Call me a traditionalist, but I love the fact that the US Open is so hard. I want carnage at Major Championships.
Some of the mollycoddled professionals will obviously complain about the brutal Oakmont test, but I enjoy the jeopardy and carnage that the right course can bring to a Major Championship.
After an abysmal PGA Championship last month, this fear-inducing layout is exactly what we need - and I love that the toughest test comes at the first hole.
In fact, in the interesting of learning more about this juggernaut of a US Open venue, I researched the five hardest holes at Oakmont, and some are really treacherous!
5 Hardest Holes At Oakmont Country Club
I'll kick this list off by stating the hole averages, and the hole-by-hole difficulty ranking, is based on the last US Open that was held at Oakmont in 2016.
Nevertheless, the course is unlikely to play easier than that edition of this iconic event... so if anything these values are on the more optimistic side of the scale.
There has been plenty of debate about how many shots an 18-handicapper would take to play Oakmont in this condition, but I am almost as worried for the pros as I would be for the unnamed amateur!
1: 1st Hole - Par 4 - 488 Yards
With a scoring average of 4.45, almost half a shot over par, this truly is a treacherous start.
Just three players in the top-20 of the leaderboard during the 2016 US Open played this hole under par, one of which was runner-up Shane Lowry.
Bryson DeChambeau opened his 2016 US Open with a double-bogey on the 1st, and the hole yielded a staggering 33 doubles or worse (more than any other hole).
The carnage commences early at Oakmont, and I'm here for it.
2: 9th Hole - Par 4 - 472 Yards
So, in a move that seems borderline cruel, Oakmont bookends the front nine with it's two hardest holes.
The 9th is a long par-4, requiring every player to find the perfect balance of power and accuracy to pass unscathed.
Eventual US Open Champion Dustin Johnson was the only player in the top-10 to play the 9th under par for the week, highlighting its importance in determining our eventual winner in 2025.
3: 15th Hole - Par 4 - 507 Yards
Despite being longer than both the first and second ranked hole in this list, the 15th is statistically the third hardest hole at Oakmont.
Similarly to the first, only three players in the top-20 in 2016 played this hole under par, including winner Dustin Johnson and runner-up Jim Furyk.
Brooks Koepka has a torrid time on the 15th, bogeying it in three out of four rounds, and will surely be hoping to put up more of a fight this time around.
4: 10th Hole - Par 4 - 461 Yards
Coming directly after the second hardest hole on the course, the 10th helps to create a significant pair of holes when it comes to scoring at Oakmont.
While it might not be an area to be aggressive, and it isn't likely to help catapult you into the lead, the turn at this particular US Open venue is where the tournament can certainly be lost.
Just two players in the top-20 in 2016 played this hole under par, with champion Dustin Johnson and the three tied runner-up players all played this hole in par or worse.
This was also the site of Andrew Landry's final bogey during his destructive 8-over-par run of 10 holes in the final round of the 2016 US Open... yikes!
5: 7th Hole - Par 4 - 485 Yards
The toughest stretch of holes at the 2016 US Open started at the 7th and finished at the 10th, including the controversial par 3 8th hole - with only Branden Grace and Graeme McDowell playing this section of the course under par over four rounds.
Just two players in the entire field... that's wild.
After the relative ease of the 4th, 5th, 6th, all of which play around or slightly under par, the 7th is a complete change of pace and could catch a few off guard.
I am already looking forward to seeing the leaders on Sunday navigate this stretch of holes, providing plenty of jeopardy as we head into the back nine in the search of a champion.
