classic example of the Redan, this iconic hole features a green that angles from front right to back left, guarded by a pair of bunkers both right and left of the green. A well-played shot uses the slope of the green to feed the ball from the front-right of the green down to the left. Players who attempt to use the redan feature but who miss to the right side will leave a delicate pitch shot down the slope of the green. A miss long or left is a popular miss, but one that leaves a challenging recovery shot back up the slope. While most players will hit between a 7 or 8 iron, this hole has stood the test of time and par is still a tremendous score.
HOLE 8
Par 4 | 440 YARDS
Don’t be deceived by this rather generous fairway. The best angle into the putting green is from the left, but that requires a longer carry with the tee shot over a series of bunkers. This hole plays back into the prevailing breeze and thus can play a bit longer than the scorecard yardage. Well positioned greenside bunkers make for a very narrow gap at the front of the green should a player have thoughts of chasing something onto the putting surface.
HOLE 9
Par 4 | 482 YARDS
Players begin the final hole on the front nine with a blind tee shot, but even if they find the fairway, their work is far from over. The putting green sits well above the drive zone on the same hillside as the clubhouse. Players will only be able to see the top portion of the flagstick on the green, which is severely sloped from back right to front left. Keeping the ball below the hole is critical, but it is difficult to achieve.
HOLE 10
Par 4 | 415 YARDS
A treacherous short par-4. Most players will play their tee shot over the hill to a blind landing area. From there, it's a very short second shot to a green that features a treacherous false front, but also a significant fall off at the back of the green to a large expanse of closely mown turf. With a precise approach, a birdie is not out of the question, but most players will gladly take a par 4 and move to the 11th hole!
HOLE 11
Par 3 | 157 YARDS
Although the shortest on the scorecard, it certainly is one of Shinnecock’s most challenging holes. A tiny green that slopes from back left to front right makes recovery shots from long and left of the green very difficult. With nothing visible behind this green, players will see the top portion of a lonely flagstick rising from the green into the sky. This infinity look can play tricks on the eyes despite the calculated yardage.
HOLE 12
Par 4 | 469 YARDS
The prevailing left to right breeze can add a bit of challenge to an otherwise straightforward driving hole. The front of the green is open, but several internal ridges require players to be more precise with their approach shots to earn a chance at a birdie.
HOLE 13
Par 4 | 371 YARDS
Another of Shinnecock’s short par-4s, however, players will have to decide how aggressive they will be from the tee which will dictate how short an approach they will be left with. The putting surface is well protected by a false front and the right greenside bunker. Otherwise, closely mown turf surrounds the green leaving players with a variety of choices in the type of recovery shot they elect to play should they miss the green with their approach shot.
HOLE 14
Par 4 | 520 YARDS
The 14th hole features a dramatic drop in elevation from the teeing area to the fairway, which pitches from right to left. The preferred angle of approach is from the left. A player who finds the rough could chase the ball onto the green through the narrow opening. The second shot plays slightly uphill to a green that pitches gently from back to front, with a runoff behind it.
HOLE 15
Par 4 | 409 YARDS
This hole also features a significant drop in elevation from tee to fairway. Most players will drive over the ridge that runs across the fairway at approximately 250 yards, leaving them with a short-iron approach into a green with several accessible hole locations, other than the front, which is protected by bunkers. The prevailing breeze is predominantly from the left to right. Those who find the fairway – which narrows gradually between 250 and 350 yards – should be left with a good birdie opportunity.
HOLE 16
Par 5 | 614 YARDS
With the prevailing wind against and from the player’s right, reaching this Par 5 in two will require two excellent shots. The serpentine fairway requires players to choose proper angles. Many competitors will play their second shot short of the bunker on the right, about 100 yards short of the green. Those who attempt to reach the green in two, or who are left with a long approach after finding trouble, will be tested by a narrow, well protected putting surface that has a left to right and back to front bias.
HOLE 17
Par 3 | 176 YARDS
The final par 3 at Shinnecock Hills requires the utmost precision as players look to close out their round. The prevailing breeze is a cross-wind from the player’s left, and factored with the angle of the green, an excellent shot is required to get the ball close to the hole. A player who bails out just a bit to the right could find himself in the bunker, because the angle of the green and the cross-breeze will accentuate the miss.
HOLE 18
Par 4 | 490 YARDS
The finishing hole features a somewhat blind tee shot with a stunning view of America’s 1st clubhouse as its backdrop. The prevailing breeze is from right to left off the tee, with more of a helping wind on the second shot. The preferred tee shot is to the right side of the fairway, both for a better look at the green as well as a better angle of approach, although the player is likely to only see part of the flagstick. The green has a significant amount of pitch from back to front.