We previously reported on the sale of Erin Hills to Andy Ziegler.

This month a great article from Golf Digest, tells the tale of Bob Lang, the man behind the development of Erin Hills Golf Course in Erin, Wisconsin.

This is a great story on the rise and fall of a golf course developer that couldn't shot under 100 and probably let the dream of owning a topnotch golf course get the better of him. From the article:

Fueled by his big imagination, a bank that would back him and a history of pulling off deals, Lang proved a bold entrepreneur. In 1997 a neighbor told Lang about a piece of property for sale in Erin, only 15 miles from Delafield. To buy it, Lang needed to raise $2.5 million.

He eventually owned 650 acres.

Yet, Lang's modest goals for the course, and the modest greens fees, didn't last long.  When it opened in 2006, it had fees of $150.  With the USGA whispering in his ear, Lang wasn't done and continued to renovate the course.

By 2009, Lang knew he'd had enough:

Lang says he figured it out -- he had to sell Erin Hills. "I ran out of money," he says. "I tried to find partners first, but the sale was the only way to go. I went too far from a financial standpoint. I thought about my family."

It was purchased on October 2, 2009 by Andy Ziegler for $10.5 million, much less than Bob Lang put into it.

A finalist for the 2017 U.S. Open, Erin Hills has gone through a lot of changes and is only now starting to blossom.

Also check out a video on Erin Hills too.