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.
Illustration by Cameron Hurdus and Matt Rouches
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Strategy Notes for the U.S. OpenThe 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 LaMagnaHistorical TidbitsThe 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
Like most great opening holes, No. 1 at Shinnecock Hills establishes the primary themes of the course: the importance of the wind; the use of diagonals, offsets, and doglegs; the demand to match line with distance on every shot; and the critical strategic role of runoffs around the green. “Westward Ho” embodies much of what makes Shinnecock unique — just in a friendlier manner than most other holes on the course.
Hole 2 – Plateau
Par 3220 yds
This handsome, challenging par 3 deserves more recognition in the international canon of long one-shotters. The “S”-shape formed by the fairway, green, and bunkers is a brilliant match for the prevailing wind.
Hole 3 – Peconic
Par 4469 yds
“Peconic” is unlikely to make anyone’s list of the most memorable holes at Shinnecock, but the sneaky complexity of the tee shot makes it a good par 4.
Hole 4 – Pump House
Par 4409 yds
“Pump House” is the least distinguished leg of Shinnecock’s’ first triangle, but that’s just a testament to the strength of the fifth and sixth holes. No. 4 is a fine par 4, with a well-tuned strategic design and a striking green.
Hole 5 – Montauk
Par 5537 yds
“Montauk” is at its best when the right fairway is a legitimate option. Unfortunately, in a summer wind, that’s rarely the case. Nonetheless, the slanting landing zones and sadistic exterior contours of the green make the hole exciting to play and watch year-round. While the U.S. Open telecast focuses on Nos. 10 and 11, the nerds will cluster around the fifth green.
Hole 6 – Pond
Par 4453 yds
Whether inspired by the Channel hole or not, the sixth at Shinnecock Hills is a beautiful rendition of a double-fairway par 4. The green design is particularly clever, with its back-to-front slope and exterior swales influencing strategic choices all the way back to the tee.
Hole 7 – Redan
Par 3189 yds
Shinnecock’s Redan certainly has a knack for creating drama, in both everyday rounds and U.S. Opens. Yet it is a peculiarly one-dimensional hole. Because of the height and severity of the front of the green, run-up shots — which the best Redans accommodate — are rarely successful. In addition, the green is barely functional at modern speeds; only a couple of pin positions in the middle-left portion of the putting surface remain viable.
Hole 8 – Lowlands
Par 4394 yds
We wouldn’t be surprised to see “Lowlands” become the go-to hipster pick for favorite hole at the 2026 U.S. Open. This unassuming par 4 has an unusual strategic configuration and a cunningly designed green. And, when played into a lively summer wind, it becomes a stern test. One for the sickos.
Hole 9 – Ben Nevis
Par 4435 yds
Some dislike the ninth hole, finding the hanging lies in the fairway and the sudden ascent to the green awkward. But the three-bowl structure of the fairway, paired with the feeding slope that takes up the right half of the green, makes No. 9 as interesting as it is impressive.
Hole 10 – Eastward Ho
Par 4415 yds
The 10th at Shinnecock Hills represents Flynn at his best. It is challenging and strategically sophisticated, but not chiefly because of the architect’s interventions. The hole simply reacts to a unique, stunning piece of land.
Hole 11 – Hill Head
Par 3159 yds
“Hill Head” deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as the 12th at Augusta National, the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, and the Postage Stamp at Royal Troon: a diminutive par 3 that looms large in the player’s consciousness from the beginning of the round.
Hole 12 – Tuckahoe
Par 4469 yds
The 12th is one of the handsomest holes at Shinnecock, draped artfully over fine topography. It is strategically compelling, too, when players feel challenged to carry the fairway bunkers and must consider laying up. In high-level men’s competition, unfortunately, this would only be the case in a north/northeast wind — a rarity in the warm months.
Hole 13 – Road Side
Par 4374 yds
On a calm day, the tee shot on the 13th can be a little dull, especially given that the preferred side of the fairway is undefended. But the treacherousness of the green — not to mention the beauty of its shaping — makes the hole memorable.
Hole 14 – Thom’s Elbow
Par 4463 yds
“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.
Hole 15 – Sebonac
Par 4409 yds
On the one hand, No. 15 gets overshadowed — justifiably, perhaps — by the two world-class holes that it connects. On the other, with its cleverly oriented fairway and quietly challenging green, “Sebonac” is a strong hole in its own right.
Hole 16 – Shinnecock
Par 5540 yds
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.
Hole 17 – Eden
Par 3180 yds
The 17th might not make an immediate impression, but after a few plays, its subtle challenges — the opposition of the wind and the green orientation, the up-and-over profile of the putting surface, the difficulty of the shots around the green — garner respect.
Hole 18 – Home
Par 4426 yds
“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.
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