Medinah No. 3 will host the 2026 Presidents Cup, scheduled for September 21-27, 2026, and the course asks for more than simple power. The supported public information points to a long par-72 championship setup, a 2024 redesign by OCM, and a closing stretch shaped by Lake Kadijah. This hole-by-hole view stays close to those known facts, then turns them into match-play decisions for players, captains, and serious golf watchers.
Medinah No. 3 Course Setting
Why Medinah No. 3 Favors Choice Over Width
The official Presidents Cup course page lists the championship tees at 7,564 yards and par 72, which means length will matter even before wind, firmness, and hole locations are considered Presidents Cup course details. That number alone does not prove the course will reward the longest player every time. In match play, a player who repeatedly plays from preferred angles can pressure an opponent who is longer but less certain with approach lines.
The 2024 OCM redesign by Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking, and Ashley Mead is the key modern context. PGA of America’s course feature describes wider fairways, larger greens, restored Golden Age bunkering, rerouted holes, and a revised finishing stretch, with Lake Kadijah framing demanding shots at the new 16th and 17th holes PGA course analysis. Wider corridors can invite driver, but the more useful question is whether the wider side creates the correct angle into the green.
Reading Lake Kadijah Without Guessing
For Medinah No. 3, the lake influence is most useful as a decision filter. If the hole requires a diagonal carry, the player should choose a club and start line that protect the miss before chasing a flag. That is especially true late in matches, where a single water ball can shift not only one hole but the emotional direction of a session.
Because some public hole-by-hole details remain limited after the redesign, the analysis below separates known pressure points from broader course-management guidance. Where a specific yardage or hazard note is not supported by the available research, the recommendation stays at a conservative strategy level rather than filling gaps with unsupported claims.
Hole-By-Hole Pressure Map
Opening To Middle Holes
The first hole is listed in the research notes as a 433-yard par 4, with trees framing a tighter-looking fairway and a tee shot that works over a ridge into the fairway. In match play, the opening tee shot is less about making an early statement and more about avoiding an avoidable concession. A controlled driver or a shorter club that finds the fairway can be correct if the player still has a manageable approach.
For holes 2 through 5, the supplied research does not isolate specific hazards or yardages. The safest evidence-based read is to treat this section as a scoring-position phase. Players should build a rhythm, avoid short-siding approaches, and make the opponent earn wins with birdies rather than receiving holes through loose decisions.
Hole 6 is identified in the research as a long par 4 of about 509 yards and the No. 1 handicap hole, with uphill or sloped fairway movement and strong bunkering. That profile supports a simple match-play rule: par has value. Chasing a tucked hole location from the wrong side of the fairway can turn a difficult four into a lost hole quickly.
Hole 7 is described as a 617-yard par 5 with narrow landing demands and deep bunkering near the green. In four-ball, one player can take on more risk while the partner protects par. In foursomes, that same choice becomes harder because a poor drive hands the partner a recovery problem. A well-placed layup can beat a forced second shot that finishes in sand or worse.
For holes 8 through 12, the research notes do not give enough redesign-specific detail to assign firm hole traits. The strategic thread should be patience. If the course is playing firm, the larger greens described after the redesign may still reject approaches from poor angles. If conditions are softer, teams may be able to attack more flags, but that should be based on the day’s setup rather than reputation.
Kadijah Finish And Closing Choices
Hole 13 is identified as a long par 3 of roughly 245 yards with a strong water presence. The most practical target is often the portion of the green that keeps the ball dry and leaves a realistic two-putt. If a player is behind in the match and the wind supports the shot, a more direct line may be justified. If the match is level or ahead, center green is rarely a weak choice.
Hole 14 is referenced in the research as a par 5 that can matter in aggressive formats. Without a supported yardage in the supplied notes, the key distinction is format. In four-ball, a long player may attack while the partner lays up. In foursomes, captains should pair players whose preferred layup yardages and wedge distances match well.
Hole 15 has no specific public detail in the supplied research, so it should be treated as a transition hole before the Lake Kadijah finish. That does not make it minor. In match play, the hole before a high-risk stretch is a place to secure position and force the opponent to face the water holes without a free advantage.
Hole 16 is described as a par 4 of about 482 yards, with a dogleg-right shape over water, a tee shot that rewards the right shot shape, and an approach guarded by water on one side and bunkers on the other. This is where a player’s preferred ball flight matters. A player who naturally fades the ball may see a different safe line than a player who draws it. Captains should not treat the tee shot as a generic driver hole.
Hole 17 is the new par 3 over Lake Kadijah, with research placing it in the 193-217 yard range and describing a diagonal carry to an angled green. Precision matters more than raw distance. A shot that finds the safe quadrant can be match-winning if the opponent chooses an aggressive carry and misses. The proper miss depends on the day’s hole location, but the core idea is constant: do not let the lake define the decision after the swing starts.
Hole 18 is described as a par 4 of about 449 yards with an upgraded finishing role and an approach to an uplifted green. Matches that reach this point require clear thinking. A player who needs birdie may have to challenge the preferred angle from the tee; a player protecting a lead can often win by forcing an opponent to hit the harder approach first.
Format Strategy For The Presidents Cup
Foursomes And Four-Ball
Foursomes, or alternate shot, should reduce unnecessary risk on the most penal holes. The research points to 13, 16, and 17 as water-influenced pressure points, so a team’s best plan is not always to assign the longest driver the most aggressive line. It is to leave the partner a shot that fits their eye and distance control. That is especially true on par 5s, where a layup to a trusted wedge number can be stronger than a low-percentage reach.
Four-ball changes the risk equation. One player can secure the hole with a conservative target while the other challenges a corner, a par-5 green, or a more demanding flag. Still, “one safe, one aggressive” should not become automatic. If both players dislike the same water carry, both may need to play for the same broad section of green and rely on putting.
- At 13: favor the safest green section unless the match score clearly demands a birdie attempt.
- At 16: choose the tee line by shot shape, not by ego or yardage alone.
- At 17: commit to a carry number and a safe finish area before selecting the final club.
- At 18: decide from the tee whether the goal is birdie pressure or par control.
Sunday Singles Decision Rules
In singles, the final three holes can become a direct test of nerve and discipline. A player who is 1 up standing on the 16th tee should not copy the line of a player who is 1 down. The same hole presents different correct choices depending on match status. That is why pre-round preparation should include if-then decisions: if leading, where is the safest tee line; if trailing, which aggressive line still has a playable miss?
There is a fan angle here as well. The Lake Kadijah holes should be easy for viewers to understand because the risk is visible. For readers planning broader golf trips around Midwest courses, the Bass Lake Roadhouse website provides additional regional golf content within the same network. For a deeper companion piece focused on the event setup, see this Medinah Presidents Cup strategy.
Medinah No. 3 Match-Play Keys
Practical Takeaways For Players And Captains
Medinah No. 3 asks players to balance modern width with old-style angle control. The redesign appears to create more options, but options only help if a player understands the cost of each miss. The safest target is not always the center of the fairway; sometimes it is the side that opens the green. The boldest shot is not always driver; sometimes it is choosing a conservative club while an opponent is tempted by water or bunkers.
The most reliable Presidents Cup plan is built around three ideas. First, protect the ball on the known penalty holes. Second, use format to assign risk intelligently rather than emotionally. Third, treat holes 16 through 18 as separate problems: a shaped tee shot, a committed par-3 carry, and a finishing approach that can reward patience or punish overreach. With those rules in place, the course becomes less about fear and more about choosing the right shot for the match score.