Oakland Hills
| Out |
In |
| Hole | Par | Yards | Hole | Par | Yards |
| 1 | 4 | 435 |
10 | 4 | 453 |
| 2 | 5 | 519 |
11 | 4 | 423 |
| 3 | 3 | 198 |
12 | 5 | 560 |
| 4 | 4 | 430 |
13 | 4 | 162 |
| 5 | 4 | 455 |
14 | 4 | 473 |
| 6 | 4 | 356 |
15 | 4 | 400 |
| 7 | 4 | 411 |
16 | 4 | 406 |
| 8 | 4 | 482 |
17 | 3 | 200 |
| 9 | 3 | 220 |
18 | 4 | 494 |
| Total | 35 | 3506 | Total | 35 | 3571 |
| | | | 70 | 7077 |
1st, 435 yards, par 4: The tee is on a hillside, with the landing area bound
on both sides by bunkers, three on the left and one on the right. As with many
of the greens, the putting surface, guarded in front by two bunkers, has many
undulations, including an angled ridge across the middle. The hole usually plays
downwind.
2nd, 519 yards, par 5: More bunkers lie in wait for the wayward drive, three
on the left and two on the right this time, while the two-tier green is
protected in front by four bunkers. TC Chen, of Taiwan, holed out with a
three-wood here in the 1985 US Open, the first albatross in the championship's
history. He went on to lose by one to Andy North.
3rd, 198 yards, par 3: Five well-positioned bunkers surround the green, with
an adjoining orchard adding beauty to the hole. The narrow green is angled from
left to right, with the toughest pin-placing being on the narrowest part of the
back shelf. David Graham's 1979 US PGA play-off win over Ben Crenshaw came with
a birdie here.
4th, 430 yards, par 4: This downhill hole plays shorter than the yardage
suggests. The tee is raised and bunkers on either side, four left and two right,
frame the landing area of a dogleg left where the fairway tilts down to the
right. There is out of bounds left, while the putting surface is interesting,
guarded by four bunkers.
5th, 455 yards, par 4: The landing area is framed by trees on the left and two
bunkers on the right. A valley, containing a stream 300 yards from the tee,
separates the landing area from the green - one of the toughest on the course,
wonderfully built onto a natural high surrounded by large trees and protected in
front by two bunkers.
6th, 356 yards, par 4: The shortest par four on the course and, like the 10th
at The Belfry, there is an option to move forward nearly 60 yards and make it
driveable. From the back tee drives are aimed at an uphill slope bound by three
bunkers on the left and trees on the right, while the elevated green is guarded
by three more bunkers.
7th, 411 yards, par 4: The tee on this slight dogleg is raised and the drive
is to a fairway protected on the left by three bunkers and sloping down to a
pond on the right starting at 250 yards and extending 50 yards. The narrow,
angled green is elevated again and has three bunkers guarding it.
8th, 482 yards, par 4: A demanding par four with the hardest drive on the
front nine. The landing area is bound by four well-positioned bunkers, two on
either side, and the green protected by four bunkers. Denis Watson lost the 1985
US Open by one after waiting too long for a putt to drop here and being
penalised a stroke.
9th, 220 yards, par 3: The longest of the par threes, with tee and green both
elevated, separated by a broad swale. The green slopes back to front and is
protected by four bunkers. Ben Crenshaw holed-in-one with a three-wood en route
to winning the 1979 USPGA title and in the final round he made twos at the
third, ninth and 13th.
10th, 453 yards, par 4: The tee is located on a hill adjacent to the practice
green. The landing area is framed by three bunkers, one left and two right, and
the green on a slight rise guarded by two bunkers. Bobby Jones finished second
in the 1924 US Open after playing this hole in seven over par. A bogey each day
and he would have tied with Cyril Walker.
11th, 423 yards, par 4: Drives aim for a saddle at 270 yards, with the
well-struck ones feeding over the ridge low on the left side of the fairway and
avoiding three bunkers on the right. The green is perched on a ridge with four
deep bunkers in front and has a steep ridge running from back left to front
right.
12th, 560 yards, par 5: The longest of the par fives. The tee is elevated with
the first landing area protected by trees on the right and four bunkers left.
The second shots have to avoid a cross-bunker left and trees right, while the
green has a similar ridge to the 11th and has three deep bunkers in front and
one at the back.
13th, 162 yards, par 3: Both the tee and green are on natural rises, separated
by a broad swale. The green is surrounded by bunkers and sits naturally into the
hillside. Designer Donald Ross put a hollow in at the front of the green and
when the hole is cut in the top plateau above the pot bunker on the right side
danger lurks all around.
14th, 473 yards, par 4: A wonderful downhill par four. The landing area, with
no bunkers on it but trees both sides, is located just past a slight rise in the
fairway and the green is protected in front by three bunkers, two left and one
on the right. A large swale runs from front right to back left.
15th, 400 yards, par 4: Trees left and a strategic bunker in the middle of the
fairway at 240 yards make this a taxing drive on a sharp dogleg from right to
left. A much shorter approach is left for those taking the bold line - if they
pull it off. The green, which has an inverted saucer shape, is heavily protected
by five bunkers, three left and two right.
16th, 406 yards, par 4: The signature hole. The drive is to an area short of a
pond, framed by giant willow trees, and the wide, shallow green is on the other
side of the pond. The green is also protected at the back by a series of
bunkers. Gary Player's nine-iron over the trees and water to four feet won him
the 1972 USPGA.
17th, 200 yards, par 3: The green sits on a raised platform some 30 feet above
the tee and is protected by six bunkers. It has severe slopes on it, with a
ridge running from front right to back centre. Andy North's recovery from sand
to within inches of the hole set him up for his 1985 US Open victory, his second
in eight years.
18th, 494 yards, par 4: A par five for the members, but a demanding four in
championships. The sloping fairway is framed by bunkers and trees and the green
set into a hillside, heavily protected by bunkers. Tom Lehman bogeyed it in the
1996 US Open, driving into a bunker, and lost by one to Steve Jones.
|