Key facts
- The 126th U.S. Open will be held at Shinnecock Hills from June 18-21, 2026.
- The course features a variety of challenges including elevated greens, blind shots, and strategic bunkering.
- Hole 5 is the longest par 5 at 592 yards, offering a birdie opportunity.
- Hole 11 is the shortest par 3 at 157 yards.
- Hole 16 is the longest hole on the course, a 614-yard par 5.
Shinnecock Hills, the venue for the 2026 U.S. Open golf championship, presents a formidable challenge with its 18 holes, each detailed here for the upcoming tournament from June 18-21.
The course opens with the 394-yard, par-4 No. 1, a hole that typically requires a fairway metal off the tee due to fairway narrowing at 300 yards, though a strong tailwind might encourage players to drive closer to the green. Following this is the longest par 3, No. 2, stretching 252 yards with a large green that can play between 200 and 260 yards, featuring a false front and bunkers on the right. No. 3, a 501-yard par 4, has a generous fairway but a slope towards a bunker on the right side between 275 and 300 yards, demanding careful line selection to avoid the hazard.
The "triangle" stretch begins with No. 4, a 476-yard par 4, likely playing into the wind with bunkers guarding the right side. No. 5 is the longest hole, a 592-yard par 5, considered a prime birdie chance with a prevailing tailwind and a split fairway. No. 6, a 495-yard par 4, involves a blind tee shot over a ridge, with water short and right as the only hazard on the course. The 187-yard par-3 No. 7, known as the Redan hole, slopes dramatically from front right to back left, famously causing playability issues in 2004.
No. 8, a 440-yard par 4, offers a generous fairway, but taking on bunkers on the left provides a better angle to the green, with the prevailing wind typically against the player. The 482-yard par-4 No. 9 features a blind tee shot to a contoured fairway and a right-to-left breeze. No. 10, a 415-yard par 4, also has a blind tee shot, offering options for a long iron to a plateau or a drive down a hill, leading to a green with a severe false front.
The shortest par 3, No. 11 at 157 yards, has a small green sloping from back left to front right, with a pot bunker guarding the front right. No. 12 is a 469-yard par 4 with a straightforward drive and a large green featuring interior ridges. No. 13, a 371-yard par 4, allows players to take on risk from an elevated tee for a wedge approach to a contoured green. No. 14, a 520-yard par 4, has a sharp elevation drop from the tee and a fairway that pitches from right to left, requiring an approach from the left for the best angle to the green.
No. 15, a 409-yard par 4, features an elevated tee and a green protected by six bunkers. The longest hole, No. 16, is a 614-yard par 5, playing even longer with a prevailing headwind. No. 17, a 176-yard par 3, demands precision due to typical left-to-right wind, with bunkers on both sides of the green. The closing hole, No. 18, is a 490-yard par 4 with a blind tee shot and a prevailing right-to-left wind, favoring a tee shot on the right side for a better approach to the green.