Inside the course: Learn more about Brown Deer Park

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The Brown Deer Park Golf Course is the 26th hardest course on the PGA TOUR.

Jul. 15, 2008
By Jamie Batey, Special to PGATOUR.com

Brown Deer Park Golf Course in Milwaukee, Wis., is hosting this week's U.S. Bank Championship. Here's all you need to know about the course.

Fast facts

Original architect	George Hansen (1929)
Course Superintendents	Mark Goodstein and Dwayne Cetnarowski
Number of TOUR events as host venue	15 (including 2008)
Course ranking	Ranked 26th (out of 55 courses) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2007
Yardage history	6,716 yards (1994-1995)
	6,739 yards (1996-1999)
	6,759 yards (2000-present)
Grass	Creeping bentgrass/Poa annua (tees, fairways, greens); Kentucky bluegrass (rough)
Tournament Stimpmeter	10.5 feet
Sand bunkers	53
Water hazards	in play on 10 holes
Course tour	Click here

Course record

Player
Steve Lowery
Corey Pavin

Year
1999
2006

Round
4th
1st

Finish
T4
1st

Holes-in-one

There have been 13 aces recorded during the U.S. Bank Championship at Brown Deer Park GC.

Player	Hole	Year	Player	Hole	Year
Bill Britton	5	1994	Greg Twiggs	5	1994
Lennie Clements	5	1995	Jeff Gallagher	14	1996
Tiger Woods	14	1996	Steve Lowery	3	1996
Richard Zokol	5	1996	Mike Brisky	11	1997
Joe Daley	3	1998	Mike Brisky	3	1999
Skip Kendall	7	2002	Larry Mize	11	2002
Chip Beck	7	2003

2007 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	The par-4 485-yard 4th This hole will play as a par 4 for the first time, and it plays downhill from the tee to a landing area protected on the left by trees. Approach shots to the small green are over a creek. 2007: 0 eagles, 28 birdies, 263 pars, 104 bogeys, 10 double bogeys, 1 other.
Easiest hole in 2007
	The par-5 557-yard 18th This par 5 may well decide the tournament. A good drive over the creek allows you to go for the green in two, otherwise you must lay up. The green has five bunkers in front to penalize the daring golfer who needs an eagle to win. 2007: 13 eagles, 174 birdies, 195 pars, 23 bogeys, 1 double bogey, 0 others.

Brown Deer Park GC			2007 rankings		Last 15 years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. score	Rank	Avg. Score	Rank
1	4	461	4.165	3	4.14	2
2	4	417	4.182	2	4.08	7
3	3	171	2.985	12	2.94	13
4	4	485	4.244	1	*4.31	*1
5	3	164	2.884	13	2.90	14
6	5	556	4.791	16	4.70	18
7	3	215	3.103	8	3.09	6
8	4	436	4.111	7	4.11	4
9	4	359	3.879	14	3.88	15
10	4	447	4.064	10	4.10	5
11	3	196	3.150	4	3.07	8
12	4	381	4.057	11	4.03	10
13	4	437	4.145	5	4.12	3
14	3	188	3.084	9	3.04	9
15	5	531	4.791	16	4.71	16
16	4	371	3.860	15	3.98	12
17	4	387	4.113	6	4.01	11
18	5	557	4.569	18	4.71	17
* Hole 4 has changed in recent years from a par 5 to a par 4, therefore the ranking is relative.

NOTES: In 2007, the 18th hole, which is ranked the easiest on the course, was also ranked the 51st easiest 18th hole of all 55 courses played on TOUR.
• The par-4 4th was ranked the 92nd most difficult par-4 on TOUR last year.
• The 4th hole also has the most pars (263) and bogeys (104) of Brown Deer Park GC.
• The par-3 5th has recorded 4 holes-in-one and is ranked the 10th easiest 5th hole on TOUR in 2007.

Course origins

The course hosted the tournament for the past 15 years, and is one of only two municipal courses on the PGA TOUR, with the other one being Torrey Pines. The course hosted the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 1951, 1966 and 1977.

This traditional course features sand bunkers coming into play on nearly every hole. In addition, water hazards come into play on 10 holes. Most of the narrow fairways are tree lined and the undulating greens are fast.

Brown Deer Park is one of 15 courses in the Milwaukee County Parks System, which is led by Sue Black, parks director. -- Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
Northshore CC	Mequon, Wis.	1968-1970
Tipoli GC	Milwaukee, Wis.	1971-1972
Tuckaway CC	Franklin, Wis.	1973-1993
Brown Deer Park GC	Milwaukee, Wis.	1994-present