[Frank Sullivan]

Hey everyone!

I went to Kohler last September (2007) for 3 days...the plan was to play all 4 courses, but ended up playing Straits 3 times, Irish 1, and River 1...I would have liked to played the River more, however it was our last course on the last day...

Anyway, here are some pictures!

http://web.mac.com/inspiremusic/Site/Home.html

Best,

Frank

[Patrick Hodgdon]

Great pics Frank! I have a bunch of friends that caddy at the Straits and want to got there even more now after looking at those pics. Looks like you had some great weather! Hope the next trip is as enjoyable for you!

[Frank Sullivan]

Thanks Patrick!

The three caddies I had on the Straits course were terrific...especially a gentleman named Tom from NC...they tend to double-bag 2 rounds a day...brutal:)

On a side note, the Irish course was very enjoyable...as you can tell from the pictures, we played it in the late afternoon/evening AFTER playing the Straits course...I recommend playing the Irish (walking with a pull-cart was great...) before you play the Straits, as it does pale in comparison... but if it were on a different property, The Irish course would be more talked about, IMO!

Frank

[Reef Wilson]

Joe,
Great pics! Looks like you had some beautiful weather.

Did the Irish and Striats play firm and fast? They always look so green I wonder about this. My in-laws to be are in Wisconsin and gave me some Kohler bucks for Christmas, so I am looking forward to checking it out.

Reef

[Frank Sullivan]

Joe,
Great pics! Looks like you had some beautiful weather.

Did the Irish and Striats play firm and fast? They always look so green I wonder about this. My in-laws to be are in Wisconsin and gave me some Kohler bucks for Christmas, so I am looking forward to checking it out.

Reef

Hey Reef!

The Straits played firm and somewhat fast...not quite as fast as I was expecting...

The Irish course was in a bit better shape than the Straits (partly because they use different grass)...it played a bit softer, but the speed of the greens were comparable.

Best,

Frank

[Matt Kardash]

Sweet pics. The straits can get dumped on a little by some people here, but when you look at those pics you really have to marvel at what an acheivement, and what imagination it took to build it. Love the sheep!

[Frank Sullivan]

Sweet pics. The straits can get dumped on a little but some people here, but when you look at those pics you really have to marvel at what an acheivement, and what imagination it took to build it. Love the sheep!

Yeah Matt, and I understand why...the strength of the Straits course has more to do with eye candy...the course itself does not have a lot of risk/reward holes (unless you play the tips, then you "risk" not making some fairways:) or many of the design elements that make the case for it being in the top flight of courses...I have read many of the threads on GCA regarding the Straits, and I can't say I disagree...

HOWEVER, if you go there to enjoy the beauty, the lake, and the isolation (other than a firing range on number 5 that startled me more than once!!!), then you will love it...it was very enjoyable, but I was not analyzing the course, just blown away with the scenery and how fun the course was to play!!!!!

To each his own, right?!

On a side note, the sheep are interested in 2 things....grazing and bumming peanuts from you...if they are in your line, good luck getting them to move:) Ha

Best,

Frank

[Matt Kardash]

Frank, i'd play there in a heartbeat. In fact, i think i would like the course a lot based on what I've seen (pics, PGA,  Senior US open).

[Andy Troeger]

Frank,
Glad that you enjoyed your trip. Kohler a few years ago was the first big time golf resort I visited and I certainly wasn't disappointed. We played all four courses including the Meadow Valleys. You did miss out on the back nine there which I think rivals anything at the resort; the front isn't the same level.

I agree with much of what you said about the Straits, for better and worse at times. Its a heck of a course and an accomlishment. I don't think its a top five modern course, but certainly a course I'd recommend to make a trip for.

I do think the River is the best course at the resort; would play there 7-3 over the Straits in ten rounds I think. The River makes my top five courses played period.

I actually think the Irish would suffer if it didn't have Whistling Straits' name attached to it. I played it before the Straits and liked a majority of the holes, but it has a few head scratchers IMO. Both courses finish rather weakly with odd 18th holes that didn't work for me. I loved the finishers at Blackwolf Run.

[Frank Sullivan]

Frank,
Glad that you enjoyed your trip. Kohler a few years ago was the first big time golf resort I visited and I certainly wasn't disappointed. We played all four courses including the Meadow Valleys. You did miss out on the back nine there which I think rivals anything at the resort; the front isn't the same level.

I agree with much of what you said about the Straits, for better and worse at times. Its a heck of a course and an accomlishment. I don't think its a top five modern course, but certainly a course I'd recommend to make a trip for.

I do think the River is the best course at the resort; would play there 7-3 over the Straits in ten rounds I think. The River makes my top five courses played period.

I actually think the Irish would suffer if it didn't have Whistling Straits' name attached to it. I played it before the Straits and liked a majority of the holes, but it has a few head scratchers IMO. Both courses finish rather weakly with odd 18th holes that didn't work for me. I loved the finishers at Blackwolf Run.

Hey Andy,

I agree with you about the River course...my biggest regret of the trip was scheduling that course on the last day...I didn't realize what a gem is was until we played it!!!!  Unfortunately, I was a bit worn out after 36 and 36 at Whistling Straits the 2 days prior..I didn't play very well (however, in the husband-wife twosome we were paired with, she shot +1, which really thrilled her husband:)...next time I go up there, the River course will be first on the agenda, and the Meadows per your rec!!!

Also, I didn't get to finish the Irish course due to darkness...we only made it through 16...so I'll take your word on the lackluster finish!

Best,

Frank

[Brian Cenci]

The Irish course gets  no love on this site.  Not sure why not, it's a solid course.  I played The River, Straits and The Irish there a few years ago.  Far and away the Straits course was my favorite.  I actually liked aspects of the Irish course better than the River, but overall probably the River second.

-Brian

[Jim Colton]

I've played the four courses at Kohler over 20 times and it never fails to disappoint.  I agree with Andy that the 18th on both WS's are both strange holes, and I agree with him that I like River the best of the four (Andy and I agree on a lot of things, which is probably why I like the guy so much).

It's unfortunate that the Straits will set you back $390 + caddie tip, which is more than I'm willing to pay for that course.  I played it once each the first two years it was open and haven't been back since.  Every once in a while they have deals for the other three courses that make it a much better value proposition that the Straits in my opinion.  It's rare for me to pass on golf due to cost, but this is one instance where the course has priced me out of the market.

Speaking of Kohler, my buddies are planning a great road trip loop around Lake Michigan this summer that includes something along the lines of:

Erin Hills
One of the courses at Kohler (likely Irish because one of the guys hasn't played it yet)
Greywalls
Kingsley Club
Arcadia Bluffs

Now that is a road trip!

[Mark Smolens]

While I agree that the rack rate for the Straits course is a little absurd, in May for about $750 you can get two nights and three rounds of golf in a package, and play the Straits in the afternoon on the replay rate.  Pretty good deal, and lots of great golf. . .

[Brian Cenci]

I've played the four courses at Kohler over 20 times and it never fails to disappoint.  I agree with Andy that the 18th on both WS's are both strange holes, and I agree with him that I like River the best of the four (Andy and I agree on a lot of things, which is probably why I like the guy so much).

It's unfortunate that the Straits will set you back $390 + caddie tip, which is more than I'm willing to pay for that course.  I played it once each the first two years it was open and haven't been back since.  Every once in a while they have deals for the other three courses that make it a much better value proposition that the Straits in my opinion.  It's rare for me to pass on golf due to cost, but this is one instance where the course has priced me out of the market.

Speaking of Kohler, my buddies are planning a great road trip loop around Lake Michigan this summer that includes something along the lines of:

Erin Hills
One of the courses at Kohler (likely Irish because one of the guys hasn't played it yet)
Greywalls
Kingsley Club
Arcadia Bluffs

Now that is a road trip!

I've played that road trip, minus Erin Hills and we played Lawsonia instead. 

If you want a few road trips that top that, see:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,19500.0.html
OR
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,34107.0.html

[Andy Troeger]

I've played the four courses at Kohler over 20 times and it never fails to disappoint.  I agree with Andy that the 18th on both WS's are both strange holes, and I agree with him that I like River the best of the four (Andy and I agree on a lot of things, which is probably why I like the guy so much).

Jim,
Thank you for the comment, although I'm not sure I recommend actually saying that out loud let alone on an Internet forum!  Glad you all made it out to the Land of Enchantment last year!

[Jim Colton]

I've played that road trip, minus Erin Hills and we played Lawsonia instead. 

If you want a few road trips that top that, see:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,19500.0.html
OR
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,34107.0.html

Brian,

 I remember reading about your most recent trip.  You certainly know how to do it right and I can tell immediately that you'd fit right in on one of our trips, probably the highest compliment I can give to another male.  Hopefully my buddy Jeff Tang will chime in about his 3-month cross country golf trek from 3-4 years ago at some point. 

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