First: 446 yards, par 4

In the 1974 US Open, Jack Nicklaus watched in horror as his first putt from 20 feet above the pin, rolled 30 feet past. He needed two more from there. A tough start with a fairway bunker strategically-placed 60 yards short of the green.

Second: 411 yards, par 4

Fuzzy Zoeller holed a 70-foot birdie putt here in the play-off against Greg Norman for the 1984 US Open. Known as "Elm" because of the great tree behind the green, it is a slight dog-leg to the right requiring a six to eight-iron second shot.

Third: 216 yards, par 3

Billy Casper considered the most prudent approach here was to play up short, so avoiding trouble. Problems surround the green which has a narrow entrance between two bunkers. There is also a deceptive swale to the front and out of bounds behind.

Fourth: 460 yards, par 4

One of the few greens with a relatively flat surface, should produce quite a few birdies. The drive must carry fairway bunkers on both sides and, typical of the course overall, the entrance to the green is narrow, with bunkers right and left.

Fifth: 515 yards, par 5

Should favour the long hitters, but for a player to get home in two, he must avoid the trees flanking both sides of the fairway. The large green prompted former club professional, Claude Harmon, to call it as the first "breather" on the course.

Sixth: 324 yards, par 4

Big hitters like Tiger Woods may be tempted to drive the green here but failure could be extremely costly. Anything over the green is heading for a creek and woods beyond. And a short pitch can be awkward to an L-shaped green.

Seventh: 166 yards, par 3

Appropriately named "Babe-in-the-Woods", there are deep bunkers on both sides of the green, which drops off towards the front. In 1974, the hole ended Johnny Miller's hopes of successive US Opens when he ran up a quadruple-bogey seven.

Eighth: 442 yards, par 4

Rated by many to be where Winged Foot begins to show its teeth. A long dog-leg to the right demands an accurate drive, otherwise heavy rough and trees may make an approach to the green impossible. A par may feel as good as a birdie.

Ninth: 467 yards, par 4

Normally a comfortable par-five for members, its length and tree-lined fairways makes it a daunting challenge for professionals. A large green has a hump in the middle and there is also a pronounced mound at the back edge. A severe putting test.

10th: 190 yards, par 3

Winged Foot's signature hole - a grand description which greatly surprised Colin Montgomerie. In a reference to the house behind the green, Ben Hogan referred to it as "a three-iron into someone's bedroom." A potentially terrible beauty.

11th: 396 yards, par 4

The narrow green rises three to four feet from front to back but a crisply-played approach will usually hold and trickle to the centre. The easiest of the homeward greens makes this a clear birdie chance, if the left fairway bunker is avoided.

12th: 540 yards, par 5

Reachable in two for the long hitter but the landing area to the front of the green is very narrow and well-protected. The aim will be to drive down the middle so as to have the ideal line for an approach finishing below the hole.

13th: 212 yards, par 3

The start of a brutal finishing stretch. The most productive shot here will be to the left half of a pear-shaped green with bunkers bordering both sides. This played more difficult than the celebrated 10th during the 1984 US Open.

14th: 430 yards, par 4

Known as "Shamrock" because of the three-leaf shape of the bunker dominating the left side of the fairway. The first of five finishing par fours which will probably decide the destination of the title. A very tricky green will baffle many.

15th: 423 yards, par 4

More than 5,000 cubic yards of earth were moved to create the elevated green. Only the short hitters are likely to take driver off the tee here because of the creek which traverses the fairway at 270 yards. This will mean a mid-iron approach shot.

16th: 457 yards, par 4

Normally the easiest hole for members, this is a converted par five which dog-legs at 230 yards off the tee. A narrow green is framed by a large maple tree on the left and bunkers left and right. Weeping willows dominate the fairway.

17th: 449 yards, par 4

With the ubiquitous trees on the left and bunkers to the right, there is precious little room for error here. Still, longer hitters like Woods, Fred Couples and Davis Love will have a distinct advantage in using more lofted approach irons.

18th: 448 yards, par 4

Not unlike the 18th at Oak Hill except that the run-up to the elevated green is mown. With a strategically-placed bunker at driving distance on the right, the hole favours a drawn shot off the tee. Then comes a difficult, mid-iron approach for a most appropriate finale.