U.S. Open coming to Wisconsin

[Menotti80]

2017 at Erin Hills.

 

Great for the state, and very cool that it's a public course.

 

I better get out and play this before the greens fees get outrageous...

[endaround]

I did not see that coming, mostly because I have no idea where everybody will actually stay. Its out in the middle of nowhere.

[Menotti80]

Milwaukee probably

[DHonks]

It's tricky. I live in AZ now, but the people I know that have played it haven't been all that impressed. They say it's far from the Sheboygan/Kohler courses in terms of quality. At the same time, the Journal Sentinal has been raving about it for a few years.

[endaround]

Yeah but Milwaukee is a good 45 minutes to an hour away. Hartford has like 2 motels.

[NeedMoreFans]

A couple of thoughts...

 

This is fantastic for Wisconsin. This state will be the focal point for golf in 2015 (PGA Championship), 2017 (US Open) and 2020 (Ryder Cup). This opens the door for future US Opens as well.

 

Regarding hotels...this tournament is 7 years away. Plenty of time to build hotels or figure out the logistics for accommodations.

 

DHonks...One thing to keep in mind is this course has been open for 4 years. It has gone through some growing pains. The USGA has been working with the owners of Erin Hills to make improvements. The course has been closed all year so far, and won't open until the end of July to make those improvements. The fact the USGA is involved with the changes means the course will be an excellent course in 7 years.

[endaround]

The lack of hotels isn't the end of the world, just strange that Erin Hills got something so big with such a lack of nearby hotels. A US Amateur is one thing but the Open is entirely different. Well half the population of Chenaqua will likely take a weeks vacation and rent out their homes.

[LouisEly]

Whoa, whoa, whoa...

 

I could have sworn that one of the criteria for the U.S. Open was that the course had to host a major championship before. That's why Whistling Straits had to go for the PGA Championship first.

 

If what you're saying is true, Herb Kohler is pissed.

 

It's not on the U.S. Open website... what's your source?

[burniebrewer]

JSOnline link

[valpocrewsader]

Yeah but Milwaukee is a good 45 minutes to an hour away. Hartford has like 2 motels.

I think you're overstating how remote the location is. It's more like 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, a mere 15 from the batch of hotels right off 94 at Hwy 18 in western Brookfield. And there is other lodging in lake country along 94, like Country Springs, etc.

 

 

[JoeHova]

Wow, I don't watch much golf but this is exciting. The JS article that burniebrewer linked to says the USGA is considering using the course to host the Open multiple times. I hope they do a great job the first time so that that comes to fruition.

[Baldkin]

Yeah but Milwaukee is a good 45 minutes to an hour away. Hartford has like 2 motels.

I think you're overstating how remote the location is. It's more like 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, a mere 15 from the batch of hotels right off 94 at Hwy 18 in western Brookfield. And there is other lodging in lake country along 94, like Country Springs, etc.

Delafield, which is about 20 minutes away also has a ton of hotel space.

[sheethead]

2017 at Erin Hills.

 

Great for the state, and very cool that it's a public course.

 

I better get out and play this before the greens fees get outrageous...

Might be too late. Of course you can carry your own clubs to save some cash, but they have gone to no wheels allowed.

 

18 Hole Green Fee:	$160.00
Replay Rate:	$110.00*
Base Fee, Bag Carrying Caddie:	$50.00 player
Recommended Gratuity, Bag Carrying Caddie:	$35.00 and up/player**

[NeedMoreFans]

Those prices are still less than half of what you would pay at Whistling Straights, so in that regard, not a bad deal!

[Patrick425]

LouisEly[/b]]Whoa, whoa, whoa...

 

I could have sworn that one of the criteria for the U.S. Open was that the course had to host a major championship before. That's why Whistling Straits had to go for the PGA Championship first.

 

If what you're saying is true, Herb Kohler is pissed.

 

It's not on the U.S. Open website... what's your source?

I have never heard about any stipulation that a course must have previous experience hosting a major championship. Erin Hills is hosting the Amateur Championship in 2011. Hosting that event is many times a precursor to eventually hosting the U.S. Open.

 

I played Erin Hills two or three years ago. It's a very nice course...obviously.

 

 

[chrisisoutrunning]

Compared to other US Open venues, it's also relatively cheap, but it's hard to compare because just about all are private country clubs...

 

Current/Future

Pebble Beach starts at $495

Pinehurst No. 2 (2014) (resort course) hard to judge, I can't find exact pricing, but it appears to be an extra $175 on top of any package you're buying

Chambers Bay (2015) starts at $175 on the weekend unless you're a Pierce Co (Washington) resident (plus caddie)

 

Past

Bethpage Black starts at $150 on the weekend (non-New York resident)

Torrey Pines starts at $235

 

I'm not in the position to pay the green's fees at any of these courses right now. I have a hard time spending over $50 on 18 holes... (I can't wait for fall so the rates start going back down)

[sheethead]

Those prices are still less than half of what you would pay at Whistling Straights, so in that regard, not a bad deal!

 

These two courses are not really comparable. Erin Hills looks nice, but I doubt it will ever hold a candle to The Straits course. Erin Hills got its tournament because of who fathered the course. We will see if its good enough to host a successful tournament.

[valpocrewsader]

Yeah but Milwaukee is a good 45 minutes to an hour away. Hartford has like 2 motels.

I think you're overstating how remote the location is. It's more like 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, a mere 15 from the batch of hotels right off 94 at Hwy 18 in western Brookfield. And there is other lodging in lake country along 94, like Country Springs, etc.

Delafield, which is about 20 minutes away also has a ton of hotel space.

Oops, I thought Erin Hills was in Delafield. Google Maps was really doing a number on me, I think the course must have an office or something right off 94 in Delafield. That's where it kept pointing me to when I came up with my numbers.

 

Looks like the course is actually 45 minutes from downtown Milwaukee and 30 from the Gourkes Corners area. Makes it a little more remote.

 

[endaround]

Yeah its in Erin, WI which isn't even incorporated. Its just south of Hartford. But from Delafield you're on 83 that thanks to the fine folks of Chenequa is limited to 35 mph so its only like 15 miles but it takes a good 1/2 hour. Its faster from Germantown but 45 North there is always a bear.

[phxMILWfan]

Don't forget the tons of people trying to get there at the same time and all of the traffic. That said, it's the U.S. Open. People will deal with an hour of travel the day of to go to it. When the Super Bowl was here in Glendale, AZ they built hotels just for it. They have 7 years to do something about it.

[SZBrewerFan]

I played Erin Hills two years ago and it is a great golf course. It is truly a course that was built to host a US Open. For those of you haven't played, think US Open meets British Open and that kind of gives you an idea to the layout and course design. I really loved the design and from the 7,000 yard tees (can't remember the exact yardage) the course is really a test. Knowing what the ultimate goal of the course's design was (to host major championships) I came away from the experience really concerned that they would ever be able to get the course in good enough condition to hold those types of events. Due to the mounding of many of the fairways, the trees and the odd drainage of the course the fairways had to have been a nightmare to maintain. I guess the major renovations that they just undertook have addressed many of those issues so I am eager to play the course again. Very exciting for SE Wisconsin and I am sure the state will do a great job in hosting the event!

 

[BREWCREW5]

Remember that the course if currently closed and under some renovation. The course is LONG... and the previous owner was not able to keep the quality of the course in championship condition because he ran out of money. It was recently sold and is becoming championship quality...obviously.