[jonathan_becker]

I was fortunate enough to play Oakmont at the end of September and (since we all love photos) I thought would share some from the back 9.  I'm not going to bore you all with details about the course because everyone knows Oakmont.  It's quite possibly the finest test of championship golf in America.  Finally, I do love Ran's quote from his course profile, "It is the Charles Bronson of golf courses – no special effects are necessary."  That's a great description.  

Enjoy!!

10 tee



10 fw



looking back up 10



up the hill on 11



short of 11 green



looking down 12 from 10 tee



12 fw



some contours on 12



12 from 90 yards



12 green from 13 tee



13 tee



13 green



14 tee



my approach into 14



14 green



15 tee from the right



15



15 green



behind 15 green



16 tee



more 16



16 green



17 tee



17 approach



17 by the green



other side of 17 green from 18 tee



18 tee



18 fw



18 approach



clubhouse

[PCCraig]

Great photos Jonathan! Thanks for posting.

[David_Elvins]

Thanks for the photos.

Is it the world's best course with grass faced bunkers?

[Thomas Patterson]

Thanks for the photos Jonathan. Everyone always takes them a little differently, so it never gets old seeing new pictures of courses that have already been covered.  Oakmont photos are especially fun to look at!

[Ryan Taylor]

Great photos! As a new resident to the Pgh area, I'm very jealous! If you live around the area or are ever back around Pgh, pls PM if you're looking for a golf partner. Ryan

[jonathan_becker]

Thanks for the photos.

Is it the world's best course with grass faced bunkers?

It's the best I've seen.

[Mark Pearce]

Oakmont is high on my wish list.  I always struggle, though, with photographs of bunkers protected by thick rough.  Don't they want balls to be able to reach the bunkers?

[George Pazin]

Nice pics, Jonathan. I'm especially impressed with the way you got the ground movement on 10, nicely done.

Mark P, while I understand your point, I'll say, I've never heard anyone complain about not getting in enough bunkers!

[jonathan_becker]

George,

Thanks. 10 might be my favorite hole on the back side.

[Carl Nichols]

Jonathan:

Thanks for the great pictures.  Did you find it as hard as everyone says?

Unfortunately this thread reminds me that I had to turn down an invite to Oakmont a few months ago, which was incredibly painful to do.  My friend who did go said it was by far the hardest course he had ever played. 

[jonathan_becker]

Jonathan:

Thanks for the great pictures.  Did you find it as hard as everyone says?

Unfortunately this thread reminds me that I had to turn down an invite to Oakmont a few months ago, which was incredibly painful to do.  My friend who did go said it was by far the hardest course he had ever played. 

Carl,

I was told by my host that I caught Oakmont on the easiest day in it's history.  It had rained all night the day before, balls were plugging where they landed, the greens were running at about 10, and I drove it pretty well.  But don't get me wrong, you could see the murder everywhere.  I just think that the course was asleep when I played it. 

[George Pazin]

Carl,

I was told by my host that I caught Oakmont on the easiest day in it's history.  It had rained all night the day before, balls were plugging where they landed, the greens were running at about 10, and I drove it pretty well.  But don't get me wrong, you could see the murder everywhere.  I just think that the course was asleep when I played it. 

Sounds like the day Johnny played it...

[Carl Nichols]

Jonathan:

Thanks for the great pictures.  Did you find it as hard as everyone says?

Unfortunately this thread reminds me that I had to turn down an invite to Oakmont a few months ago, which was incredibly painful to do.  My friend who did go said it was by far the hardest course he had ever played. 

Carl,

I was told by my host that I caught Oakmont on the easiest day in it's history.  It had rained all night the day before, balls were plugging where they landed, the greens were running at about 10, and I drove it pretty well.  But don't get me wrong, you could see the murder everywhere.  I just think that the course was asleep when I played it. 

Apparently the day of my invite was the day of a big members' event, with most of the best players participating.  My friend played after that event, and before his tee time, repeatedly texted me about how high the scores were, even for the really really good players in the field.  I think he was intimidated even before teeing off!

[Mark McKeever]

Great pictures Jonathan!  Thanks for posting them up!

Mark

[JLahrman]

Apart from a few deep faces, it all looks so benign...

[Ron Csigo]

Great pictures Jonathan!

The greens look to be in good condition.  Can you tell us about the greens on the day you played Oakmont?  I heard rumors that the greens were dead after the Women's US Open was held there this summer and that they're still trying to recover.

[Ron Csigo]

BTW, #17 is such a great short hole.  How did you play that hole?  Given your length off the tee, I'm sure you were tempted with driver.

[Jim Eder]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Such a great course!! Just straight up great golf!!

[Eric Smith]

JB,

Great photos Mr. Phoenix.  I know you loved getting to play that monster after having just tackled another monster (as Mr. Hogan called it) in suburban Detroit.

When on the tee, how does Oakmont compare to Oakland Hills as far as trying to hit the fairway? Both look similar, in respect to width and landing areas, when comparing your pics of both of them.

[jonathan_becker]

Ron,

Yes, some of the greens had spots that are in the process of being repaired, but overall they were better than what my host had led me to believe.  Like I told Carl, they were running at about 10 and the downhill putts weren't really that scary.  However, in the middle of the summer and rolling like they normally roll, I would have had multiple 3 jacks in some of the positions that I was putting from. In the photo of 16 green, that's my ball hanging on the edge of the ridge putting back down the slope.  That putt is easy only the day I played it.

We played 17 from 285 and I hit driver and flew it into the big greenside bunker on the right.  From there, I got it up and down for 3.

Eric,

FW wise, the main difference between OH and Oakmont that I saw was that the fws at OH were slightly tighter, but held the ball better than what I saw at Oakmont.  Oakmont's fws have much more severe tilt and contouring to them overall and if it was dry out many of my tee shots would have ended up in the rough.  On the back 9 at Oakmont, I only missed one fw, but many of my plugged tee shots would have been screwed had it been dry out.  15 was a great example.  I hit driver down the right side and it stayed in the fw.  That normally would never happen.  OH had some great contouring in 10,11, and 18 fws to name a few off the top of my head....but most all at Oakmont had some sort of tilt and cant to them.

[Mac Plumart]

It's quite possibly the finest test of championship golf in America.


This is one of the courses that I am most interested to learn more about.  Why did you think it was a test?  How challenging was the long game there?  How where the greens?  I really watched the women when they played it this year and the greens look BRICK hard and fast as lightening.  Was that the courses primary defense?  Please elaborate on the "testing" aspects of the course.  Thanks and congrats!!!

Oh yeah...what did you shoot?   

[jonathan_becker]

It's quite possibly the finest test of championship golf in America.


This is one of the courses that I am most interested to learn more about.  Why did you think it was a test?  How challenging was the long game there?  How where the greens?  I really watched the women when they played it this year and the greens look BRICK hard and fast as lightening.  Was that the courses primary defense?  Please elaborate on the "testing" aspects of the course.  Thanks and congrats!!!

Oh yeah...what did you shoot?    

Mac,

I mean no disrespect to Oakmont when I say this, but on this visit, the challenge presented wasn't too tough due to the rain which resulted in slower green speeds and me being able to hit it where I wanted because of the soft conditions.  I know it's a test because of the amazing contours and slopes of the greens and the uneven lies that are everywhere which normally would kick your ball into the thick rough or one of the 200 or so bunkers had it been dry.  

Obviously, there are many people and some Oakmont members on this site that know this golf course way better than myself, but having experienced quite possibly the 3 most difficult courses in America in Butler, Kiawah, and Oakmont....day to day in dry conditions, IMO, I would have to put Oakmont as the most difficult for just what the golf course is.  Butler is tough because of it's setup and trees, Kiawah is tough because of the hazards and wind, but Oakmont can f you even on shots hit down the middle of the fairway due to the ground movement.  If you hit it down the middle at Butler and Kiawah, you're going to be in the fw....not necessarily at Oakmont.  Plus, that doesn't even factor in the greens.

Oh and you caught me  ....on this visit due to the rain the course was closed when I got there at 11 and we didn't tee off until 4:30.  I got to play a little more than half the course and of those holes played I shot even.  My host this time invited me back again in the spring, so I'm not too worried about it.  What worried me more was the guy I rear ended at the toll plaza on the Penna turnpike.  My first accident!!  

[Dean Stokes]

Oakmont is high on my wish list.  I always struggle, though, with photographs of bunkers protected by thick rough.  Don't they want balls to be able to reach the bunkers?

Obviously a great golf course although I have not been there in person. I am so glad someone else wrote what I wanted to.....why are the bunkers in the rough? This is seen on so many good golf courses....the ball is supposed to be able to run into the hazard not be stopped by lush rough. All those bunkers at driving distance should be in the fairway. So there

[Andy Gray]

I haven't played the course, so I can't give an opinion, but I get the impression that a shot from the rough may be, in most cases, tougher than the bunkers. Hopefully someone can verify. That being said, I don't like the look or how it plays either, I would much rather see fairway cut up to the bunkers.

[PThomas]

Oakmont and OH...well done Jonathan!

they did lose parts/all? of some greens this year, an Oakmont member told me this week..but they are recovering already

Oakmont is high on my list of courses I want to play.

thanks for the photos!

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