Over 150 of the world’s best golfers will descend upon The Country Club in Brookline for the 122nd rendition of the United States Open golf tournament. Located in the heart of New England in the Boston, Massachusetts suburb of Brookline, The Country Club is a rolling and rugged course full of all sorts of captivating native features. It is unconventional golf displayed in an almost magical setting. For more than a century it has hosted some of golf’s most distinguished events, yet its classical and natural design remains unchanged by the advances of the modern game. One of the “founding fathers” of American golf, the U.S. Open finally returns to this historic property since it last appeared in 1988.
On grounds that feel almost prehistoric, The Country Club is a layout that is as memorable as it is challenging. From blind shots and jagged rock outcroppings to saucer-like microscopic greens and uneven lies that produce unpredictable and random shots it truly is a unique course. Shot-making, patience, and creativity are all traits that are mandatory for success this week.
Even with rising anticipation for this event, and coming off an excellent tournament in Toronto at the RBC Canadian Open, much of the chatter this week will remain about the group of players who have been suspended from the PGA Tour for joining the rival Saudi-backed LIV golf tour. It will be an interesting dynamic this week as those who have defected will join those who have stayed loyal to the Tour thus far. And with Phil Mickelson’s press conference kicking things off on Monday morning, we won’t have to wait long for the drama to get started.
The Field
All of the top players in the world are in attendance this week. Scottie Scheffler will attempt to become the sixth golfer in history to win both the Masters and the U.S. Open in the same season. Coming off a third-place finish in Canada, Justin Thomas looks to win back-to-back majors after capturing the PGA Championship in May. And Jon Rahm, who has had his struggles this season, returns to defend his title from a year ago won at Torrey Pines.
The most notable absence is Tiger Woods who has chosen to rest his still-healing body in preparation for the year’s final major at The Open in Scotland next month. Former U.S. Open champions, young and old, will be teeing it up this week in Brookline as the field includes numerous players who receive qualifying exemptions for a host of different reasons.
The field is also filled out by qualifiers who earned their way into the tournament via a process played out at courses around the country and abroad. From qualifiers fresh out of high school to 57-year-old Korn Ferry journeyman, Fran Quinn – it truly is the “People’s Tournament”. The 156 registered players will be pared down to the top-60 and ties after Friday’s round.
Course History
Founded as a racetrack for horses in 1882, The Country Club in Brookline is one of the oldest country clubs in the United States. It is one of five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894. With the rugged terrain of a classic New England landscape, the course was laid out over hill and dale by Willie Campbell in 1893 when he completed the first six holes. The course itself grew in stages and is not the byproduct of any one architect. As time progressed, and with new land acquisitions, and the help of Scottish professional Alex Campbell, by 1899 an entire 18-hole layout was finally completed.
In 1927, another nine holes called the Primrose Course were designed by William Flynn (who also created Shinnecock Hills). For this U.S. Open, the USGA will utilize a combination of all 27 holes to produce a composite Championship course. With the inclusion of 131-yard par-3 11th, the routing for this event will be unique going back to 1913. That was the U.S. Open when 20-year-old amateur, Francis Ouimet shockingly beat professionals Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in one of the most famous Opens in American history.
Since that time the course has hosted two more U.S. Opens and 16 total USGA national championships. Included in this was the 2013 U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship won by Matthew Fitzpatrick that also featured other current stars Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, and Xander Schauffele. The course also played host to one of the most infamous Ryder Cup matches in 1999.
While the course has gone through numerous renovations over time, including one by Rees Jones in preparation for the 1988 U.S. Open, the ones completed by Gil Hanse and his team in 2009 and then again in 2019 have been the most consequential. Most restorations attempt to update a course to make it look new. The ones here went out of their way to keep that old classical setting. Similar to his work at Southern Hills, Hanse’s main goal was to change the character of the course back to what it originally was in its early days. Brilliant and subtle improvements took place such as removing trees and expanding the greens. The course will also play 250 yards longer than it did in 1988. Through it all, Brookline remains as challenging as ever.
The Course
At 7,264 yards, The Country Club in Brookline is a par-70 design that is most definitely a proper test of golf. While some players may exit the week complaining that the course is unfairly difficult, it is without a doubt a masterpiece that will challenge the world’s best on its own terms. “The Country Club is an old-school golf course: small greens, very tight fairways,” said Jeff Hall, the USGA’s managing director of rules and open championships. “How is this modern golfer going to adapt?” That remains to be seen. We do know for sure that this course will do what other U.S. Open golf courses have done. It will differentiate those who are playing their best from everybody else.
Nestled in an upscale neighborhood in the affluent town of Brookline, the course itself is visually breathtaking. It’s laid out on 236 acres of superb New England topography. Between trees, ponds, hills, and valleys, it takes players through a scenic natural landscape where rolling fairways are cut through rocks on their way to small, firm, sloping greens.
A huge challenge for players this week, and one that is very unique compared to the courses that are played throughout the year, is their comfort level. The Country Club will make you uncomfortable. As some who have played the course have noted, at times it feels like playing golf on the moon. Between the rock outcroppings and the sharp embankments, the rugged shifts of land, and the thick fescue, its quirkiness will test players’ mental fortitude.
As Gil Hanse noted, “It’s going to be an interesting mental test because many of these guys are going to see holes they’ve never seen in their lives. They’re going to have to play some shots that aren’t going to register on their fairness meter.” Good drives will result in bad bounces into the rough due to the sloping and canted terrain of the fairways. Those who don’t like blind shots will be out of their comfort zone as there are numerous instances of this throughout the round. Precision, creativity and a strategic mind appear to be very necessary to navigate all 18 holes.
Though 7,264 yards does not seem to be a lengthy course, when you analyze by par average The Country Club actually rates out as a “long” track. Fairways are comprised of both Poa annua and Bentgrass. The infamous rough is a mix of Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Poa, and tall fescue. And while the rough is listed at three inches, there are already reports of lost balls in rough and longer fescue of six inches or more. Per course Superintendant Dave Johnson, greens are a combination of 70% Poa annua and 30% Bentgrass. They will roll faster than average at around 12.5 on the stimpmeter.
If you haven’t gotten the idea yet, this is one of the toughest courses players will ever face. The fairways are sloping and narrow, and the club-tangling rough is incredibly thick and unforgiving. There are 82 bunkers on the course, some cavernous, and they surround fast and undulated greens that rank as the 6th smallest on Tour. Though it’s one of the most over-used phrases in golf, it hits home this week. This is not a course where you can fake it. Every facet of a player’s game will be tested this week. The USGA wants shot execution, and if you can’t consistently find fairways and greens…good luck!
As mentioned, this year’s Open will be played on a composite of 15 holes from the two main “nines” (called Clyde and Squirrel) and three from the Primrose course. The opening stretch of holes are some of the toughest they will face. Site of the home stretch of the club’s original horse-racing track, the enormously-long opener is a 488-yard par-4 that is the only flat hole on the entire course. Exiting the first four holes at even-par or better is considered a huge success.
There are six par-4s that measure at 473 yards or more. These longer par-4s are typically a staple for U.S. Open venues. There is also a trio of shorter par-4s that have greens surrounded by peril. Each presents interesting and thought-provoking options off the tee. Many result in blind approaches to heavily bunkered tiny greens. Both the 6th and 7th holes are prime examples of this. Three of the par-3 are 193+ yards, and as we will see below, iron shots from 175+ yards will be in abundance this week.
There are only two par-5s and each is uniquely difficult. Neither is a birdie hole”. There are just absolutely no “freebies” on this course. The 8th has a blind uphill approach to a massive false front. The 14th is a 619-yard monster with another uphill blind approach. If you miss the fairway on either, par itself will be a struggle. Too many par-5s let golfers slap the ball around and still end up with birdie chances. Not here.
Strokes Gained Analysis
Off the Tee
Having an elite game off the tee typically goes hand-in-hand with success at most U.S. Open courses. That seems to be no different for this week. While there aren’t many wooded areas or places to lose a golf ball with an errant tee shot, there are 70-foot trees that stymie shots missed to the wrong side of the fairway. And though most landing zones at Brookline appear to be around 30 yards wide, fairways snake and slope from side-to-side weaving in and out of fescue-covered mounds. Power and accuracy off the tee are both needed to set up better angles and shorter approaches to the greens.
“Drive the golf ball in the fairway; if you don’t, you won’t have control of your golf ball and these small targets, these small greens will prove very challenging,” said director, Jeff Hall. With the rough being so thick and borderline unplayable in some areas, players will lose a disproportionate amount of shots by not hitting the fairway.
Related to the “bomb and gauge” tactics used by Bryson DeChambeau two years ago at Winged Foot, The Country Club will not be conquered by distance. On many holes, players will have to club down off the tee just to keep the ball in the fairway. The fescue and tall native grasses are scattered throughout many parts of the course. These grasses will add more unpredictability to shots being hit towards the green.
I will be focusing much more on Total Driving this week which equally combines distance and accuracy off the tee. With so many awkward and blind tee shots, bombing it down the fairway doesn’t make sense here anyways. Players who can hit it long and straight are the ones that should be targeted.
Approach
Should a player be fortunate enough to find the fairway, precise iron play will be required to deal with the many uneven lies and elevation changes to uphill greens that will be encountered. Strategically placed bunkers and the aforementioned thick rough will also prevent simple advancement to the green. If in the rough, shots cannot be bounced up and run onto very many of these greens because of how protected they are. With the second-smallest greens in recent major tournament history, it will also be very difficult for golfers to hold these greens if not hitting from the fairway and especially if they play firm.
Similar to approach shots at Augusta National, players who have the discipline to resist pin-hunting and instead stay below the hole with their approaches will be rewarded. But the fact that players have no course history on where to miss and where not to miss on approach, along with little time to learn will make scoring even more difficult.
After estimating tee shot distances, it appears that around 50% of approaches will come from 175+ yards. This is where added distance off the tee is helpful in allowing for shorter and higher lofted irons into the small greens. Even if players are approaching from the fairway it will still take a near-perfect shot to find the correct flat area on the green surface to have a scoring opportunity. My model will definitely weigh long iron play from 175+ yards more than a typical event.
Around the Green
Greens in Regulation rate is always one of the most important stats at the U.S. Open. With tiny greens and numerous shots coming from the rough or uneven lies, I would expect the percentage to be quite low. This adds more emphasis to chipping and scrambling around these tricky green complexes. Players out of position will find themselves in a variety of trouble areas and will need to use a combination of touch and creativity to scramble and save par.
Another unique element of this course is the seemingly random mounds of rocks positioned underneath the rough that surround many greens. Known as “chocolate drops”, any approaches that miss the greens could end up with dicey and awkward chip shots from these mounds. They add even more unpredictability to shots around the green. Along with these mounds, the cross bunkers that also surround most holes make recovery shots onto the undulated greens quite treacherous.
Putting/Greens
The greens at The Country Club are very small by modern standards at an average of only 4,388 square feet. Their recent expansion has allowed lost hole locations from the past to be recaptured and used again. This actually has made them more difficult because of the new demanding pin positions that can now be used.
Many of the green complexes are sloped either back-to-front or side-to-side. This two-tiered layout produces terrifyingly fast and bending putts when above the hole or to the side. The slope also causes many balls to funnel off the false fronts which also lowers the GIR percentage.
Featured Image Credit: Golf Digest