Week 1 - The toughest opener in golf? Oakmont #1

[George Pazin]

(I know everyone was starting to think my 18 weeks of Oakmont starting next week was like the "Free Drinks Tomorrow" sign at the local tavern....)

Oakmont's 1st wonderfully sets the tone for the course - a devilishly difficult opener for one of the game's premier venues, championship or otherwise. It's primary defense is not its length - which is surprising, given it's scorecard length of 482 from the back tees. The last third of the hole is a long medium grade downslope, so it plays much shorter than it's scorecard length - but no easier, that much is certain.

From the Oakmont CC website tour:

One of the hardest holes in golf, this long par 4 requires a blind mid-iron to a green that slopes away from you and will receive only the crispest of iron shots.  Two putts and par here is a great start.



I believe Hogan was quoted as saying it is the toughest opener in tournament golf. And that guy was no slouch.

I didn't see many golfers even attempt to land their second shot on the green, during the recent 2003 U.S. Amateur. I did see more than a couple competitors putt from in front of the green, and let me tell you, it is astonishing to see how lightly they tread, especially given that they were not even on the putting surface!

To me, the 1st gives the golfer the perfect opening view of the course (literally as well as figuratively, with the relatively recent tree removal program). No golfer would be disappointed walking away with a 5, and yet there's nothing really to fear - besides one of the fastest and firmest greens in the US, sloping away to oblivion.

More to follow. Please share your thoughts and experiences.

P.S. Please understand this series is NOT meant to be an analysis by yours truly. I am not even remotely qualified to offer such. Rather, it's meant to stimulate discussion of my favorite course, and especially why I believe it is unique among the ball busting championship venues, and the discussion is of course apropos, given Oakmont hosts next year's US Open.

[Garland Bayley]

What is the strategy here besides drive it in the middle, and favor right side to be safe?

Is this just a cookie cutter hole? Trappedboth sides of the fairway in the landing zone, and at the green.

[George Pazin]

How many cookie cutter holes are you aware of that feature a green sloping front to back?

Zippo.

As for the opening drive, one of it's novel features is that the green is, quite obviously, not visible from the tee. With the rough up - and it will likely be way up for the Open - primary consideration is indeed just threading the bunkers. Secondary consideration of the drive placement is that it will largely depend on the hole location.

-----
(Re: the rough, I would LOVE to see how the course defended itself with little to no rough. I think the greens and bunkering are more than strong enough to compensate. But there's a better chance of me winning the lottery than finding out the answer to this question.

And I don't play the lottery.)

[mike_malone]

 George,

  The drawing seems to indicate undulations in the landing area that could kick balls into the rough. I was about to say that Tiger would just hit iron between the bunkers with a draw, but if the land is more receptive to an attempt to drive past the bunkers then he would need to think about using driver. That sounds like strategy to me.

  BTW I will be impersonating Tiger throughout the 18 holes unless he wants to come on here and do it himself!

[George Pazin]

There is indeed a good bit of undulation in the fairway, particularly once you start down the hill.

From The Book, which I purchased at the '03 Am:



And a photo I shot of the first green during the aforementioned (and soon to be repeatedly mentioned) Amateur:

[Garland Bayley]

George,

Do the undulations in the fairway kick balls to the center as the appear to me, or do they kick them to the rough as they appear to Mike?

How many golfers do you anticipate will be able to clear the bunkers off the tee? My best guess is few if any.

[Garland Bayley]

In the black and white phote, is the front at the right and the back at the left?

Why does the yardage book show bunkers right of the green not show in the first diagram?

Why does the yardage book not show bunkers to the left of the fairway?

[George Pazin]

Garland -

As for undulations, I would say they do not consistently deflect balls in one direction or the other, more like a little of either, if that makes sense. In other words, they don't contain misses and they don't automatically deflect questionable shots either, the effect is a bit more random than that.

As for the bunkering issue, the initial diagram posted is from the club's website. The other image from The Book and my photo are from 2003. It's possible the club has moved the bunkers, as they are in the midst of a restoration program, utilizing the many photos from throughout the years (one of the benefits of being a prominent tournament venue). Or the artist who did the drawing for the website might simply be mistaken. The last time I was at the club was late summer 2005, and I don't recall seeing the bunkers on the right side, as I was standing there and viewing tournament play.

Perhaps Tom P might remember more accurately, as I think he's been there recently.

[Mark_Fine]

This is indeed a great golf hole and one of the most intimidating on the golf course.  The tee shot is straight forward but the real defense of the hole is at the turtleback run away green.  If you miss right or left you will be lucky to just chip it back on the green let alone get it close to the hole.  Early wake up calls will happen here and expect it to play as one of if not the hardest hole during the Open.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

George Pazin,

You have to frame your question in a context.

For WHOM ?

For PGA Tour players or for 99.9 % of the golfing world ?

Prestwick would get my vote.
No practice facility, just tee it up and take your chances.

Winged Foot West, Plainfield and others are worth consideration

[Mike Benham]

Prestwick would get my vote.
No practice facility, just tee it up and take your chances.

Patrick - that's what the kummel is for ...

[Mark_Fine]

Patrick,
I'd take my chances with any of those three you mentioned before #1 at Oakmont.  I assumed you were joking about #1 at Prestwick.  Might be a hard hole because of the railroad tracks, etc. but the toughest opener in golf - NOT  

[TEPaul]

Oakmont's #1, the toughest opener in golf?

Well, maybe, but maybe not.

If you're Wayno Morrison it may not be. Wayno stood up on the tips on that hole and crushed a drive that actually disappeared over the hill and outta sight.

Now, I will admit, Oakmont that day, was in what I would describe as the most ultra-ideal maintenance meld I've ever seen in my life so it was kinda hard to tell just how far Wayne hit that tee shot before it hit the ground and ran like a red-assed rabbit, but what is the hole from the tips, something like 480??

Anyway, Wayno was fingering either a SW or an LW in!!! Can you believe that? It's true.

Never-the-less, his caddie did suggest he aim a bit right of the semi left pin. So what does Wayno do? He pulls it left of the green and makes a five or maybe a six from there.

Yeah, maybe you're right, Oakmont's #1 may be the toughest opener in golf, particularly for a muscle-brained pissboy like Wayno can be.

[Garland Bayley]

Glad to see the real Tom Paul is alive and kicking.  

[Mark_Fine]

As I said, #1 at Oakmont is defended at the green.  Average golfer will struggle to hit that green even with a wedge in their hand.  Pros don't do much better.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick,
I'd take my chances with any of those three you mentioned before #1 at Oakmont.  

I assumed you were joking about #1 at Prestwick.  

Might be a hard hole because of the railroad tracks, etc. but the toughest opener in golf - NOT  

Mark,

It's pretty hard to make birdie or par when your drive sails out-of-bounds.

I'll bet that the average score for amateur golfers is higher at Prestwick than it is at Oakmont.

[Chris_Clouser]

Aside from the difficult green, what other qualities about this hole are worth mentioning.  It is 480 yards of straightaway fairway with bunkers on the side and deep rough.  How is that different than any other "championship" or US Open par four these days?  If it was 20 yards shorter would it be just as tough or become much easier because you could hit a more controlled shot into the green?

To me this hole just says hit a long straight drive and then hit one club shorter than the yardage indicates so you can run it onto the green.  What strategy is involved?  It looks to me like there is only one way to play it.  Is that what Oakmont is all about?

I agree that from the looks, Oakmont is tough, but I hope over the course of this analysis someone can show me why Oakmont should still be held up as an example of what golf should be instead of just being another course that has been altered to just fit into the standard US Open prototype.

Why does the penal nature of this golf course make it so much better than the standard US Open fare?  
 

[Mark_Fine]

Pat,
I would take your bet in a heart beat.  Prestwick doesn't require a driver off the tee even for an average length golfer.  

I'd be willing to take a bet that if you put 10 amateur golfers on the tee at #1 at Prestwick and had them play the hole and then took the same 10 and started them in the middle of the fairway 150 yards from the hole on #1 at Oakmont, more would make par or better at Prestwick.  In fact, I would bet that only 1 or 2 at best would make par at Oakmont.  Zero would not be too far fetched a guess.  Those who were lucky enough to hit the green (and stay on) would probably 3 putt (or more)  

[Mark_Fine]

Chris,
This is a very interesting golf hole.  See my post to Pat about starting players in the middle of the fairway 150 yards from the green.  Knowing that you have to face a shot like this (even if you hit a perfect tee shot) only further complicates the tee shot (if you know what I mean).  Just think what you face if you don't hit long and in the fairway

[Jon Spaulding]

I'd vote for Pasatiempo #1....the par 4 version at least. Normally into the wind and usually wet, it feels about 510 with OB left and large, unescapable trees on the right. The original design was a par 5 with the tee on top of the hill, adjacent to the restaurant.

[Garland Bayley]

What is the difficulty at 150 yards. Is it the downhill slope? the green size? the front to back slope of the green? the unduations of the green?

Can you hit it over and play back?

[Mark_Fine]

Such a simple and inviting looking large target yet oh soooo deadly  

[TEPaul]

That photo above is the best example I've seen to date of why a photograph cannot show the details and nuances of a golf hole.

And if #1 Oakmont isn't the toughest opener in golf, starting a tournament on Oakmont's #10 is no better, and probably worse. Same idea---the green just falls left and away hard.

But the really cool things about Oakmont's #1 and #10 greens is they seem to me to be absolutely natural landform.

[Mark_Fine]

Garland,
One could answer Yes to all your questions.  It's a good example of a hole that you "have to play" to truly understand.  Walking and looking at it just doesn't do it nor does examining a scorecard drawing    

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
I just saw your post and I couldn't agree with you more.
Mark