Whistling Straits - Straits Course
A fake Irish linksland on Lake Michigan - all 1,000 bunkers of it.
The Course
Herb Kohler gave Pete Dye a dead-flat former airfield on Lake Michigan and asked for an Irish links. Dye moved millions of cubic yards of earth, dug roughly a thousand bunkers, imported sheep for authenticity, and created one of the most visually dramatic courses in America. It opened in 1998.
The Straits Course hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010, and 2015 (Jason Day's breakthrough), plus the 2021 Ryder Cup, where the U.S. team dismantled Europe. Dustin Johnson's infamous 2010 bunker grounding penalty on the 72nd hole remains one of golf's great rules controversies.
At 7,790 yards from the tips it is among the longest courses ever built. The bunkers - all of them, even the trampled sandy areas - play as hazards.
Signature Holes
Hole 17 - Par 3, 223 yards
Pinched between Lake Michigan and a wall of dunes. The wind decides your club.
Hole 18 - Par 4, 520 yards
A monster finisher along the lake. The approach must carry a ravine to an elevated green.
Designer
Pete Dye (1998)
Practical Info
Around $485 peak with mandatory caddie (about $100+ tip). Book well ahead for summer weekends. The Irish Course next door is a worthy second round at a lower price. Kohler's American Club is a superb (if pricey) base.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Green fee from | $485 |
| Fee notes | Peak rate. Caddie required. |
| Location | Kohler, Wisconsin |
| Par / Yardage | 72 / 7790 yards |
| Slope / Rating | 152 / 77.2 |
Worth it?
Yes for the spectacle. It is manufactured rather than natural linksland, and purists grumble - but standing on those clifftop tees above Lake Michigan, you will not care. Bring your A-game and an extra sleeve of balls.