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Erin Hills is a golf course located in Erin, Wisconsin, in Washington County, 35 miles (55km) northwest of Milwaukee. The course officially opened in 2006 and has since hosted several prestigious golf tournaments, including the 2017 U.S. Open, won by Brooks Koepka, and the 2011 U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft. Set on 652 acres of natural, rolling terrain, Erin Hills offers a challenging and varied golf experience, with holes ranging from 140 to 620 yards. The course has been recognised for its excellence, featuring in Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses and listed as the 10th best public course in the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Erin, Wisconsin, Washington County, United States |
| Distance from Milwaukee | 35 miles (55 km) or 37 miles (depending on the source) |
| Year of opening | 2006 |
| Owner | Andrew Ziegler (since 2009); previously Bob Lang |
| Designers | Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, Ron Whitten |
| Course type | Links-style, 18 holes, walking-only |
| Course features | Manor home with pub, refurbished barn, cottages, practice facility with target greens and bunkers, bentgrass greens, natural wetlands and river |
| Course length | 652 acres |
| Course elevation | 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level |
| Notable tournaments | 2017 U.S. Open, 2011 U.S. Amateur, 2008 U.S. Women's Public Links, 2025 U.S. Women's Open Championship |
| Awards and rankings | Golf Digest Top 100 Courses, 10th best public course in the U.S., 48th greatest course overall |
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What You'll Learn
- Erin Hills is a golf course in Erin, Wisconsin, 35 miles from Milwaukee
- The course officially opened in 2006 and is known for its challenging holes
- It was designed by golf course architects Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten
- The course covers 652 acres of natural, glacial landscape and is a walking-only course
- It has hosted several championships, including the U.S. Open in 2017
Erin Hills is a golf course in Erin, Wisconsin, 35 miles from Milwaukee
Erin Hills is a golf course located in Erin, Wisconsin, 35 miles (55 km) northwest of Milwaukee. The course officially opened in 2006 and is known for its challenging holes, dramatic land movement, and gorgeous fescue. It has hosted several prestigious golf tournaments, including the U.S. Open in 2017, becoming the first USGA regular men's event held at a course owned by an individual.
The design of Erin Hills is unique, with fairways routed over kettle moraine areas left by glaciers and surrounded by wetlands and a river. The course is built on 652 acres of pristine land, with holes that seem to emerge naturally from the landscape. The architects, including Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten, adopted a minimalist approach, taking advantage of the land's natural contours.
Erin Hills offers a mix of traditional and modern elements, providing a championship test for golfers. The course features a variety of holes, from terrifying 140-yard holes to longer 620-yard holes. It is a walking-only course, with bentgrass greens and fairways, and it provides a challenging yet fair experience for golfers of all skill levels.
The course includes a manor home with a pub and a refurbished barn for private events. There are also cottages available for overnight stays, making it a destination for golfers looking for a complete experience. Erin Hills has received acclaim for its design and has been listed by Golf Digest as one of the best public courses in the United States.
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The course officially opened in 2006 and is known for its challenging holes
Erin Hills is a golf course in Erin, Wisconsin, in the north central United States. The course officially opened in 2006, although changes have been made to the course since then, including adjustments to several holes. The course was built by Wisconsin developer Bob Lang, who used his own money to fund the project. Designers included Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten.
Hurdzan is an internationally sought-after authority on golf course design, renovation, and the environment. He has designed courses on five continents, including numerous ""Top 100" designs in the United States and Canada. Fry, an accomplished golfer and passionate artistic golf course designer, brings a personalised, hands-on approach to his projects. Whitten, on the other hand, has authored books on golf design and has been inducted into the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame.
Erin Hills is set within a vast 600-acre property and is known for its challenging holes. The course offers a thrilling range of challenges, from a 140-yard hole to a 620-yard hole. The holes are long, but most require strategic thinking to decide which shot to play. The course is described as "tough, especially when the wind blows," with undulating and sloping greens that demand attention. It has been called a stern golfing challenge and a test for golfers.
The course has hosted several notable tournaments, including the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship (won by Kelly Kraft) and the 2017 U.S. Open (won by Brooks Koepka). Koepka's impressive score of 16-under led some to question the course's difficulty, but this was attributed to the absence of the usual windy conditions that would have narrowed the fairways.
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It was designed by golf course architects Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten
Erin Hills is a golf course in Erin, Wisconsin, in the north central United States. The course officially opened in 2006 and was built by Wisconsin developer Bob Lang, who funded the project with his own money. It was designed by golf course architects Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten.
Dr. Michael John Hurdzan is an internationally sought-after authority on golf course design, renovation, and the environment. He has authored over 100 popular articles and 6 books, including "Golf Course Architecture: Evolutions in Design, Construction, and Restoration Technology," which Golf Digest magazine's Senior Architectural Editor Ron Whitten described as "the modern bible of golf course design." Hurdzan has designed golf courses on five continents, including the first Environmental Demonstration Golf Course in the United States (Widows Walk) and the first Environmental Education Golf Course (Farm Links).
Dana Fry is a former partner of Hurdzan-Fry Environmental Golf Design and has left his imprint on the world of golf course architecture. He has designed several renowned golf courses, including Devil's Pulpit, Calusa Pines Golf Club, and Desert Willow Golf Resort. Fry's experience as an accomplished golfer and his artistic approach to design have shaped his philosophy of a personalized, hands-on approach to each project. He is now a principal of Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design.
Ron Whitten, a golf architecture editor at Golf Digest, has been involved in the design of five courses, including The Architects Golf Club in collaboration with his friends Hurdzan and Fry. He has authored five books on golf design and has won several awards for his writing. Whitten has also received the Donald Ross Award, the highest honor given by the American Society of Golf Course Architects, for his contributions to popularizing course design.
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The course covers 652 acres of natural, glacial landscape and is a walking-only course
Erin Hills is a golf course in Erin, Wisconsin, in the north central United States. The course covers 652 acres of natural, glacial landscape and is a walking-only course. It officially opened in 2006 and is located 35 miles (55 km) northwest of Milwaukee.
The course was designed by Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten, and built by Wisconsin developer Bob Lang, who funded the project himself. It was Lang's ambition to bring the U.S. Open to Erin Hills, and he made many changes to the layout of the course to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, the financial strain of these changes forced him to sell the course.
Erin Hills hosted the 117th U.S. Open in 2017, becoming the first USGA regular men's event ever awarded to a course owned by an individual. The course also hosted the 2011 U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft.
The 652-acre course is routed over kettle moraine areas left by glaciers, surrounded by wetlands and a river. The ground consists of glacial till, with a varied composition of sand and small rock. The fairways are routed around the contours of the property, providing a firm playing surface that plays shorter than its length on the scorecard. This mix of traditional and modern elements offers a unique challenge for golfers.
The course has an average elevation of approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, about 400 feet (120 m) higher than Lake Michigan to the east. It includes a manor home that serves as a hotel, featuring a pub and a refurbished barn for private events. The grounds also have cottages available for overnight stays.
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It has hosted several championships, including the U.S. Open in 2017
Erin Hills is a golf course located in Erin, Wisconsin, about 35 miles (55 km) northwest of Milwaukee. The course officially opened in 2006, and it has since hosted several championships, including the U.S. Open in 2017. This was a significant event, as it was the 117th U.S. Open and the first USGA regular men's event awarded to a course owned by an individual.
The course was built by Wisconsin developer Bob Lang, who funded the project himself. The designers included Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten. To bring the U.S. Open to Erin Hills, Lang made significant changes to the course layout, dramatically altering several holes. However, the financial burden of this endeavour forced him to sell the course.
In 2009, Andrew Ziegler purchased Erin Hills. As a commitment to upgrading the course, Ziegler announced that it would be operated on a ""walking-only" basis starting in 2010, a unique feature compared to most modern courses. The average elevation of the course is approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, offering a challenging and scenic golfing experience.
Erin Hills has continued to host notable championships, including the 2011 U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft. The course has been recognised for its excellence, with Golf Digest listing it as the 10th best public course in the United States and the 48th greatest course overall. In 2025, Erin Hills will host the U.S. Women's Open Championship, further solidifying its reputation as a premier golf destination.
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Frequently asked questions
Erin Hills Golf Course is 35-37 miles northwest of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Erin Hills Golf Course is about 400 feet (120 m) higher than Lake Michigan, which is to its east.
Erin Hills is a walking-only golf course. The exact distance to walk around the course is not publicly available, but it is described as "giant" and "sprawling".
Erin Hills is a walking-only facility, but limited use of a golf cart can be requested. All requests must be made at least two weeks in advance and comply with the ADA Guest Cart Policy.
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