US Open 2026

Take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station or Atlantic Terminal to Southampton (2.5 hours, $20–30) or drive the Montauk Highway (LIE east then Sunrise Highway). The train is significantly more relaxing than driving — traffic on the Long Island Expressway during US Open week can be severe.

💡 The LIRR runs special US Open shuttles from Southampton station to Shinnecock Hills during tournament week — check the MTA website for schedules.

Practice round tickets are available via usopen.com. Monday–Wednesday practice rounds offer close access and a relaxed atmosphere. Shinnecock is a national landmark course — the views from the elevated portions of the course over Shinnecock Bay are extraordinary.

💡 The 9th and 18th greens at Shinnecock are elevated and give panoramic views of the Long Island Sound — take a moment to appreciate the setting between watching golf.

Southampton Village has a charming Main Street with high-end boutiques, art galleries, and excellent restaurants. The Parrish Art Museum (modern building, excellent collection of East End artists) is 5 minutes walk from Main Street.

Cooper's Beach in Southampton is consistently rated one of America's finest beaches — white sand, clean water, and lifeguards. The late afternoon light on the Atlantic from Cooper's Beach is exceptional.

Pierre's in Bridgehampton (French, excellent wine list) and Tutto il Giorno in Southampton (Italian) are both outstanding. Reservations essential during US Open week — the Hamptons dining scene gets overwhelmed with 50,000 extra visitors.

💡 Book restaurants 4–6 weeks ahead for Hamptons dining during US Open week — the good places fill completely.

US Open courses are set up to be almost impossibly difficult — the USGA raises the rough to 4–5 inches, narrows fairways, and speeds greens to the limit. Watching the world's best players struggle on a course that humbles them is uniquely compelling. Even the top players regularly shoot over par.

💡 The US Open rough is the most punishing in golf — watching players attempt recovery shots from 5-inch fescue is both frustrating (for players) and fascinating (for spectators).

Holes 7 (par-3, elevated tee to a green surrounded by bunkers) and 11 (long par-4 with prevailing crosswind) are Shinnecock's signature tests. The green complexes are so firm and fast that even slightly off-line approach shots leave impossible putts.

The 18th at Shinnecock Hills finishes uphill to a green surrounded by grandstands — one of the most dramatic finishes in US Open golf. Claim a position by 13:00 to watch afternoon leaders fight home up the hill against the prevailing wind.

💡 The wind at Shinnecock shifts throughout the day — a calm morning 18th becomes a brutally difficult upwind finish in the afternoon. The scores on the leaderboard reflect this.

Sag Harbor (20 min drive) is one of the Hamptons' most charming villages — a former whaling port with a beautiful main street, American Hotel (1846), and the Sag Harbor Cinema. A post-golf afternoon walk here is a perfect contrast to the tournament atmosphere.

The American Hotel in Sag Harbor has been a Hamptons institution since 1846 — the wine cellar is extraordinary (50,000 bottles) and the dining room is genuinely historic. Splurge-worthy post-US Open dinner destination.

💡 The American Hotel's wine list is one of the finest on the East Coast — ask the sommelier for a recommendation from the Burgundy section.

Drive the Hamptons' famous Montauk Highway through Bridgehampton and East Hampton — the hedge-lined lanes, historic farmstands, and ocean glimpses make it one of America's most distinctly American morning drives.

The LIRR from Southampton to Penn Station takes 2.5 hours. Book return tickets in advance — the Sunday departure after the US Open final round is the busiest LIRR day of the year for this route.

💡 Monday morning departure is significantly smoother than Sunday evening — if flexibility allows, stay Sunday night and travel Monday.