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<a target="_blank" href="https://golf.com/writers/josh-sens/">Josh Sens</a>
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<time datetime="2025-06-12T09:36:07-04:00" itemprop="datePublished">June 12, 2025</time>
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<img class="lazy inner" src="https://golf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Oakmont-church-pews.jpg" alt="Aerial view of church pews on No 3 hole at Oakmont CC." loading="lazy" decoding="async"/>
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<p class="article__thumbnail__caption">The Church Pew bunkers are among Oakmont's most iconic features.</p>
<p class="article__thumbnail__credits">Fred Vuich/Sports Illustrated</p>
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<p class="first">When Oakmont Country Club is mentioned, certain familiar images come to mind: Church Pew bunkers, deep rough, and lightning-fast greens reminiscent of the nearby turnpike. As a private club, Oakmont enjoys a prominent public persona, having hosted 10 U.S. Opens. For many fans, this venue feels almost like home. But how familiar are you with Oakmont? Here are seven intriguing facts known primarily by club members.</p>
<h3><strong>Ben Hogan Set the Standard Here</strong></h3>
<p>During the 1953 U.S. Open, <a target="_blank" href="https://golf.com/tag/ben-hogan/">Ben Hogan</a> showcased his skill, hitting fairways and greens to secure a six-shot victory. Despite his success, he found himself frustrated with wet pants after playing. To make amends, Oakmont's superintendent created paths through the tall grass from tees to fairways, known as the “Hogan Walks,” which remain part of the course layout today.</p>
<h3><strong>An Earlier Neighbouring Course</strong></h3>
<p>Oakmont was once next to a public course called Oakmont East, situated along the right side of the 3rd hole. This course served as parking during past U.S. Opens but closed permanently in 2011. The land is now utilized for hospitality during major events.</p>
<h3><strong>Founder’s Desire for Shade</strong></h3>
<p>Although envisioned as an “inland links,” Henry C. Fownes, the club's founder, wisely anticipated the warmth of summer play. He planted trees near the tee areas for shade, though most have been removed during restoration efforts beginning in the 1990s. A few remain on tees for holes 1, 2, 3, and 10.</p>
<h3><strong>National Historic Landmark Status</strong></h3>
<p>On June 30, 1987, Oakmont became the first golf course in the U.S. to receive the designation of a National Historic Landmark, highlighting its “outstanding historical significance.” While other clubs have joined this status, like Merion and Baltusrol, Oakmont will always be the original.</p>
<h3><strong>The Birth of the Stimpmeter</strong></h3>
<p>At the 1935 U.S. Open, Gene Sarazen’s unfortunate putt off the green into a bunker caught the attention of spectator Edward Stimpson. Recognizing the potential risk of unreasonably fast greens, Stimpson developed a device to measure green speed, leading to the creation of the Stimpmeter, a simple tool still in use today.</p>
<h3><strong>Train Smoke in the Air</strong></h3>
<p>When Oakmont was first established, a railway ran through the area, with trains emitting black smoke. Founder Henry C. Fownes, unhappy with the smoky air, struck a deal with train conductors to increase their speed as they passed Oakmont, allowing them to glide by without running their engines.</p>
<h3><strong>A Dual-purpose Ditch</strong></h3>
<p>Alongside the well-known Church Pew bunkers, ditches are a distinct feature at Oakmont, posing challenges for players. The ditch between the 9th and 10th holes, which crosses the 10th fairway, was not originally just a hazard; it also served as the sewage line for the clubhouse when the course first opened.</p>
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