Just over two hours from Kafka’s headquarters sits the picturesque Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, WI. With a striking landscape created by ancient glacier movements, this course features 652 scenic acres of rolling hills and swaying grasses.

PREPARING FOR THE 2017 U.S. OPEN

Erin Hills is so breathtaking that it was chosen to play host to the 2017 U.S. Open. To prepare for this monumental event, course management had to make sure everything was absolutely perfect. The problem? The grounds crew was spending far too much time maintaining the walking paths instead of the actual course. The same hilly terrain that makes this course so exquisite was causing ongoing erosion issues, distracting from other important course preparations.

SOLVING THE ISSUE OF ONGOING EROSION

Refusing to settle for obtrusive hardscapes such as asphalt or concrete, Erin Hills turned to Kafka Granite for a better solution. Leveraging decades of industry expertise, Kafka was able to develop an erosion-resistant Wax Coated Pathway Mix, combining crushed stone with a polymeric wax to create a natural-looking yet highly durable pathway material.

This wax-coated aggregate mix creates a dustless, sealed, non-permeable surface that’s perfect for golf courses — as it can stand up to extensive foot traffic, harsh elements and hilly terrain. Pre-blended for easy installation and maintenance, Wax Coated Pathway Mix can be installed without water and, if desired, without compaction. The crew at Erin Hills chose not to compact the new pathways since they desired a more natural-looking pathway system.

Kafka also provided Erin Hills with Stabilized Pathway Mix for terrain with a 10% grade or less. This stabilized mix is affordable and water permeable — yet still more durable than standard pathways — making it an ideal solution for long, flat stretches of land. With nearly 40 different color variations, Kafka was able to match the aggregate blend already used for the wax-coated pathways — allowing for a seamless transition between materials.

IN THE YEARS SINCE

These pathways have stood up beautifully to the challenging freeze/thaw cycles of Wisconsin’s climate. Even with approximately 18,000 rounds of golf each season — totaling around 30,000 people annually when factoring in golfers, caddies, maintenance staff and more — Erin Hill’s pathways have held up remarkably well over the years.

The grounds crew has been so pleased with this material that they ordered more in preparation of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open Championship — making sure the course is absolutely pristine for this major open. To ensure everything is picture perfect, they’re reinforcing all walkways with additional Wax Coated Pathway Mix. This product performed exceptionally well on one of golf’s biggest stages in 2017, and is trusted to do the same in 2025.