Week 4: The 4th at Oakmont

[Ryan Farrow]

Yet another bowling alley hole.  Why is it when other courses pull this trick out of the bag they are labelled penal, yet Oakmont is strategically great?

I must say that the hole looks so much more inviting with the trees gone.  It seems as though a player may feel more apt to swing away than previously.  Is this the case?

Ciao

Sean, has anyone said they course is not penal? A course can be penal and strategic. You will see at Oakmont some holes have more elements of strategy than others.


George you bring up a great point about the possible loops. I remember when I played the back 9 I went 10,11,,15,16,17,18,12,13,14. I don’t think I had a green to tee walk over 15 yards.

[Steve Burrows]

Some here have referred to the "intimate nature" of Oakmont's routing (as well as many other courses discussed here in this forum), with respect to the golf course in general, and specific loops of holes.  But such intimacy is often frowned upon these days, because it is synonomous with saftey hazards/liabilities.  For example, a slice off the 4th tee might endanger players on the 5th fairway or green.  Similar issues may arise later at Oakmont due to the juxtaposition of the 14th green, 15th tee and 18th fairway.  

Oakmont is, in reality, no more dangerous to play than any other golf course in the world, but I find it interesting that holes such as these might never see the light of day if such a routing were proposed today.  

Any thoughts?  

[Chris_Clouser]

Sean,

I agree with your assessment on the tee shot being very much bowling alley-esque.  But from what I've read in the thread and the photos I have seen here that second shot is ripe with possibilities in attacking the hole, if one would dare to do such a thing at Oakmont.  

Ryan,

Thanks for the excellent photos that show some wonderful attributes to the hole, including the bunkering near the green and the putting surface.  Is the green contoured as severely as it appears in the next to last photo?

Speaking of the green, no one has really talked about it much.  It appears that the further right you are on the second shot the better off you will be for a pitch into the green.  Also, has the course ever had the fairway extended slightly to the right in between the two groups of bunkers as sort of a safe haven?

[Ryan Farrow]

Chris, the picture really brings out the contouring of the green and I don't know if I can confidently say that the green is "that" severe. There is no doubt a shot coming from the right is favored but I love how the green transitions into the approach and really blurs the transition from green to approach.

[Bill_Yates]

Ryan,
The greens don't have to be too severe to be wicked.  Green speeds at Oakmont are always over 10.5 and many times at 11 or even 12.  Also, look closely at those great pictures above and I think that you'll agree that a front right hole location is extremely dicey.  Even a little bump and run from the fairway is very delicate, for again, the fairway runs downhill and the front portion of the green runs away to the right. That design, including the wonderful transition area from the fairway, will take a slightly agressive shot and let it run through that narrow portion of the green and into the bunker.  

This is another example of the exquisite use of the natural terrain that makes Oakmont one of the world's great courses