Erin Hills facts for kids
| Club information | |
|---|---|
 Location in the United States
Location in Wisconsin
|
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| Coordinates | 43°14′42″N 88°23′42″W / 43.245°N 88.395°W |
| Location | Erin, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Established | 2006, 19 years ago |
| Type | Public |
| Owned by | Andrew Ziegler |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted | U.S. Open (2017), U.S. Amateur (2011) |
| Greens | Bentgrass |
| Fairways | Fine fescue |
| Website | erinhills.com |
| Designed by | Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, Ron Whitten |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,731 yards (7,069 m) |
| Course rating | 77.9 |
| Slope rating | 145 |
Erin Hills is a famous golf course located in Erin, Wisconsin, in the United States. It's about 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee. This beautiful course first opened its doors in 2006.
Erin Hills is special because it hosted the 117th U.S. Open golf tournament in 2017. This was a really big deal! It was the first time the USGA held such a major men's event at a course owned by just one person. Before that, in 2011, Erin Hills also hosted the U.S. Amateur tournament, which was won by Kelly Kraft.
The Story of Erin Hills
Erin Hills was built by a developer from Wisconsin named Bob Lang. He used his own money to create the golf course. The main designers were Dr. Michael John Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten.
Bob Lang really wanted Erin Hills to host the U.S. Open. To make this happen, he made many changes to the course layout. He changed several holes to meet the suggestions of the USGA officials. Even with all his hard work, Bob Lang faced some money problems. Because of this, he had to sell the course.
Andrew Ziegler bought Erin Hills in 2009. He wanted to make the course even better. Starting in 2010, he decided that golfers could only walk the course. This means no golf carts on paved paths, which is different from many modern courses. The course is quite high up, about 1,000 feet above sea level. This is about 400 feet higher than Lake Michigan, which is to the east.
What You'll Find at Erin Hills
The course has more than just golf. There's a special manor home that works as a hotel. It has a pub where people can relax. There's also a renovated barn that can be used for private parties and events.
If you want to stay overnight, there are cozy cottages available. About 4 miles to the east, you can see the famous Holy Hill shrine. It's a landmark visible from the golf course.
The logo for Erin Hills is an Irish-themed clover. This design was inspired by an old bell from Europe that is on the course. Each part of the clover was inspired by the iron artwork on the bell. Brenda Williams, a golfer from Minnetrista, Minnesota, designed the logo.
Big Golf Events Held Here
Erin Hills has been chosen to host several important golf tournaments:
| Year | Tournament | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links | Tiffany Joh |
| 2011 | U.S. Amateur | Kelly Kraft |
| 2017 | U.S. Open | Brooks Koepka |
| 2022 | U.S. Mid-Amateur | Matthew McClean |
| 2025 | U.S. Women's Open | Maja Stark |
