Oakmont Country Club awaits...

Where better for the 125^th U.S. Open to take place than at Oakmont Country Club? You can certainly argue that a Shinnecock Hills or Pebble Beach venue has just as much history and prestige, but no course presents a challenge and dishes out punishment quite like Oakmont.

Nestled in a quaint corner of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and sitting adjacent to the Allegheny River, Oakmont Country Club has been causing golfers cries of joy and sighs of grief since the dawn of the 20^th century.

Oakmont was the only golf course that architect Henry C. Fownes ever designed and the club was officially established in 1903. A team of 150 men and two dozen horses hand-dug the land to create a 6,406-yard course with a par of 80. The official Oakmont yardage used for major championships today is a much more challenging 7,372 yardage with a par of 70.

During the 1930s, Fownes’ son William added the iconic contribution of the “Church Pews” stretches of turf that line the huge bunker on the left-hand side of the 3^rd hole.

When asked if he could show how best to take a shot from the Church Pews during his practice round at the 2007 U.S. Open, Tiger Woods replied “How to play out of it? You hit it right here,” gesturing to the fairway and implying any shot hit from the Church Pews was doomed from the start.

Another regular talking point surrounding Oakmont’s difficulty is the condition of the rough should you veer away from the fairway. Top players including Ben Griffin and Bryson DeChambeau have taken to showcasing the long rough online with the latter claiming it’s “the hardest this golf course could ever play right now.”

It’s been a wet week so far in Pennsylvania ahead of the 125^th U.S. Open, but the angular and sloping greens are sure to be swift even with all the moisture. One thing’s for certain; we’re in for a treat this weekend, and whoever’s lifting the trophy come Sunday will have truly earned the moniker “Champion.”