Any report from Erin Hills, site of USGA WPL?

[Glenn Spencer]

The green is much bigger in person.  As I near 50 nothing makes me happier than a short par 4 that terrifies a young bomber with a difficult approach.  Don't worry about it, the golf writers have influenced its destruction much as they did to the 14th at Bandon Trails.

Young bomber? I am 33 and feel 73 if I play with anybody that is young and good.


Phil,

Just one man's opinion, but I would think Mae there would inspire a lot more fear than 17 at Sawgrass. Sawgrass, you miss the green and then you drop and flip it on. Mae looks like there is nowhere to hide and it could get really ugly. It is probably fun as hell, but in a 4-day tourney, I could almost guarantee that I would make a 7 or so on that hole. It would probably go something like this. Drive in rough, second goes bounding over the green, miss the third with a chip, miss another chip, chip on and two-putt. There is a hole in Cincinnati at Heritage Club that probably instills the same type fear. It is #6, a par 3. 160 yards and you can just tell that you don't want to miss the green because there aren't any easy chips. I was in a tournament with a guy and after 23 holes, was probably 2-3 under or so. He drills some iron at the pin and it goes over, he makes a 10 or so and misses the cut. I had to play the hole 2 more days after that. I thought about it all night. Probably the reason I don't think I would like Mae all that much.

[Phil McDade]

Glenn:

My attempts to crib Shivas' remarks failed badly in my hasty cut-and-paste job. Shivas has played the hole; I have not. He REALLY likes it, from previous EHills threads. (The comments I cribbed are his, not mine....)

I'm wondering if the 2nd is one of those holes that appeals to those who play the course -- high-end daily-fee players -- and doesn't to golf associations (namely the USGA) that want to use the course for big tourneys. Maybe just a bit too quirky. I'm hesitant to offer up too much more, as I haven't played it and only seen it in pictures and read a lot about it.

[RJ_Daley]

This graphic really doesn't do the hole justice.  But, I think it is fair to say that your choices are, hit it directly over the left carry glacial mound of thick native, sprinkled with trees off the tee, >242 or 259 to land in the throat (what % of golfers can hit their shots that far?); or lay up going directly at the backdrop glacial drumlin.  I personally didn't choose, but just ended up in the first cut rough about where the graphic yardage pointer ends.  I guess I had about 110 yards, but how the F would I know other than the yardage book.  You are totally blind with no reference point to aim over at least a 20ft drumlin also of thick native to clear, then that cart path and the pot bunker to a green that I don't think can be 8-10 paces deep and very turtle backed.  IMHO, if you can gut it out, and hit it pure (for most golfers a very big drive) taking that left blind shot off the tee and carry to the open throat, you are then faced with what I'd characterize as a similar challenge as the 10th at Riviera, only way more turtlebacked.   If you are in the right frame of mind, and looking for a quirky, if not mini-golf, windmill clowns mouth sort of challenge, go for it.  In that vane it might be fun.  But, if you are looking for a series of golf shots that relate to something approaching traditional golf, I don't think this would be your cup of tee. 

But, I am told by some that the carry over the left hillside native is not as tough as you might think.  I'll look forward to trying it next time... can I use one of your pro Vs?   

[Dan Moore]

I believe the only issue with #2 is the green in particular how small it is.  Last Fall the area where everyone walks off was is very poor shape. 

Here is another view of #2 green from last November.  You can see the damaged area where everyone walks off where the stand bag is located. 


And here is a view looking back toward the tee which is behind the glacial mound on the right.  Your drive over that mound is blind but leaves you with a straight on shot to the green.  Play to the right of that mound and have a blind approach to the green over the mound on the left which is not advised.  All in all a pretty neat short par 4. 

[Tony Gorski]

First of all, omg. That is really small. Second, how "natural" is that green site? Or is it a man-made little mound?
[/quote]

Hi Matt - that is a natural green site.  In an interest to keep things "as they were" the green was kept. 

[RJ_Daley]

If I remember right, isn't it a wee little flag to fake you out on distance perception?  Dan's 2nd photo is somehow not the perspective I remember in that the mound on the left as you look at the pic, the one you have to hit blind over to the green if you don't hit it long enough over the mound on the left off the tee... and only about a 130 carry, looks like a couple hundred yards in the picture.  That tree is really not more than a 15ft high thornapple or some such bush.