Thanks to three PGA Championships, a Senior U.S. Open, and a win by the United States in the 2021 Ryder Cup, golf fans everywhere know a little bit about Whistling Straits. What most don’t know is that the site was a former airfield, transformed by the vision of Herbert Kohler and the bulldozers of architect Pete Dye into one of the most dramatic venues in the world.
Opened in 1998, Whistling Straits is one of three courses settled on the shores of Lake Michigan, just an hour away from downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s all part of the Destination Kohler resort, which includes The Irish and Blackwolf Run golf courses, three lodging options, spa and fitness services, and seven restaurants with something for everyone.
The course’s first major saw Vijay Singh win the PGA Championship in 2004, a tournament that returned in 2010 for Martin Kaymer’s first major victory, and then again in 2015 when Jason Day finally broke through in a major. Even before the 2021 Ryder Cup, Whistling Straits was considered a modern classic that should be on every golfer’s bucket list.
Aside from the rugged dunes and sweeping views of Lake Michigan, the one thing that gets brought up about Whistling Straits are the bunkers. They’re everywhere. There’s no official count, but Golf Digest writer Ron Whitten said he spent two days counting them in 2010 and settled on 967. That’s a lot of sand for players to avoid and is considered the most bunkered golf course in the world.
When asked why he designed the course with so much bunkering, Dye called the course ‘popcorn,’ but quickly added that “sometimes people choke on popcorn.” Like all of his designs, Dye gives golfers opportunities to score well and continually goads them into hitting a shot they know they shouldn’t.
The course makes use of every natural element available to it. The layout and routing are well-balanced, and offers six sets of tees with recommendations for players of any ability to ensure they have a great time.