In terms of “best golf weekends of the year,” the U.S. Open has got to take the cake.

To have a perfect golf day, you need three ingredients:

  1. To be able to wake up in the morning & play golf

  2. To then go home and stuff your face

  3. To be able to watch a major championship

That leaves us with only four weekends a year as candidates.

The Masters is in April, so the weather for golf can be really hit or miss for most of the country.

The Open starts at like 4 a.m. for Americans, so no early tee times to be had there.

The PGA Championship is the red-headed stepchild of majors. Never in contention for most loved.

So, that leaves us with the U.S. Open as our only true candidate for Best Golf Weekend of the Year.

Coupled with it being Father’s Day? You simply can’t beat it.

This year, we get to watch the best in the world play at Shinnecock Hills, which has consistently ranked inside the top 5 courses in the country for like 100 years or something – a perfect venue for the summer of America’s 250th.

Who’s in the Field?

Because the U.S. Open is a real golf tournament, and not one of those “Signature Events,” that means we’ve got a full field – 156 golfers – and a cut line.

There’s also a record number of amateurs in the field this year: 20.

Full Field & Power Rankings Here

Weather Report:

Yes, that says that wind gusts could reach upwards of 50mph on Thursday.

Here are the key stats for The U.S. Open (Shinnecock 2018)

  • Prioritize elite approach play, especially mid/long irons. SG: Approach had the strongest correlation with SG: Total at 0.695, and the approach mix was heavy from 150–200 yards: 22.8% from 150–175 and 18.4% from 175–200. Bettors should upgrade players who consistently gain on approach and hit quality long-iron shots.

  • Do not blindly chase bombers. Shinnecock played long at 7,380 yards, but driving distance correlated only 0.170 with total performance, while driving accuracy was 0.386. Fairways were wider than average, but the missed-fairway penalty was elevated at 0.50 strokes, so controlled drivers and accurate ball-strikers deserve more weight than pure distance.

  • Short game and putting were major survival factors. The field averaged +4.65 to par, and GIR was only 54.6%, meaning players were missing a lot of greens. SG: Putting correlated 0.591 and SG: Around-the-Green 0.458, so in outright, placement, and matchup bets, lean toward players who can scramble, save pars, and avoid compounding mistakes rather than volatile birdie-or-bust profiles.

The Details

 

Previous Winners

 

How To Watch

 

Featured Groups:

 

All Tee Times & Featured Groups Here

Weekly Bets: U.S Open

 

We’ve partnered with Keith Stewart at Read The Line to share his weekly golf betting picks with the Caddyshanks crew. If you’re the type who enjoys breaking down matchups, spotting trends, and hunting for value, you’ll feel right at home in the RTL community.

Use code CADDYSHANKS2026 for 20% OFF.

Keith Stewart’s Picks

 

Xander Schauffele (+1900 DraftKings)

In nine US Open starts, Xander Schauffele has seven top 10s and has not had a finish worse than T14. A two-time major champion, Schauffele’s best career record comes at our national championship. It started in 2017 with a T5 finish in his first US Open start. Xander had to qualify to get in that year. Third place at THE PLAYERS, ninth at The Masters, and seventh at the PGA Championship, Schauffele has the best record of any favorite in the field at the season’s biggest events.

Patrick Reed (+4700 DraftKings)

Patrick Reed has come out and stated that Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is his favorite course on the continent. Fourth place in the 2018 US Open, Reed has two wins and five top 10s in eight starts this year (!). Patrick has proven he will be prepared when he plays. A much improved ball striker, Reed is a better player than he was in 2018. Take that new full swing precision and complement it with a top 5 short game in the field, and Reed will really catch your attention.

Caddyshanks Picks

Scottie Scheffler (+550 Fanduel)

Scottie ‘only’ has one win this year, which means we are running out of time on the “bet Scottie every week no matter what” strategy, since he needs to win like 5+ times per year to be profitable on it. Maybe he gets #2 this weekend, and completes the grand slam in the process.

Matt Fitzpatrick (+2500 Draftkings)

He finished 12th at Shinnecock in 2018, and he’s a much better player, in much better form now. He drives it accurately, he can scramble, and he’s proven he can win in U.S. Open conditions.

Russel Henley (+4000 Draftkings)

Henley checks every box for Shinnecock; he’s an accurate driver of the golf ball and he’s the best scrambler on TOUR this season. Plus, he’s not overpriced like Tommy Fleetwood and some other good course-fits.