Jaime Diaz's Top 5 US Open courses...

[Matthew Sander]

A link to his list from Golfdigest.com:

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/2011-06/photos-my-five-usopen-courses#slide=1

Thoughts?

I would imagine most of our lists would look fairly similar. I'm a little partial to Oakmont myself. I thought it looked tremendous in '07 -  obviously brutish, but visually interesting architecture. The severity of greens rarely comes across on TV, but several of Oakmont's stood out regardless of the limitations of television...

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Not a bad list.  I'd probably just alter the order...

Merion
Shinnecock
Oakmont
Pebble
Winged Foot

[Bill_McBride]

I had Olympic instead of WFW but just regional bias.....

[Matthew Sander]

I would also like to see what we would get with a dry Bethpage Black...

[Dan_Callahan]

It's a pretty obvious top 5 based on history and memorable moments. From a purely aesthetics standpoint and which courses I want to see on TV, I find Winged Foot to be boring. Just like I find Congressional to be boring. Going back to the beginning of the US Open, I would prefer Newport, Myopia, Pinehurst, and even Bethpage.

[Greg Clark]

Really looking forward to seeing the best in the world play Merion.  I would hold off on including it in the top 5 until after the coming Open. Hopefully it will be a huge success.  I'm not a big fan of Winged Foot as an Open site.  For me there are 4 courses I most enjoy watching the best contest an open on, and they are:

Pebble Beach
Oakmont
Shinnecock
Pinehurst #2

Beyond those 4, I'm more interested in seeing the Open at Chambers Bay and Erin Hills than at other traditional sites.

[David Whitmer]

The last time the U.S. Open was played at Merion, I was 8 years old. Therefore, I will exclude it through no fault of its own. I agree with the other four, and will substitute Pinehurst #2 instead. The 1999 U.S. Open at #2 is one of my all-time favorites. The contenders (Payne Stewart, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, David Duval) were all outstanding, the play coming down the stretch superb, and the course was great. I wish they were all that exciting.

[Tom_Doak]

Merion, Shinnecock, and Pinehurst No. 2 = 10's in The Confidential Guide

Pebble Beach, Oakmont and Winged Foot = 9's in The Confidential Guide

Every other U.S. Open course = less than 9

Some way less!

[David Harshbarger]

Tom,

Any other 10's in the US the USGA could factor in the rota?

Dave

[Tom_Doak]

The other 10's were National, Pine Valley, Crystal Downs and Cypress Point.  None of those are likely to ever host a U.S. Open, luckily for their members.

[Mac Plumart]

How about this for some future Opens?

Sebonack
Prairie Dunes
Seminole
Crystal Downs
Pete Dye Golf Club in French Lick

The old, the new, and one out of the blue.

[Mike Tanner]

I've only attended two US Opens, Shinnecock in '04 and Oakmont in '07. I'd like to fill out my top five at Pinehurst, Merion and Pebble Beach.

[Wayne Freeman]

Having played 'em all I certainly don't have a problem with that list.  I like a top 6  in no particular order...
  although if I had to I'd probably put Merion or Shinny in the top spot.

                  For me it's......................  Merion
                                                        Shinnecock
                                                        Pebble
                                                        Bethpage
                                                        Winged Foot
                                                        Oakmont
                       
                             I love BP, having played it before the redo, then walking it during the makeover, and playing it after.

[Dan_Callahan]

Merion, Shinnecock, and Pinehurst No. 2 = 10's in The Confidential Guide

Pebble Beach, Oakmont and Winged Foot = 9's in The Confidential Guide

Every other U.S. Open course = less than 9

Some way less!

Newport and Myopia less than 9?

Wow.

[Nick Campanelli]

How about this for some future Opens?

Sebonack
Prairie Dunes
Seminole
Crystal Downs
Pete Dye Golf Club in French Lick

The old, the new, and one out of the blue.

French Lick would be one hell of a test, but....

According to Mr. Dye, his new was built to host the 2024 PGA Championship.  Now all they have to do is convince the PGA its a good idea.  It would be the 100th Anniversary of the 1924 tournament held at the neighboring Ross Course.  Plus, the USGA and Mr. Dye have never gotten along.  He cursed them out a few times when I asked why his courses have never been considered for the national championship.    

[Tim Leahy]

I had Olympic instead of WFW but just regional bias.....

+1

Tom D.,  Why Pinehurst over Pebble?  Visually I don't see anything at Pinehurst to warrant a 10.

[Tom_Doak]

Merion, Shinnecock, and Pinehurst No. 2 = 10's in The Confidential Guide

Pebble Beach, Oakmont and Winged Foot = 9's in The Confidential Guide

Every other U.S. Open course = less than 9

Some way less!

Newport and Myopia less than 9?

Wow.

Dan:

You seriously think Newport and Myopia are among the top 25 courses in the world?  That's where the 9's all reside, and I would never have considered either of those courses for a ranking that high.  9 out of 10 on the cool scale, maybe.

[Dan_Callahan]

Tom,

I have only seen a fraction of the courses you have. So my "Wow" was more a comment about how good the other courses must be.

Of the courses I've seen with my own eyes, Pebble is at the top. But both Newport and Myopia would definitely be in my top 25, and I would have both ahead of Pinehurst (but I saw Pinehurst prior to the renovation).

Maybe you're right. Maybe the coolness of a course has more significance to me than it should. But courses like Myopia, Newport, Yale, Kittansett, and Eastward Ho would all be in my top 25.