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GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Steve_ Shaffer on January 14, 2020, 10:56:38 AM

Title: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Steve_ Shaffer on January 14, 2020, 10:56:38 AM

SHEBOYGAN FALLS - The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, a nationally acclaimed golf course in Sheboygan Falls, is scheduled for a sheriff's sale on Jan. 28
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A foreclosure of the property situated at One Long Drive was filed in October 2019, stating The Bull (http://www.golfthebull.com/) defaulted on $4.2 million owed to Wisconsin Bank and Trust, according to court documents[/size][/font]
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https://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/2020/01/13/auction-nicklaus-designed-bull-golf-course-sheboygan-falls/4453945002/


http://www.golfthebull.com/
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Sean Ogle on January 14, 2020, 11:40:20 AM
I'm really disappointed to hear this. The Bull was one of the very first golf courses I played when I actually started traveling for golf. Tough course and some really enjoyable holes. Hope the new owner keeps the course open.
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: V_Halyard on January 14, 2020, 02:07:57 PM
The bar for public golf in Wisconsin is pretty high now, getting higher. It's a tough room with the likes of Kohler, Sand Valley and Erin Hills on the global sexy end. Plus affordable classic sleepers and super heroes such as Spring Valley and Lawsonia. The growing appreciation of smaller and other classic privates like West Bend, Kenosha, Pine Hills and Stevens Point and some other newbies likely tightened the noose as well.
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Jim Sherma on January 14, 2020, 02:26:45 PM
Looked through the website and it certainly looks like a tough course with a lot of spots where you don't have to miss by much to need a re-load or a drop.


Was this place meant to be a public course, or a private that then went public?


It's close to Blackwolf Run - could it make sense for Kohler to buy it out of foreclosure and role it into the rest of the resort/business?
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Ken Fry on January 15, 2020, 12:30:23 PM
Disappointed to see this.


On a trip to Kohler, we finished with a round at The Bull.  Once you got by the first four holes, I thought the course was a fun, rambunctious ride!


I would certainly pay the published rate for a round at The Bull over the published rate at The Irish Course.


Ken
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Tom_Doak on January 15, 2020, 02:19:37 PM
Quote from: Ken Fry on January 15, 2020, 12:30:23 PM

I would certainly pay the published rate for a round at The Bull over the published rate at The Irish Course.



Apparently, though, not enough people did.  It's kind of like High Pointe - being just down the road from a big resort is not such a boon to business if the resort still has lots of unused capacity.
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Colin Sheehan on January 15, 2020, 03:45:43 PM
Tons of water in play. Track McMansions along several holes. It's almost a miracle it lasted this long before sinking.

To me this is an example of the folly of splitting the baby: build enough houses to help justify the project in the first place, but thereby create enough of an aesthetic demerit to not get taken seriously as a real course when the Kohler courses were so close.






Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Ken Fry on January 15, 2020, 03:53:51 PM
Quote from: Tom_Doak on January 15, 2020, 02:19:37 PM

Apparently, though, not enough people did.  It's kind of like High Pointe - being just down the road from a big resort is not such a boon to business if the resort still has lots of unused capacity.




Good point Tom.  I was under the impression quite a few groups were making the short drive down the road to include The Bull in their golf itinerary.  Clearly, not enough did.


Ken
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Ken Fry on January 15, 2020, 03:57:46 PM
Quote from: Colin Sheehan on January 15, 2020, 03:45:43 PM
Tons of water in play. Track McMansions along several holes. It's almost a miracle it lasted this long before sinking.

To me this is an example of the folly of splitting the baby: build enough houses to help justify the project in the first place, but thereby create enough of an aesthetic demerit to not get taken seriously as a real course when the Kohler courses were so close.


Collin,


Once you get by the first four holes, the houses are gone.  One of the reasons I wasn't a fan of how the course began.  But from the 5th tee on, I thought the course provided some unique architecture and moments that offer a different experience than Kohler did.  If you compare prices to those at Kohler, I thought The Bull was an attractive alternative.  As Tom mentioned, obviously not enough to support operations.


Ken
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Tim_Weiman on January 15, 2020, 08:45:51 PM
Quote from: Colin Sheehan on January 15, 2020, 03:45:43 PM
Tons of water in play. Track McMansions along several holes. It's almost a miracle it lasted this long before sinking.

To me this is an example of the folly of splitting the baby: build enough houses to help justify the project in the first place, but thereby create enough of an aesthetic demerit to not get taken seriously as a real course when the Kohler courses were so close.
Tough to compete with the aesthetics of Blackwolf Run. The River course seemed like a play ground for dinosaurs, not to mention the good golf.
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: Lou_Duran on January 16, 2020, 12:48:38 PM
A course probably much more appreciated by good players than the average tourist to Kohler.  A couple of holes ate my lunch due to my own idiocy/overestimation of my abilities, but I liked it a lot.  The club pros in the area seem to think highly of the course.  My bet is that the club will be recapitalized.  The tee sheet was reasonably full during the afternoon of my visit.
Title: Re: The Bull ( Nicklaus, 2004) In Sheboygan Falls, WI in Foreclosure
Post by: SL_Solow on January 29, 2020, 09:00:21 PM
Brief update.  The foreclosure sale was cancelled because the entity owning the course filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  The end result will likely be the same except that the insolvency sale will be conducted by a Trustee with notices proscribed by the Bankruptcy Code and Rules.