The 2025 U.S. Open is returning to Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania, for a record 10th time after it last hosted the prestigious event in 2016. Demanding all the skills from an elite player, Oakmont is one of the toughest courses ever and will require mental endurance from the winner to take home the jaw-dropping check of $4.3 million. Being held from June 12 to 15, players will see some changes on the course since their last visit in 2016.

Oakmont was renovated in 2023, over 6 months, and players will see some significant changes on the course. Some of the major changes to the course included green expansions and adding length to the course by almost 150-200 yards. The course, playing par 70 at 7,372 yards, has only two par 5s in each nine, but also has some of the longest par 4s. The changes on the greens are visible, as they look like tabletops now, unlike before, and more putting surfaces will allow players to witness new hole locations as well.

The greens are also extremely fast and undulating, with a green speed upwards of 14 on the Stimpmeter, so we might see several players walk away with three-putts too. With numerous bunkers, narrow fairways, and thick rough, this course will require players to display their best shot-making skills to claim the title.

Game-changing holes at the 2025 US Open

#1 – 488 yards, Par 4

The opening hole at Oakmont welcomes you like no other. Being the toughest hole on the course, it has a narrow fairway lined by bunkers on either side, placed around the 300-yard mark. A good tee shot can set the tone for the day, but do not be quick to assume. The fairway tilts from left to right, and anything that is not accurate can land you in the bunkers on the right. The approach needs to be creative, with thick roughs on either side of the green, which is designed in a way to keep the ball off of it.

While there is only one bunker in play on the left side of the green, the semi-blind green needs you to leave your approach a few yards short of the green. The fringe slopes away from the players, transitioning into the green, and it slopes severely from left to right to match the contour of the fairways. If you miss your approach shot on the wrong side, you’ll see yourself starting your round with a bogey or worse. So the ideal shot is to play short of the green, allowing the ball to naturally roll onto it and find its place.

#7 – 485 yards, Par 4

The renovations saw many changes on several holes, including the 3rd and the 4th, but the 7th hole underwent the most fundamental change at Oakmont. The tee shot might be slightly easier than before, as the fairway is now wider, but it will require precision and strategy. There are two bunkers in play just around the 300-yard mark, and players will need to either carry their drives over the bunkers to the slender crest of the fairway to have a good-looking approach or hit the right side of the fairway to only face a long & blind approach shot to one of the hardest greens on the course.

In 2016, only 44% of the players were able to hit their approach shots onto this multi-tiered green, which slopes from back to front. Depending on your tee shot, the approach to the green will require distance control, as staying below the hole is crucial. The green also slopes from left to right and towards a bunker, so missing to the left side of the green might see players finding themselves working on a sand save. The green is also surrounded by three other bunkers, so players need to have their short game skills ready, because you never know.

#8 – 289 yards, Par 3

One of the longest par 3s we have ever heard of in play, just length off the tee is not going to be sufficient. For long hitters like DeChambeau and McIlroy, a long iron might suffice to carry 250 yards over the bunkers. But given the hard surfaces and incredibly fast greens, the ball is likely to go over the green. Playing a cut on this hole would be more ideal, giving players the spin to allow the ball to stop quicker.

But if you’re not accurate with your tee shot, be ready to pull out your best bunker play because of the massive bunker that runs from the left portion of the green, which extends onto the front. Another bunker in front of the green and one towards the right will also be in play. While this green is not as heavily contoured as the rest, it mostly slopes towards the players, and too much spin on your tee shot can land you in the bunkers, from where you’ll play your next shot.

#10 – 461 yards, Par 4

While most of the course is devoid of water bodies, the tenth hole has a ditch that intersects the fairway. With one of the narrowest fairways on the course, this downhill par 4 will need a strategy off the tee that not only avoids the ditch but also helps the player walk away with a good score. Most players will need to use a club less than a driver to avoid the ball from rolling into the ditch, as the fairway slopes towards it. But players also need to be wary of the deep bunkers on the left side of the fairway and two on the right side, placed around the 300-yard mark.

Like the first hole, the approach shot here must land a few yards before the green, as it slopes away from the players, and the ball will eventually roll onto the green. The green slopes severely from the front right to the back left, making it one of the hardest at Oakmont, and a bunker runs along the entire right side of the green. If you find yourself on the right side of the green, good luck walking away with even a two-putt par.

#15 – 507 yards, Par 4

The longest par 4 on the course, the 15th, makes up for the course being played at par 70. With a blind tee shot to the landing area, which has a long bunker running on the left side and a smaller one on the right side, in play, placed around the 300-yard mark like the rest of the holes. Most of the fairway slopes from left to right, so it’s critical to plan your tee shot and pick accuracy over distance. Given the length, most players might need a mid or a long iron for their approach to the green.

And while you might think that length was the only difficulty, wait till you reach the green. With one of the deepest greens on the course, 58 yards, it also has an extremely large surface area, and to top it off, the right side of the green is framed by one of the longest running bunkers at Oakmont. While there are three bunkers on the left too, players will need to be accurate with their approach shot, as the green slopes away from them, and a club short or long could lead to a big mistake on their scorecards.

While the course does have a few easy holes too, players will need exceptional ball placement, spin control, and lag putting to walk away with good scores each day. But the weather will also need to be favorable. As of now, possible rain and thunderstorms are expected. Battling for a $21.5 million purse and 750 FedEx points, the stakes are high, and we can expect an epic showdown amongst Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and others.