Tucked into the rolling hills of Wisconsin, this stunning course is set to host the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open from May 29 to June 1. For the first time in its history, Erin Hills will host the U.S. Women’s Open Championship. And with that stage set, all eyes turn to the stars, ready to take on the challenge.
Nelly Korda enters as the clear favorite. After a dominant run in 2024 with a five-win streak and the World No. 1 ranking, Korda’s consistency makes her the one to beat. But her 2025 season has been subpar, which makes winning a tad bit unpredictable, if you ask us. The defending champion, Yuka Saso, is also a strong contender. She’s accurate off the tee and has a solid track record in majors. And we cannot forget. Lydia Ko is back in form and must be eyeing a Hall of Fame milestone, which will make the competition even tougher. But Erin Hills has everything a course needs to challenge this fierce field.
Erin Hills is a perfect stage for the 2025 US Women’s Open
From day one, this place aimed to be more than just another golf course. The course was first opened in 2006 and was designed by architect Dana Fry with a vision to create a natural, links-style layout that challenges players with wide fairways and deep bunkers. Right after they began building Erin Hills, some officials from the USGA came to check out the site. They were impressed by the open spaces around the course. And after 2 years, in 2008, the course made its debut with the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. Though impressed with its structure, the USGA still was not convinced that the course was suitable for big events like the U.S. Open, mainly because of its length. And Fry took this as an opportunity to play around with the big names in the golf world.
In late 2008, Erin Hills went through some important changes to get ready for big tournaments like the U.S. Open. The course was stretched out so it could play over 8,000 yards, which gave tournament organizers plenty of flexibility. They also added gentle slopes on the greens, creating more hole locations to keep things challenging and exciting for players. After the revamping, the first U.S. Open was held in 2017 at Erin Hills. But players had mixed reactions to the course.
What do pros think of the revamped Erin Hills?
“I think it’s an awesome golf course. I think that’s been the consensus from everybody. In my opinion, I would like to see another one here down the road, sure,” said Jordan Spieth during the U.S. Open 2017; he liked the challenging fields of the course so much that he strongly suggested having another game there.
“Not your typical U.S. Open setup, but I’m a big fan,” said Rory McIlroy. His point of view is a bit unique; according to him, the course is not well suited for U.S. Opens, but the course has definitely caught his eye, maybe because it was more on the challenging side.
Before this year’s PGA Championship, 2017 winner, Brooks Koepka, also spoke about the stage of his first major victory. When asked if the course and his game went hand in hand, his answer was affirmative: “Suited my game pretty good, I’d say. I liked it, it was fun. A fun course to play. I think we had something there, a U.S. Junior or Amateur back in the day. So, I’d played it. I didn’t do very good, I don’t think I made it to match play. But I had at least an understanding of the golf course. I like it when it gets tough. And every shot means that much more.”
Talking about his favorite hole, he said, “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.”
For the LPGA pros, going to be competing here, Koepka has some advice: “You already know it’s going to be tough but just stay with it. Stay focused and be patient. That’s what it takes. You guys already know that so just enjoy it. It’s a fun golf course to play. Keep attacking it, be aggressive, hit it to the correct spots and you’ll be just fine.”
Absolutely, and that’s exactly why fans love it. Erin Hills isn’t just scenic; it’s the kind of course that can flip the leaderboard in a heartbeat. It tests distance, precision, and patience all at once. Got some real game-wreckers, and none more so than Hole 4 and Hole 18.
Is Erin Hills a game-flipping course for the players?
Hole 4 isn’t very long at 403 yards, but it’s tricky. The fairway is narrow, and there’s a deep bunker on the right that catches a lot of shots. The green has tricky slopes, bunkers, and a drop-off behind it, making it tough to find a safe spot. Hole 18 is much longer—675 yards—and you can play it many ways. The green is protected by bunkers and thick rough, with a steep hill behind that can cause trouble if the ball rolls off.
These card-wrecker holes will raise the tension even higher in a field already packed with top players, and Erin Hills is built to match that level of intensity. Now, it’s all about who will make history, as this is the first time the U.S. Women’s Open is played here.
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