Oakmont Golf Course: Site of the Women's US Open
The site for the current women’s US Open, Oakmont Country Club, was founded in 1903. In addition to this week’s US Women’s Open event, the clubhouse has also hosted more combined USGA and PGA championships than any other course in the U.S., including eight United States Opens, five US Amateurs, three PGA Championships, and two US Women’s Opens.
After standing for over 100 years in the same spot, the two story Tudor-style clubhouse looks exactly the same as it did when it was first built. Located just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the country club is usually ranked as one of the top 5 golf courses in the United States.
The course was also designated as a National History Landmark in 1987, as well as being well-known for its fast greens, thick rough, and its trademark church pews, a turf covered bunker located between the third and fourth fairways.
However, despite its historical landmark title, the clubhouse did undergo restoration from 2002 to 2007 when it had structural and mechanical components upgraded. After the renovation, the clubhouse had almost no trees left because between 5,000 and 8,000 trees were removed.
“As far as I’m concerned, Oakmont really is the gold standard for championship golf,” said Mike Davis, the USGA’s senior director of rules and competition. "It doesn’t get any better than Oakmont.”
“Of all the US Open courses we play,” said Christie Kerr, the No. 1 female player in the world, “I think this will play the toughest. Score can really be thrown out the window. It’s who gets the ball in the hole faster. Even if you start making bogeys, if you can avoid those ‘others,’ you’ll be doing really well during the week.”
The 456-yard 18th hole at Oakmont has been consistently named the best par-4 in golf and was once voted the PGA Tour's most difficult.
“Some of the greens out here are just ridiculous,” said Candie Kung, last year’s runner-up to Eun-Hee Ji at the 2009 US Women’s Open at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem. “If you miss it on the wrong spot on the green, you might as well miss it off the green and try to chip it, rather than trying to putt it.”
“You can get frustrated out here for sure,” Michelle Wie has said. “You can get a couple bad lies in the bunkers, get a couple bad kicks here and there, so you got to be patient and focus on each shot.”
The famous clubhouse will play at 6,598 yards for the current women’s event. Two of the par 4s have been set up to tempt the players off the tee, the 325-yard second and the uphill 245-yard 17th. It is also known as the site where Jack Nicklaus won his first major championship at the 1962 U. Open.
And the greatest round of the 20th century was also played at Oakmont in 1973 when Johnny Miller played the final 18 holes in just 63 strokes (8-under-par) to win the US Open, with a final-round US Open scoring record which has never been beaten.
"It's playing firmer than it did when I was here two weeks ago," Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen said after playing a practice round on Monday in preparation for the US Open.
"This is more what the USGA wants this course to be. It's in phenomenal shape for a Monday. There are going to be some exciting holes out here. You got to figure out the greens and the speed and try to be on the right side. They say they're trying to speed them up some more."
The women's US Open ends on July 11th.
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