Unlike The Masters, which is decided at Augusta National every year, the US Open changes course from year to year. The championship is organized by the United States Golf Association, which selects a handful of the country's toughest and most storied courses and lets them take turns. If you want to know where the US Open golf is played, the answer is therefore not a single location, but a carefully assembled roster of courses spread across the whole of the United States.
What has changed in recent years is that the USGA has moved away from the completely open rotation and instead designated a small number of anchor courses that return at regular intervals. (cite index="0-4">Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2 and Oakmont are now part of a fixed rotation for hosting the US Open. This makes it possible to plan a golf trip or a TV weekend several years in advance.
How the USGA selects the courses for the US Open
A US Open course must put the world's best players to the test. The courses are deliberately made long and narrow, the rough is allowed to grow tall, and the greens are trimmed to a speed that punishes the slightest misread. The philosophy is simple: the one who wins should have played flawlessly over four days of extreme pressure, not just had a hot putting day.
That is why the same names end up on the list time and time again. It is about courses with a proven ability to withstand modern equipment, with room for thousands of spectators and with a history that adds weight. The introduction of anchor courses is a way of locking in that quality. (cite index="2-5,2-6,2-7">The USGA has filled its future schedule with visits to six iconic anchor courses: Oakmont, Shinnecock Hills, Pinehurst No. 2, Pebble Beach, Winged Foot and Oakland Hills.
Knowing where the US Open golf is played in a given year is therefore less about chance and more about understanding which courses recur and why. Golf is a sport where the location fundamentally affects play, and for those following the tour abroad it is a reminder of how differently courses can play against the same player. If you want to dive deeper into how different championships are structured, Local Rule's overview of major golf tournaments is a good starting point.
The courses that recur in the US Open
The courses that form the backbone of the championship all have their own character. Here are the venues that shape the US Open the most, and what makes each of them a stage worthy of a major.
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont, just outside Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, is the course that has hosted the US Open the most times, and that is no coincidence. (cite index="1-3,1-4">The US Open returned to Oakmont Country Club for the first time since 2016, and it was the record tenth time the course had hosted the USGA's most prestigious tournament. The course is notorious for its lightning-fast greens, its deep bunkers and the distinctive rows of bunkers known as the church pews. Many players describe Oakmont as the toughest test in American golf, a place where a score around par is almost always enough for victory.
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach lies by the Pacific Ocean in California and is counted among the most beautiful courses in the world. Here the holes are played along the cliff edge with the sea as a constant hazard on the right side, and the famous eighteenth hole curves along the water all the way to the green. (cite index="0-5">Pebble Beach is the third course to become an anchor course for the US Open. It is also one of the few courses at this level where an ordinary golfer can actually book a tee time and play, albeit at a hefty price. The combination of accessibility, drama and beauty makes Pebble Beach a favorite among players and viewers alike.
Pinehurst No. 2
Pinehurst in North Carolina is an entire golf community, and course number two is its crown jewel. Designed by Donald Ross, it is known for its crowned greens that repel balls that are not struck precisely, which makes the short game the decisive factor. Here imagination and precision are rewarded rather than raw power. (cite index="2-8">Pinehurst Resort & Country Club Course No. 2 was the venue for the 2024 US Open. The course returns regularly in the schedule and has become a symbol of a more strategic view of championship golf.
Shinnecock Hills
Shinnecock Hills on Long Island in the state of New York is one of the oldest clubs in the USA and a course with a distinct links feel. The wind off the Atlantic is a constant factor, and the firm, undulating ground makes the ball bounce and roll in a way reminiscent of British golf. The course has hosted several dramatic US Opens over the years and is among the venues where the USGA has sometimes been criticized for making conditions almost impossible. That very razor's edge between fair and brutal is part of what makes Shinnecock so fascinating to follow.
Where the US Open golf is played in the coming years
Since the USGA plans far in advance, it is possible to point out several upcoming host venues already now. The rotation weaves together the anchor courses with occasional classics that return more rarely. (cite index="2-9">Pebble Beach is next in line as a US Open course, followed by Pinehurst No. 2, and after that Pebble Beach returns again along with Oakmont.
The fact that the courses are spread across the country also means that conditions differ greatly. A course by the Pacific Ocean makes entirely different demands than one inland in Pennsylvania or a links by the Atlantic. This is one of the reasons a US Open title carries so much weight: the winner has shown that their game holds up regardless of what kind of course awaits. For those who want to follow how the major season fits together, Local Rule's text about (cite index="2-6">the six iconic anchor courses Oakmont, Shinnecock Hills, Pinehurst No. 2, Pebble Beach, Winged Foot and Oakland Hills gives a hint of where the championship is heading, and the guide to the next major golf helps you keep track of the calendar.
What it means to play a US Open course
Several of these courses can actually be played by ordinary golfers, which makes them dream destinations for a golf trip. Standing on the same tee as the world elite, even if from a shorter teeing ground and without tall rough, is an experience of a lifetime. If you want inspiration for more destinations, take a look at Local Rule's guide to the world's best golf courses.
Such a round makes demands on both game and equipment. Sea wind at Pebble Beach or a cool morning in Pennsylvania calls for clothing that keeps you warm without restricting the swing. The midlayer q-zip - navy is a mid-layer that does exactly that job: a thin, pliable quarter-zip that sits close to the body and takes the worst of the chill off the first holes without getting in the way. Once the sun beats down on the more open courses, a cap is a must, and the baseball cap - navy is a clean, timeless model that keeps the light out of your eyes over a long round. If you need to add more layers, you will find the entire range of midlayers gathered in one place.
Precision golf of the kind the US Open courses demand starts in the short game, and clean club changes make a difference. An LCLRL Towel hangs easily on the bag and keeps grips and club heads dry when the greens are fast and the margins small. More variants are available in the collection of golf towels.
Whether you are planning a trip to one of the storied courses or just want to dress as if you were, good golf style is about garments that work just as well on the course as afterwards. Feel free to take a look and see the entire range at Local Rule when building your wardrobe for the next season.
