I thought I would celebrate the one week anniversary of getting to play Oakmont by sharing some of my thoughts and posting some pictures.  Not often you get to play an amazing golf course in perfect weather with three great companions.  I'm still excited over the whole experience.

Those that are easily offended by viewing photos taken during the course of play, move on to another post.  I don't see how I can talk about what I liked about Oakmont without sharing some images.  Photo prudes should know that I did ask permission of the guys I was playing with and did not delay play.  

Here's my favorite photo from the day.  I was changing shoes in the second floor locker room and was wowed by this view.  You can just look at this and know it's going to be a special day.


We didn't start on 1, but I'll post sequentially.  Got to play my approach shot from the edge of 9 fairway.  You can see all of the nasty stuff my tee shot was pulled enough to avoid.  Still blind & downhill, though.


Note how uphill the approach shot is on 3.  With some distractions!


We started on 4.  Took this from behind the green.  Note how downhill the approach is.


When you step on 5 tee, you also get to see the famous Sahara bunker on 8.  Don't spend much time thinking about it.  There's plenty more to worry about first.


5 is a fantastic hole.  Not that long, but the fairway slopes from right to left to a green that slopes severely right to left.


Even though this was my worst hole of the day (made triple), I loved it.  This is the view from the end of the fairway.  I didn't get many greenside photos because I didn't want to disrupt play.


The US Open tee on 8was WAY behind our simple little 220 yard hole.


The green on 9 was so much fun.  This picture was taken after play was over.  Look how much movement there is.  If I played regularly at Oakmont, I could see putting games being a lot of fun. Sorry Mr. Fownes, but I think Oakmont was FUN.


There doesn't appear to be much room to miss on 11.


And there really isn't.  This was from the left rough near the scary dry hazard.  


Here's one of the greens that I have photos of.  Yeah, I three putted 8 times.  I should have avoided some of them, but if you're not in the right position on the green, you're going to struggle with your putting.


After playing smart on 17 tee, I still yanked my iron behind the bunkers on the left.  Here's all I could see as I played my approach.


This was taken from the rear of 17 green looking back towards the tee.  It's that hilly.


Here's another shot behind 18 green looking back down the fairway.  This one was late in the day.


Oakmont was an incredible experience.  I think it would have been a bargain at twice the price.  I'm so glad that John V posted this opportunity for those of us that are less-connected. Hopefully we're also represented well enough that if anyone hears of other outings from their local golf associations they'll post it as well.  Long Island anyone?

Oh, and lest I forget, there was at least one section that was extra firm and fast on the day we played.  John K are you reading?

Looks like you guys had perfect weather considering Pittsburgh in late October.  Thanks for the photos.

Cheers,
Brad

Thanks John,

I'm sure it took incredible courage to post your pic-taking adventures.  Your inbox must be overflowing with IMs stating your scumbag-ness for subjecting your playing partners to that travesty!!    

Just a few thoughts.  Great pic of #9 with all the movement in the green.  Looks like 3-4 breaks is never out of the question.  TV just didn't do that green justice.

I'm officially fascinated/obssessed with #17 after seeing pics and watching the trainwecks this year during the open.  How such a short little hole can be so dastardly tough is just amazing.  Did your group struggle with it?

Kalen,
17 & 5 were two holes that I don't think I could ever get tired of playing.  Tee shots were fairly simple, but you just couldn't miss the green on either hole.  So much visual intimidation.  I managed to par 17, but not all of us were so fortunate.  On 17 it's SO important to know your yardage, trust your yardage, make a good swing, and hit it on the right line.  

Mike,
I may have ruined Powell's round, but he gave me permission to do it.  In all seriousness, total score was just incidental to the experience.

Looks like you guys had perfect weather considering Pittsburgh in late October.  Thanks for the photos.

Cheers,
Brad

Nope, that's just a typical fall day in the Burgh....

Excellent job with the photos, you managed to illustrate some of the magical qualities quite well.

John, thanks for posting these. Oakmont is very much a place that I hope to have the privilege to play one day. What a course!

Thanks for the pictures and descriptions.

I'm gonna scream the next time someone tells us he got permission from his playing partners to take a few pictures!

What? Like there's no down time during a round of golf, when a guy can pull a digital camera out of his pocket and take a quick picture without endangering the Pace of Play?

Hooey. Take your pictures, and keep up.

Thanks John - lovely pictures.I hope to get there one day, though its far from London!

Hey, Slowpoke - the photos are great.  I am surpirsed that you didnt mention the player on #11 decending into the bunker for his first of 5 shots!

Great day, and I woke up this morning with a similar feeling - unable to comprehend that I have now gone a full week without playing Oakmont!

Are you referring to the low net player?  I do have one good picture of him in action on 17, but need to get his permission to post it.

I'm actually glad that I didn't get to labeling the pics till now.  It brought everything back for at least a few minutes.  

The times I played Oakmont in the '80s and early '90s, I had a similar experience as John - what a brute of a course but what fun to play it!  I had no high expectations and wasn't disappointed.  But planning fun shots that weren't obvious was a lot of the great experience.  There is so much movement in those slick greens that you can aim away from the hole a lot of the time.

I've always recalled #1, #10 and #12 as the Oakmont fallaway greens - is #4 as much a fallaway green as it appears?  I guess it could be, even on the other side of the freeway, as it's so uphill to #3 green.  Great photo there by the way!

Powell,

For a second there I thought you were referring to me on #11.  That was pretty funny.  Ten shots and none of them were a penalty.  I am sure he is still in shock that you birdied that hole.  

John - great pics.  I hope no one really thought you were distracting or taking anything away from our day by snapping some pics.

That shot of the 18th from the locker room is amazing.  Hard to believe so many of the bunkers are hidden looking back down the fairway.

What a day.  It really is hard to believe its been a week.  I am looking forward to getting back to Pittsburgh with or without a round at Oakmont.  That downtown section is one of the greats in this country if you like baseball or football.  

Powell,

....

you birdied that hole [#11]

....

That's the post I've been waiting for!

Powell,

Glad I could make your evening.  It was just too funny your friend kept asking in disbelief "you made a birdie"  followed by "where the hell was I?"  I am sure you could answer that one.