The Five Scariest Greens at Oakmont

The thick rough at Oakmont Country Club has been the main topic of conversation in the days leading up to this week’s 2025 U.S. Open, but don’t sleep on the greens. 

As part of architect Gil hanse’s renovation project in 2023, the greens at Oakmont – which can run 13 or 14 on the Stimpmeter for normal member play – were expanded ahead of this week’s championship. As Garrett Morrison and Cameron Hurdus noted in our profile of the course, the greens “feature heavy natural cants and stout internal contours” and “register as unique yet part of the same family.”

When it comes to the scariest greens on the property, Garrett thinks five stand out: 

5. Ninth green

This one is very large, with its back quadrant serving as a practice green. It's also not as severe as the others on this list, but it's wavy undulations and overall back to front slope make lag putting extremely hard. 

{{oakmont-9th-green-gallery}}

4. Second green

Number four is the second green, which is all about the tilt from back left to front right. And trust me when I say that you do not want to miss long and left. In his recent renovation, Gil Hanse recaptured the corners of this green, opening up some frightening pin positions way out on the edges. 

{{oakmont-2nd-green-gallery}}

3. First green

The top three scariest greens at Oakmont are best understood as a set. All of them sit just above the Pennsylvania Turnpike on the western half of the property, and all of them spill toward the highway with the natural terrain away from the line of play. 

So number three on my list is the first green, which falls away and to the left at a rate that always surprises first time guests. It's a rude but appropriate introduction to the golf course. 

{{oakmont-1st-green-gallery}}

2. 10th green

Number two is the 10th green, which is like a companion to the first, except even more pronounced in its pull back and to the left. In a nod toward playability, Gil Hanse moved the front right bunker a bit to the right. Now, players have more room to run their approaches onto the green from the right side.

{{oakmont-10th-green-gallery}}

1. 12th green

Finally, the scariest green at Oakmont is the 12th. This thing falls roughly three and a half feet from front to back, feeding out at the back right corner. In other words, it races away from the player and left of this green is one of the most terrifying spots to be on this or any golf course. 

{{oakmont-12th-green-gallery}}

Enjoy watching these greens at this week's U.S. Open, because you don't have to deal with them.

{{inline-course}}