Green Speed of Oakmont's Fairways Measured with Stimpmeter
The 2025 US Open promises to be a grueling test for any golfer, with devious greens and a competitive score lurking around par. The venue, the historic Oakmont Country Club, is no exception, offering a course lengthened to 7,372 yards and teeming with intimidating obstacles.
The USGA has hiked the rough to a daunting five inches, added new hole locations to the putting surfaces, and enlarged the treacherous ditches that litter the course. Furthermore, the city of Oakmont's trademark fast greens are expected to test the skills of even the most polished competitors[1][4][5].
Speaking to Golf Digest, USGA chief championships officer, John Bodenhamer, explained the plan for the troublesome ditches: "In 2016, we carved out those ditches to where players could get in there and play. This year we're not doing that. You hit it in those ditches, good luck. There might be some that will play out of it, but it'll be 12 to 18 inches of wispy, pesky, and they're nasty."
Jeff Hall, managing director of rules and Open Championships at the USGA, further elaborated on the goals for Oakmont's setup: "We can make any golf course difficult. That's not hard to do, but is it difficult for the right reasons? Are we differentiating good golf, great golf, and average golf? And that's really what our job is as a set-up team."
Insights:
- Oakmont Country Club is expected to present very fast greens, measuring between 14 and 15 feet on the Stimpmeter[1][4][5].
- The course has undergone alterations aimed at ensuring the US Open remains challenging and distinct[1][4][1: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/2025-us-open-oakmont-usga-unveils-course-layout [4: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/2025-us-open-oakmont-usga-tips-the-rough-at-five-inches [5: https://golfweek.com/2023/04/28/2025-us-open-course-oakmont-usga-rough-fast-greens/]*
With the greens and unforgiving rough already posing a formidable challenge, the 2025 US Open is shaping up to be an enthralling display of tournament golf[1][3].
How Fast Are The Greens at the 2025 US Open?
One question on everyone's lips is the speed of the greens at Oakmont for the 2025 US Open. Historically, the course's greens have consistently measured between 13 and 14 feet on the Stimpmeter. However, if conditions permit, Jeff Hall, the USGA's managing director of rules and Open Championships, expects the greens to operate in the mid to upper 14s[2].
This range puts Oakmont's greens in the same league as the world-renowned Augusta National, where the greens have been known to reach 15 on the Stimpmeter at times[2].
For context, Pinehurst No.2's greens started at roughly 13.5 feet during the US Open in 2024, while PGA Tour greens typically hover between 11 and 12 on the Stimpmeter. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau masterfully claimed his second Major with a six-under-par total at Pinehurst No.2 in 2024, and the USGA appears to be aiming to make that level of success more elusive at Oakmont[2].
Last time Oakmont hosted a US Open, in 2016, the greens ran between 13.5 and 15 during the tournament[2]. Despite criticism and a memorable controversy involving champion Dustin Johnson, the USGA has remained firm, ensuring that competitors will have to earn their victory in the face of Oakmont's challenges[2].
Given the significant alterations to the Oakmont Country Club for the 2025 US Open, including managing fast greens that are expected to measure between 14 and 15 feet on the Stimpmeter, the tournament is anticipated to demand exceptional golfing skills from the participants. In fact, this could potentially present greens equal in speed to the renowned Augusta National, further increasing the competition's intensity.
