Oak Hill Country Club
Designed by Donald Ross
History
Oak Hill Country Club traces its beginnings to 1901, when a group of Rochester-area businessmen organized the club on land along the Genesee River, seeking a home for the growing game in western New York. The original layout served the membership for two decades before the club made the move that would define its future: relocating to a larger tract of land in Pittsford, a decision driven by the need for a course capable of testing the best players in the country.
Donald Ross was brought in to design the new grounds, and he found in the rolling terrain east of Rochester a canvas suited to his particular gifts. Ross laid out two courses on the property, East and West, completing his work in the 1920s. His design philosophy — a preference for strategic angles over brute difficulty, and greens that rewarded precise approach play — took firm root in the property’s natural contours, and the East Course in particular would go on to earn a reputation as one of his finest inland efforts.
In the decades since, Oak Hill has become a fixture on the national championship circuit, hosting multiple U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, a Ryder Cup in 1995, and a U.S. Amateur, among other events. The course has seen adjustments over the years — modifications to certain holes and infrastructure to keep pace with the modern game — but the bones of Ross’s routing have endured, and the club’s standing among American golf institutions has only deepened with each championship it has welcomed.
Playing Notes
Expect a full day at Oak Hill if you're tackling both layouts, and pace yourself accordingly — this is a walking-friendly property but the terrain rolls enough through the trees that most visitors opt for a cart, especially on a 36-hole day. Tree-lined corridors define the test here more than water or forced carries; missing fairways puts you in tight, shaded lies where advancing the ball cleanly matters more than making up distance, so club selection off the tee counts for a lot. Greens run quick and firm, and the surrounds are built to make sloppy short-game work costly, so bring a sharp wedge game and patience on the putting surfaces. Pack layers regardless of season — the Pittsford weather shifts through the day — and expect a workout for your entire bag, since the variety across two courses will call on every club rather than let you lean on one favorite shot shape.