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By House and VW
“There could not be a better natural setting for golf.” These are the words of Pete Dye describing what we consider to be a hidden gem within the Kohler complex. While acknowledged as one of the finest courses in the United States, Blackwolf Run is typically overshadowed by the behemoth, Whistling Straights. Dye’s genius is reflected in the subtle changes to an abundant landscape, the flow of the course, and the refusal to accept anything less than perfect. Coming off the Straights course to the River course the next morning is similar to playing 36 in one day. It is easy to fall victim to sensory overload. But despite a late night out with friends at the American Club, we managed to capture the experience of this amazing course and savor the closing round of an unforgettable golf weekend.
| #1 |
"Snake." This serpentine par 5 is a first-rate opening hole. Trees line the left side of the fairway and scattered bunkers and mounds line the right. The fairway opens up to the left, so aim dead center and favor the left. The green is large and difficult to navigate. |
| #2 |
"Burial Mound." On this short par 4, accuracy reigns over distance, so bag the driver unless you are ruthlessly accurate with it. A long iron or fairway wood will leave a mid-iron to the green. Other than the claustrophobia, this is a routine par 4. |
| #3 |
"Gotcha." Target the left side of the fairway from tee to green. Huge bunkers line the right side. Your approach shot can be flown or rolled on to the open-faced green. |
| #4 |
"Swan Lake." This par 3 has water along the entire right side. A long, thin, undulating green awaits, should your aim be true. There really isn't a bailout to the left, so stick the green |
| #5 |
"Made In Heaven." One of the more routine but memorable par 4's. Aim left of center to avoid the bunker and river. Your approach shot will be to an elevated green with subtle undulations. |
| #6 |
"Jackknife." A driver is too much on this short par 4. Take a fairway wood to the corner of the dogleg right. A mid-short iron approach to the left side of the green takes the Sheboygan River and the tree line out of play. |
| #7 |
"Glencary." A slight dogleg left on this short par 4 requires a tee shot to hug the right side of the fairway. From this position, the deep bunkers are out of play and the postage-stamp green is wide open. |
| #8 |
"Hell's Gate." One of the real risk/reward holes on the River Course. This par 5 can be reached in two if your drive is long enough to make the slight dogleg right after carrying the gorge. Approach shots from either side of the split fairway find a green guarded only by the encroaching forested area. |
| #9 |
"Cathedral Spires." This par 4 is one of the more interesting on the course. From the tee, you have several options available. An accurate driver through trees and over the Sheboygan River can take you to the green or just short. Play to the left with a long iron or fairway wood, leaving a short iron to the green. One of the great holes at Blackwolf Run. |
| #10 |
"River and Marsh." This long par 3 is well-guarded by bunkers surrounding the green. The green runs front to back toward the river, which is only in play on extremely poor tee shots, which our playing partners were gracious enough to offer up. |
| #11 |
"Rise and Fall." There is no avoiding the water on this long par 5. Tee shots should tend to the left side or, if so inclined, hug the riverbank to shorten the second shot which must be played over the Sheboygan River. Either way, the landing area for tee shots is extremely narrow. The tree on the river's edge can present a problem depending on distances. |
| #12 |
"Long Lagoon." This is an extremely challenging par 4 with disaster awaiting any errant shot. You must carry water off the tee and land on a thin stretch of fairway. The river is on the right, and bunkers are placed strategically throughout the hole. |
| #13 |
"Tall Timber." Depending on the round that you have put together and the pace of play, it may be worth the walk to the back tees to try and carry the river 190-plus yards to the green on this par 3. Otherwise, the whites provide a less demanding approach to a green with front bunkers and the river in the background. |
| #14 |
"Blind Alley." Favor the left side of the fairway to take the pond out of play. It was recommended that we use the clubhouse in the background to target tee shots. If you have avoided water until this point in the round, which House had, then it's a good time to sacrifice one, which House did. |
| #15 |
"The Sand Pit." Certainly one of the trickier par 4's on the course. Off the tee, don't be fooled into playing a driver. The ideal landing area is less than 200 yards out. This will position you to reach the green with a mid-iron. As the name suggests, the bunkers are numerous and the geometry can be staggering. |
| #16 |
"Unter Der Linden." Loosely translated "Under the Lime tree". This is a wonderful par 5 with an enormous waste bunker on left side that looks to be 320 yards long. Make sure your lay-up favors the right to take the ceremonial Linden tree out of play guarding the green. |
| #17 |
"Snapping Turtle." If you take Swan Pond out of the equation, this is a routine 150-yard par 3. However, we never take the water out, so this proved to be a challenging but enjoyable hole to play. |
| #18 |
"Dyehard." This proved to be a challenging finishing hole for our group. The key is to stay to the right throughout the dogleg right while avoiding the large fairway bunker. Any shots left will end up in a well-maintained waste area that proved a bear to play out of. Approach shots target a gigantic green. |
| The weather started to turn around the 13th hole, becoming increasingly overcast. The timing was perfect. As the rain began to fall, we loaded up the car, said our goodbyes, and started to make the long drive around Lake Michigan to home. As we headed out of Kohler, we realized that we had just spent the weekend playing two of the finest courses not only in the Midwest but in the world. Blackwolf Run is no little brother to Whistling Straits. Pete Dye created yet another masterpiece here and we are anxious to return to finish the card with the two remaining Kohler courses. |
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| 1) |
Fee Factor
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16
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| This is a premier course, so expect to pay for it. The truth is, the course probably is worth $200 plus, but we have yet to be able to justify it. |
| 2) |
Friendliness Factor
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20
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| Very professional in the pro shop. We couldn't have been treated any better. Again, with courses like this, you are paying for the experience, not just the greens fees. |
| 3) |
Fringe Factor
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20
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| The interior of the clubhouse feels like a great northern hunting lodge. They have a really nice operation and layout. There is staff everywhere to cater to your needs. Practice facility is first rate, as expected. |
| 4) |
From 1st Tee to Handshake Factor
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19
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| Pete Dye is a personal favorite and when provided with this stunning natural layout, the results are extraordinary. |
| 5) |
Fun Factor
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19
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| You won't get the views of Lake Michigan like Whistling Straits, but the River proves to be a scenic experience in its own right. And don't forget, they let you take a cart out on this course! |
Website: http://www.destinationkohler.com/golf/bwr/bwr_index.html
Check out the Where to section: The Inn at Woodlake and The American Club
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