As the golf world turns its attention to Western Pennsylvania, there’s something in the air, more than just anticipation, it’s pride. Oakmont Country Club, our local gem of a golf course, is once again center stage, hosting a record 10th U.S. Open, more than any other club in history. Around town and inside every golf circle, the buzz is electric.
Oakmont’s reputation precedes itself. Known simply (and respectfully) as “The Beast,” this course is feared for a reason and it’s mainly, the greens. In the past, the USGA has had to dial them back to avoid chaos. This year? Not so much. The official word is that they’ll roll at “championship speed.” Translation: buckle up. Fittingly, the stimpmeter, the very tool invented at Oakmont to measure green speeds, has been shelved for this event. Players will have to figure things out on their own.
To really understand Oakmont, you have to go back to its beginnings and the man behind the madness. Henry Fownes was a steel magnate from right here in Pittsburgh. Fownes sold his stake in his mill after a serious health scare and pursued something most people would call crazy, building a golf course from scratch. No real plans. Just a dream, some paper sketches, 150 workers, and a couple dozen mules. What he created is not just a course, it’s a test of willpower.
Fownes didn’t believe in forgiveness. His philosophy? Every bad shot should come with a consequence. His son once put it this way: “Let the clumsy, the spineless, the alibi artist stand aside! A shot poorly played should be a shot irrevocably lost!”
That DNA still pulses through every inch of Oakmont. It’s Fownes’ one and only course, and yet it’s been in the world’s top ten since the day it opened. If that’s not a Pittsburgh overachiever story, I don’t know what is.
In 2023, famed architect Gil Hanse helped restore the greens and approaches to their original look and feel, using old photographs and a big dose of respect for what Fownes had done. Bob Ford, Oakmont’s longtime head pro and one of the most respected voices in the game, recently shared his thoughts: “The greens are massive now, but their difficulty is unrelenting. You could hit all 18 in regulation and still struggle to break par.” That’s Oakmont.
And if you miss a fairway? Say hello to five-inch rough or one of the 200-plus bunkers (mercifully reduced from the original 300). Oakmont will beat you up if you’re not careful and sometimes even if you are.
This course doesn’t just demand precision, it demands imagination. A creative mind, a fearless heart, and a short memory. This week, some of the best players on the planet will take on a course that’s not just historic, it’s personal for those of us here in Western PA. We’ve walked these fairways. We’ve played them. We’ve watched legends rise (and stumble) on this sacred ground. Now, Oakmont is back in the spotlight, ready to host the world’s finest for what may be the greatest test of golf ever staged.
As Bob Ford put it, “If the course is wet, the winning score might reach -5. If it’s dry, expect +5.” Either way, this U.S. Open is shaping up to be something special.
So as Oakmont roars back to life for its biggest moment yet, I know I’m not alone when I say, I can’t wait to see what unfolds. There’s no place like home and no test in golf quite like this one.
