A Public Battle Royale in America's Dairyland - 12th Holes Posted

[Jason Thurman]

Right on about Erin Hills’ 4th and the bunkers being in no-man’s land. The hole looks fantastic from the tee, but I think they put the bunkers just a touch too far down the fairway. If I remember correctly, it’s only about 100 yards from the edge of the first bunker to the green. As a result, no real benefit comes from challenging them. Just lay up to 110 and stick a wedge close.

Now, from 280 yards at the Amateur on the day I attended, it became a little more interesting. Do you hit a driver to such a shallow target? Do you challenge the bunkers to get a flip L wedge or something like that? The right play is probably still laying up to 110, but man, talking yourself into an 8 iron off the tee is tough. The hole has a ton of flexibility from its multiple tees, but the scorecard tees feel like the risk/reward balance just isn’t quite right.

I won’t get to #4 River until the 13th hole, but I suspect I’ll be kinder than you. I agree completely that it has gotten a bit repetitive as a Dye concept. Then again, the same criticism applies to Redan holes. I’m probably less enamored with the concept than Dye, but it still produces a hole that has good playing qualities (I wrote this sentence while ducking below my cubicle wall just in case Phil McDade is within earshot). I’ll say more when I get to it in a few days.

[PCCraig]

Nice thread. Wish I've played Lawsonia and the most recent iteration of Erin Hills.

WTF Howard! Next summer you'll have to make the trip. I could probably be talked into a day trip from MSP if others want to join.

[PCCraig]

I think WS wins round 4 hands down. I think Lawsonia #4 has a cool green but I think it's probably the worst hole on the course.

I would go:

WS
BWR
Lawsonia
Erin Hills

[Jason Thurman]

Round 5

A surprise contender fires the first real knockdown punch of this matchup.



The fifth at Whistling Straits is what it is - a good, strategic, and challenging par 5. It has no business in this routing. I don’t know what else to say about it. I like the hole fine, just not on this course.



Erin Hills offers one of its tamer jaunts. The tee shot should be well struck to clear a ridge and give a view of the green, which will accept a runner from the left around a devious fronting bunker. A nicely understated hole.



Lawsonia’s 5th makes a lot of sense in the context of the routing. The tightest tee shot on the course also provides the best birdie opportunity if a player hits the fairway. A really well struck drive will bound down to a nice, level spot and leave a mid-to-short iron into this par 5. Some wonderful shaping in the final 60 yards or so makes the approach feel a bit awkward in a good way.



But none of the match up to Blackwolf Run’s offering. The back nine of today’s Meadow-Valleys course might simply be the most enjoyable roller coaster of golf I’ve ever played, and it never works better than it does here. A stunner of a par 4 plays out to a plateau, followed by a drop-shot approach to a green surrounded by the river on three sides. Kayakers and fly fishermen wave hello as you walk to the green like a deleted scene from Buddy's journey through Canada to New York in "Elf." It’s probably my favorite Pete Dye moment ever, and one of the best on any course anywhere.

Blackwolf Run – 10
Lawsonia – 8
Erin Hills – 7
Whistling Straits – 5

Overall:

Whistling Straits - 39
Erin Hills – 42
Lawsonia – 40
Blackwolf Run – 42

[PCCraig]

Jason,

I think you sum up the 5th holes of each course perfectly and I agree that BWR is by far the best of the bunch.

[Josh Tarble]

I agree with you completely about WS #5.  I really like the hole individually, but it's just so out of character with the course.  I actually think it's one of the better 5s I've played and really has a ton of options.  Its just tough that it's so different from the rest of WS.

I actually think you're underrating the 5th at Erin Hills.  I think this is a perfect example of a time where understated is better and the lull let's the high moments hit harder.  In no way is this a boring hole and it's well designed with options off the tee and the approach.  It utilizes the flattish ground it occupies very well and provides a bit of a breather compared to the total roller coaster of the rest of the round.  While not spectacular, a very solid golf hole.

BWR-River is a beautiful hole.  Beautiful and difficult.  I can't help but think that this hole is near impossible for those that can't hit a high, soft-landing shot, uphill from 160.  I think it's a good hole but can definitely see why some may say they don't enjoy it.

WS - 6
EH - 7
BWR - 8

[Jason Thurman]

Round 6

More superb golf follows at the 6th.



Whistling Straits drops one of the most puzzling holes in the state. This short par 4 has some interest off the tee, but the real fun starts on the approach to a green split in two by a bunker. Unlike holes such as the 6th as Riviera, you won’t be able to get a putt close using the slope if you get on the wrong side of the sand. Some may consider this a weakness. This judge likes the emphasis it places on precision with your approach.



Erin Hills offers its first par 3. The tee shot crosses a valley to a saddle green with a rear half that runs away. Erin Hills is the brawniest of these four courses by far, but it feels a bit out of place at times on its par 3s. This is a good hole, but feels a bit insignificant.



Lawsonia throws a haymaker. My personal choice for best hole in the state, the sixth uses two bunker complexes to create a different ideal line for players who hit the ball different lengths off the tee. Short hitters will go well left. Medium hitters might thread one over the first bunker complex but short of the second. Long hitters will go well right. The green also stands among the course’s best. A great, stout par 4 that shows Lawsonia can match the brawn of Erin Hills or Whistling Straits on occasion.



Blackwolf Run, then, gives one of the most stringent gut-examining and plain stunning par 3s in golf. A longish par 3 over the river chasm, it feels a bit like an inland adaptation of 16 at Cypress Point, though shorter and with a less attractive layup option. I didn’t have the nerve to take a ball at the flag here, and instead aimed for the far right side of the green edge. Of course I hit a solidly struck ball that made me wish I’d manned up.

The winner is easy to choose, but it feels a bit unfair that such a great hole couldn’t score a knockdown. One-third of the way into the battle, conventional wisdom is getting beaten up a bit.

Lawsonia – 10
Blackwolf Run – 9
Whistling Straits – 7
Erin Hills – 6

Overall:

Whistling Straits - 46
Erin Hills – 48
Lawsonia – 50
Blackwolf Run – 51

[Jason Thurman]

Josh, I definitely love 5 at Erin Hills. It falls at a tough spot in this battle, because 14 at Meadow Valleys is about as good as it gets and I happen to think the stretch from 4-10 at Lawsonia is the best 7 hole run I've played outside of Pebble Beach. I agree that it falls at a good spot in the round though.

If I have one criticism of Erin Hills (which you know is one of my favorites anywhere), it's that it doesn't ever have the same great stretches of holes that Lawsonia pulls off from 4-10 or Meadow-Valleys pulls off from 11-16.

[Jason Thurman]

Round 7

Round 7

Are the favorites sleepwalking through this fight? Are they storing up for a late surge? Is it time to take the underdogs seriously?



Whistling Straits’ 7th is great, but didn’t we just play it a little while ago from a shorter tee on the other side of the green or something? To be fair, the lake feels a bit more ominous on this tee with a longer iron in hand and the water seemingly much closer to the putting surface. The par 3s at the Straits don’t play alike, but they do tend to look alike. In fact, a lot of the holes out there run together just a bit for me, probably a result of the mirrored routing of each nine and the visual noise everywhere.



Erin Hills’ 7th feels overlooked to me. It seems to get little love, and perhaps it’s just a bit too long. But it sure gets interesting in the final 70 yards. I suspect that no one likes long holes that play into the wind, but the terrain is fabulous.



Lawsonia, though, throws another big punch. The 7th might not be the best hole or even the best par 3 on the course, but it must be the most famous. It also has one of the most terrifyingly cool recovery shots in golf for the guy who comes up short. Just as anyone who goes to St. Andrews should drop a ball in the Road Hole bunker and get out, anyone who travels to Green Lake should drop a ball short of the boxcar green and play it.



Blackwolf Run’s 7th, oddly, feels more linksy to me than any hole at Whistling Straits. The scary uphill blind tee shot to a secretly wide fairway has a lot of interest, and the approach feels like Raynor reincarnated. This must be one of Pete’s most under-the-radar par 5s. The front side of the Championship Course is transcendent when it’s near the river, but has brilliant moments even when it strays from that idyllic setting.

Upset watch is in full effect. It’s frightening to think that the underdogs are actually WINNING as opposed to the favorites simply blowing it. Whistling Straits and Erin Hills are putting up good holes, and they just can’t score rounds:

Lawsonia – 10
Blackwolf Run – 9
Whistling Straits – 8
Erin Hills – 7

Overall:

Whistling Straits - 54
Erin Hills – 55
Lawsonia – 60
Blackwolf Run – 60

[Josh Tarble]

I haven't played either Meadow-Valley or Lawsonia so can't compare...but I have to disagree with you about having a really great stretch at Erin Hills.  IMO, the stretch from 8 - 15 is amazing, bold and varied.  The only hole that may drop it down is the par 3 13th, and I think that is a pretty good 3.  The rest are as wild and as cool as I've played anywhere.  

I do think it kind of goes back to having those "lulls" though.  That's the thing about Erin Hills, nothing about it is understated in the slightest, which can kind of dilute the experience of having every hole be so wild.  

I thought about this similar to music...in no way would Erin Hills be called refined and sophisticated such as Mozart or Bach.  Erin Hills is like Pantera.  Every note is as hardcore as possible and totally bad ass.  It's not what I'd want every day but it's still awesome.



#6 at Whistling Straits may be my favorite hole at the course.  I think the drive is a bit more interesting than Jason describes because too far right will block out the green and you'll be left with a blind shot to "that" green.  I, like Jason, noticed that you may not be able to use the contours to putt from one part to the other...if you could, that would just be icing on the cake because everything else about this hole is great.

#6 at EH is a really cool par 3.  The one interesting aspect in the 3s at EH are how different they are.  Not in just length but in how they play.  Everything from a PW to a 4 iron for me.  

#6 at BWR - River is a cool hole.  Another cape style par 4 along the edge of a serious drop off.  I will criticize Dye in about 9 more holes for forcing the "cape" template into another spot, but this one really works.  It utilizes the land perfectly and rather than looking forced and created looks as if it was waiting to be built.

WS - 10
EH - 7
BWR - 7

[Jason Thurman]

At the risk of spoilers, I don't love 8 at Erin Hills. I think it's well-routed, but it's just too hard for me. I love the terrain, but those bunkers fronting the green are too much. Almost everybody I've talked to has blown up on that hole, and I think I saw one of the Amateur matches halved with a double there.

11 doesn't thrill me, and neither does 13 even though I came up a foot short of acing it...

They're all really good holes though. I'm not sure that I can pick out a bad hole on any of these four courses. The worst I can find are a few that don't fit (5 at Straits) or feel repetitive in the routing (15 at Lawsonia) or a little dull in context (2 on the River) or are too tough for me (8 at Erin Hills, 18 at Straits). So I agree that the stretch from 8-15 (and I'd include 16) at Erin Hills is a fantastic set of holes, and I'd probably think 11 or 8 or 13 are standouts on most courses. But for me, the stretch from 4-10 at Lawsonia just fits together a little better.

Do you see a great run at Whistling Straits? I've mentioned it before, but a lot of the holes there run together just a bit for me and it's hard for me to find a sustained stretch of real brilliance like 6-10 at Pebble, 4-8 at Crystal Downs, or even 12-16 at Meadow-Valleys (3-7 on the Composite). For a course as highly rated as the Straits, I'd almost expect one. Maybe 10-15? I don't know if I love 14 and 15 quite enough though.

[Steven Blake]

Jason,

I keep wanting to chime in but I have agreed with just about everything you have said so far.

With WS I agree that the par 3's on the front are very similar however the nice variation is that they run in opposite directions.  Last time I played I hit 9 iron over the green on #3 and driver barely on the front of #7 from the black tees. Both played about the same yardage however the wind was blowing 25 MPH out of the Northeast.

I will be interested to see how you score the 8th round, Lawsonia is going to start to throw some big punches in the next few rounds I feel!

Steven Blake

[Josh Tarble]

I think that's a fair point about 8.  It's a monster.  I played it dead into the teeth of a pretty stiff breeze and I believe I hit driver 5 wood and nearly chipped in for 3.  I don't think it's unreasonably tough, especially when you yourself call it a championship layout.  In that context it's a worthy challenge.  Again, don't want a steady diet of it but for top flight competition it's awesome.

Also a good question about WS.  I think the stretch from 1 - 4 is excellent.  And the more I keep coming back to it, the more I like #5.  Yes, it sticks out like a sore thumb, but the playing qualities of the hole are great.  Nearly unlimited options on every shot and ones that challenge every level of player while still being very playable.  Then 6 - 9 are really good as well.  I don't really see a poor hole on the back either.

Perhaps Whistling Straits is more of a course that instead of a stretch of world class holes, it has 18 (17 for most) really good holes with world class dabbled in here and there.  If you count em up, you could be talking as many as 9 world-class holes (I'm counting:  2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17)  and the rest are just really well done.  With WS can you really pick out a hole that just really sucks?  I'm sure some can, but to me it's clearly not as obvious as #4 and #14 at the River Course and #18 (IMO) at Erin Hills.  

[Josh Tarble]

Sorry to follow up with two posts in a row...but wanted to comment on the 7s.

You make a good point about the 3s at WS looking similar, but I think you could make that case for a lot of courses.  The main thing is that they all play completely different.  I've played this hole in calm conditions and the most recent time, I believe it was about the windiest moment we faced all day, into us and off the lake.  This hole was a monster that day, I remember thinking between a 5wood and a 3iron.  That's the key on this hole...the lake looms ominously close when you have a long iron in your hand, but really there is quite a bit of room short left.  Another really good par 3.

I don't love Erin Hills #7.  I think it's very similar to #18, in that it's really long for the everyday player and not much other than hit it far and straight.  

#7 at BWR - River is another of Dye's favorite kinds of holes - bend one way off the tee and the opposite into the green.  Pretty nice hole and the green is excellent, if I recall correctly it slopes away towards a fairway cut long of the green.  Very cool complex.

WS - 8
EH - 5
BWR - 6

[Jason Thurman]

Round 8



Wisconsin’s most heralded public course roars back for the first time in a while. The 8th is long, tough, and really cool. A bit like the fourth, it features a roller-coaster fairway with blindness off the tee. This time, the approach comes in to a green with a bit of an infinity effect. A really nicely balanced hole with a ton of visual intimidation but plenty of playability.



Erin Hills probably goes a little too far with 7 and 8 coming back-to-back. After a brutally long par 5 for everyday play, the 8th just beats the average player over the head with a crowbar. A cool hole with some excellent terrain, the fronting bunkers probably go a little too far.



Lawsonia offers a really cool short par 4. While going for the green is tempting, the smart play will go well left off the tee and leave a flip-wedge down the length of the green. An easy birdie, but also an easy bogey.



Blackwolf Run’s 8th just doesn’t quite work for me. Again, it feels a bit like a hole we just played a little while ago, but this time shorter and with a really odd tree fronting the right side of the green. Perhaps the intention of the tree is to make bailing out tougher than on 6, but I just don’t really feel it, personally.

The favorite won’t go away quietly. All four courses have offered really sterling golf to this point. Erin Hills’ position at the bottom reflects more on the quality of all four courses than it does any lack of quality on Erin Hills’ part. I suspect a rally will come soon, but will it come too late?

Whistling Straits – 10
Lawsonia – 9
Erin Hills – 8
Blackwolf Run – 7

Overall:

Whistling Straits - 64
Erin Hills – 63
Lawsonia – 69
Blackwolf Run – 67

[Jason Thurman]

Round 9

We close the front nine with a round in which moments of brilliance mix with some chances that didn’t quite work.



It seems like some hate 9 at Whistling Straits, but I think it works just fine. Perhaps it feels a bit narrow, but the “halfpipe effect” of the left side of the fairway helps mitigate that a bit and the greensite offers some really interesting recovery options. The problem, like a lot of the course, is a lack of memorability. Whistling Straits is a really cool COURSE, but it doesn’t have a lot of really memorable HOLES. I blame a lot of that on the noisy look and the way it makes all the holes feel a bit similar. A hole-by-hole scoring format handicaps it, without a doubt.



9 at Erin Hills, though, is a brilliant counterpunch to what had previously risked turning into a bit of a slog. Did people dislike the early version of the course because this delightful short par 3 didn’t actually count? Did the middle part of the round feel like a slog? I’ve only played it after the renovations, but every time I visit the place I become more and more impressed by this delicately treacherous short hole.



Lawsonia goes in the opposite direction. The 9th might be the most expansive tee shot on the course with a big “bite off as much as you can” tee ball over a sea of native grass. Memory tells me that the green melts a bit to the right, but the site itself is a lovely understated complex after a few consecutive severely pushed-up ones.



Then there’s 9 at Blackwolf Run. I guess I find it fun but flawed. The tee shot is a blast, but couldn’t they have brought the river more into play? The approach offers the only real forced carry on the course. And while I appreciate having an alternate green for shorter hitters, I just don’t know if it’s necessary. Doesn’t it deprive short hitters of a fun shot with clear stakes? The carry over the river isn’t that arduous is it?

Lawsonia doesn't win the round, but it keeps pulling away. I don't see any reason to suspect its strong run will end in the next round either.

Erin Hills – 10
Lawsonia – 9
Blackwolf Run – 8
Whistling Straits – 7

Overall:

Whistling Straits - 71
Erin Hills – 73
Lawsonia – 78
Blackwolf Run – 75

[Josh Tarble]

Just wanting to get caught up here...

When I see pictures of Whistling Straits, it really reminds me how good the course actually is.  I think it can get a bad rap, because each hole does look a bit similar and admittedly, it probably is overdone with the bunkers.  But beneath the surface, the course is exceptional and the playing properties are spot on for a championship, public course.   The comparison of the 8th holes here and at Erin Hills are a perfect example.

At WS's 8th, it's one of the few, if not only use of blindness off the tee, and it's perfect for the hole.  With a straightforward tee ball it would be not much more than hit driver as far as you can go.  With the blindness, it puts a bit of doubt into you and makes you struggle to pick the proper line.  The green complex is a nice one as well, with one of the few opportunities to bounce the ball into the green, which is good because most will be coming into this with a long iron or even wood.

Erin Hill's 8th on the other hand is a monster.  I'm going to say this hole may be too difficult for amateurs and probably won't be a huge deal for most pros unless the wind is howling.  The tee shot is completely blind, hitting basically into a cliff of fairway, to a plateau for optimal position.  The green is then probably 200 yards straight up another hill with fronting bunkers.  The day I played it, it was driver 5wood because of the wind!  That being said, as long as you have the distance, it's not too bad, because the entire green has a backstop to stop balls from running over.   So, with my post it could be inferred that I don't like it...the opposite is true.  For my game, I love it.  It's over amazing terrain, the blind tee shot is awesome and the second is all about hitting it long and high.  

I think those two holes definitely show the slim margin of trying to challenge the pro while still remaining playable for amateurs.  One rides the line perfectly, one has totally disregarded it.

The 8th at BWR-River may be the perfect example of Pete Dye's work.  Looks incredibly difficult from the tee, provides plenty of room for the lesser player and punishes the aggressive play that doesn't work.  I like pretty much everything about the hole...the tee shot is awesome, second shot is actually very confounding and the green is really good.

WS - 9
EH - 8
BWR - 8

[Josh Tarble]

9 at Whistling Straits is probably the weak point of the front 9 in my opinion.  It does kind of force the good player to keep the driver in the bag and the green complex is very good, with a couple tiny, deep pot bunkers and a lot of run-off areas, but for some reason I just don't love it.

9 at Erin Hills will undoubtedly be the "postcard moment" for the USOpen.  It's a really cool drop-shot par 3 that is not only beautiful but also an excellent example of a short par 3.  Hit the green or be in serious trouble.  Probably set in one of the windiest spots on the course, it can definitely be difficult when pulling a club.   The contours on the green make a two-putt no bargain either.  A really good short par 3.

So I said BWR-River 8 was the perfect showcase of Dye's style, but you could say the exact same about 9 as well.  In theory it should be a simple par 4, 5 iron wedge 2 putt for par.  But in reality it's a total headscratcher, it's so short that it's hard to NOT try to drive it, but there is so much telling you not to.  There's also some stuff you don't understand why it's there.  I really am confused on why the little trees right are next to that...I guess to give even more incentive not to go to the right.  Basically the consummate Pete Dye hole.

WS - 6
EH - 9
BWR - 7

Front Nine Total
WS - 72
EH - 67
BWR - River - 55

[Steven Blake]

So far I’ve agree with your assessment of the holes.  #9 I agree Erin Hills wins this round however I put BWR 9 WS 8 and Lawsonia 7.  I feel that #9 at Lawsonia is a great driving hole particularly when it is firm and fast however, it is one of the weakest greens on the course, less than appealing bunkering by the green, and OB 15 yards right of the green.  While BWR and WS 9th holes are not perfect I feel they beat out Lawsonia’s 9th hole. The 9th green complexes at WS and BWR do if for me over Lawsonia. WS 9th is very tricky around the green and can leave some insane recovery shots.  BWR 9th green shares with 18 and the setting is perfect with a green complex better than 9 at Lawsonia IMHO.

Keep it up! I will be curious to see about the next 3 or 4 holes. Lawsonia is strong in this stretch but so is WS and EH. I think BWR next few are weak in comparison.  It will be interesting to see how you score them!  

[Jason Thurman]

Round 10

Four of the best holes of the entire bout collide in this round.

The 10th is Whistling Straits’ best hole. A pair of centerline bunkers give a ton of interest to the tee shot. A manageable length and width makes it one of the more accessible holes on the course for a wider range of players. Add in the history of Vijay’s ridiculous tee shot there a few years ago and you have one of the game’s more famous short par 4s.

The 10th at Erin Hills kicks off a rolling, tumultuous, difficult but fun back nine. Some fabulous bunkering around a huge fairway gives the hole a bold feel and tremendous amount of scale. It just feels bigger than most holes. A lot of players will miss the green in regulation, but plenty of contour and slope and short grass makes for interesting short game options.

Lawsonia’s 10th is among the finest long par 3s in the game. The reclaimed green is one of the stars of the course and along with 6 and 13, it gives the course an elite hole of every par. I don’t think I’ve played a better par 3 of over 215 yards.

Blackwolf Run’s 10th is overmatched, but still no slouch. A really strong par 5, it just doesn’t fall into the “elite” class occupied by the other three holes here. That fact says more about the other holes in this particular round than it does about Blackwolf Run’s 10th itself. The River course has one of the best sets of par 5s in golf, and this hole measures up well to the rest of the set.

A really tough round to judge gives the nod to history and cool factor, although I actually think Lawsonia’s 10th might be the better hole:

Whistling Straits – 10
Lawsonia – 9
Erin Hills – 8
Blackwolf Run – 7

Overall

Whistling Straits - 81
Erin Hills – 81
Lawsonia – 87
Blackwolf Run – 82

[Steven Blake]

Jason,

This is a tough one to decide with 3 great holes and one good hole. But I think you got this round right with WS barely edging out Lawsonia. As I look at WS and the holes that are my favorites 6, 10, and 13 stick out to me as my favorites on the course all are short-medium length par 4's and depending on wind and tee set up can be drivable.

10 at Lawsonia is just a tough hole and another awesome green complex. Nuff said!

Steve Blake

[RJ_Daley]

Jason, just to explain myself because a fellow e-mailed me asking why I'm not participating in this:  I have played Lawsonia a cherished many times, and feel well qualified to comment on various aspects of the course.  But, I only played WS twice, and once was pre-renovation-remodel for the PGAs.  I rather liked the old 8 mowing area better than the narrowed 150yds or so of approach on the left side, including the kick slope that used to be relevant.  I attended multiple rounds of both PGAs and senior PGA.  I might have a fair take on the hole designs, but not enough to score it against the last two, EH and BWRcomposite.   I played only the front 9 minus the first hole on the BWR composite, but watched the Ladies Open 3 rounds worth and did observe the 9 I didn't previously play, quite closely.  I played Erin Hills twice, both pre-remodel, and since that was significant remodel work, the new arrangement is not familiar enough to comment with any comparison value to the other three courses.  

But, I think you are doing a good job evaluating in the fight night context.

A few quibbles and only looking at the top scorers:  I think EH is best in show on #1, Lawsonia best #2, WS best #4, (and I’ll shock folks with this)  but I’ll put WS ahead of the boxcar on #7,  and while I think it is a tie on #9 between WS and BWR, I’ll give the 10pts to WS.

[Jason Thurman]

For those following the thread, I apologize for the few days off. I took an impromptu trip to Memphis and was in a barbecue coma for a day or two.

It's Round 11, and the favorites have begun to climb back into the battle.
 
The 11th at Whistling Straits is a fantastically tumbling par 5. A great contrast to the previous hole, this one plays long and features huge, dominating hazards rather than the small pot bunkers on the predecessor. It may be the hole on the course that best pulls off the Irish vibe that inspired the design.
 
11 at Erin Hills also dramatically contrasts its preceding hole. A short-ish, downhill par 4 with a rolling fairway, it's another wonderful example of the deft finesse that Erin Hills can demand from a player to contrast its frequent tests of power. Sideboards and opportunities to funnel shots abound on a hole that presents tremendous strategic variation for one of such modest length.
 
On a course full of superb par 5s, Lawsonia's 11th strikes as a bit of a disappointment. While routed nicely and featuring some superb bunker shaping, the hole itself is merely solid. Lawsonia makes an incredible run from the 4th through the 10th, truly one of the great stretches of holes in US golf. In this round, I begin to wonder if it has started to lose its legs a bit.
 
Blackwolf Run's 11th (#2 River) also stands among the least interesting holes on the course. A flat, mid-length par 4 without much strategy or interest of any kind outside of the wild mounding bordering the fairway, the 11th also lacks the greenside interest that has defined the strongest parts of Blackwolf Run to this point. A course that looked like it might pull an upset just a few rounds ago has stumbled quickly in recent rounds.
 
Whistling Straits - 10
Erin Hills - 9
Lawsonia - 7
Blackwolf Run - 5

Overall

Whistling Straits - 91
Erin Hills – 90
Lawsonia – 94
Blackwolf Run – 87

[Josh Tarble]

I'm a bit indecisive about Whistling Straits' 10th hole.  In theory it should be one of the best holes in America.  A short par 4, severe green complex, centerline bunker...but I just don't think it's more than pretty good.  In reality it's too long to be driveable, and the bunker is too close to the tees to ever contemplate laying up (in my mind).  I don't know if its more than hit a driver and a nice SW into the green.  That being said, it is one of the holes out there that utilizes the terrain beautifully.  It is very well done and the blindish second shot into the green adds quite a bit of interest.

Erin Hills 10th hole however, is awesome.  Blind tee shot to a massive fairway, into a green that's benched into the side of the hill.  There are all types of fun recovery shots here.  It's just a very challenging, really fun hole.

BWR-River's 10th is an ok par 3.  Kind of another take on Dye's standard par 3.  I think this one is a little better done than the 4th, but still just merely average.  

WS - 9
EH - 9
BWR - 4


Jason, you've described the 11th at Whistling Straits perfect.  It's a great par 5 on a course with 3 really really good ones and one really good one that's out of place.  Most courses this would be the signature hole, but on WS, it's just another really good one.  Also probably in the middle of the best stretch of holes on the course (10 - 15).

The 11th at EH is another really cool golf hole.  As you stated, there are a lot of banks and slopes to work the ball close to the hole.  

The 11th at the River is an awesome par 5 right on the banks of the river.  It's quite easy to tack around and make a 5.  But challenging the water brings 3 into play.  A really cool hole and really fun to play.

WS - 9
EH - 8
BWR - 8

[Jason Thurman]

Round 12
 
This round pits a pair of par 3s against two snaking par 4s.
 
Whistling Straits gives a delightful short par 3. Perched high along the lake, Dye puts a short club in the player's hand and places a gigantic green in front of him. The angled nature of the green makes the hole work, as the player must expertly control his ball flight and choose his distance correctly or risk either a very long putt or very difficult recovery. Give the Straits a ton of credit for its many excellent short holes. It shows a lot of versatility over the course of this battle.
 
Erin Hills offers one of the truly unique holes not just in Wisconsin, but anywhere. The fantastic 12th rumbles across the most interesting terrain on a course with nothing but interesting terrain, heaving over a ridge before winding right-to-left downhill to a saddle shaped green. The tee shot really tests the player's nerve, demanding that he hug the right side if he wants a view of the green and a good angle of approach. Tee shots further left leave a blind approach to a green whose dominant ridge will reject shots not hit precisely. On a course full of excellent par 4s, this may be the best.
 
Contrastingly, Lawsonia's 12th leaves little doubt that we have left the most interesting terrain on the course behind. A bit awkward from the tee, it offers a nice view across the back nine but a rather underwhelming view of the shot itself. Yet, the hole redeems itself nicely with my vote for the best green on the course - a rolling giant with a really tricky bowl in the back left. Lawsonia's par 3s have tremendous variation.
 
Blackwolf Run, like Erin Hills, gives us a dogleg right par 4. A pair of bunkers add visual menace - one barely in play off the tee and another one a huge waste bunker flaking the approach that no doubt captures a lot of errant shots. Another hole that doesn't feel quite "right" visually, Dye still deserves credit for a nicely routed fairway and the closure of a pretty good three-hole loop back to the clubhouse. The American Club probably isn't the kind of resort where guests go out for a lot of short twilight loops, which is a shame as the courses would actually accommodate them quite well.

Erin Hills takes this round easily, but the other three holes stand up nicely and no knockdowns are recorded.
 
Erin Hills - 10
Whistling Straits - 9
Blackwolf Run - 8
Lawsonia - 7

Overall

Whistling Straits - 100
Erin Hills – 100
Lawsonia – 101
Blackwolf Run – 95