Southern Hills Country Club
One of America's great championship clubs, Southern Hills in Tulsa has staged more major golf than almost anywhere. Perry Maxwell shaped it in 1936, Gil Hanse restored it in 2019, and it plays as a par 70 that stretched to about 7,500 yards for the 2022 PGA Championship.
Photo: Southern Hills Country Club via Google.
The verdict
Southern Hills Country Club is the crown jewel of Oklahoma golf and one of the most decorated championship venues in the United States. The course opened in 1936 to a Perry Maxwell design, laid out across rolling Tulsa parkland on land donated by oil baron Waite Phillips, and over the following decades it became a fixture of the major championship rotation. It has hosted the U.S. Open three times and the PGA Championship a record number of times, most recently in 2022, when Justin Thomas won in a playoff.
A 2019 restoration by Gil Hanse stripped away decades of accumulated change and returned Maxwell's bold green contours, native areas and strategic angles, widely praised for renewing the course's character. It plays as a par 70 that the professionals stretch to around 7,500 yards, defined by Maxwell's famous rolls in the greens and approaches that fall away from the player. For a traveling golfer it is a private, members first club steeped in history, a true bucket list round reached through a member or an arranged visit.
Southern Hills Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1936
- Designer
- Perry Maxwell
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 7,400 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club, the PGA of America and leading databases. Perry Maxwell designed the course, which opened in 1936 and was restored by Gil Hanse in 2019; members play a par 70 that the professionals stretch to about 7,500 yards in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a private club; access is generally only through a member, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Southern Hills is a second shot golf course. Maxwell routed it so that fairways tilt and bend, leaving uneven lies, and the approaches must contend with greens that repel anything but a well struck, well judged shot. The closing par 4 eighteenth, a long uphill dogleg to a green perched above the clubhouse, is among the most respected finishing holes in championship golf and has decided several majors.
The Hanse restoration reintroduced short grass and run offs around the greens, so a missed approach can scamper well away from the target, and the recovery shots demand touch and nerve. Creeks and native grasses frame the strategic lines, and the par 3s, including the demanding sixth, give the course its balance. Heat and humidity make Tulsa summers brutal, which is why the PGA of America moved the 2022 championship to May.
What stays with players is how thoroughly Maxwell's ideas have endured. Restored to its bold, angular best, Southern Hills demands position, judgment and the willingness to play away from flags, the very qualities that have made it a graveyard for so many championship leaders.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; not generally open to public play, with access through a member or an arranged visit |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest play is hosted by a member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | An introduction well in advance through your host is essential |
| On the day | Caddies available and walking encouraged; a collared shirt and traditional dress code expected |
| Getting there | South Tulsa, about 20 minutes from downtown and Tulsa International Airport |
| Best months | April through June and September through October, avoiding the fierce Oklahoma summer |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Southern Hills is a private club and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Downtown Tulsa, with its Art Deco landmarks and a growing dining and hotel scene, is the natural base, about twenty minutes from the club, while south Tulsa offers convenient options closer to the course. Tulsa International Airport is a short drive.
Southern Hills is the anchor of any Oklahoma golf trip and pairs naturally with the state's other championship privates, Oak Tree National in Edmond and Karsten Creek in Stillwater. We can arrange the introductions where possible and build the lodging and transfers around your rounds.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Tulsa.
Build an Oklahoma golf trip
We help arrange access where we can, plan the visit to Southern Hills and book the lodging and transfers around your round. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Southern Hills Country Club questions
Who designed Southern Hills?
Southern Hills was designed by Perry Maxwell and opened in 1936, built on Tulsa parkland donated by oil baron Waite Phillips. Gil Hanse restored the course in 2019 to Maxwell's original character.
What is the par and length of Southern Hills?
Members play Southern Hills as a par 70, and the professionals stretch it to about 7,500 yards, with bold Maxwell green contours and approaches that fall away from the player.
What championships has Southern Hills hosted?
Southern Hills has hosted three U.S. Opens and a record number of PGA Championships, most recently in 2022, when Justin Thomas won in a playoff, along with numerous other national championships.
Can visitors play Southern Hills?
Southern Hills is a private members club and is not generally open to public play. Access is usually only through a member or an arranged visit, so contact well in advance is essential.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; championship hosting verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.