Oakmont Country Club

United States · 18 holes · Par 72 · Designed by Henry C. Fownes · Est. 1903

Independently reviewed
Updated Apr 2026
Green Fee
Contact for rates
Holes
18
Par
72

Overview

{"setup":"Brutally difficult setup. Some of most severe conditioning in golf.","greens":"Extremely firm and fast. Greens slope dramatically. Putting is exceptionally demanding.","fairways":"Tight, narrow fairways with strategic bunker placement.","philosophy":"Penal course design - severe punishment

History

{"founded":1903,"designPhilosophy":"Created by Henry Fownes as one of first penal courses in America, designed to severely punish wayward shots.","notableMoments":["Hosted U.S. Open 8 times - most of any private club (1927, 1935, 1953, 1962, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2016)","Hosted U.S. Amateur (1919, 1925,

Signature Holes

0

Long opening par-4 setting brutally difficult tone for the round. Tests driver and approach.

1

Demanding par-3 over water hazard. No bailout options. Requires perfect shot-making.

2

Famous Church Pew bunkers dominate both sides of fairway in parallel fashion. Strategic nightmare.

3

Right dogleg with severe bunkering. Extremely tight landing area. Penal design at its finest.

4

Strong finishing hole. Long par-4 with challenging approach. Complete test of golf.

Pros & Cons

✓ The Good

  • Historic championship pedigree - 8 U.S. Opens
  • Classic penal course design
  • Excellent maintenance standards
  • Prestigious membership
  • Near Pittsburgh metropolitan area
  • Strong golf tradition

✗ The Challenges

  • Brutally difficult - not fun for casual players
  • Exclusive membership required
  • Very expensive to join
  • Can be frustrating even for excellent golfers
  • Limited guest opportunities
  • Course extremely difficult when set up for championships