⛳
The Global Golfer Top 100
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Southampton, New York, USA · #30 in the World
Location: Southampton, New York, USA | Ranking: #30 — The Global Golfer Top 100
Type: Links | Partner Stay: The Parrish Art Museum Inn; Southampton Inn
Editor’s Note: Shinnecock Hills is America’s oldest golf club (1891) and consistently voted the country’s finest course by US Golf Digest. William Flynn’s routing across the Southampton barrens — exposed heathland above the Atlantic with ocean views from most elevated tees — produces a test that behaves like a British links despite being built on Long Island. Four US Opens confirm its status; the 2018 US Open’s brutal conditions reminded the world that Shinnecock can be the hardest 18 holes in American golf.
Travel & Logistics
- How to Get There: Southampton, Long Island. New York JFK — 1h 30m by car. New York Penn Station to Southampton by LIRR — 2h 30m direct.
- Nearest Airport: New York JFK (JFK) — 1h 30m. New York LGA — 1h 45m. East Hampton (HTO) — 20 mins by car.
Contact & Booking
- Website: shinnecockhills.org
- Access: Members and their guests only. No visitor access. Introduction through membership essential. | Rating / Slope: 76.5 / 145
Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 |
| Yards | 393 | 226 | 459 | 440 | 473 | 189 | 378 | 401 | 369 | 3,328 |
Par 4
Par 3
Par 5
Total
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
| Yards | 408 | 158 | 469 | 371 | 447 | 517 | 175 | 450 | 450 | 3,445 | 6,996 |
Key Strategy Notes
- The Wind: Shinnecock’s elevation and exposure mean the wind is the primary hazard on every hole. The direction changes throughout the round as the routing winds across the Southampton barrens — exact yardages are frequently irrelevant; reading the wind correctly determines the score.
- Hole 7 — Par 4, 378 Yards: The most famous hole — from an elevated tee with views of Peconic Bay and the Atlantic to a fairway below. The green is completely exposed and slopes severely from back to front.
- Hole 9 — Par 4, 369 Yards: Short par 4 with the club’s iconic shingle-style clubhouse as backdrop — a birdie opportunity that is dramatically more difficult than the yardage suggests.
The 19th Hole
- The American Hotel, Sag Harbor: The finest dining on the East End of Long Island — 15 minutes from Shinnecock. Book via Expedia →
- The Hamptons: Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton provide exceptional dining, art galleries and beaches. Combine a Shinnecock introduction with a Hamptons weekend for the definitive Long Island experience.