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US Open host Shinnecock shares a complicated past with golf and American history
The championship revisits Shinnecock Nation land and golf’s racial barriers, including John Shippen’s 1896 debut and a documentary released ahead of the Open.
- On Thursday, 156 players will compete in the sixth U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, on a course built by the Shinnecock Nation across their ancient burial grounds.
- New York's state legislature forced the Shinnecock to cede most territory to Southampton in 1859, reducing the nation's boundaries to about 800 acres south of Montauk Highway.
- Despite racial objections from British professionals in 1896, USGA president Theodore Havemeyer allowed African-American golf teacher John Shippen, age 16, and Shinnecock tribe member Oscar Bunn to compete as the first two American-born players.
- The USGA stayed away for 90 years, reflecting golf's documented diversity struggles, while the 1999 firing of Smith created a rift with the Shinnecock that has only recently started to heal.
- USGA historian Mike Trostel noted that Shippen's pioneering spirit as the first African-American professional stands out, though his contribution remains largely a footnote alongside the Shinnecock Nation's overlooked heritage.
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How Long Island Helped Shape the U.S. Open Golf Tournament
As a golf instructor, I usually dedicate this space to helping readers lower their scores and enjoy the game a little more. This week, however, I wanted to take a different approach. With the U.S. Open returning to Shinnecock Hills, one of golf’s most storied venues, it seemed like the perfect time to look beyond swing tips and reflect on a championship that has helped shape the history of the game — and a Long Island community that has been par…
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Total News Sources33
Leaning Left14Leaning Right1Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 47%
C 50%
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