Every Hole at Shinnecock Hills - No. 14, Thom’s Elbow

No. 14 - Thom’s Elbow

Par 4 | 520 yards

The longest par 4 at Shinnecock Hills immediately follows the shortest par 4. The 14th plays from the top of the clubhouse ridge down to a fairway nestled into the base of that ridge. As is typical at Shinnecock, the fairway sits on a diagonal, this time from left to right. In addition, everything slopes to the left, against the slant of the hole. Because of these factors, players must be unusually precise in balancing line and distance off the tee. 

The tentative play is toward the first bunker on the left, where a wide expanse of fairway opens up in full view. The aggressive line is over the bunker on the right, but the landing zone for that shot is partially concealed by the fescue-covered hillside.

The 14th is a brute — it played as the hardest hole in the 2018 U.S. Open — but two factors make the challenge manageable: it plays downwind in the summer, and the green’s raised wings funnel balls toward the middle. Distance control on the approach is a must, however. A false front holds up anything short, and a runoff in the back swallows approaches that ride the wind too far.

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Strategy Notes for the U.S. Open

• The bunker down the right requires a 290-yard carry downhill, which is no problem for nearly every player in the field, especially with the prevailing wind helping. 
• Fire driver over the left side of the bunker on the right, and players will have about 30 yards of width between their target line and the left edge of a fairway that plays narrower than it appears because of its right-to-left slope. 
• Approach shots can either be flown all the way onto the green or bounced up, but they must be precise. Well-struck approaches leave manageable two-putt pars, while misses around this green are severely punished. 
• Shinnecock is a true second-shot golf course — one of the most overused terms in golf, but an apt one here. The 14th is just one of many examples of why. –Joseph LaMagna

Historical Tidbits

• The 14th tee sits near the former location of the pro shop of Charlie Thom, who served as Shinnecock’s head pro for 55 years. This, along with the dogleg shape of the hole, is the source of the par 4’s quirky name, “Thom’s Elbow.” (WM)
• Before the 2018 U.S. Open, the USGA narrowed the 14th fairway in the landing zone for tee shots by 17 yards. This year, the USGA plans to maintain the fairway’s full width of 60 yards.
• With Phil Mickelson reeling him in on the back nine at the 1995 U.S. Open, Retief Goosen barely escaped from a fried-egg lie in the front-right bunker at No. 14. His ensuing chip from the rough — nearly impossible to get close — ran 20 feet past. The tournament hanging in the balance, Goosen sank the comebacker for a fantastic bogey save.

Our Take

“Thom’s Elbow” is Shinnecock in a nutshell: ferociously challenging on every shot, but also intelligently designed to assess the player’s mastery of wind, terrain, and angles. Is it fun to play? Not really. But it’s an excellent test.

Course Routing

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Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

Southampton, NYWilliam Flynn1891

A Golden Age architect’s magnum opus thanks to a sublime setting and stellar design, Shinnecock Hills is deep-rooted in American golf history.

Hole 1 - Westward Ho

Par 4399 yds

Hole 2 - Plateau

Par 3220 yds

Hole 3 - Peconic

Par 4469 yds

Hole 4 - Pump House

Par 4409 yds

Hole 5 - Montauk

Par 5537 yds

Hole 6 - Pond

Par 4453 yds

Hole 7 - Redan

Par 3189 yds

Hole 8 - Lowlands

Par 4394 yds

Hole 9 - Ben Nevis

Par 4435 yds

Hole 10 - Eastward Ho

Par 4415 yds

Hole 11 - Hill Head

Par 3159 yds

Hole 12 - Tuckahoe

Par 4469 yds

Hole 13 - Road Slide

Par 4374 yds

Hole 14 - Thom's Elbow

Par 4463 yds

Hole 15 - Sebonac

Par 4409 yds

Hole 16 - Shinnecock

Par 5540 yds

Hole 17 - Eden

Par 3180 yds

Hole 18 - Home

Par 4426 yds

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