In golf, four tournaments trump all others, shaping player legacies and providing the sport's most dramatic moments. These are the four major championships, often called the Grand Slams of golf. This article will walk you through each of these prestigious events - the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship - to explain what makes each one a unique and revered test in the game of golf.
The Masters is the first major of the year and for many, the most recognizable. It’s an invitational event, meaning the field is smaller and comprised of the world’s best players, past champions, and top amateurs. It’s the only major that is held at the same golf course every single year, which breeds familiarity and a deep sense of tradition.
The Masters is always played during the first full week of April at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The timing coincides with the spring bloom in Georgia, giving the tournament its famous backdrop of azaleas, dogwoods, and perfectly manicured, vibrant green grass.
More than any other event, the Masters is defined by its traditions.
Augusta is a picture of perfection, but don’t be fooled by its beauty. It’s a second-shot golf course that demands unbelievable precision on approach shots. The greens are its main defense - they are incredibly contoured and lightning-fast. Players often say the tournament doesn’t truly begin until the back nine on Sunday, where iconic holes like the par-3 12th and par-5 13th in "Amen Corner" have set the stage for legendary triumphs and devastating collapses.
When you watch the pros at Augusta, pay attention to where their approach shots land. They aren't just aiming for the flag, they are aiming for very specific sections of the green to leave themselves an uphill putt. Watch how they manage their misses. A recovery shot at Augusta is often about simply getting the ball to a place where they can two-patt. It’s a masterclass in course strategy.
The PGA Championship, a tournament run by the PGA of America, brings together one of the strongest fields in golf. While it used to be the final major of the year, its move to May in 2019 gave it a new prominent place in the schedule. Its identity is tied to being a tournament for club and touring professionals, presenting a stern, fair test on some of America's greatest courses.
The PGA Championship is now held annually in May. Unlike the Masters, it moves to different venues across the a special Par 3 course, often visiting iconic and challenging layouts like Oak Hill, Southern Hills, or Baltusrol.
The PGA boasts an exceptional field. It traditionally includes the top 100 players in the world rankings, past champions, and the top 20 finishers from the PGA Professional Championship. The Wanamaker Trophy, awarded to the winner, is one of the largest in sports. The tournament's DNA is about highlighting the best in professional golf, demanding excellence in every part of the game.
PGA Championship host sites are typically long, demanding courses that require stellar ball-striking, particularly with long irons. They don't have a single signature style like the U.S. Open's punishing rough or The Open's links-style ground game. Instead, the PGA tests a player's all-around ability to adapt to a classic, formidable American parkland course in peak condition. Winning here means you have no weaknesses in your game.
Focus on how players handle their long approach shots, from 175-225 yards. The winner is almost always a world-class ball striker who can control their distance and trajectory with their mid and long irons. For your own game, it serves as a reminder that improving your iron play is one of the quickest ways to lower your scores on tough golf courses.
The U.S. Open, run by the United States Golf Association (USGA), has a singular, clear identity: it aims to be the most difficult and rigorous examination of a golfer's skill. The tournament philosophy is to identify the best player by testing every facet of their physical and mental game. Winning here requires not just birdies, but the ability to avoid bogeys through immense patience and discipline.
Held in June and finishing on Father's Day, the U.S. Open travels to a rotating selection of America's most historic and hardest courses. Famous venues include Pebble Beach, Oakmont, Shinnecock Hills, and Pinehurst.
Its "open" nature is fundamental. Anyone with a handicap of 0.4 or lower can attempt to qualify, making it a true democratic championship. But its calling card is the course setup. The USGA is famous for penalizing errant shots with:
The champion is often the player who displays the most discipline - the one who can consistently hit fairways and greens and avoid big numbers. Par is a fantastic score at a U.S. Open.
This tournament is the ultimate lesson in course management and mental resilience. Watch how often the players choose to hit less than a driver off the tee to ensure they find the fairway. Notice their strategy on approach shots - they often aim for the center of the green, safely avoiding the tucked pin locations. The U.S. Open teaches us that sometimes the most boring, conservative shot is the smartest shot.
Often called "The British Open" by fans in America, its official name is simply The Open Championship. It’s the oldest of the four majors, dating back to 1860. It represents golf in its purest, most traditional form, played on rugged coastal links courses where skill and creativity are needed to battle the elements.
The Open is played in mid-July and rotates among a select group of legendary links courses (the "rota") across the UK. St Andrews, the "Home of Golf," is the most famous, with others including Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, and Carnoustie.
Winning The Open means earning the title "Champion Golfer of the Year" and hoisting the iconic Claret Jug. The primary factor separating this major is the style of golf course: links.
This major is a clinic on shot-making and trajectory control. Watch how players manage windy conditions by hitting lower, more penetrating shots. Pay attention to their creativity around the greens, where they might use anything from a putter to a 5-iron to bump the ball along the ground instead of a lofted wedge. It’s a beautiful reminder that there’s more than one way to get the ball close to the hole.
Winning all four majors is the crowning achievement in golf. Doing it in a single calendar year is the "Grand Slam," a feat only accomplished by Bobby Jones (on an older version of the majors). Winning all four at any point during a career is called the "Career Grand Slam." This is perhaps golf's most exclusive club, with only five members:
It stands as the benchmark for true, all-time greatness in the sport.
The four majors are the pinnacle of professional golf, each offering a distinct identity and a different but equally difficult test. From the tradition of Augusta to the raw conditions of links golf, they challenge every part of a player's ability and write the most important chapters in golf's history.
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