The South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club, opened on July 13, 1918, was built on rolling farmland and is renowned for its heavy bunkering and challenging greens.

Designed by Donald Ross and later updated by Robert Trent Jones, the par-70 layout measures 7,077 yards. Trent Jones added much of the bunkering in 1951 before Ben Hogan won that year's U.S. Open there.

Hogan, whose closing 67 was one of just two sub-par rounds achieved during the tournament, said: "I am glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees. It's the greatest test of golf I have ever played and the toughest course."

The parkland layout, consistently ranked as one of the top 10 courses in the world, has staged six U.S. Opens, two U.S. PGA Championships and two U.S. Senior Opens.

Here is a hole-by-hole look at the South Course, which will stage the September 17-19 Ryder Cup:

No. 1 par four, 435 yards - A challenging opening hole that requires accuracy off an elevated tee with the landing area guarded on both sides by bunkers. The heavily contoured green is protected by two bunkers at the front.

No. 2 par five, 519 yards - This slight dogleg left is another hole where bunkering on both sides of the fairway places a premium on accuracy off the tee. Four bunkers also lie in wait to the front of the green which is shaped like an upturned saucer.

No. 3 par three, 198 yards - The first of Oakland's four superb par threes, this hole is bordered by an orchard. The green, which runs diagonally from right to left, is ringed by five bunkers.

No. 4 par four, 430 yards - A downhill par four which plays shorter than the yardage suggests from an elevated tee. The landing area is well protected by bunkers, with four to the left and two to the right. A ridged green is guarded by bunkers at the front.

No. 5 par four, 455 yards - The longest of the par fours, it has a landing area framed by trees on the left and by two bunkers on the right. A valley and a stream need to be cleared with the approach into a raised, slick green. Taiwan's T.C. Chen blew a four-shot lead with a quadruple bogey here at the 1985 U.S. Open, hitting his ball twice on one approach shot.

No. 6 par four, 356 yards - The shortest of the par fours, it plays uphill to the deepest green on the course. Two bunkers guard the left side of the fairway and trees line the right. U.S. captain Hal Sutton has had a new tee built here, 30 yards further forward, to make this a driveable par four.

No. 7 par four, 411 yards - An elevated tee affords a good view of this slight dogleg right, which plays down towards a valley and a pond before climbing back up towards a long, narrow green with bunkers on either side.

No. 8 par four, 482 yards - A relatively short par four but a tough driving hole with four fairway bunkers threatening anything wayward off the tee. The large, raised green is circled by four bunkers.

No. 9 par three, 220 yards - A picturesque par three with an elevated tee and green separated by a swale (shallow valley). Putting can be a real test here on a severely contoured green. American Andy North bogeyed this hole, and the next two, on his way to a one-shot victory at the 1985 U.S. Open.

No. 10 par four, 453 yards - This par four, featuring a raised tee and green, plays longer than it appears. Accuracy is demanded off the tee with well-positioned bunkers, one on the left and two to the right, lurking in the landing area. The green has a crown in the middle and slopes severely downhill.

No. 11 par four, 423 yards - A wonderful par four where a well-struck shot from the elevated tee will feed over a low ridge on the left side of the fairway. This will set up a comfortable uphill approach to a tiered green protected by four bunkers to the front.

No. 12 par five, 560 yards - The longest of the par fives, this hole is yet another with a raised tee and a slightly elevated green. Trees line the right side of the fairway and well-placed bunkers guard the left. Further bunkering shields the front and back of a ridged green.

No. 13 par three, 162 yards - A beautiful par three with a classically contoured Donald Ross green. Built into a hillside, this hole has a broad swale separating a raised tee from the slightly elevated green.

No. 14 par four, 473 yards - A gem of a downhill par four where the landing area is located just beyond a slight rise in the fairway. The contoured green is guarded by three bunkers to the front, two to the left and one to the right. This hole is the first of the 'Fearsome Fivesome', the tough closing stretch at Oakland Hills.

No. 15 par four, 400 yards - Trees line the entire left side of this sharp dogleg left which has a strategic bunker located 240 yards from the tee in the middle of the fairway. The green, also shaped like an upturned saucer, is heavily ringed by bunkering.

No. 16 par four, 406 yards - The course's signature par four, this dogleg right requires a lay-up off the tee just short of a pond that is framed by giant willow trees. The wide shallow green, to the far side of the pond, is well guarded by a series of bunkers at the back and demands a precision approach.

No. 17 par three, 200 yards - The last of the memorable par threes at Oakland Hills, this hole has an elevated, severely sloping green protected on all sides by deep bunkers. A ridge runs from the front right of the green to the back centre, making a back-right pin position a daunting prospect.

No. 18 par four, 494 yards - A superb finishing hole that plays as a par-five dogleg right for the club members. Accuracy is needed off a raised tee with the landing area hemmed in on both sides by bunkers and trees. The shallow green, set into a hillside, is well guarded by four bunkers to the front.