who were the course superintendents that came to oakmont last night to allow starts today

by Suzanne Smitham Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 3 min read

What is the history of Oakmont Country Club?

Oakmont Country Club's original design was courtesy of Henry C. Fownes, who founded the club in 1903. The course opened in 1904, and Fownes' son, William, an accomplished amateur golfer, continued tweaking the course's design for many years to come.

How many times has Oakmont hosted the US Open?

Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open nine times, more than any other course, most recently in 2016, and is scheduled for its tenth in 2025. [15] It has also hosted three PGA Championships, five U.S. Amateurs, three NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, and two U.S. Women's Opens.

When were trees removed from Oakmont golf course?

Oakmont's course. Originally a links course, trees were added in the 1950s-1960s. Most were removed beginning after the 1994 U.S. Open, with between 5,000 and 8,000 eliminated during a 2007 renovation alone. Greens are planted with Poa annua, and par for members is 71.

How many majors has Oakmont hosted?

Major championships. Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open nine times, more than any other course, most recently in 2016, and is scheduled for its tenth in 2025. It has also hosted three PGA Championships, five U.S. Amateurs, three NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, and two U.S. Women's Opens.

What was Oakmont's original layout?

The original layout was mostly treeless, open to the wind. A "beautification program" in the 1960s led to the planting of thousands of trees along its holes, and Oakmont transformed into a more typical American parkland course.

When did Oakmont CC open?

The course opened in 1904, and Fownes' son, William, an accomplished amateur golfer, continued tweaking the course's design for many years to come. Several famous architects have done restoration and renovation work at Oakmont CC through the years, including Robert Trent Jones Sr., Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay and Arthur Hills.

How many bunkers are there at Oakmont Country Club?

There is no water on the Oakmont Country Club layout, but nearly 200 bunkers, many of them deep, and 4- to 8-inch deep rough provide plenty in the way of hazards. Most famous among the bunkers — one of the most famous hazards in golf — is the Church Pews bunker, which sits between the third and fourth fairways and can come into play ...

What was Johnny Miller's closing round of 63?

Johnny Miller 's closing round of 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open is one of the iconic rounds in golf history. It was once voted the "greatest round of the 20th century.". It is also the Oakmont course record.

What is the most famous feature at Oakmont?

The most famous feature at Oakmont is the daunting Church Pews bunker. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images for DC&P Championship

Which major has hosted more Opens than any other major?

Oakmont has been the site of more U.S. Opens than any other course. Including other professional majors plus the U.S. Amateur, Oakmont has hosted more majors total than any other U.S. course. (Not including Augusta National, which is the permanent site of one of the majors.)

Who is Brent Kelley?

Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. Oakmont Country Club, located near Pittsburgh, Pa., is one of the grand old golf courses of America, considered one of the best and most challenging in the world. The private Oakmont offers lush fairways tightly framed by punishing ...

Who said Oakmont is the best golf course in the world?

Open, and that's Oakmont.". Phil Mickelson: "It's really a neat, special place.". Johnny Miller: "It's probably the best course in the world . . . This is the greatest course I've ever played.".

When was Oakmont Country Club established?

1985. Oakmont Country Club is a country club in the eastern United States, located mostly in Plum with only a very small portion of the property located in Oakmont, suburbs of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania. Established 118 years ago in 1903, its golf course is regarded as the "oldest top-ranked golf course in ...

How many strokes did Hogan win?

Hogan won The Masters by five strokes and the British Open at Carnoustie by four strokes. The par-72 Oakmont course played at 6,916 yards (6,324 m) in 1953 and the average score for the field was 77.12 (+ 5.12); the field recorded 20 rounds under par.

How many rounds were played on the par 71 course in 1983?

The par 71 course played at 6,972 yards (6,375 m) in 1983 and the average score for the field was 76.13 (+ 5.13) and the field recorded 27 rounds under par. The purse was $506,184 and the champion earned $72,000 ($1.32 million and $187,085 in 2020 dollars).

How many yards was the par 72 course in 1935?

The par 72 course played to 6,981 yards (6,383 m) in 1935 and the average score for the field was 80.55 (+ 8.55) and the field recorded 3 rounds under par. The total purse of prize money was $5,000 ($94,381 in 2020 dollars) with a winner's share of $1,000 ($18,876 in 2020 dollars).

How many men were on Oakmont?

With a crew of 150 men and a little under two dozen mule teams, Henry Fownes spent a year building Oakmont on old farmland, which was ideal for a links-style course. It straddles the Allegheny River Valley and uniquely has virtually no water hazards, and, since 2007, almost no trees.

How many yards is Oakmont bunker?

One of Oakmont's most famous hazards is the Church Pews bunker that comes into play on the 3rd and 4th holes. It measures approximately 100 by 40 yards (91 by 37 m) and features twelve grass covered traversing ridges that resemble church pews.

Back to the Basics

To try to alleviate the stress on turf and stay ahead of all the play, golf courses across the country had to adjust their maintenance inputs and practices accordingly.

Holistic Therapy

At Evansville CC, divots on the tees were the main issue that resulted from increased play, Sexton reports. The par-3 holes were “especially beat up,” and just before winter arrived, the Evansville staff applied heavy topdressing sand to fill in divots.

Knowing the Ropes

With more rounds, single-use golf car policies implemented at courses affected turf conditions as well.

Maximizing Manpower

While properties still needed to keep up course conditions in an altered environment last year, many golf course maintenance crews had fewer people on staff as well.

Preparing for Déjà Vu

For the time being, superintendents expect more of the same as the 2021 golf season shifts into high gear.

Overview

Oakmont Country Club is a country club in the eastern United States, located mostly in Plum with only a very small portion of the property located in Oakmont, suburbs of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania. Established 119 years ago in 1903, its golf course is regarded as the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the United States." It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Pe…

Oakmont's course

The course, the only design by Henry Fownes, opened 119 years ago in 1903. With a crew of 150 men and a little under two dozen mule teams, Henry Fownes spent a year building Oakmont on old farmland, ideal for a links-style course. It straddles the Allegheny River Valley and uniquely has virtually no water hazards and, since 2007, almost no trees. With a USGA course rating of 77.5 and 175 bunkers, it is generally regarded in the golf community as one of the most difficult in the Uni…

Rankings

The course has been consistently ranked as one of the five best by Golf Digest 100 Greatest Golf Courses in America. In 2007 Oakmont was placed in 5th by the magazine. It is one of only a few courses ranked every year in the top ten of the publication's history. The top 50 toughest courses ranks Oakmont also at number 5, while GolfLink.com ranks it at #3 overall.

Major championships

Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open nine times, more than any other course, most recently in 2016, and is scheduled for its tenth in 2025. It has also hosted three PGA Championships, five U.S. Amateurs, three NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, and two U.S. Women's Opens. In total championships hosted (21) [need clarification - "championships" is not defined and the number of championships listed below is only 19], it also far outranks any other course [need citation].

Quotes from notable golfers

• USGA Sr. Director of Rules and Competitions Mike Davis: "There's a reason [the U.S. Open is] coming back to Oakmont. This really is the gold standard for championship golf. It doesn't get any better than Oakmont."
• Lee Trevino: "There's only one course in the country where you could step out right now — right now — and play the U.S. Open, and that's Oakmont."

Stimpmeter

The stimpmeter, a device for measuring the speed of greens, was developed by Edward Stimpson (1904–1985), an accomplished amateur player from Massachusetts, shortly after attending the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

External links

• Official website
• USGA's series on "America's Toughest Course Part I"
• U.S. Open video of all eight tournaments at Oakmont
• U.S. Open.com – 2007 U.S. Open Fact Sheet