Hole 16 at Medinah Country Club (Course 3)
- Par
- 4
- Yardage
- 402 yds
- Hazards
- 3 bunkers · Water
Aerial source not provided
Green size: 33 yds deep × 30 yds wide
Scorecard yardage is for Championship tees. The aerial shows its labeled reference position; distance rings measure to the green.
Championship tees · Par 4 · 402 yards
The plan for No. 16
The new Cape hole: a par 4 played diagonally across an arm of Lake Kadijah from the old 17th tees.
Off the tee
The more lake you cut off, the shorter the approach; the water runs down the right of the line. The tee can be moved up to as short as 320 yards, which brings the green into range.
Approach & recovery
Sand surrounds the green on both sides and behind; a miss on land beats a miss in the water.
On the green
A compact green, so the back bunker catches approaches that are too strong.
Watch for
- Lake Kadijah carry and right side
- Greenside bunkers both sides and behind
Hole 16 Green Complex
Mapped green boundary
Green size: 6,004 sq ft
Course and tournament history
Historical context for the course and venue. Each entry identifies the event or course it describes.
1999 · Sergio Garcia
The tree made famous by Sergio Garcia’s infamous approach on the then 16th hole on Sunday of the 1999 PGA Championship was removed as part of renovation work in 2009
Source →
Course coverage
Tournament and creator videos about Medinah Country Club (Course 3) — shared course coverage, not hole-specific clips.
Featured by these creators
Creator videos about this course
YouTube creators who filmed or featured Medinah Country Club (Course 3). · Stats as of Oct 12, 2026 · 6d ago
Every Hole at Medinah Country Club's No. 3 Course | Golf Digest
How did Hole 16 play?
How did this hole play today?
Frequently asked questions
Yardage reference: Championship tees · 402 yards.
What hazards should I watch out for on hole 16?
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Key hazards include: 3 greenside bunkers; water at 75.4 yards. Plan your shots to avoid these trouble spots.
How big is the green on hole 16?
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The green is small and requires precision. Expect challenging pin positions with limited room for error.
Which side of the fairway is safer on hole 16?
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Aim for the left side of the fairway when possible. Missing right (water) brings more trouble into play.
What's a good score on hole 16?
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This hole is one of the tougher holes where par feels like birdie. A challenging par 4. Accept that bogey happens and avoid big numbers.
Research notes
- PGA TOUR lists PC 12 (members' 16th) at 402 yards. It can be shortened to 320, where the green becomes reachable and water down the right comes into play. ('Notable par 4: No. 12')[1]
- Golf Course Architecture reported that No. 3 closed in October 2022 for tree removal and demolition, construction began in April 2023, and all shaping and grassing were done by mid-October 2023. (opening paragraphs)[2]
- Golf Course Architecture reported the membership approved OCM's $23.5 million master plan in December 2021, with construction set for 2023 and reopening in 2024. (lead)[3]
- Klein writes that fairways now have a 5-foot collar of 1.5-inch intermediate rough, with 4-inch rough beyond, a change suggested by U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker. ('Golf course provides big playing field')[1]
Mike Cocking told Golf Course Architecture the project is best described as part restoration, part renovation and part redesign.
(Cocking quote)[2]- PGA TOUR lists No. 3's events: the Western Open (1939, 1962, 1966), U.S. Opens (1949, 1975, 1990), 1988 U.S. Senior Open, PGA Championships (1999, 2006), 2012 Ryder Cup and 2019 BMW Championship. ('Storied Medinah' section)[1]
- PGA TOUR reports Presidents Cup matches start on members' No. 5, and matches that go the distance finish on members' Nos. 1-4. The stated reasons: about 80% of matches end by the 16th, so the lake holes arrive at the climax, and the start sits nearer spectator entry. ('Set-up sees sequence changes')[1]
- PGA TOUR's Bradley Klein reports that fairway area doubled from 29 to 58 acres, bunkers rose from 70 to 117, and average green size grew more than 40%, from 6,000 to 8,600 square feet. ('A whole new ballpark' / 'Golf course provides big playing field')[1]
Sources
- Nine things to know: All about Medinah Country Club, host of 2026 Presidents Cup — PGA TOUR (Bradley S. Klein)https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/needtoknow/2026/09/21/presidents-cup-medinah-country-club-chicago-preview-nine-things-to-know-us-team-international-team
- OCM completes redesign of Course Three at Medinah — Golf Course Architecture (Richard Humphreys)https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/ocm-completes-redesign-of-course-three-at-medinah
- Medinah gives green light to OCM master plan for #3 course — Golf Course Architecture (Alice Chambers)https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/medinah-gives-green-light-to-ocm-master-plan-for-3-course