Thursday
Aug182005
Erin Hills Awarded USGA Event (Already)
Erin Hills outside Milwaukee will get the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links.
David Fay, apparently with a straight face, called the U.S. Women's
Amateur Public Links "a very good test lab" for the U.S. Open. He said
"that both championships normally are in June." And that's about all
they have in common.
Erin Hills is owned by Bob Lang and designed by Dana Fry, Michael
Hurdzan and Ron Whitten with shaping by Rod Whitman. Gary D'Amato's
article notes that "the course will have multiple sets of tees but can
be stretched to more than 8,000 yards."
Now that's a yardage worthy of a major. Not this 7,300 stuff.
Thursday, August 18, 2005 at 09:41 AM
Reader Comments (5)
This doesn't seem fair.
David Fay was not shy in saying in front of me at the SI Roundtable (I think he slipped) that they were going to be going after the course very aggressively for future events. For the Open, they need a Midwest course that's over 7500 yards and the best known one is taken, Whistling Straits. Plus, this is closer to Milwaukee, will be public, and should be a great course based on what I've heard from Dana Fry, Mike Hurdzan and Ron Whitten (yes, they are proud of it, but hey, how can you knock that when it's going to be pure golf, public and almost definitely under $100, and maybe even in the $50-60 range).
It has been pretty clear that the usga does not want to give the open to Cog Hill. It will be interesting to see what happens now that the open doctor has decided to visit that course.
I'm here in a northern suburb of Chicago so getting a trip up to Erin is not out of the picture. Can't wait to see what all the buzz is about. I have heard that Mike Hurdzan is a great designer but haven't played any of his courses.
Zero, ought, naught, cipher, zippo, nada.
BTW Geoff, Erin Hills opened in August and is charging $100 to $125. It may go over $200 in prime time in 2007 because people are willing to pay it.