Irish Course Review, Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin
I’ve played the Irish Course at Whistling Straits twice; once during my honeymoon (when I played all four of the Kohler golf courses), and again in August of 2007. It borders the Whistling Straits course, so you do have views of Lake Michigan, but not nearly as many as you do on the Straits. Of course, you still get the wind, and it is a Pete Dye design, so the challenge is still there for sure.
Caddies are required, and it’s a walking-only course. I think I read somewhere that they’d allow a golf cart for the physically handicapped, but I’ve never seen one on the course. If you’re not used to walking, or are not in the best of shape (like me), plan on playing in the morning, and either soaking in a hot tub in the afternoon, or getting a massage. This course is anything but flat, and will require a good degree of stamina.
The Irish Course starts out tough enough; slight uphill par 4, directly towards Lake Michigan (think windy). Take plenty of club on the approach, which is also uphill.
The second hole looks simple enough from the tee; it’s also a par 4, and measures 360 from the Blue (only 372 from the Black). Oddly, it’s the 6th handicap hole on the course. There’s water on the right, but the real challenge is the approach. The green is small, very thin, and is well-guarded. Since the tee shot is short, be sure to leave yourself a perfect distance for the approach (and include the wind). Here’s where the caddies really start coming into play.
The fifth is an almost unreachable par 5. The tee shot has to be perfect, and there’s trouble everywhere, including dozens of bunkers, a waste area, a long carry, and a river running through the middle of the fairway. Again, the green is abnormally small, and heavily guarded. My advice (as is the norm with Dye designs); play it safe. Ask your caddy; he’ll tell you the same.
The 8th hole is a downhill par 5, and a beautiful hole. Be sure to hammer the drive; this hole is potentially reachable. Although 542 from the Blue, the second shot is downhill, and the wind doesn’t seem to be too large of a factor here. With two great shots, it’s possible (but remember the key word… great).
Here’s the tee shot (which should favor the right side):
And here’s the approach on 8:
The ninth isn’t necessarily a hard hole, but the ever-present railroad ties (Dye is famous for them) become apparent here. Personally, I think they add a lot.
The tenth is a visually difficult hole. It is completely uphill, so plan on hitting a blind approach. Again, the caddies help a lot for this type of shot. It’s hard to show just how uphill this hole is, but the picture below was taken from the tee, and the golfers on the far left of the shot are on the group in front of us, on the green.
The 11th and 13th are both straight-forward par 3’s, but they are both so beautiful, with their railroad ties and numerous bunkers, that I had to include pictures of both.
Here’s the 11th:
And here’s the 13th:
The on-course restrooms are basically hidden from sight, but if the need arises, they are some of the cleanest restrooms I’ve even seen (and of course, full of impressive Kohler fixtures.) I had to take a couple shots. Here’s the outside of the restroom facilities:
And here’s a close-up of one of the Kohler sinks (I think it’s the border is the Straits course):
One thing did surprise us while playing the course; the sound of cowbells. The caddy noticed the weird look on our faces, and mentioned that the sheep (which are allowed to roam the course at will) must have been up and moving around. The first time we played the Irish Course, most of the sheep were lying down. The caddy said that was a sure sign that it was going to rain soon. They were getting their rest. True to form, it rained that night, and we had to reschedule our round at the Straits Course.
The 14th is a relatively straight par 5, with one (personal) stand-out feature; a massive bunker on the left side of the green. It’s OB right, so there really isn’t a place to bail. Playing out of this bunker was a great premonition of playing the Straits Course; almost every hole there has a bunker like this.
If you don’t pass out from all the walking (OK, I’m REALLY out of shape), the 18th is a great finishing hole. A par 5 with an elevated green. Playing 536 from the Blues, it’s potentially reachable, but not for me. A great tee shot goes down into a valley, making the second almost completely uphill. I say make the third shot your approach, and give yourself a good distance.
At the 18 green, a staff member will meet you and give you a ride back to the clubhouse. Although it’s within walking distance, you’ll be thankful to be able to sit down on a cart (I GOT to get to the gym!)
Of the four courses at Kohler, The River Course is my favorite, followed by this one. It’s not as penal as the Straits, but not as easy as the Meadows. It’s a true test, within throwing distance of Lake Michigan. If you can only pick two, pick this one.
Finally, be sure to tip your caddy well. All you did was walk it; they had to drag your bag.
Other Wisconsin Golf Course Reviews:
The River Course, Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wisconsin
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
Return to the Golf Course Reviews Homepage.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Nice review, Dan! I find it interesting that the ‘Irish’ course has so many trees and a freshwater hazard…never seen either at the great links courses in Ireland, which the rest of the golf course is clearly trying to emulate.
I’ve never been a big fan of Pete Dye — Firethorn in Lincoln Neb has three of the worst Tournament holes I’ve ever played — the lack of transition between parkland and linksland evident on this course is just another nail in his coffin. Would have preferred to see a guy like Doak or Crenshaw get this commission, but they weren’t in vogue when Kohler began, I suppose.
At any rate, really enjoyable to read your review!