Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is no ordinary course. The New York course, host of the 126th US Open from 18 to 21 June, is a genuine masterpiece of classic American golf and one of the venues most feared by players. With its raised greens, impossible slopes, the wind as a constant judge and escape areas that punish any mistake, the course will demand precision, patience and great mental strength.
The course starts with a seeming breather. Hole 1, a 394-yard par 4, offers a relatively gentle opening, although the narrowing fairway forces careful thought off the tee. The difficulty increases quickly with hole 2, a par 3 of up to 252 yards that can vary hugely depending on the wind.
Among the first big tests is hole 4, the start of the so-called first “triangle”, three consecutive holes in different directions where the wind often takes centre stage. Hole 5, a 592-yard par 5, represents one of the best birdie opportunities on the course thanks to the favourable wind, although its raised green demands utmost precision.
One of the most emblematic points comes at hole 7. This famous Redan of 187 yards features a green sloping from front to back and from right to left, designed to take advantage of the fall. Its difficulty was evident in 2004, when conditions were so extreme that the USGA had to water the green between groups because balls would not stop on the surface.
The front nine closes with a demanding 9th hole, featuring a blind tee shot and a testing approach to a raised green. Any mistake can become a real headache.
In the back nine, Shinnecock keeps raising the tension. The 10th offers another blind tee shot and a green with a very pronounced false front. The 11th, the course’s shortest par 3, gives hardly any margin for error despite its 157 yards. In fact, Brooks Koepka had to save a decisive bogey there during his 2018 victory.
The 13th, at just 371 yards, can tempt the more aggressive players, while the 14th, a 520-yard par 4 with a steep slope, requires finding the right angle to tackle the second shot.
The penultimate big test comes at the 16th, a 614-yard par 5 that plays even longer into the wind. Strategy is key before tackling a narrow, protected green.
Then comes the 17th, another par 3 steeped in history. In 2004, Phil Mickelson squandered much of his chances there when he finished with a double bogey after visiting the left bunker and subsequently missing a short putt.
The course finishes with one of the most spectacular closings in golf. The 18th, a 490-yard par 4, features a blind tee shot and an imposing view of the clubhouse. The wind often helps on the second shot, but finding the right-hand side of the fairway is key to having a good chance at a green sloping back to front.
Shinnecock Hills thus presents itself again as an uncompromising test. A course that rewards intelligence as much as talent and that, as it has shown throughout its history, does not usually crown the most dazzling player, but the one who endures best when everything starts to get complicated.
