"Genesis" 446 yards, Par 4: One of the toughest starting holes in golf. Right-center of the fairway is ideal off the tee. Approach to
large, undulating green must avoid deep bunkers left and right. If
the flag is on the front third of the green, land short and run the
ball on. Stay below the hole.
"Elm" 411 yards, Par 4: Dogleg right. Play drive left of
center. Can make par from the left trees but not likely from the
right trees. A very narrow green that rises from front to back is
protected by very large deep bunkers on either side.
"Pinnacle" 216 yards, Par 3: The 35-yard long green rises sharply from front to back and is protected by bunkers left and right, hard
pan under the trees and out-of-bounds long. When Billy Casper won
the 1959 Open he laid up short and made par all four days.
"Sound View" 465 yards, Par 4: Drive must fly fairway bunkers on
both sides and then it's still a long-iron approach through a
narrow, uphill opening between two greenside bunkers. Missing the
green long leaves a delicate chip back. Easiest green to putt on
the front nine.
"Long Lane" 515 yards, Par 5: First real birdie chance. Can be
reached in two but may be most easily birdied with a good pitch
from the lay-up position. Very large green with a gentle back left
to front right slope.
"El" 324 yards, Par 4: Best tee shot must be left of center.
Very few pars are made if the green is missed with the second shot.
A fairly flat dogleg green with a gentle slope toward the back.
Possible to be on the green and not have a direct putt at the hole.
"Babe in the Woods" 161 yards, Par 3: A large, fairly flat green makes for birdie opportunities. But there is no place to miss the green.
Short shots will not run up to the elevated green. Bunkers left and
right and the right bunker is one of Winged Foot's deepest, which
is saying something.
"Arena" 442 yards, Par 4: Dogleg right requires tee shot to hug
the tall trees on the right because a slightly left or even a
straight drive will find rough and possibly trees, making for a
near-impossible second shot. The green has a valley running from
front to back on the left side.
"Meadow" 469 yards, Par 4: Tree-lined fairway has heavy rough on
both sides. Large bunker short and right of the green will catch
many second shots. The green is 40 yards long with a hump in the
middle and a pronounced mound on the back edge. Tough hole to lag
the long putts.
Back Nine
"Pulpit" 190 yards, Par 3: Perhaps the toughest par-3 without
water in the United States. The elevated sloping green is protected
by large, deep bunkers and falls away on all sides. Front right
bunker is an instant bogey. Out-of-bounds just over back of green.
"Billows" 396 yards, Par 4: Several large mounds forces tee shot to run left. Second shot most likely will be made from a side-hill
lie. Another well-bunkered green with a narrow opening. Many
players will use an iron off the tee because of trees left and
right. Easiest green to putt on the back nine.
"Cape" 535 yards, Par 5: Perfect drive is just right of the
large mound in the center of the fairway. Anything left will run
more left and trees will block the second shot. Green is reachable
in two but landing area in front of green is very narrow and well
protected by bunkers and trees.
"White Mule" 212 yards, Par 3: The most common mistake on this hole where the green rises about 3 feet on the front third, flattens out
and then rises again is to leave the ball short. Anything that
misses the green goes right, unless it lands in the left bunker.
Saving par from around the green is a real accomplishment. Fairly
easy green to putt.
"Shamrock" 418 yards, Par 4: Perfect drive carries the right-hand edge of the shamrock-shaped fairway bunker. Still leaves a
difficult second shot to a small green. Almost anything above the
hole must be lagged.
"Pyramid" 417 yards, Par 4: Ideal drive is left of center, but
too far left could end in the water hazard. 3-wood might be the
club since a perfect drive too far leaves a downhill lie. Second
shot is all uphill to a long, narrow green well-guarded by very
deep bunkers left and right. A back right pin placement is the
toughest on the course.
"Hells Bells" 457 yards, Par 4: Demands very accurate tee shot
slightly right of center. Avoid at all costs the trees on the left.
Needs perfect second shot to avoid large maple tree left of green
and large bunker short and right. Green has a valley on the front
half. Putts from back of green go down very quick slope.
"Well-Well" 444 yards, Par 4: Another difficult tee shot. Handful of bunkers right attracts a fade and trees left grab the hook. This
followed by a long second shot to a rectangular green protected by
deep bunkers. Kidney-shaped green features double breaks. On top of
all this, hole usually plays into the wind.
"Revelations" 448 yards, Par 4: An outstanding finishing hole.
Dogleg left from a narrow, tree-lined chute. Shots hit to the front
of the green will roll back down the hill into the fairway. Few
people miss this green long. One of the fastest greens on the
course. Bobby Jones sank a 12-foot double-break par putt here in
1929 U.S. Open to force a playoff, which he won.