U.S. Open Golf Courses

The U.S. Open is one of the most exciting golf championships that has been played at a variety of destinations in the United States. Whilst the Masters golf course is always the same, the U.S. Open has great variety of venues for the championship. A number of exciting championship courses have hosted the Open.

Oakmont

Oakmont golf course, in Pennsylvania, has hosted the record number of U.S. Opens. Having hosted several U.S. Opens the course is among the most famous in the United States. Oakmont has considerable slopes, and the famed Church Pews bunker that stretches some 100 yards. It includes a 667 yard par-5 golf hole at the 12th, which is among the most extensive PGA Tour holes.

The U.S. Open was first played there in 1927. Then the course yardage was somewhat less than the 7,230 yards of today. It was at Oakmont that Nicklaus won the first major of his career in a playoff round with Palmer. In later championships at Oakmont there were further playoff victories, such as Els' three-way playoff triumph in the Open during the 1990s.

Oakland Hills Country Club (South Course)

Oakland Hills Country Club, in Michigan, has a couple of 18-hole courses. Among them is the South Course which is the primary championship venue at the club. That's a golf course that can extend some 7,445 yards from the championship tees.

There six U.S. Opens have been played, among a number of other golf championships such as the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup. The most recent U.S. Open championship at Oakland was won by Jones after edging out Lehman in the final round.

Pebble Beach Links

Pebble Beach Links is a resort course that is ranked among the top 10 golf courses in the game. The golf course is located on the Monterey coastline of California, which provides a great landscape for Pebble Beach Links. It has some great coastal holes such as the 109 par-3 which has a green surrounded by Pacific Ocean. The 543 yard par-5 18th hole is along among the highlights at Pebble Beach Links. The Pacific Ocean dominates the left fairway of the hole up to the green.

Pebble Beach Links has been the venue of five U.S. Open Championships up to 2010. There both Nicklaus and Woods have been crowned U.S. Open champions. In the most recent championship at the course McDowell edged out Harvet by one to emerge as the first Irish champion in the U.S. Open.

Baltusrol Golf Club

Another regular venue of the U.S. Open is that of Baltusrol Golf Club. That's a golf club in New Jersey that has a couple of championship courses. At the Lower Course four U.S. Opens have been played, and an additional three have been hosted at the other Baltusrol courses. The Lower Course has a yardage of approximately 7,400 yards, with a par-5 hole that expands some 650 yards.

At the Lower Course four golfers were crowned U.S. Open champion. Nicklaus twice lifted the trophy at Baltusrol. Aside from the Open, the golf course has also been selected for a couple of PGA Championships.

Those golf courses have been great venues for the U.S. Open. There some enthralling Open championships have been played.