Bleeding During Practice, Not the Battle: Pro Habits from Oakmont’s 2025 US Open Practice Rounds

Oakmont Country Club is arguably the most punishing course in U.S. Open rotation—but it’s during practice rounds at the 2025 US Open that the pros showcase their sharp routines. The brutal lies around the greens, relentless short game demands, and precise green challenges all combine to simulate tournament stress without the scorecard. Below, we dig into what makes Oakmont’s practice round habits so effective and why amateurs should take note.

1. Embracing the Lies: Not for Show, but for Growth 🎯

Oakmont’s thick rough—often 5 inches deep—plus wicked undulations and hidden bunker lips, mean even short chips can go sideways into gnarly lies with unpredictable grain  . During practice rounds, pros deliberately hunt these difficult lies. Why? Because they replicate tournament stress moments, teaching control under pressure. A blind 2foot miss off a slope can cost a shot—knowing how to manage that in practice builds trust in clutch moments.

Amateurs usually sandbag short-game sessions—setting up perfect lies and smooth turf around the green. While it’s fun to make 10-footers, it doesn’t prepare you for the messy reality of tournament golf. Take a leaf out of the pros’ playbook: make your practice deliberately difficult.

2. Bleed During Practice—Not During the Battle

The mantra among tour pros: “Bleed during practice, not the battle.” They treat these practice sessions like a zero-score, high-stakes tournament. Chips and pitches are worked from rough, tight lies, plugged areas—whatever they’ll likely face in the event. This is short-game conditioning on par with their longer game routines.

When tournament play arrives, they’ve already suffered the challenge. They know how to grind, are comfortable in adversity, and aren’t rattled when the rough bites back.

3. Oakmont Demands Mental Fitness: Process Beats Outcome

Experts note that Oakmont punishes everything—bad shots, impatience, lack of focus  . Executing poor short-game can exacerbate frustration. By dealing with tough lies in practice rounds, players cement mental resilience—shifting from outcome-focused to process-centric, step by step. The routine becomes instinctive: scan the lie, choose the shot, commit. Say “bleed” by sweating in practice so you don’t bleed in competition.

4. Turn Practice Into a Challenge: Lessons for Amateurs

Here’s how you can elevate your own practice:

• Work from rough and tight lies around greens—not just the thick shag, but fringe and bare spots.

• Play “challenge mode”: hit chips from uneven stances, uphill/downhill lies, plugged scenarios.

• Create a scoreless trial: simulate 68 shots where every shot counts—no perfect lie allowed.

• Be your own coach: critique every shot, adjust club/grip/stance—learn your edge.

• Track subtle gains: improve tolerance for imperfection and reliance on process, not perfection.

5. Why Challenging Practice Produces Competitive Gains

• Real-world preparedness: you face tough short-game worse than practice—be ready.

• Confidence under pressure: if you can get up-and-down from the worst lies, you’re fearless in the battle.

• Resilience training: handling adversity in practice builds emotional grit.

• Process over score: it’s about your reaction to the shot, not its result.

6. Final Word: Practice Like a Pro at the Oakmont US Open

At Oakmont’s 2025 US Open, practice rounds set the stage. They create challenges before the real battle begins, forcing pros to bleed during practice—not the tournament. Embrace the lies, demand pressure, foster consistency. That’s how you build a tournament-ready short game. Stop hunting perfect lies—hunt progress.

Try this in your next short-game session: dig out the sedges, cut rough corners, stand on slopes—and commit to solving them. That’s when golf gets real—and that’s where champions are forged.