Notoriously the toughest course in championship golf — home to the famed Church Pews bunker and lightning-fast greens.
About the Course
Oakmont Country Club, just outside Pittsburgh, is renowned as the most punishing championship venue in the United States. Henry Fownes designed the course in 1903, and his son William maintained and toughened it for decades. Oakmont's greens routinely run at Stimpmeter readings above 14 — faster than any other championship venue.
History
Henry C. Fownes, a steel magnate, designed Oakmont in just six weeks in 1903. Roughly 5,000 trees were removed in the 1990s and 2000s to restore the course's original open, links-like character.
Signature Features
The Church Pews bunker between holes 3 and 4 (12 parallel grass ridges in sand), 200+ deep bunkers, and the fastest greens in tournament golf.
Notable Events & Championships
Ten U.S. Opens (most of any course), three PGA Championships, five U.S. Amateurs. Recent U.S. Open winners: Angel Cabrera (2007), Dustin Johnson (2016), J.J. Spaun (2025).