The Lower Course

A long and difficult par 4 that requires an accurate tee shot. A creek winds along the right edge of the fairway, while wayward tee shots to the left will leave a long approach shot from the deep rough. Large bunkers protect the front of the green, which features multiple subtle breaks and may prove to be one of the most difficult greens to read on the Lower Course.

A severe dogleg to the left that requires accuracy off the tee. Longer hitters may challenge the dogleg, but must navigate fairway bunkers and thick fescue to reach safety and a short approach into the green. A well-executed drive will rest near the corner of the dogleg and leave players with 150-175 yards to a blind putting surface. The green, which is the largest on the Lower Course, is also the most challenging, with severe undulations and a variety of difficult potential pin locations.

A long par 3 with a forced carry into a partially-hidden green. The tee complex was lowered approximately four feet and the championship tees were lengthened slightly. Shots will have to be struck well and high to carry a large bunker and land softly on the green. The putting surface slopes severely from front to back.

A long par 4 that doglegs to the right. A creek bisects the fairway and runs adjacent to the right of the hole, creating a risk/reward opportunity for players looking for a shorter approach into the green. Bobby Jones’s upset loss to George Von Elm in the 1926 U.S. Amateur was cemented on No. 13 when he found the creek off the tee. A two-tiered green slopes sharply from back to front and is surrounded by deep green side bunkers.

A medium-length par 4 with a slight dogleg to the left. Drives must navigate fairway bunkers on the left and right. Players that carry the bunkers on the left will be rewarded with a shorter approach into the green. A subtle spine runs from the front to the back of the green, making an accurate approach to the correct side of the green essential.

One of the most picturesque holes on the Lower Course, this straight-away par 4 requires two great shots to find the green. Staggered bunkers guard the left and right sides of the fairway. A poor tee shot may force players to lay up in front of a creek that runs across the fairway, roughly 100 yards from the green. The approach must carry a massive green side bunker and steep false front. The large green slopes from back to front and right to left.

Bunkers surround the green on this long and difficult par 3. The restored Tillinghast green features a backstop designed to funnel tee shots back to the center of the putting surface. No. 16 was the site of Lee Janzen’s famous chip-in at the 1993 U.S. Open. The shot would propel him to victory in a dramatic duel with Payne Stewart.

Three perfectly executed shots are required to reach the green in regulation on this iconic par 5. The return of the “Sahara” bunker that spans the width of the fairway requires an accurate drive and well-struck second shot to clear. Errant tee shots will force players to lay up short of the Sahara, leaving them with 180-200 yards to reach the green. An array of large bunkers guards the front and left side of the putting surface.

Steeped in championship history, No. 18 has served as the stage for some of golf’s greatest major moments. Drives must avoid water to the left of the fairway and heavy rough to the right. Bold tee shots that challenge the water will give players an opportunity to reach the green in two. Jack Nicklaus famously hit one-iron from the fairway on No. 18 to break the U.S. Open scoring record in 1967. A plaque in the fairway commemorates the shot. A bunker in front of the green has been removed, restoring a ramp approach into an elevated green. The fairway connects seamlessly into the 18th Upper fairway, creating additional landing space and an improved angle to the green for players choosing to lay up.