Every Hole at Shinnecock Hills - No. 16, Shinnecock

No. 16 - Shinnecock

Par 5 | 614 yards

With the Shinnecock clubhouse providing a striking backdrop, the 16th is a favorite subject for photographers. But it’s also a cleverly designed par 5.

At 616 yards from the back tees and playing into the summer wind, the hole is a rarity in championship golf: a genuine three-shotter. The line from tee to green is basically straight, but William Flynn breaks up that “line of instinct,” as Max Behr would have called it, with clusters of bunkers. The fairway snakes around these hazards, forming an “S”-shape (or, to be exact, an “S” with a backwards “C” attached to the bottom.)

There is no consensus on the optimal way to play No. 16. Some prefer hitting their drives to the outside of the first dogleg on the left, which opens the right side of the layup zone. However, the second shot from there is mostly blind and played over a “Sahara”-style field of bunkers. Others favor the right side of the fairway off the tee, where the higher ground offers better visibility and an angle to the less-protected left half of the layup area.

Ten bunkers ring the front of the green, but given the severe back-to-front tilt of the putting surface, it’s worse to miss long.

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Strategy Notes for the U.S. Open

• The 16th played over par for two of the four days during the 2018 U.S. Open, a refreshing rarity in professional golf. 
• As unsatisfying as it is to continue suggesting that the middle of the fairway is the appropriate target line, trying to play for angles on this tee shot is not a prudent strategy. Keeping the ball out of the fescue is far more valuable than any benefit a perceived advantageous angle might provide — especially on a lay-up — and the most effective way to avoid the fescue is to take a target line down the center of the fairway. 
• If the wind dies down and reaching the 16th in two becomes possible, players will need to be thoughtful about where to miss on the approach, generally favoring the right side of the green. Left misses can settle into gnarly spots, either in one of the many greenside bunkers or in fescue — a penalty exacerbated by the left-to-right tilt of the green. –Joseph LaMagna

Historical Tidbits

• Flynn’s inspiration for the 16th was the seventh at Pine Valley, a long par 5 where second shots must clear the famous “Hell’s Half Acre” sandy waste area. Characteristically, though, Flynn oriented his major cross hazard on a diagonal and provided a bail-out for those choosing not to take on the long carry. (WM)
• After berating a cameraman for an ill-timed shutter release, Raymond Floyd hit a beautifully flighted 8-iron into the 16th green and made the birdie putt to seal his 1986 U.S. Open victory.
• En route to the 1995 U.S. Open crown, Corey Pavin fist-pumped his fairway-wood layup on No. 16. #TourSauce?
• In the 2004 final round, Phil Mickelson birdied the 16th to take a one-stroke lead over Retief Goosen. At this moment, the tournament seemed to be his.

Our Take

With its nuanced design and unforgettable setting, the 16th hole at Shinnecock Hills marks the peak of one of the greatest back nines in golf.

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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