Whistling Straits is on a two-mile stretch of Lake Michigan bluff north of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Pete Dye moved huge amounts of earth here to turn a flat old airfield into something that looks like the west of Ireland, complete with a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep. The Straits Course hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010 and 2015. In 2021 it hosted the 43rd Ryder Cup, which the United States won 19–9. Unlike most major venues, both courses take public tee times. Kohler’s resort hotels, 15 minutes inland, make it a natural place to stay.
Whistling Straits green fees and tee times.
Tee times on the Straits and Irish are open to the public. You book online or by phone at 920-565-6062 through Destination Kohler, and stay-and-play packages with The American Club cover both courses and Blackwolf Run. Green fees are shown in the booking engine and not on a public rate card, and the published rates exclude Wisconsin sales tax and gratuity. Twilight rates are 30% off from four and a half hours before sunset, and super-twilight rates are 45% off from two and a half hours before. Same-day replays are 45% off, subject to walk-on availability. If you want a walking caddie at twilight on the Straits, you have to reserve one in advance.
The courses at Whistling Straits.
The Straits
This is the championship course: walking only, no carts. The lakeside holes are what you see on television. The clubhouse, built in an Irish farmhouse style, overlooks the 18th, a long par four played back across Seven Mile Creek. It is a double-bag caddie facility, and your bag should weigh under 24 pounds, or you will be given a lighter change-out bag.
The Irish
The second Dye course has only a few lake views, but it has bigger dunes and is a little more forgiving. Carts with GPS are allowed and can go on the fairways when conditions permit, at US$50 per player. Forecaddies cost US$60 per player, one per foursome, and it is best to reserve them ahead.
The round, in perspective.
The Straits opened in 1998 as a walking-only course. It has eight holes directly on the lake, deep-faced pot bunkers and fescue roughs. There are about a thousand bunkers, and during the 2010 PGA Championship Dustin Johnson lost his chance in one he did not recognise as a hazard. The par threes are especially strong: the 3rd, 7th and 17th all play along the shore with the lake on the left. Wind off Lake Michigan can make the same hole play very differently on different days. The Irish Course opened in 2000 on the inland side, with tall dunes, streams and holes that change direction more often.
Make the trip work.
Plan the Straits as a full day. A walking round with a caddie usually takes over four hours, and the clubhouse restaurant is worth staying for. Rental sets cost US$100 and come with two sleeves of balls. Carry a light stand bag to avoid the change-out bag. The Straits and Irish share a range and clubhouse, so a 36-hole day, or a replay at 45% off, is practical if your legs allow.
Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE) is about an hour south. Green Bay (GRB) is about an hour north. Chicago O’Hare (ORD) has the most international flights and is about two and a half hours’ drive. You need a car, because the course is on a rural road outside the village of Haven.
The American Club in the village of Kohler is the main resort hotel. It is in a 1918 building that once housed immigrant workers at the Kohler factory, and it is about 15 minutes from the course. The Inn on Woodlake, also in Kohler, is a more relaxed option. Sheboygan, on the lakefront nearby, has chain hotels and restaurants at lower prices.
Make a trip of it.
Blackwolf Run, near The American Club, has the River and Meadow Valleys courses, also by Dye. They hosted the 1998 and 2012 U.S. Women’s Opens. The Baths is a walking-only short course where you can rent hickory clubs for US$15. Sand Valley is about two and a half hours west, and Erin Hills about an hour south-west. Away from golf, you can visit Kohler Waters Spa or walk the Lake Michigan beach at Kohler-Andrae State Park.
Find your season.
The season runs from late April to autumn, and the course is closed in winter. In 2026 it opened in late April after a slow spring. July and August are warmest, but the lake keeps the shoreline cooler than inland. September and October bring crisp air, autumn colour and quieter tee sheets.
Yes. Both the Straits and the Irish take public tee times, booked online or by phone through Destination Kohler. You do not need to be a member or a resort guest, but stay-and-play packages with The American Club bundle rounds and rooms.
Do I need a caddie at Whistling Straits?
No. The Straits is walking only and caddies are recommended, but you can carry your own bag. Caddies cost US$90 per person plus a suggested US$70 per bag gratuity. Bags should weigh under 24 pounds.
Can you take a cart on the Straits Course?
No. The Straits has no carts at all. The Irish allows GPS carts at US$50 per player, and they can go on the fairways when conditions allow.
What airport is closest to Whistling Straits?
Milwaukee (MKE) and Green Bay (GRB) are each about an hour by car. Chicago O’Hare (ORD) is about two and a half hours away and has more international routes.
Last checked 4 October 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
