Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

[RaychelSnr]

Is Oakmont the toughest golf course in the game today?

With the US Open set to take off today at Oakmont Country Club, Fox Sports asks the question of whether the course may just be the toughest in the game of golf today:

"All you need to know about Oakmont's stature was summed up in the coverage leading up to the championship. The talk hasn't been about the Big Three (Spieth/Day/McIlroy - sorry Rickie, win a major and we can chat) or Danny Willett's slim (but possible) Grand Slam chances or Phil Mickelson's Sisyphean quest for his national championship. It's all about the monster that is Oakmont.

Few reputations in golf are as well-deserved.

Course historian Steven Schlossman calls Oakmont the hardest golf test in America and he's far from the only one. That might seem odd for a track that has no water and fewer trees than Dan Snyder's back yard, until you start walking the course. The greens are famously punishing. The rough is so snarling you could lose a shoe. Though the bunkers have been tamed over the decades (they used to be furrowed and made of dense, rocky river sand from the Allegheny) there are still dozens of them, including the famous church pews on No. 3. It all goes back to the Fownes' distaste for hero golf."

What do you think? Is Oakmont the toughest course in Golf? What about in Rory McIlroy PGA Tour? Sound off with your pick!

[MrArlingtonBeach]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

Oakmont is definitely the toughest course in Rory McIlroy PGA TOUR. The greens are slick when putting and, what's even more frustrating, it's tough to get an approach shot to stop on them.

I played the US Open there in career mode, and shot +8 with my 92 overall golfer. That was still good enough to finish in the top 10.

In short, Oakmont is a beast.

[jb12780]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

I tried playing this on 3 click with Rory, and I got humbled.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[Golfsprince]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

Oakmont is very tough. Especially in Rory McIlroy PGA Tour.

But many will argue that Pete Dye's Kiawah Island is the toughest course. I think Oakmont took notice, which is why it's being a royal pain in the butt to players at the the U.S. Open this week lol.

Gotta love tough golf courses.

[jbd345]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

Oak Hill is on par the those mentioned. Not many majors played on tight tree lined courses anymore. Shame they haven't brought the open back since 89.

[Pourvision21]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

I think Oakmont was stupid hard when you consider they got a ton of rain and the course did not play as difficult as they wanted it to. If they did not get rain and the wind blew the course would have been unplayable.

Speaking of stupid what is up with the USGA taking so long to rule on Johnson's non penalty penalty shot on the fifth green? Have people gotten dumber as we have gone along? Takes five minutes to look at all the footage they had. You gonna make a ruling after the tournament has been completed? Gimme me a break.

Nice to see Johnson finally win a major. As bad as this might have been with that penalty shot it still pales in comparison to the penalty he was assessed in the PGA in the non sand trap sand trap. That was the worst call I ever saw.

[jwilphl]

Re: Is Oakmont the Toughest Course in Golf?

I'd really like to play the whole course, but I did manage to get to putt on one of the greens, and let's just say I don't envy the guys having to do that on a regular basis. Speed was very tough to manage and I don't think there's a flat spot anywhere.

I would like to see some trees return to the course, but I get the links-style they are going for with the current setup (tough bunkers and greens). Some of the greens are absolutely massive, of course. Especially in the first few groups on Sunday, there were guys stuck on the greens for 10 minutes if not more.