The article describes Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island. Raymond Floyd fell in love with Shinnecock Hills Golf Club the moment he saw it. It was 1986, the Monday before the U.S. Open--America's national golf championship--and Floyd had arrived in Southampton, N.Y., for his first practice round. He had some reservations about the way the United States Golf Association (USGA) had set up courses for previous Opens, specifically its practice of growing high greenside rough at layouts from Oakmont to Pebble Beach, which he thought put a premium on drawing lucky lies rather than on shotmaking and short-game skills. On June 17 through 20, the U.S. Open returns to this classic venue, a rugged stretch of turf 90 miles east of New York City and light-years from the city's noise and bustle. It was here, in 1896, that James Foulis won the second Open ever played. It was here, 90 years later, that Floyd won the 1986 Open by two shots. Nine years later Corey Pavin smacked his famous four-wood to the final green and edged out Greg Norman to win the 1995 Open. Then there's the club's history and tradition. Founded in 1891 by publishing magnate Edward S. Mead and a handful of fellow aristocrats, Shinnecock built the first 18-hole golf course on the East Coast, using mostly the labor of the local Shinnecock Indians. It constructed America's first golf clubhouse in 1892, a gracious wood-shingled building designed by Stanford White. And it hosted the first U.S. Open (in 1896) to allow African-American and Native American golfers to compete alongside whites. Who will win the 2004 Open? The subtle, deceptive contours of Shinnecock's greens tend to favor players with a strong short game, such as defending champion Jim Furyk. But Furyk may still be nursing a wrist injury; it's unclear whether he will be able to compete. Mickelson will be a crowd favorite, coming to Shinnecock full of confidence after his first major win, at the Masters in April. INSET: Stir it up, by Josha Hill.