The 2026 U.S. Open tees off this week at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY. Here are 5 fascinating things to know about one of America's most ELITE clubs: 1 - $2,500. That’s what a group of New Yorkers, led by William K. Vanderbilt, paid for 80 acres of the Southampton land in 1891. Today, the rumored initiation fee alone runs up to $400K. 2 - 150 members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation cleared the land and built the original course, working off the design of the club's first architect, Scottish pro Willie Davis. The club was named in their honor, and its famous Chief logo remains a permanent tribute to that founding bond. 3 - 5 years later, the U.S. Open came to Shinnecock, where John Shippen Jr. (pictured) became the first African American to compete in a USGA event. When players threatened a boycott, USGA President Theodore Havemeyer refused to back down. Shippen went on to finish T-5, earning prize money that officially made him America's first native-born Black golf professional. 4 - From day one, Shinnecock shattered Victorian-era norms by welcoming women as members. In 1893, they built a separate 9-hole layout for them - the first women’s course in America. It was later absorbed to help expand the main track into the championship venue it is today. 5 - Designed by famed architect Stanford White, Shinnecock's 1892 home is considered the first clubhouse built specifically for golf in America. White was later famously shot dead at Madison Square Garden in 1906, an event that led to America's first "Trial of the Century." Bonus: It's the only venue to host the U.S. Open across three different centuries. This June marks its sixth time hosting the championship. Shinnecock has been played and rated by over 130 players on Course Vaults. It currently sits as the #2 ranked course in New York 🗽, #8 in the US 🇺🇸, and #11 on our all-time list. Join @coursevaults - the #1 golf tracking app for golfers with logos on their bag.