The Olympic Club founded in 1860 is the oldest true athletic club in America.

After WWI the downtown club bought Lakeside Country Club and replaced it with two 18 hole courses: Lake and Ocean. They were originally designed by Willie Watson but build by a guy named Sam Whiting that now gets much of the credit. Later in preparation for the US Open RTJ installed the only fairway bunker on #6 and increased the size of many of the green side bunkers.

The issue at Olympic is that the golfer is never quite comfortable. You are always needing to curve the ball in a certain direction due to overhanging trees or bunker placements and usually the golfer is having to do that from very uneven lies. Every shot you hit at Olympic the ball seems to be a little above you feet or just below your feet and the golfer never really gets comfortable.

Hole #1

Medium length par 5.  You have to tee off in front of a huge bay window of the pro shop.  Not quite as intimidating as Merion but close.

Hole #2

From the new back tee. Wow, this is a really long hole now. It was already hard given the second shot was to an uphill green off a side hill lie. This used to be my favorite hole on the course, but not it is simply too hard given the severity of the green and the length. Still a very good hole, just loses out to #7 as my favorite.

Green #2

This green has so much slope to it that is not apparent to the golfer.  Balls seem to break up hill.

Hole #3

Fantastic long par 3 down the hill.  The ball stays in the air forever here.

Green #3

For such a long hole there is a lot of room in front of this green to run or bounce the ball in when the course is playing firm.

Hole #4

After an awkward tee shot the golf faces an equally daunting second shot up the hill to with a mid-long iron. At this point in the round the golfer is wondering if they joined up for a leusire round of golf or decided to hike K2.

Hole #5

We for some crazy reason played the very back tee box and on hole #5 the new back box in Hawaii. Seriously the tee box is almost 100 yards from I used to play from at Olympic. Sort of like #11 at Augusta. It was 505 from the back. I hit a great drive and had 17 degree hybrid to just short of the green.

Hole #6

Only fariway bunker on the course.

Hole #7

My favorite hole on the course. Unfortunately it is changing. Today the golfer can give the green a go from the tee. Soon they will be moving the green back 40 yards and to the right 10 yards which bring the grove of trees much more into play on the right, so truly going for the green will be moot moving forward. Bummer, I love short par 4s.

Green #7

You will three putt this green a lot more than you will one putt it.

Hole #8

Soon to be gone #8th hole. Made birdie to send if off at least!

Hole #9

Hole #10

Hole #11

Approach #11

Hole #12

OK, thats pretty narrow…ugg, that tree on the right sure is in the way, eh?

Approach to #12

Hole #13

Hole #14

Hole #15

The green on this hole is changing as well.  They are removing the back left section.

Hole #16

Really long horseshoe par 5.

Hole #17

Great back to back par 5s similar to Cypress Point.  I hope they decide to play this hole as it was intented as a par 5 in the upcoming U.S. Open.  The green is hard to hit with a short iron and almost impossible with a long iron or fairway wood.

Approach #17

Hole #18

One of the best in golf, if not the best finishing hole.

Approach #18

Green #18

Summary

Olympic Club, like Oakmont and Bethpage could host the U.S. Open every year with out doing anything special. Olypmic is simply a bear from the first hole onward. The golfer is always on a side hill lie or hitting a 4 iron up a hill. One of the hardest on the planet…especially from the back tees.