Erin Hills Update

[Steve_ Shaffer]

The course is projected to open in August. This course is probably the most anticipated new course since Whistling Straits. The USGA has already awarded it the US Women's Am Publinx for 2008.Here's a recent article with pictures from gmtoday.com:

www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2006/April_06/04082006_07.asp

[Joe Hancock]

I honestly don't mean this question to be derogatory in any sense, as I don't have much knowledge of this project, so...

Is this project that good or has it been a great job of marketing and positioning? If anyone has seen it and can fill us in, please do so.

Thanks,

Joe

[PThomas]

Joe - I believe it is a terrific piece of property, from what I can recall reading about it...I haven't seen it and can't recall any discussion of the holes

and fwiw, the USGA awarded it some tournament months ago

[Steve_ Shaffer]

There have been previous threads on this course. Here are some facts:

Hurdzan/Fry design with Ron Whitten as a consultant. Dunes/glacier land. 8000yards from the tips. Public. Midwest. Possible future US Open site?

www.erinhills.com

[RJ_Daley]

Using a four-wheel John Deere tractor with attached mower deck, Lang said he spent his off-time at the course mowing a routing plan for four years before he began constructing the actual course.

In my opinion, too many courses are designed and built upon land before the developers and even the architects spend enough time getting intimately acquainted with the nuances of the property.  This can show up in an end result that something about the course, routing, and look just is a click off.  Perhaps these little imperfections or oversights in land use aren't noticed by the casual player for many rounds.  Perhaps the oversights show up first in problems that the superintendent has to begin to deal with that could have been avoided.  

But whatever it is or could be, it seems more likely to be avoided by a person like Mr. Lang who clearly demonstrates a love and vision for the land, and a measure of patience.  

[Tim Pitner]

I find it disturbing that any course would be built to play at 8000 yards.  I know that there will be tees to play at a much more modest distance, and that Erin Hills wants to host prestigious championships and to anticipate further increases in distance.  From what I've read, Erin Hills sounds very promising (and I generally like Hurdzan/Fry courses), but a throwback, "lay of the land"-type course doesn't seem like it ought to be 8000 yards long, IMO.

[cary lichtenstein]

Bette and I toured Erin Hills after most of the rough grading, but before the bunkering was finished. We both thought it appeared to be a very special golf course in the making and think it will be very well received.


From what I understand, Ron Whitten served a much greater role than consultant in this project, it may very well be his baby.

[Derek_Duncan]

The championship yardage on the scorecard is likely to read in the 7200 range, but there's enough room and elasticity on the site to take it back to 8000 or more if the need should arise. And if Erin Hills hopes to someday court a US Open (2015 and beyond?), then those 8000 yards might come in handy.

[Scott_Burroughs]

An unfortunate side effect of the USGA's love of the place has been the extreme hike in the projected fees.  One of the reasons the USGA wanted to go there so badly was that the projected fees were supposed to be something like $50-$75 and that walking would be encouraged.  "The USGA goes to another affordale-but-high-quality public course!" seemed to be their desire.

A quote from one of the articles:
"They want to make it a classic inland links course, keep green fees affordable and encourage walking."

Now?  Fees are $150 ($125 for state residents), and carts are $38.  Fees doubled or tripled.  I guess the outrageous cart fee is to dissuade people from taking them.

[Brendan Dolan]

I was out at Erin Hills las saturday, and the place was looking really good.  The course made it through the winter really well.  Jeff and his staff have the place looking quite nice.  They recently burned the native areas, and grass was just starting to sprout.  
There is still alot of work to do on the bunkers, but Erin Hills should be ready around July.

Brendan

[Jay Flemma]

Yeah, Ron has been working really hard on many facets of the project.  Alot more than just "consulting."  Kudos also to Hurdzan/Fry for trusting him with such significant responsibility.

Good for Ron, he talks the talk AND he walks the walk.  It wil be a great addition in the Midwest list of solid courses.

Any pix Brendan?

[Steve Lapper]

This course will be extensively followed in future years!

The reason: This collaboration between Owner, Architects and USGA is specifically designed with the goal in mind to produce a future USGA Midwest US Open site period!

It is, in effect, a lower key Kohler that will once and for all provide the USGA with a site that won't be vulnerable to the PGA's  $$$ driven competition to secure it's Midwest venues. Whistling, Medinah, and Dubsdread are all going to remain PGA-specific sites and the USGA plans on having Erin Hills become it's to-be-built "Bethpage" of the midwest.

Like others who have also seen the site, it is magnificant and very, very likely to succeed in filling those shoes.

[RJ_Daley]

Well if it would ever host as big of a deal as a US Open, they might have to figure out some interesting park&ride bussing systems or build more roads to handle that much traffic.  Given the beauty of the area where ERin HIlls is located, I'd have to think they would try to avoid more road systems and such.  It might almost be like going to Lake Placid or Squaw Valley for Olympics.  I hope to see the course in person this spring.  I could kick myself that I didn't go down there when Rod Whitman was shaping greens to watch a recognized artist in the field.

I hope that the venue becomes an instant success, if for no other reason than to showcase a particularly charming area of our state.  You can't go wrong if you schedule a tour of golf at courses along the Kettle Morraine system of Wisconsin.

[Brad Swanson]

An unfortunate side effect of the USGA's love of the place has been the extreme hike in the projected fees.  One of the reasons the USGA wanted to go there so badly was that the projected fees were supposed to be something like $50-$75 and that walking would be encouraged.  "The USGA goes to another affordale-but-high-quality public course!" seemed to be their desire.

A quote from one of the articles:
"They want to make it a classic inland links course, keep green fees affordable and encourage walking."

Now?  Fees are $150 ($125 for state residents), and carts are $38.  Fees doubled or tripled.  I guess the outrageous cart fee is to dissuade people from taking them.

I was considering coming out of my golfing retirement for a peek at Erin Hills considering all of the fuss it has received.  Looks like the sticks can continue to gather dust if these rates hold up.

Cheers,
Brad Swanson

[Brendan Dolan]

I didn’t take any pictures this past Saturday, but here are a couple from last fall.
Here is a before and after photo of the 2nd green complex.  It is a short par four with a really small green.



The third hole is a long par four with an interesting three tiered green.



The 5th hole is a long par four with a punchbowl and amphitheater green complex.


Here is a picture looking towards Holy Hill Cathedral.  The green is of the 8th hole, while the 18th hole can be seen in the distances.
 

Enjoy,
Brendan    

[Dan Moore]

Erin Hills news update from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  

Looks like an August opening.  

Ron Whitten quoted as saying ""The architecture isn't the star. It's the land forms. And you don't see much of that anymore."


http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=417795