Inside the 290-yard par 3 at U.S. Open: Why LACC's 11th hole is among longest in major history

For the first time in 75 years, the United States Golf Association will hold its signature tournament in the City of Angels.

The venue this year — the Los Angeles Country Club — will force golfers to play the long game. That's true even of the course's par-3 holes, which feature two holes longer than expected of the shortest holes in golf (typically up to 260 yards). Indeed, fans will see that these par-3s are among the longest in U.S. Open history.

The first of those is Hole 7, which features an intimidating 284-yard distance between the tee and the green. But the signature hole this week will be Hole 11, which tops the length among LACC's par-3s at 290 yards.

It remains to be seen how many golfers fall victim to the hole this week, but there's more to conquering it than just overcoming its length. Here's everything you need to know about the LACC hole, including its length, type and where it ranks among the longest par 3s in U.S. Open history:

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How long is Hole 11 at the Los Angeles Country Club?

The par-3 11th hole is 290 yards at the Los Angeles Country Club. To compare, the longest par-3 hole at the Masters this year was 240 yards; the longest at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill was 245.

Why is Hole 11 so long at LACC?

The yardage on Hole 11 may officially be listed at 290 yards, but it plays significantly shorter than that distance. The reason? A 40-foot drop in elevation between the tee and the green, which not only makes the hole play 20 yards shorter, but also gives golfers a great view of the L.A. skyline.

The USGA offers this synopsis of the hole, per the official 2023 U.S. Open site:

The longest of LACC’s par-3 holes offers, on a clear day, a dramatic view of the Los Angeles skyline. The hole plays almost 20 yards shorter than its length due to its downhill nature, but that still results in a 270-yard shot to the middle of the green. Players can use the slope in the front left approach to access front hole locations. A miss long or right will result in a challenging recovery.

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Hole 11 details breakdown

Hole 11 at the LACC is a reverse Redan: essentially, a Redan with a reverse orientation. Redan holes typically range from 180 to 215 yards and feature a 45-degree, right-to-left-oriented green protected by deep bunkers along the left side.

They typically slope heavily toward the bunker and from the front of the green to the back and a bunker short of the green, with another behind the sloping shoulder. Here is a detailed breakdown by course architect Gil Hanse, courtesy of the United States Golf Association

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Longest par-3s in U.S. Open history

According to data from Golf Monthly, the 11th hole at the Los Angeles Country Club will serve as the third-longest par-3 in U.S. Open history (second, if you count don't the same hole from tournaments in different years). Hole 7 will also mark the fourth-longest par-3 in the tournament's history at 284 yards.

Here is how Holes 7 and 11 rank among the longest par-3 holes in the history of the tournament: