Oak Hill CC - Videos, Pictures, Architecture & More

[billyspan]

1968 US Open Final Round:

 

More 1968: 

 

 

1989 US Open Film:

 

1995 Ryder Cup:

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by billyspan
Title clarification

[So_Cal]

Have they posted a hole by hole flyover of the restored course yet?

[Mr.Cleeks]

The PGA championship youtube channel is awful lmao. No past tournaments or anything.

[So_Cal]

1 minute ago, stinger_gc said:

The PGA championship youtube channel is awful lmao. No past tournaments or anything.

Yes.  I’m prepared to be shocked by how horrible their coverage is compared to Masters.com.  Bet it won’t hold a candle.   Also amazing how their final round highlights omitted Pereira last year. 

[Ferguson]

Looking forward to Oak Hill. 

 

[gvogel]

In 1968, I was 15.  We went over to Rochester for a practice round.  Saw Trevino, Doug Sanders, Dave Hill, Arnold.  Saw Sam Snead make 3 40-foot putts in a row on the practice green putting side saddle (face on).  Fun day.  I went back over for one day of the 1980 PGA, and followed Jack for a few holes, also Tom Watson.

 

They have done a lot of surgery to that course.  The Fazio holes didn't belong on that routing.

[iBanesto]

Any footage of Charles Coe's defeat of Rufus King 11&10 in the 1949 US Amateur final at Oak Hill?

[Mr.Cleeks]

3 hours ago, So_Cal said:

Yes.  I’m prepared to be shocked by how horrible their coverage is compared to Masters.com.  Bet it won’t hold a candle.   Also amazing how their final round highlights omitted Pereira last year. 

The tv coverage itself has isn’t that bad for the PGA. I think ESPN/CBS show 6 hours each day plus feature groups on ESPN+. The only issue is there’s no free coverage on the PGA website 

[billyspan]

I thought Oak Hill CC - East Course was fantastic when I played it in 2016 (pre-restoration...restovation?)  Dramatic entrance to the clubhouse on the hill.  14 original Ross greensites.  4 Fazio greensites when I played it.

 

This probably belongs on another thread, but see below for the Oak Hill CC - East Course abbreviated notes on changes to the design (I watched the 1968 US Open video with great interest as there were some significant changes by the time the 1989 event rolled around):

 

• 1925 - Donald Ross design opens - massive tree planted ensues 
• Prior & Post 1956 US Open - Robert Trent Jones - Misc. fairway & green bunkering to "tighten" the course.  Changed several green shapes and contours.  Much of the RTJ aestheic remained prior to most recent restoration.
• Prior to 1968 US Open - George Fazio - Original par-3 6th was removed.  Replaced by another par-3 ("new" 5th hole) between original 4th and 5th.  Par-4 6th hole significantly lengthened.  Par-3 15th tee moved away from 14th green, changing the angle and adding length (to ~1960 yards), 
• Prior to 1980 PGA Championship - George Fazio - New holes/greens on 5, 6, 15 and 18.  "New" par-3 5th, par-4 6th holes removed.  New par-3 6th close to creek.  Par-3 15th green moved completely had a lake added.  Par-4 18th green moved back to on top of the hillside at its current "famous" location
• Mid-90s - Schreiner renovation.  Greens enlargement and reshape bunkers.
• Prior to 2003 PGA Championship - Tom Fazio - all bunkers were renovated completely.  Course lengthened.
• 2019 Andrew Green renovation - Over 2K trees removed.  Greens expanded (squared off) and resodded.  Bunkers restored to Ross-style grass faces/flat bottom.  Some non-original Ross bunkers removed.  Ross' original par-3 6th hole recreated in a different location as the new 5th.  6th hole restored closer to Ross' original design (not original green site, however).  Par-3 15th hole is completely new.  Gone is the Fazio hole with the pond.  New hole is in the "style" of Ross.  Par-4 18th Fazio green on the hill has been retained.  

Edited April 14, 2023 by billyspan
incorrect date

[billyspan]

 

[TLUBulldogGolf]

I was fortunate enough to play it in 2005 I think? Cold day with some light rain but it was still a blast and a great course, very fair with some challenging shots. 

[billyspan]

Correcting myself, the new 18 green may be further away (shortening the hole) from the clubhouse vs the Ross Green site. Hard to tell from the '68 US Open footage. Either way, the restoration is supposedly amazing. Very much looking forward to the PGA Championship!

[Mr.Cleeks]

I’m interested to see how Oak Hill plays in May as NY can be hit or miss in the Spring. Kiawah was amazing in 2021

[italianstallion]

I had the opportunity to play the restored East Course in 2021. While I expect the pros will be playing it at around 7,500 yards, I found it to be a very playable and enjoyable course from 7,000 yards. It’s a course where what you see is what you get with nothing super tricky save for a couple spots. The course will have to rely on the added length, restored (and penal) bunkers, and deep rough as its defenses. Last year they created some closely mown areas around some greens which could make things interesting if players miss some pin locations. But the greens themselves should provide plenty of opportunities to make some putts as they aren’t overly undulating. If you’re a gambler, pick guys who hit fairways.
 

The course looks completely different from when I attended the 2013 PGA Championship, mainly due to the removal of over 1,000 trees. It’s probably not going to get the architectural nerds salivating like Southern Hills did last year (not a whole lot of “width” and “angles”), but it’s an historic venue that checks a lot of necessary boxes for major championship golf. The club itself is also a fantastic facility with friendly membership and staff. Happy to see the PGA return, however I have a feeling with the move to May this could be the last time this particular major visits Oak Hill for the foreseeable future. 

1st Hole

2nd Hole

3rd Hole

4th Hole

6th Hole

7th Hole

8th Hole

 

9th Hole

10th Hole

12th Hole

13th Hole

15th Hole

16th Hole

17th Hole

18th Hole

 

18th from below the front of the green

[TLUBulldogGolf]

Forgot how cool that approach to 9 was. Great pics. 

[jonramz]

14 is going to be one of the show stealers IMO

 

I'm really interested in how hard the PGA will make it, they could make it really difficult if they want to

[ae1985]

Great pics and vids in this thread. I went on Sunday in 2013 and I'll be attending Saturday this year. Can't wait.

[italianstallion]

55 minutes ago, TLUBulldogGolf said:

Forgot how cool that approach to 9 was. Great pics. 

9 was one of my favorite holes on the course. Uphill bend to the right around those trees. I pushed my 3w below those trees and hit a low punch cut under the branches onto the green. Would’ve been better to be in the fairway but it was a pretty thrilling and fun shot from down there. The thing I like about the 9th hole is the fairway countours obscure the green from view from the right hand side of the hole. So while you avoid the fairway bunker and  shorten the hole by going up the right, the consequence for doing so is not having a clear look at the green. Take on the bunker and longer approach from the left and you’ve got a better angle in from a flatter lie.  
 

 

41 minutes ago, jonramz said:

14 is going to be one of the show stealers IMO

 

I'm really interested in how hard the PGA will make it, they could make it really difficult if they want to

14 buzzes with activity based on its location on the golf course. It’s right in that first tee/13th green/18th green gathering spot. It will be a great place to spectate as it and 15 are the last potential birdie opportunities before the difficult closing three holes. I was playing well at that point and it took everything in my power to leave driver in the bag. Ultimately because I don’t have 320 uphill carry in the bag, I felt like being 100 yards out was better than 30 yards out, especially to the front pin. When I got up to the approach of the green I was pleased to find I had made the right decision. My only feedback is that they should’ve left one tree on the left side about 100 yards out to make players think a little harder about choosing less than driver off the tee. Had there been a tree there, I might’ve been swayed to pull the big stick.

Looking up the 14th fairway

What 30-40 yards out looks like on 14

Looking back down 14 towards the clubhouse

[smashdn]

For a course that removed a bunch of trees, it still has plenty.

[jonramz]

42 minutes ago, italianstallion said:

14 buzzes with activity based on its location on the golf course. It’s right in that first tee/13th green/18th green gathering spot. It will be a great place to spectate as it and 15 are the last potential birdie opportunities before the difficult closing three holes. I was playing well at that point and it took everything in my power to leave driver in the bag. Ultimately because I don’t have 320 uphill carry in the bag, I felt like being 100 yards out was better than 30 yards out, especially to the front pin. When I got up to the approach of the green I was pleased to find I had made the right decision. My only feedback is that they should’ve left one tree on the left side about 100 yards out to make players think a little harder about choosing less than driver off the tee. Had there been a tree there, I might’ve been swayed to pull the big stick.

 

They cut down the trees behind 14 green now, so it looks almost like an infinity pool, looks great.  Rolloff behind the green is deadly, I'm guessing guys might just try and hit it into the front bunkers and go from there

 

Regarding making it hard... I meant the entire course in general.  But I'm guessing it'll be around -10 to -12 for the winner

 

Great pics!

[billyspan]

For those of you that have Roku, the USGA app has (almost) every Men's and Women's U.S. Open final round since 1963 available.  This includes the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill CC East Course won by Curtis Strange (the OG RED NIKE shirt on Sunday!).  I'm sure it will be uploaded to their YouTube channel soon.  FYI - Tom Kite's collapse is hard to watch!

[farmer]

Very cool video.  The cost was staggering, but wow, it looks great.  Our little course could stand to lose some trees, but in the Texas Panhandle, they are regarded as holy.

[ae1985]

Are any of you going this year? I still cannot find any information on the parking/shuttle situation as the PGA championship says check closer to the date, but it's almost here.

[TBD203]

I was up in Rochester two weeks ago, and if the weather is like it was then it will be a fun tournament! I tried all weekend to "run into" someone that could get me a tee time but failed. Sister in law lives up there, so I will continue fighting the good fight until I find someone.

Edited April 20, 2023 by TBD203

[italianstallion]

1 hour ago, ae1985 said:

Are any of you going this year? I still cannot find any information on the parking/shuttle situation as the PGA championship says check closer to the date, but it's almost here.

For 2013 they had shuttles from St. John Fisher. I imagine probably the same this year. 

[jjr]

Wow! Fantastic pics, thank you.

[So_Cal]

Still no hole by hole flyover?

[m d g]

On 4/16/2023 at 9:59 PM, italianstallion said:

I had the opportunity to play the restored East Course in 2021. While I expect the pros will be playing it at around 7,500 yards, I found it to be a very playable and enjoyable course from 7,000 yards. It’s a course where what you see is what you get with nothing super tricky save for a couple spots. The course will have to rely on the added length, restored (and penal) bunkers, and deep rough as its defenses. Last year they created some closely mown areas around some greens which could make things interesting if players miss some pin locations. But the greens themselves should provide plenty of opportunities to make some putts as they aren’t overly undulating. If you’re a gambler, pick guys who hit fairways.
 

The course looks completely different from when I attended the 2013 PGA Championship, mainly due to the removal of over 1,000 trees. It’s probably not going to get the architectural nerds salivating like Southern Hills did last year (not a whole lot of “width” and “angles”), but it’s an historic venue that checks a lot of necessary boxes for major championship golf. The club itself is also a fantastic facility with friendly membership and staff. Happy to see the PGA return, however I have a feeling with the move to May this could be the last time this particular major visits Oak Hill for the foreseeable future. 

1st Hole

2nd Hole

3rd Hole

4th Hole

6th Hole

7th Hole

8th Hole

 

9th Hole

10th Hole

12th Hole

13th Hole

15th Hole

16th Hole

17th Hole

18th Hole

 

18th from below the front of the green

Not pretty enough. Will not play...

[ae1985]

On 4/20/2023 at 11:01 AM, italianstallion said:

For 2013 they had shuttles from St. John Fisher. I imagine probably the same this year. 

https://www.pgachampionship.com/spectator-guide

 

They have parking information up now. 

[Wooley12]

Been gone 10 years but Rochester NY is still my Home Town. Oak Hill memories. At the 89 Open I brought a large empty cooler and stood on it just off 18 green to see Curtis putt out on Sunday. Then in 95 I stood in front of the awards stage and saw how beaten down he looked. I played the West once. July and the irrigation system had been down so it was brown and hard like Genesee Valley Park CC. Where Calvin Peete got his start fwiw. Ask anyone in Rochester how long it takes to get from where you are to where you want to go and the answer is "20 minutes". 

 

Got a day to kill? Not offended by players in jeans? Want to play a Robert Trent Jones design ?  Durand Eastman.  $17 to walk $24 to ride. Ride unless you are fit. Go to enjoy it for the pure RTG layout, not for country club conditions. After golf hit up the Pelican or Silk O'Loughlins 10 minutes west for eating on the river. Then drive  back past the course 15 minutes east to Marge's Lakeside Inn for a beer on the beach.  Get a to die for Abbotts custard ice cream across the road. Then drive  20 min to where ever it is you are staying. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Wooley12