Every Hole at Shinnecock Hills - No. 18, Home

No. 18 - Home

Par 4 | 490 yards

Shinnecock's appropriately grand finisher administers one last examination of shotmaking.

In the landing zone, the fairway falls from left to right while bending left, creating a punishing reverse-camber effect. The ambitious route is over the bunker cut into the large dune on the inside corner of the dogleg. An A-plus tee shot on this line settles into a bowl on the far side of the dune — one of the few flat lies on the fairway — and opens up the green’s back-right sideboard. Balls played out to the right kick farther right, resulting in the daunting approach that Corey Pavin faced (and conquered) in 1995.

The green sits in a natural saddle at the base of the clubhouse ridge. Big and open-fronted, it presents an inviting target, but it slopes precipitously from back to front, with only a couple of middle-left pockets flat enough for pins at modern Stimpmeter readings. U.S. Open contenders who go deep here may not remain in contention for long.

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Strategy Notes for the U.S. Open

• Due to the diagonal nature of the fairway, target lines off the tee vary based on a player’s distance profile. Most players will aim 5-10 yards right of the first fairway bunker on the left, and a well-executed drive should settle down the right side of the fairway.  
• Into the green, beware of going long. The green is severely pitched from back to front, placing a premium yet again on distance control, the most important skill at Shinnecock Hills. –Joseph LaMagna

Historical Tidbits

• William Flynn’s earliest plans located the 18th green farther up the hill, near the current back tee boxes on No. 14. (WM)
• Needing a birdie on 18 to set a course record of 64, Chip Beck hit a terrific approach but never gave the ensuing short slider a chance.
• If you’re reading this, you know about Corey Pavin’s 4-wood in 1995, but it’s worth watching the full build-up to the shot. Good television! (And try to forget that he missed the putt.)
• A poor approach, which could have been worse if not for the grandstand, put Brooks Koepka in jail long left of the 18th green in 2018. His recovery chip was better than the gallery knew. (Of course, he didn’t make the putt. No one seems able to find the bottom of the cup on 18 at Shinnecock.)

Our Take

“Home” sums up the greatest strengths of Shinnecock Hills: its soul comes from its use of the land, but its teeth are found in the green.

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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