Fast, firm, fierce: Taming Oakmont's greens will be no easy task at U.S. Open

Poa annua: Two words very few people know or care to understand. They’re also two of the most important words to the members and staff at Oakmont Country Club.

The unique Poa annua grass, which is harvested in Western Pennsylvania, is what makes the legendary greens at Oakmont so firm and fast.

“One of the more special things about Oakmont are the green surfaces and more so the type of grass we have on them,” said Mike McCormick, director of grounds at Oakmont. “Our greens are probably the closest thing you will see to 100% Poa annua greens. That Poa is very perennial-type growth habit, where it is very tight and allows us to mow extremely low heights.”

The best golfers in the world will be talking at length about Oakmont’s greens next week during the 125th U.S. Open, which is being held for the 10th time at Oakmont Country Club.

Whether it’s the speed, slope, shape or breaks, the greens at Oakmont certainly will have everyone’s attention.

“They’re extremely memorable,” said Scott Langley, the USGA’s senior director for player relations and a member of the course set-up team. “They’re large. they’re undulating. There’s very few sets of putting greens like these in terms of their challenge and in their severity.

“Oakmont greens have historically always been kept on the faster side. That’s just what this place is known for. And so for the U.S. Open, we’ll target a green speed of around 14. So they’ll be quick, but they’ll be right. They’ll be very playable and certainly worthy of a U.S. Open test.”

USGA officials expect green speeds to measure between 12 and 14.5 on the Stimpmeter during the U.S. Open, which some equate to putting on the parking lot. Add in severe breaks and slope, as well as challenging pin placements, and the greens at Oakmont can frustrate even the tour’s best putters.

“There’s always been a need for speed here. We’re going to respect that,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA chief championships officer.

Oakmont legend says that architect Henry Fownes would walk to the second green during maintenance in the mornings and drop a ball on the back. If it didn’t roll 50 yards back down into the fairway, he would instruct the greenkeepers to cut the green again until it did.

That philosophy has continued at Oakmont, where members have grown accustomed to lightning-fast putts and arduous rounds with the short stick.

“Whether there’s an Open or not, we want the course to be hard,” said Colleen Meyers, a member since 2006 who won the club women’s title in 2020 and the senior club titles in 2020, ‘21 and ‘23. “We do like those tough conditions. It elevates your game. When you play elsewhere, you feel like you can handle (anything).”

The greens were part of a two-year restoration project in advance of the 2025 U.S. Open, spearheaded by architect Gil Hanse. There were 24,000 square feet of green expansions throughout the golf course, the largest being 2,500 square feet on No. 3.

The greens had deteriorated from general use and sand erosion from the bunkers, which impacted how they drained. So Hanse tried to reestablish the height and shape of the greens to their original elevation. That also allowed for additional pin placements, which the USGA will make use of next week.

“I just think it’s a really nice look,” said Darin Bevard, the USGA director of championship agronomy. “There’s some new hole locations out there on the greens with the work that was done in some areas that we did not have before.”

Whether the pros will be able to attack those pins will be a whole other discussion.

Their time on the greens will be spent studying, contemplating and possibly praying for potential birdies, which likely will be few and far between.

“They could have the U.S. Open there anytime of the year,” said local amateur Nathan Smith, who has played in five major championships and on three Walker Cup teams. “Sometimes I think they have to almost tame it down. At times, they have to come in and slow the greens down and get it playing a little easier. It is one of the hardest, most challenging courses day-in and day-out.”

Staff writer Paul Schofield contributed.