15 at Oak Hill

[Tim Martin]

For anyone that has played Oak Hill since Andrew Green’s restoration does 15 stack up as one of the toughest short par three holes you have played? The Saturday pin placement up front looks crazy hard to hit it close as everything wants to funnel right down the slope.

[James Reader]

They said on Sky that even the members haven’t played the new hole yet.

[Matt_Cohn]

They said on Sky that even the members haven’t played the new hole yet.

I know they said the course was closed since October, but wasn’t it open for a while before that?

[Rob Marshall]

It’s been open. The green is very narrow. Steep run off area where the pond used to be. Much better hole with the pond gone.

[Matthew Rose]

For anyone curious, I found some footage from the 1968 US Open of the pre-Fazio 15th.

About 20-21 minutes in they discuss it and show a fairly primitive diagram. One thing I learned from this is that prior to 1968 they had played it from a much different angle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il2NxwHbfog&t=164s

[John Blain]

They said on Sky that even the members haven’t played the new hole yet.

I know they said the course was closed since October, but wasn’t it open for a while before that?

The east course has been closed for all play since last fall.

[John Blain]

For anyone that has played Oak Hill since Andrew Green’s restoration does 15 stack up as one of the toughest short par three holes you have played? The Saturday pin placement up front looks crazy hard to hit it close as everything wants to funnel right down the slope.

Tim-
One of the biggest challenges is that is directly into the prevailing westerly wind. Hitting the green doesn't mean an easy par and missing the green can be a brutal up and down, often bringing double bogey into play.
The club originally was going to build a hole that was very similar to #3 at Wannamoisett but I have to tell you #15 at OH is much more difficult.

[Michael Morandi]

If the course has been closed for a long time, does that explain the softness of the face  in the fairway bunker on 16 that ate up at least 2 balls, dooming the chances of two contenders?

[Tim Martin]

If the course has been closed for a long time, does that explain the softness of the face  in the fairway bunker on 16 that ate up at least 2 balls, dooming the chances of two contenders?

Based on where those balls plugged just barely about the bunker and after all the rain I don’t think you can blame that on the course being closed. If it was firmer both those shots best case probably would have bounced back into the bunker. Both Conners and Hovland hit poor shots not to clear the face.

[Michael Morandi]

Yes, they hit poor shots but based on the relief provided they’d prefer to be back in the bunker.