Whistling Straits

N8501 County LS,

Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53083

  • Office

    +1 (800) 618 5535 (toll free)
  • Pro shop

    +1 (920) 457 8000
  • Fax

    +1 (920) 457 0299
  • Golf pro

    Michael O'Reilly (PGA Head Golf Professional)
  • Academy

    Kohler Golf Academy

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Links-style course. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Duneland, woodland and open countryside.

  • Designer:

    Pete Dye

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7201
5992
5109
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
75.6
70.3
70.0

At the same location:

Above distances are for the Irish course. Also at Whistling Straits is the 18-hole par-72 Straits course (7790 yds from back tees).

Location

Latitude:

43.851009

Longitude:

-87.735593

How to get there:

6.5 mi N of Sheboygan / 62 mi N of Milwaukee.

Whistling Straits (Irish course)

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.

Est. 2000

Whistling Straits (Irish Course): To the north of the city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, directly alongside Lake Michigan, are the two spectacular links-style layouts of Whistling Straits - the Straits and Irish courses. A little way inland, close to the resort accommodations, is Blackwolf Run, home to the River and Meadow Valleys courses. All four layouts are impressive Pete Dye designs, owned and run by the Kohler Company.

The links-style Irish course should not be overlooked, even if your main objective at Whistling Straits is a round on the highly-acclaimed Straits course. The Irish is also a fabulous Pete Dye design. It may not be endowed with as many Lake Michigan views as its higher-rated sibling (which it sits behind), but it too has many stunning golf holes.

Most of the course is laid out in traditional open links-style. There is plenty of dune-like mounding, penal fescue grasses, railway-sleepered bunkers and sand scrapes galore. However on both nine-hole loops, good-size ponds and meandering streams also come into play. There's also one or two tree-lined stretches, occasionally giving the course a more "hybrid" feel than the pure links of the Straits course.

The dunes here generally do not tower as high as on the Straits course, with one notable exception. On the back-nine a "monster" sand hill towers alongside the fabulous par-3 11th (one of the best holes out of the 36 at Whistling Straits). The par-3 13th is another gem, the huge green totally concealed behind a fiery ring of dunes and bunkers. You can thank the Irish (especially those at Lahinch Golf Club) for conjuring-up such a testing tee-shot. Both traditional and memorable, the Irish is full of many other intimidating and enjoyable golfing challenges.

List of courses: Wisconsin (East)

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes on the Irish course in high season: c.$200 (all days).

Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2018].

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted at all times. Golf carts available to rent. Caddies or forecaddies recommended but not compulsory on the Irish course.

Practice facilities

Excellent

Did you know?

The Straits course at Whistling Straits has hosted many top level tournaments and Major championships, including two U.S. PGA Championships and a U.S. Senior Open (see our Tournaments section >by Venue >Whistling Straits).

Published ranking

Irish course:
Wisconsin: 9th best course in Wisconsin (Golf Digest, 2023/24).
USA: 56th best public course in the USA (Golf Digest, 2023).

Where2Stay

  • The American Club Resort HotelAAA 5-Diamond

    419 Highland Drive, Kohler, WI 53044

    +1 (855) 444 2838

    Visit website

    The American Club once provided housing, meals and recreational facilities for immigrant employees who could not afford housing. Today, The American Club is a Forbes Five-Star Resort Hotel and the Midwest’s only AAA Five Diamond Resort Hotel providing unique, luxurious décor that creates a singular quality experience room by room.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Blackwolf Run (River and Meadow Valleys courses); The Bull at Pinehurst Farms.

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Whistling Straits (Straits and Irish courses)

  • Inn on Woodlake

    705 Woodlake Rd, Kohler, WI 53044

    +1 (855) 444 2838

    Visit website

    The Inn on Woodlake is a 121-room hotel located on the shore of picturesque Wood Lake. Here, business and leisure travellers alike will enjoy the best modern amenities, boutique-style rooms, stylish atmosphere and relaxing common spaces.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Blackwolf Run (River and Meadow Valleys courses); The Bull at Pinehurst Farms.

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Whistling Straits (Straits and Irish courses)

Find a course

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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