Hartford, Wisconsin – On a spectacular Monday in early May, the United States Golf Association held it’s annual media day for the U.S Women’s Open at this year’s host site, Erin Hills. USGA Chief Championships Officer – John Bodenhamer, spoke about the new mantra of their Men’s and Women’s Open Championships, when he used the phrase “every club dirty.” Gone is the terminology regarding “Even Par is the appropriate winning score”, the new mindset in Far Hills, N.J focuses on the players needing to use every club in the bag. Then he spoke about the intangible 15th club, referring to the five inches between the ears, the mental aspect of the competition.
The 80th Women’s at Erin Hills will be held on May 29th-June 1st, (The Men’s U.S. Open will be played at Oakmont Country Club, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 12th -15th). Also on hand, was USGA CEO Mike Whan, who spoke about his early years growing up in the Chicago-land area, and how the Midwest, specifically Wisconsin, is the ideal host of a championship of this stature. He opined about how the Badger state has the friendliest people in America, he wasn’t wrong.
The Hurdzan/Fry design at Erin Hills has been tweaked a bit here and there since the 2017 U.S Open (where Brooks Koepka came out on top), but dramatic holes like the semi-drivable 15th still remain. In a recent interview posted by the USGA, Koepka was asked what his favorite hole of the property was. His response was, “I think probably the 15th hole. I think it’s arguably one of the tougher holes out there. And it really shaped the ending of that golf tournament for me, being able to capitalize on that hole was crucial and helped lead the last three holes and calm the nerves a little bit.”
We’ve always been an advocate of national championships being held at public access venues whenever possible, and Erin Hills fits the bill nicely. This site is ideal for a major championship, Erin Hills feels and plays like a big ball-park that will be right around 6500 yards for the best Women players in the world. At stake is the most historical title in Women’s Golf, and the game’s highest purse.
Future Sites:
’26 Riviera Country Club – Pacific Palisades
’27 Inverness Club – Toledo, Ohio
‘28 Oakmont CC – Oakmont, Pennsylvania
’29 Pinehurst No.2 – Pinehurst, NC
