The Olympic Club: Lake

In a city known for its dramatic landscapes, the Lake Course at Olympic Club mirrors its surroundings with an equally suspenseful history. Every U.S. Open held here has been a nail-biter, befitting a course renowned for its rigorous challenge. Once a heavily forested layout with sloping fairways and just one fairway bunker, the Lake Course underwent significant transformations over the years. By 2009, much of the dense forest was cleared, leaving striking cypress trees, and updates included a redesigned seventh and 18th green along with a new par-3 eighth.

The 2012 U.S. Open continued the course’s tradition of unpredictability, with dramatic moments like a ball stuck in a tree, slow-play warnings, and a decisive snap-hook on the 16th hole, leading to Webb Simpson’s victory.

Looking ahead, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner’s 2023 remodel has prepared the Lake Course for the 2028 PGA Championship. The redesign features expanded greens for added versatility, less severe bunkers seamlessly integrated into the layout, and even more open fairways thanks to additional tree clearing. Despite these changes, the course retains its enigmatic charm—a place where balls seem to hang in the air, and holes play longer than the yardage suggests, maintaining the Lake Course’s reputation as a test of both skill and nerve.