This week, the U.S. Amateur is being played at famed Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club for a sixth time, tying Merion Golf Club and The Country Club for most all-time.

Oakmont’s wide-open, windswept topography is integral to how the course plays. As a vital part of a 20-year restoration program, Oakmont cleared more than 12,600 trees to revive its original links-style identity. Not lost in the lumber were Oakmont’s five stately directional poles, which were preserved on holes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 15. Just as the Fownes family intended a century ago, these poles continue to serve as effective visual aids for golfers.

Oakmont’s founder Henry (H.C.) Fownes possessed a genuine affection for links-style golf, and nowhere are directional poles more prolific than on the primordial links courses of the British Isles, where empty horizons and rugged dunescapes often require some navigational aid.

The character of Oakmont’s directional poles has evolved over time. Historical images reveal that they were wooden at the outset. For several decades, leading up to the 1953 U.S. Open, they were equipped with flat discs at the top indicating hole numbers. Later iterations were taller and painted bright white for visibility.

Boundless Backdrops

The need for directional assistance on golf courses is often based on  what lies behind the greens. A backdrop of trees can fortify the target with a sense of scale and can aid golfers in establishing proper aim and alignment to the hole. At Oakmont, the emphasis on tree plantings in the 1970s and ‘80s effectively diminished the need for directional poles.

Target areas usually appear much more elusive without a backdrop of trees. These boundless perspectives often occur on links designs where vast expanses loom beyond the flagstick. Whether the background consists of a body of water, a vast skyline or an indistinguishable span of terrain, golfers often have difficulty assessing the depth and distance to the hole.

Today, Oakmont’s trees have been cleared, the vistas have been restored, and its directional poles are meaningful once again. As with many links designs in the United Kingdom, such as North Berwick in Scotland or Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, directional poles are acceptable and appreciated when positioned in broad open spaces.

Foreground Topography

While the scenery behind a target can often play tricks on the eye, the need for visual assistance also depends upon the topography and architectural features in front of the target.

“I think elevation changes are the main reason Mr. Fownes utilized directional poles,” said Benny Barbour, the former grounds chairman who helped draft Oakmont’s original tree management plan in the early 1990s. “Some greens and landing areas are partially blind due to the elevation changes within a hole.”

Barbour refers to the fact that golfers cannot see the green from the tee on Nos. 1 and 5, both par-4 holes. Both putting surfaces are positioned below slopes and are often obscured by elevated terrain. The same goes for the third green, which is perched high above the approach area. In each case, Fownes utilized directional poles behind the greens to serve as points of visual reference.