Hazeltine National Golf Club facts for kids
| Club information | |
|---|---|
 Location in the United States
Location in Minnesota
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| Coordinates | 44°50′02″N 93°35′28″W / 44.834°N 93.591°W |
| Location | Chaska, Minnesota |
| Established | 1962, 63 years ago |
| Type | Private |
| Tournaments hosted |
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| Website | hazeltinenational.com |
| Designed by | Robert Trent Jones |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,674 yards (7,017 m) |
| Course rating | 77.8 |
Hazeltine National Golf Club is a famous golf club located in Chaska, Minnesota, near Minneapolis, in the United States. It's a private club, which means you usually need to be a member or a guest of a member to play there. The golf course was designed by a well-known golf course architect named Robert Trent Jones and first opened in 1962.
Besides golf, Hazeltine also hosts other events. Its clubhouse has a large room for parties and two restaurants where people can eat and relax.
Contents
Discovering Hazeltine's History
How Hazeltine National Golf Club Started
The idea for Hazeltine came from Totton P. Heffelfinger, who used to be in charge of the United States Golf Association. He wanted to build a new, amazing golf course. This happened after another club, The Minikahda Club, was worried about a new road being built near their course. When that club decided not to build a new course, Heffelfinger teamed up with Robert Trent Jones to design Hazeltine.
The course was first called "The Executive Golf Club." The plan was to have many such clubs across the country, but that didn't happen. So, the founders decided to name it Hazeltine National Golf Club, after the nearby Lake Hazeltine. The club welcomed its first members in 1962. Heffelfinger's big dream was for Hazeltine to host major golf championships, and his dream came true! The first major event was the U.S. Women's Open in 1966. Sandra Spuzich won that tournament.
Hosting the U.S. Open and Overcoming Challenges
Hazeltine hosted the U.S. Open in 1970. This tournament was quite challenging, with cool and windy weather. Many famous golfers found it tough to score well. Golfer Dave Hill famously joked about the course needing "80 acres of corn and a few cows." Despite the challenges, Tony Jacklin won the tournament with a great score.
After this, the club faced some money problems. It seemed like they might not host another major event. But Hazeltine didn't give up! They were chosen to host the U.S. Women's Open again in 1977. This was a special year because Nancy Lopez played in the championship for the first time as a professional. Hollis Stacy won the event.
Course Improvements and Exciting Playoff Wins
Over the next few years, the golf course got some important updates. Some holes were changed to make them better. For example, a new hole was built along Hazeltine Lake. These changes helped the course become even better for big tournaments.
In 1983, Hazeltine hosted the U.S. Senior Open. It was a very close competition! Billy Casper and Rod Funseth were tied after four rounds. They even tied again after an 18-hole playoff. Finally, Casper won on the very next hole, making a birdie (a score of one stroke under par).
Hazeltine was chosen to host the U.S. Open again in 1991. Rees Jones, the son of the original designer, made more changes to get the course ready. This U.S. Open is remembered for a thrilling match between Payne Stewart and Scott Simpson. They both finished with the same score. In a playoff, Stewart came from behind to win his second major championship!
The 1991 U.S. Open also had a memorable moment when a big rainstorm came in on the first day. Lightning struck near the sixteenth hole, and several spectators were injured. This showed everyone the importance of finding safe shelter during a storm.
Amateur and College Championships
Hazeltine has also been a great place for amateur (non-professional) golfers to compete. In 1994, it hosted the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, where Tim Jackson won. In 2001, the USGA Men's State Team Championship was held there, and the team from Minnesota won!
In 1999, the club hosted the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, which is a big college golf tournament. The Georgia Bulldogs team won, and Luke Donald from Northwestern University won the individual championship.
PGA Championships and International Victories
In 2002, Hazeltine hosted the 84th PGA Championship. More changes were made to the course, including adding new bunkers and making it longer. Rich Beem won this championship, holding off a strong finish from Tiger Woods. Beem, Robert Allenby, and Justin Leonard even set a course record by shooting a score of 66 (six-under-par) during the tournament.
The U.S. Amateur championship returned to Hazeltine in 2006, and Richie Ramsay from Scotland was the winner.
Hazeltine hosted the PGA Championship again in 2009. This time, Y.E. Yang from South Korea made history by winning. He beat Tiger Woods, who had been leading the tournament. Yang's victory was very important because it was the first time a golfer born in Asia won a men's major championship. It was also the first time Woods had lost a major after being in the lead after three rounds.
The Excitement of the Ryder Cup
One of the biggest events Hazeltine has hosted is the Ryder Cup. This is a team competition between golfers from the United States and Europe. Hazeltine hosted the 2016 Ryder Cup from September 27 to October 2. The United States team, led by captain Davis Love III, won against Team Europe! It was their first victory since 2008 and tied a record for the biggest win margin for the U.S. on home soil.
Hazeltine National will host the Ryder Cup again in 2029, making it the first American course to host this exciting event twice!
Women's PGA Championship
In June 2019, Hazeltine hosted the KPMG Women's PGA Championship for the first time. This is one of the five major championships for women's professional golf. It's a very important event run by the PGA of America.
Hazeltine National will also host the Women's PGA Championship again in 2026.
Future Golf Events at Hazeltine
Hazeltine National Golf Club continues to be a top choice for major golf tournaments. Here are some exciting events planned for the future:
| Year | Tournament |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Women's PGA Championship |
| 2029 | Ryder Cup |
Exploring the Hazeltine Course
The golf course at Hazeltine is known for its rolling hills, narrow fairways (the grassy paths where golfers aim their shots), and smaller greens (the areas around the hole). Nine of the holes have water hazards, which are tricky water obstacles.
One of the most famous holes is the par four sixteenth. To get across, golfers have to hit their tee shot (the first shot) over 220 yards (about 201 meters) of Hazeltine Lake! The green for this hole is like a raised island, with slopes on all sides that can send the ball into the water.
The seventeenth hole is a long par three. It used to be a shorter par four. This hole has four bunkers (sand traps) and two water hazards protecting the green. The green itself is very wavy, making it hard to putt the ball into the hole. The final hole is a long par four with many bunkers, making it a challenging finish.
The club is always working to make the course better. In 2005, they added new tee boxes (where golfers start each hole) and bunkers. More significant changes were made in 2008 to prepare for the 2009 PGA Championship, including making the course even longer.
