Shinnecock Hills
A historic links-style course on Long Island, host of multiple U.S. Opens and a founding club of the USGA.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is a links-style golf club located in the Shinnecock Hills section of Southampton, New York on Long Island, situated between the Peconic Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in 1891, it is one of the oldest golf clubs in the United States and was among the five charter clubs that formed the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1894. The club's clubhouse, designed by McKim, Mead & White and opened in 1892, is often noted as an early golf clubhouse, though earlier examples exist, such as at The Country Club in Brookline (1882). The club notably offered associate memberships to women by 1892, making it an early adopter, though full membership was not granted from the very start.
Quick Facts
- U.s. open host
- Multiple times, including 1896, 1995, 2004, 2018, 2026
Lore & Background
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was established in 1891 by a group of wealthy New Yorkers led by William K. Vanderbilt, Edward Meade, and Duncan Cryder. Willie Davis designed the original 12-hole layout in 1891, aided by over 100 members of the local Shinnecock Indian Nation. In 1894, Scottish professional Willie Dunn Jr. expanded the course to 18 holes. The club hosted the second U.S. Open in 1896, notable for including John Shippen (the first African-American golf professional) and Oscar Bunn (a Shinnecock Indian). Shinnecock also hosted the 1900 U.S. Women’s Amateur. The course was redesigned by Charles B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor in 1901, and then completely rerouted by William S. Flynn in 1931, whose design is effectively the same layout played today. In the 2010s, an extensive restoration by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw aimed to return the course closer to Flynn’s original vision.
Reader's Guide
Shinnecock Hills is a true links-style course built on sandy, rolling terrain with few trees. The course measures over 6,900 yards. Notable holes include the 7th (Redan), a par 3 modeled after North Berwick; the 9th (Ben Nevis), a demanding uphill par 4; the 11th (Hill Head), a short but tricky par 3; the 14th (Thom's Elbow), a long par 4; the 16th (Shinnecock), a par 5 over 600 yards; and the 18th (Home), a classic uphill finisher with the clubhouse beyond the green. The routing by Flynn showcases multiple wind directions and offset angles. The course has hosted the U.S. Open six times (1896, 1986, 1995, 2004, 2018, and 2026) and is scheduled to host a seventh in 2036.
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