Whistling Straits...Very Poor Golf Experience

[Mike Bowline]

I lived in WI for 16 years and played the Kohler Four often, or as often as I could justify the expense. The Straits was my least favorite course of the four courses.

I just could never get past the faux links effect at the Straits, and especially the bent grass approaches to all the greens. The fescue fairway abruptly changes to bent at about the 25-30 yards-out-from-the-green line. Have you ever tried to play the ground game on bent? It just doesn’t work. So much for the ground game on the faux links.

I also had abysmal fairway conditions at the Straits several times and it finally wore enough on me that I quit playing it. Even if the fee is discounted $100, the conditions were so bad that it was not much fun.

I would rank the Kohler Four:
1. River
2. Irish
3. Meadow Valley
4. Straits

[Tony Gorski]

I grew up in Milwaukee and have played the Kohler courses many times as well. 

I have to agree with Mike that the faux links effect didn't resonate with me.  I also couldn't understand the design on 10 and 11.

Here's the area just left of #10 green...



and here's the tee shot on #11...



It looks like a military practice ground to me.  I stood on 11 for quite some time trying to figure out what Dye was trying to accomplish on that hole.  The setup off the tee still puzzles me.

Then again, that's one of the reasons I participate in this group.........maybe someone can enlighten me.....
 

[Tony Gorski]

And for those needing a reference on the harsh winter, here's a pic taken in late May of the approach shot into #2 green....

[RJ_Daley]

Tony, I can't see where those two photos reflect the actual golf holes too accurately.  The perspective seems well off to me, with making it seem all those bunkers are as imposing and in line of play as they are.  Yes, the bunkers off the tee ball on the front entry to the FW and on the right side and rough down there is scary.  But, they don't present a minefield quite like that.

But, I can certainly agree with those that are off-put by the faux links.  Plenty of the design is well over the top, IMO as well.  

As for the nice description Russell gave, he is happy with it despite the described near flooding, and good for him.  However, I would not be for a second at even half price let alone what he probably paid.  

Flooding at the River course is highly understandable.  But, if it was so soft and some areas were that flooded to preclude getting a mower to greens, or actually under water and cut holes short, I'd not wish to play, let alone at any price.  For comparison, I'm 50 miles away.  We didn't get quite as much rain, but nearly as much as Sheboygan and Kohler.  Our 50 year old muni, lost one bridge.  But, the course was sufficiently dry to played soft but acceptable the days following the rain days.  Some bunkers were full of water  for as much as 3 days.  Yet, all last week, and up til now the course is already firm and actually as good as I've seen firm and fast.  How can that be when our course has 1/100th the infrastructure and far more clayey soil than any of the Kohler courses?  

[Tony Ristola]

I understand what it is like to endure long cold snowy winters, cold springs, cool summers, etc as I am a super in CO at 8000 feet.  This is why I ask the question.  Yes, there are years when you can do nothing but throw up your hands.  However, if it is a continual and constant pattern then you obviously don't have the proper turf type for the conditions.

Not throwing darts Greg, I'm curious as to your turf recommendations? And those for a course that should play links-like. Does Sand Hills or Wild Horse ever go through periods of distress.

Mike,
Didn't realize the bent transition; does seem odd.

[Mike Bowline]

Mike,
Didn't realize the bent transition; does seem odd.

It really struck me due to the color variation between the two grass types: fescue being a yellow/green and bent being a blue/green. So right there I thought it looked strange because of the abrupt color transition running straight across the fairway in a hard, brutal line. I realize there needs to be a transition from fescue to bent, but why not just do it at the green surround? Have a bent green collar and fescue fairway running right up to it.

But then I tried unsuccessfully to bounce some shots onto the green by landing short. After a few failures (I am stubborn sometimes ) I gave up. Too bad you cannot bounce shots onto the greens.

Remember the Senior U.S. Open when many downwind holes had the holes cut in the fronts of the greens and the pros were furious about the sticky, wet bent apporaches. If they landed short, the ball stuck, and if they landed on the green, it bounded long. Strange set up IMO.

[Scott Whitley]

of course, they could also get sued for not having one too, i would think...

No, not so long as they post the sign prominently.  If you have read the sign, you've voluntarily accepted the risk.  Or that is the theory at least.

[Matt Kardash]

I like the tee shot on 11. in fact, i think it is one of the best holes on the course.

[Tony Gorski]

Hi Matt -

I do like the approach shot on 11, but given the view off the tee, I think they should rename the hole................Normandy.

There's just too much going on.

[Chris Simonson]

When I played Whistling in 2004, the fairwarys were green, but dead.  The grass was very weak and limp.

The other three courses were in fine shape, including Irish, which is right next to it.

It was a very long round.  It's also a very difficult golf course and I'm imagine a good percentage of rounds are by first-timers.

[tlavin]

were the fairways in poor shape??the greens ? both?

a rough spring here in the Midwest might explain the conditions to some degree

The Chicago golf courses that I've played have all been in spectacular shape, despite the rough winter that we had.  The spring seems to have provided enough water and now we're getting consistent warm temperatures.  In my judgment, bad conditions in this general area (WS isn't that far away) shouldn't be attributable to weather.

[Bart Bradley]

were the fairways in poor shape??the greens ? both?

a rough spring here in the Midwest might explain the conditions to some degree

The Chicago golf courses that I've played have all been in spectacular shape, despite the rough winter that we had.  The spring seems to have provided enough water and now we're getting consistent warm temperatures.  In my judgment, bad conditions in this general area (WS isn't that far away) shouldn't be attributable to weather.

Terry:

My sister-in-law is an intern at Blackwolf this summer...it is my understanding that they had 16 inches of rain in a 24 hour period about 1 month ago....Did it rain like that in Chicago?  They are lucky to have not washed away the entire resort.

Bart

[tlavin]

Nope, didn't rain like that here!  The most we had was a few inches, maybe 4, so that could explain the difference.

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