The Hamptons has a reputation, and golf is not the first thing that comes to mind. Rosé on the beach, white pants after Memorial Day, overindulgence, and indie rock drifting from a glass-walled house overlooking the water are more in line with the image most people have of the place. If you're watching Your Friends and Neighbors, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
A 126-year-old PGA major parked at Shinnecock for four days in June, however, is not what most people picture. But that's the gift of the 2026 US Open when the third of four 2026 PGA Majors lands at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., June 18–21. Suddenly the prettiest weekend on the East End comes with a leaderboard, a polo shirt, and an invitation to get golf savvy and make some sugar. For a GNO crew, that means walking the course in the morning, rosé by 4PM at the latest, and a dinner reservation you had to apply your best sales techniques to score. If all goes as the golf Gods would like it, you'll be celebrating Sunday night with Scottie Scheffler just completing the career Grand Slam on his thirtieth birthday. Bring the hat. Pack a second one! You may lose the first at a house party you didn't know you couldn't miss.
First Stop: Shinnecock Hills
Shinnecock hosts its sixth US Open on a par-70 links-style course perched above Peconic Bay. The breeze will threaten the expensive pre-trip blowout, but girl, that's why you brought the hat. Walk a few holes early in the week for photo opps and autograph energy. Sunscreen is non-negotiable. Comfortable shoes too, because your espadrilles will betray you by hole 6 if you get that far. It could be a great "meet the locals" tactic though if you just have to have a rescue cart pull you back in for a quick wardrobe change.
Who to Watch
Scottie Scheffler is the headline, always. His final round Sunday, June 21, falls on his 30th birthday and a win would make him only the seventh man ever to complete the career Grand Slam. Birthday cake or trophy cake either way, history would be made. Cameron Young is the rising star also worth a follow. He won the Players Championship with a 375-yard drive on TPC Sawgrass' 18th, the longest ever recorded there. The fun-follow factor? Young credits a swing thought from his three-year-old son. A toddler is rewiring a major contender's swing. We are obsessed. Aaron Rai is the underdog, the two-gloved Englishman who just won the 2026 PGA Championship as a 150-1 long shot. Back-to-back Masters champ Rory McIlroy and Swedish "always a bridesmaid" Ludvig Aberg round out the conversation.
Betting Board
For golf betting tips, check out my Sandman post on Outright Winners and Placement Bets. Golf betting is different from your typical football or baseball bet. Think more like the Kentucky Derby where you bet horses to win, place, and show. Except in golf, you're betting on who will finish in the Top 5, Top 10, or Top 20. Odds are always changing, but right now Scheffler (+600 outright) is the obvious anchor. A small Top-10 bet on Young at +1500 is the play that keeps the group invested without torching the weekend budget. A $10 bet on Young returns $150 if he wins, which will definitely cover brunch for 1.5 people in the Hamptons. Set your budget before the first glass of rosé.
Hotspots: Boozy Brunch, Sunset Sips, and the Southampton Scene
Southampton Village is small, walkable, and built for exactly this kind of weekend. Start with brunch at 75 Main, the Main Street staple that runs contemporary American by day and nightclub energy after dinner, and yes, the one from Discovery's Serving the Hamptons. For a long lunch that becomes dinner, Tutto Il Giorno on Nugent Street is the sophisticated Southern Italian indoor/outdoor spot with a view of the harbor. For old-school local energy, Shippy's on Windmill Lane is a beloved Southampton institution showcasing Shinnecock Golf Club memorabilia and serving schnitzel, bratwurst, and bread-and-butter that makes you unbutton your linen pants.
For sunset and seen-and-be-seen time, Southampton Social Club on Elm Street is the move, with a patio bar, VIP cabanas, craft cocktails, daily 5–7 p.m. happy hour, and the supper-club DJ taking the main dining room at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This is the place to wear that new killer summer fit. For nightcap energy without the line, La Goulue Sur Mer on Hampton Road is the Southampton outpost of the legendary NYC and Palm Beach La Goulue, a French brasserie with red-leather banquettes, vintage Thonet chairs from Paris, and late-night lounge service. When you've had enough of see-and-be-seen rooms, pivot to Tidewater AAA Pub on Montauk Highway in shorts and flip flops. A Southampton sports-bar institution with wings, burgers, TVs everywhere, and judgement nowhere to be found.
Field Trip: The North Fork Wine Day
Arrive to NYC early and carve out a city day or an extra afternoon wine tasting on Long Island. Or do both! Wölffer Estate in Sagaponack is technically South Fork, so it's a short drive from Shinnecock and the place to start, with a stylish tasting room over 55 acres of sustainably farmed vines plus a casual Wine Stand on Montauk Highway for walk-ins, sunsets, and the East End rosé photo. Then cross the bay to the North Fork. Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue is the benchmark, with a covered deck and 180-degree vineyard views. Macari Vineyards in Mattituck sits on a nearly 500-acre family-owned estate. And Croteaux Vineyards in Southold is the only U.S. winery dedicated to growing vinifera grapes for making only rosé, the glass that will forever remind you of the entire weekend.
Shopping: Hats Optional, Linen Mandatory
Not a fascinator-and-feathers situation like the Derby, the US Open calls for a wide-brim straw hat, oversized sunglasses, breezy white denim, or the sundress that survives a six-mile walk in 80-degree humidity. Think Jackie O class. Jobs Lane is the village shopping spine at the corner of Jobs Lane and Main, and Hildreth's on Main Street is the Hamptons institution worth a detour for a sweet-smelling soap or lotion that serves as a perfect East Coast souvenir. And the official US Open Merchandise Pavilion at Shinnecock is a destination of its own, where the patches, pins, and polos make excellent group-text bragging rights.
The Final Putt
Come for Scheffler's birthday history, stay for the linen and the lobster rolls. This is what Girls' Night Out was built for: making your own moments and turning a major championship into a trip you'll be quoting all summer. Cheers to the gals who say yes to Long Island in June, and to the friend who finally lets you put $10 on the longshot. Swing away!
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