The greens that are considered maybe the fastest in the world lie tame, sedated by the ice and snow that cover the slick poa annua surfaces. The fairways with lies tighter than a sealed vault aren't nearly as daunting, their pitches and slopes slowed by the numbing chill of winter. Even the 210 steep-lipped sand bunkers sit harmlessly for now, waiting for the moment they get to swallow another unsuspecting shot.

In four months Oakmont Country Club will host its eighth U.S. Open, but there's not activity on the course. It is even quiet inside the stately green-and-white clubhouse, which has been closed since the start of the year so the dining room and outdoor porch areas that face the ninth green can be renovated.

That will all change in a couple weeks.

Beginning in March, the United States Golf Association will begin assembling the infrastructure of what Oakmont president Bill Griffin calls "a small city," putting up hospitality areas that are like miniature villages and constructing a merchandise store that is almost as large as a Wal-Mart.

Not to mention assembling a media village over the existing site of the club's swimming pool, a structure of tents so large (35,000 square feet) that Oakmont had to demolish the pool's bathhouse to create enough room.

"Unless people have been to U.S. Opens in other areas, the enormity of the event will be surprising," Mr. Griffin said. "I know I was surprised when I went to Pinehurst [in 2005] and Winged Foot [in 2006]. The USGA comes in and builds a small city."

People who attended the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, won by Ernie Els in a three-man 18-hole playoff, may not recognize the place when the Open is staged June 11-17.

Corporate hospitality and merchandise sales have become such big business the USGA must now seek large, open areas to accommodate the massive structures it constructs. Unlike 1994, when a small merchandise tent was constructed behind the clubhouse, the USGA will use a portion of Oakmont East -- the 18-hole public course adjacent to the club -- to build a 50,000-square-foot facility that will house nearly every apparel manufacturer in the industry.

The merchandise tent is being located next to what will be the main spectator entrance -- near the second green and No. 3 tee at Oakmont.

Nearby, the USGA also will construct the Trophy Room, a structure where corporate sponsors can entertain clients with food and drink. Oakmont East also will be the site for one of three hospitality villages, running nearly the entire length of Oakmont's third hole. The others will be located along the 17th and 18th holes.

Because of all the preparation, Oakmont East, which is owned by Oakmont Country Club, will not open for play this year.

"By the time we have opening day for our members (April 21), we'll have the tents up and most of the infrastructure will be up," Mr. Griffin said.

That includes the grandstands, which will be more numerous than in 1994. Because of an extensive tree-removal program, Oakmont will have more space to seat spectators , though the exact number has not yet been determined by the USGA or Oakmont.

"It's hard to be excited when it's zero degrees out as opposed to when the grass is green," said Mickey Pohl, general chairman of the 2007 U.S. Open. "But we're excited. If you love golf, it's fun as this point, thinking about everything. We want it to look perfect."

Oakmont is done preparing the golf course for the tournament. That has been going on since the club learned in 2001 it would play host to another U.S. Open. Tees have been lengthened, bunkers have been added and rebuilt, even some green complexes have been reshaped and contoured.

Getting the course ready for the world's best players is the least of their concerns. About the only problem still to rectify is removing the long-time directional poles behind the greens at Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 15.

"I was just at the USGA meeting in San Francisco, and Oakmont was the talk of the town," Mr. Griffin said. "The people at the USGA think Oakmont is the premier course in the country for their type of event. They said they haven't seen a course in better condition going in to an Open than Oakmont."