Video: Erin Hills Eleventh Hole Flyover

It's blind and you need to pick a line in conjunction with the wind. In other words, it's tougher than it looks.

The 460-yard par 4 eleventh at 2017 U.S. Open host site Erin Hills features a landing area not visible from the tee. Throw in the wind exposure and the bunkers played short of the putting surface, and this one isn't likely to be a player-favorite.

A good look at the smallish green can be seen in this USOpen.com flyover.

Here is the Erin Hills version in later light:

Comments

[Jim S]

I know that pros are so much better than average golfers that if the course is set up easy, the pros could probably shoot 10 under par on this course, but man, it just looks so difficult. It looks fantastic, but just so difficult. Maybe the stupidest golfer will win because they'll never start to engage their brain enough to get mentally worn out?

[Carl Peterson]

I agree, Jim, Dustin Johnson has a good chance to repeat.

[Emmm]

What a great illusion at the green. Looks so much shallower then it really is. Tricky for us amateurs but I'm sure not for the pros.

[nancy]

Nice fly over, Geoff!

[meefer]

I appreciate the fly overs, Geoff, but the more of the holes I see, the less I like the course. Some of it, for me, is the obvious 'construction' factors, for example, the deep catch basin areas that create blind shots. But more so, I'm just not inspired by its rather artificial flavor. To each his/her own I guess. I hope the tourney proves me wrong.

[Brian]

meefer,

It's ironic that you think the course has an artificial look, when in fact, the architects moved an extremely small quantity of dirt. The terrain and topography is natural as the course is in an area of the state that was significantly impacted by receding glaciers.

[meefer]

Brian,

I appreciate the input. I lived in a glacial moraine area for years, and yes the topography can be quite 'uneven'. I suspect the course, as I see it, has an artificialness to it in certain areas on certain holes which doesn't appeal to my eye. That extremely small quantity of dirt moved may be the areas which irk me, or not. I'm simply not excited by what I see, and again, I hope I'm proved wrong.