Whether it's an island green, severely downhill, or in this case, exceptionally long, a par-3 can often make or break a round.
This week, everyone will be talking about Oakmont Country Club's rough or admiring the Church Pew bunker, but true golf fans will be watching to see how the best players on the planet navigate the challenging eighth hole, which has long been one of the most famous par-3s in U.S. Open history.
This isn’t the first time a par-3 has stolen the spotlight from famous finishing par-4s and par-5s. The U.S. Open is always associated with difficulty, and with that obviously come some challenging par-3s.
And with that in mind, here's a quick look at the longest par-3s in U.S. Open history.
5. Shinnecock Hills, No. 2, 264 yards (2018)
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club proved to be one of the most demanding tests in recent U.S Open history when the New York Club hosted America's national championship for the fifth time in 2018.
The second hole played its longest at 264 yards during the final round and welcomed professionals with a long iron or even a hybrid from most of the field, an unsettling requirement so early in the round.
The tee shot had to carry thick fescue and land softly on a small, firm green. The green’s pronounced back-to-front slope and tightly mown run-offs made stopping the ball a delicate task, especially as the turf dried out over the week.
Deep bunkers flanked the left and right sides of the green, creating severe penalties for any miss, and the narrow front offered little margin for error. Shots coming up short often rolled back 20 yards or more.
During the 2018 championship, the hole consistently yielded more bogeys than pars, with few birdies in sight.
4. Merion, No. 3, 266 yards (2013)
During the final round of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, the tee shot on the 266-yard third hole required a full long iron, hybrid, or even a fairway wood for most of the field. The angle of the hole forced players to carry across a yawning deep bunker on the front right, with little room to run the ball up.
To make matters more difficult, any ball missing long or left found thick rough, making up-and-downs nearly impossible. Although one of the biggest greens on the course, the firm, fast conditions added another layer of difficulty, causing many shots to roll off the surface or stop short of the target.
Swirling winds frequently changed direction, further complicating club selection and distance control. As a result, No. 3 ranked among the toughest on the course, serving as an early-round separator between contenders and the rest of the field.
3. Los Angeles Country Club, No. 11, 297 yards (2023)
Los Angeles Country Club’s 11th hole would technically take up two spots in this top five if we went with every yardage for every hole, as it played 297 yards during the second round and 295 yards during the final round of the 2023 U.S. Open. But we've opted to list just one yardage per hole here.
Nevertheless, it played a pivotal role in 2023, emerging as one of the tournament’s most terrifying par-3s. As mentioned, it stretched to a lengthy 297 yards at its longest, and this hole demanded every ounce of precision and power from players.
The green was tucked beside a steep hillside, with a series of deep, strategically placed bunkers guarding the right side. Adding to the difficulty, the green was narrow, undulating, and tilted from back to front, making it extremely hard to hold, particularly as it firmed up through the week.
The combination of length, a punishing green complex, and treacherous recovery options resulted in a scoring average well over par. There were only 15 birdies on this hole in the first two rounds of the event, and the weekend didn’t bring many more.
2. Los Angeles Country Club, No. 7, 299 yards (2023)
Another hole at the Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course emerged as a definitive test during the 2023 U.S. Open, playing as a brutally long par-3 that stretched all the way to 299 yards at its maximum in the second round.
This intimidating distance demanded that players pull fairway woods or even drivers, a rare occurrence on par-3s at a major championship...or just par-3s anywhere, for that matter. The tee shot required golfers to thread their ball over a native barranca that guarded the fairway’s approach, immediately punishing any shot that was even slightly off line.
Deep bunkers flanked both sides, providing little comfort for those missing left or right, while a tightly mown collection area at the back ensured that long misses would face extremely difficult chip shots toward a green sloping away. The putting surface itself, firm and fast, made controlling spin and trajectory a demanding proposition.
1. Oakmont Country Club, No. 8, 300 yards (2007)
The eighth hole at Oakmont Country Club, which played to a record 300 yards during the final round of the 2007 U.S. Open and 299 during the final round in 2016, is once again poised to be one of the most frightening and decisive holes during this week's tourney, maintaining its long-standing reputation as one of the hardest par-3s in championship golf.
Expected to play anywhere from 275 to 300 yards, this hole demands an exceptional combination of distance, accuracy, and mental fortitude from the world’s best. The tee shot is slightly uphill, often into the prevailing wind, making the hole play even longer.
Missing the green short can leave a difficult recovery if players don’t carry the bunker, while going long often means an even more treacherous pitch back toward a green that runs away. In 2007, players only hit the green in regulation 27% of the time.
With its unforgiving layout and brutal length, Oakmont’s eighth promises to be a round-defining hole, turning potential birdies into hard-fought pars and punishing anything less than precision.