Erin Hills "One of the Great Championship Courses In the U.S."

[Grndslmhttr3]

I had the US Amateur on briefly, and I believe I saw a 524-yard par 4? And I thought the 490-yard par 4 I played the other day was long...

[case31]

I played Whistling Straits back in July in the first of what will be an annual trip up to that area of Wisconsin.  My interest was peaked in Erin Hills when I saw it was hosting the '17 PGA, and am wondering if it would be worth it to trek over there to play next year.  If someone has played both, I would love to hear comparisons/differences.

[rustyredcab]

I played 36 there one day the first year it opened. I understand that it has gone through a few "major renovations" since I played it. It was a great course even if it was not grown in. I saw today on TV that it can play 7600 yards. When I played it, it could be stretched to 8200 yards if every hole played from the tips, It was never intended to be that long but they gave themselves the option to keep certain holes playing very long even if there were down-wind that day. The story was that they invited all the club pros in Wisconsin to play an 18 hole event from the 8200 yards tips as a demonstration and an 85 won the event. I was about a 15 handicap and shot 85 in the morning from the normal (6500?) yard tees and 107 in the afternoon from the "championship" tees at about 7300 (my buddy really wanted to play it from way back). It was not so much the length (although that added about ten of those strokes) it was more about making a few slightly-bad swings here and there that cost me a bunch of strokes. I saw a bit of that today on tape today. The way those kids were playing the drivable par 4 was a perfect example (only instead of messing up for a 5, I was getting 7's). You miss by a little and you can end up in bad grass with tough shots. Bunkers then were punishing but no the hairy ones like I see on TV now. There was one green that was so sloped that I could not get my long putt up the hill and it rolled back to me three times. We play a 4-putt max rule or I might still be putting on that green. It should make for great match-play this weekend.

[cipher]

I walked the course on the final day of the US Amateur.  It can have some incredibly long holes.  Hole 18 played to 675 yards on that day.  It is very fascinating to walk it, and would be fun to and challenging play.  It does have a unique feel to it, but has virtually no water or trees.  A good links course in my opinion should be set on some kind of coastline otherwise it becomes too boring.  It also comes off a bit dull looking on TV as well.  I am not sure if it will become as beloved a place for the PGA as some think, and I cannot see spending close to $300 on a course like this when you can play Whistling on Lake Michigan for a little more.

[bw21638]

I just played it 2 weeks ago.  Course is amazing and in great shape.  Play the green/blue combo tee box unless you need to tee it forward...or, unless you want to really challenge yourself.  Fantastic experience!  Stay over night if you can...