Buddies Bucket list Golf Trip- Kohler, WI: Whistling Straits: The Straits Course

June 1, 2020 Off By BBF

This course came to life in 1998 rising from the ashes of a former Army base that was along the shores of Lake Michigan east of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. This is a truly epic golf experience. A links style golf course along the shores of Lake Michigan, Pete Dye did his best to capture the feel of golfing in the UK, and he did a fantastic job. In the process he has created a world class golf course that is beautiful and absolutely brutal if you get out of position. Pray for good weather while you’re on it as wind, rain, hail, fog and many other weather conditions can come into play. Caddies are required and at ~$500 round, and my advice is to trust their reads on the greens.

*The vistas on this golf course are stunning*

This is a golf course that must be walked, so make sure you’re in your peak playing condition. The Straits Course has been home to a couple PGA tournaments, and will host the Ryder Cup in 2020 (we think), the first time a public course will receive this event. The routing is classic American golf. Out and back and out and back walking by the clubhouse at the turn. Be sure to grab a homemade granola bar and a Spotted Cow beer as you pass on your way to 10. The first hole takes you out to the lake where you’ll be dazzled by several holes with water on your left.

Then you come back inland with the big par 5, but ultimately you will be back on the water for number 7. The caddies refer to this Par 3 as the “shortest par 5 on the golf course”. Back 9 is a challenge as well, and you get plenty of opportunities along the water. Pay attention when you get to 17 and make sure you get a photo with your buddies on that tee box. Also be sure to have the Caddie point out where Dustin Johnson grounded his club in a waste bunker on 18 during the US OPEN, a penalty that cost him the tournament. The golf shop is world class, but still my advice is to get all your gear at the golf shops in the American Club basement.

*You will be sharing the course with the sheep*

Be sure to ask your caddie if the sheep will be out. As that is a very cool feature of this golf course is that you share it with a flock of Sheep. They wear bells so you can hear them from far off or when you have fog so bad you can’t see your hand in front of your face. Be sure to bring rain gear and be prepared for any weather eventuality, as this is Bucket List Golf at it’s finest… no matter what it’s like out if you can play, YOU PLAY.

Rankings:

Bucket list rank (from 1 to 5 buckets): 5 Buckets
Caddies: 8 and I suggest you use them
Location: 7
Spectacle/ visual: 9
History: 7
New/ancient: Modern
Playability : 8 very hard
Memorability : 9
Buddy-a-bility : 8
Service/etc: 8
Value: 6 ($500 a round is steep)
Shopping: 9 (but go to basement of American Club for best stuff
Warm up facilities/Range: 9
Food & Drink: 8

CategoryFive Buckets United States: Wisconsin

About The Author

BBF

BBF or “Big Ball First” comes from a golf saying for hitting a shot fat. Or hitting the “big ball first” in that you hit the ground (the big ball) before hitting the golf ball. In the BBF blog, it’s a metaphor for traveling the planet, soaking in exclusive experiences, and pointing people to the Awesome, the Great, the Good, and the not so good out there. We’re hitting the big ball running with tales from international golf courses, with fine wine, fine food, did I mention golf…well, especially the ‘buddies bucket list golf trips’. The hope is that like minded people will enjoy the stories, and hopefully use it as a reference point. If this blog helps people prioritize the experiences they want to have on our planet then we will have succeeded on our mission. We only have so many go’s at “bucket list” travel experiences. Especially the bucket list buddies golf experiences. My hope is you can refine your experience based upon my learning, and take your “big ball first” experiences to the next level.