Hole of the Day: Round 4, The Par-3 13th

In 2023, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner completed a restoration of Oakmont Country Club, using the club’s archives in an effort to bring the layout back to the original design philosophy of club founder Henry C. Fownes and his son, William Fownes Jr., a project that included reconfiguring fairways, repositioning bunkers and restoring areas of putting greens that had been lost over time. For Round 4, Brent Paladino of the USGA setup team highlights No. 13, a 184-yard par 3.

“The 13th green at Oakmont reflects perhaps the most striking changes due to Gil Hanse’s renovation, as it restored the unique shapes and contours of the original putting surface,” said Paladino. “The sides of the green were lowered and expanded on the back right, providing us with this Round 4 hole location, which will be 36 paces on and 5 from the right, tucked behind the right greenside bunker. The hole should play 184 yards, with a 4-yard elevation (an effective yardage of 188).

“Playing as the 67th hole of the championship, those in contention will face a crucial decision. Taking on the hole location will require a precise shot that needs to land just over the bunker with enough height and spin to stay on the green. Given that most players will be hitting 6- or 7-irons, they’ll need to make sure they play the ball with enough height to ensure that it doesn’t go over the green. Depending on where players stand, they could choose to play conservatively to the middle of the green, which would leave a testing two-putt over a slope. 

“If I were a fan at Oakmont on Sunday, I would strongly consider spending the afternoon in the grandstand behind No. 13, because the action on the 12th green is also in view. I expect the 13th hole to play a pivotal role in deciding the 125th U.S. Open champion.”