Every Major Change at Medinah No. 3 | The Hole At | Golf Digest

Medinah Country Club’s No. 3 Course has undergone one of the most dramatic golf course transformations in its history ahead of the 2026 Presidents Cup. Golf Digest Architecture Editor Derek Duncan breaks down every major design change at Medinah No. 3 and explains how the famous championship course was rebuilt for a new era of golf.

Welcome to THE Hole At, Golf Digest's golf course architecture series, where Derek Duncan uncovers the hidden stories behind the most fascinating holes and courses in golf.

In this episode, Derek takes a deep dive into the transformation of Medinah No. 3, the historic Chicago-area course that has hosted U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, the 2012 Ryder Cup and now the 2026 Presidents Cup. From the removal of hundreds of trees and the creation of wider fairways and larger greens to entirely new holes, redesigned bunkering and a dramatically different routing around Lake Kadijah, nearly every part of Medinah has been reimagined.

Led by Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking and Ashley Mead of OCM Golf, the renovation transformed Medinah from a narrow, tree-lined championship test into a more open and strategic golf course built around angles, options, risk and reward.

As the world's best players arrive at Medinah for the 2026 Presidents Cup, Derek examines the biggest architectural changes, why they were made and how the new design could shape match play. From the new closing stretch around Lake Kadijah to a Presidents Cup routing that will begin on Medinah's fifth hole, this is the story of how one of America's most famous championship courses became an almost entirely different golf course.

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