A tee and fairway on the bluff above the Lake Michigan shore at Whistling Straits

Unofficial golf trip guide · Kohler and Whistling Straits

Where to stay for a Kohler and Whistling Straits golf trip

Independent guide · Last checked: Nov 6, 2026

In short

For a Kohler golf trip, stay in the Village of Kohler at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake: Blackwolf Run is about 5 minutes away and Whistling Straits about 25 minutes north on the Lake Michigan shore. All four Pete Dye courses are open to the public and book online up to 30 days ahead, but a Straits time further out may need a hotel stay, so a stay and play package is the surest way onto it in summer. Sheboygan is a good base about 20 minutes from the Straits, and the season runs from late April to about the start of November, with June to September the best months.

Where to stay in Kohler and Whistling Straits

Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.

Live map · The American ClubHotels and rentals at live prices, Mon, Jun 14 to Fri, Jun 18

Open the live map for The American Club ↗

Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map to match your trip.

ABCDE The American Club1 Inn on Woodlake2 Sheboygan3 Elkhart Lake4

ACourse to play

Plan ahead Book your Kohler room and your Straits tee time together as soon as 2027 rates open, and call the resort if you want a summer weekend.

Courses you can play in Kohler and Whistling Straits

  1. A green on the Straits course beside Lake Michigan Open to the public

    The Straits

    Pete Dye's links style course right along the Lake Michigan shore, host of three PGA Championships and the 2021 Ryder Cup. Public, walking only, with optional caddies.

    Open to the public. Book online up to 30 days ahead or call 855-444-2838, alone or as part of a stay and play package. For a tee time more than 30 days out, call Kohler Reservations on 844-246-0011; a hotel stay may be required on the Straits. Walking only, no carts. Twilight caddies must be booked in advance.

    Course site ↗

  2. Open to the public

    The Irish

    The other Pete Dye course at Whistling Straits, set back from the lake and sharing the same clubhouse. Public, with carts.

    Open to the public. Book online up to 30 days ahead or call 855-444-2838; further out, call Kohler Reservations on 844-246-0011. Carts (50 USD per player in 2026) can use the fairways, weather permitting. Same day replay rounds at 45 percent off rack can be arranged with the golf shop after your first 18.

    Course site ↗

  3. A tee shot over the Sheboygan River on the River course at Blackwolf Run Open to the public

    The River

    Pete Dye's course in the Sheboygan River valley at Blackwolf Run, a few minutes from the Kohler hotels. Blackwolf Run hosted the 1998 and 2012 U.S. Women's Opens. Public, with carts.

    Open to the public. Book online up to 30 days ahead or call 855-444-2838; further out, call Kohler Reservations on 844-246-0011. Carts allowed. Forecaddies are optional; book them ahead.

    Course site ↗

  4. The Blackwolf Run clubhouse above a green by the river Open to the public

    Meadow Valleys

    The second Pete Dye course at Blackwolf Run, over open prairie and wooded ravines, sharing the clubhouse with the River. Public, with carts.

    Open to the public. Book online up to 30 days ahead or call 855-444-2838; further out, call Kohler Reservations on 844-246-0011. Carts allowed. Same day replay rounds at 45 percent off rack can be arranged after your first 18.

    Course site ↗

  5. Open to the public

    The Bull at Pinehurst Farms

    A Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Sheboygan Falls, about 10 minutes from Kohler. Public, bookable 14 days ahead.

    Public. Tee times open 14 days ahead, online or on (920) 467-1500 (option 1), with a credit card to hold them; cancel at least 48 hours ahead. Groups of 13 or more go through the head professional.

    Course site ↗

  6. Open to the public

    Erin Hills

    A walking only championship course about 65 minutes from Milwaukee airport and 90 minutes from Kohler. It is not on the way, so keen golfers play it as a separate round on an arrival or departure day, with a detour of about an hour and a quarter. 2027 prices are posted.

    Public, with lodging on site. Now taking golf and lodging reservations for 2027 online or on 866-772-4769. Walking only, and push and pull carts are not allowed, so you take a caddie or carry. In 2026, golf only bookings could be cancelled up to 7 days ahead.

    Green fee: $555 (2027) · Course site ↗

How tee times work

Book any Kohler course online or on 855-444-2838, as a single round or inside a stay and play package that bundles rounds, caddie and cart fees. Every course can be booked online up to 30 days ahead. Further out, you book by phone on 844-246-0011, and on the Straits a hotel stay may be required. Twilight rounds are 30 percent off from four and a half hours before sunset, and a same day replay is 45 percent off when space allows. The Bull opens tee times 14 days ahead, and Erin Hills is already taking 2027 bookings.

Closures to know about

Kohler has not posted 2027 season dates or course closures yet. In 2025 all courses were open from April 25 to November 1, and the Irish opened earlier (April 11, with the Original routing at Blackwolf Run) and stayed open after November 1, weather permitting. A new 14 hole course, Purebred Farm, is being built west of Meadow Valleys and is scheduled to open in fall 2027. Erin Hills hosts the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball from May 22 to 26, 2027, and its 2027 rate table has no public dates from May 17 to 27.

A sensible plan

Four nights in Kohler works well: arrive and play the River in the afternoon (keen golfers can add Erin Hills on arrival day, a detour of about 75 minutes from Milwaukee), take the Straits early on day two with a caddie, play the Irish on day three with a replay round or The Baths in the evening, and finish with Meadow Valleys or The Bull on the last morning. If you only get one Straits time, book it first and fit the rest around it.

Getting there

Fly into Milwaukee (MKE), about 61 miles south (about 65 to 80 minutes to Kohler), or Green Bay (GRB), about 60 miles north (75 to 80 minutes). Chicago O'Hare is about 140 miles away. The resort can arrange transport from MKE and GRB.

Practical notes

Walking
The Straits is walking only, with no carts. The Irish, River and Meadow Valleys have GPS carts (50 USD per player, 25 USD at twilight in 2026) that can usually drive on the fairways. The Baths, the 10 hole par 3 course at Blackwolf Run, is walking only with free pull carts and free loaner clubs. Erin Hills is walking only with no push or pull carts; ask at least two weeks ahead for one of its two ADA carts.
Caddies
Straits (2026): caddies are optional but strongly suggested, 90 USD per player paid at check in, plus a suggested 70 USD tip per bag. Bring a single strap carry bag under 24 pounds or you may be handed a lighter one. Irish, River and Meadow Valleys: one optional forecaddie per group, 60 USD per player plus a suggested 35 USD tip per bag. Erin Hills (2027): caddie 65 USD per player, suggested tip 75 USD or more.
Replay rounds
Kohler replay rounds are 45 percent off rack after a first 18 the same day, on walk-on availability; ask the golf shop. Juniors 17 and under with a paying adult get 45 percent off, booked by phone only (2026).
Rentals
Rental clubs at Kohler cost 100 USD per player per round, with two sleeves of balls (2026).
Rain
In bad weather Kohler takes cancellations up to the tee time and gives a prorated rain check that does not expire (2026 policy).
Stay rules
Resort fee per room per night: 35 USD at The American Club (Wi-Fi, valet parking, shuttle service and more) and 20 USD at the Inn on Woodlake (Wi-Fi, parking, breakfast, on-demand shuttle). Check in from 4 pm, check out by noon. Transport from MKE and GRB can be arranged through the resort.
Photos
The resort FAQ says photography and video are not allowed on the golf courses, practice areas or clubhouse grounds, and photo sessions anywhere on resort property need approval in advance.
Winter
Wisconsin courses close for regular play over the winter. Kohler's hotels, spa and restaurants stay open.

When to book

  1. NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
  2. Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
  3. June 14 to 18, 2027Your trip.

Free guide

The Unofficial Kohler and Whistling Straits Golf Trip Guide

Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.

Kohler and Whistling Straits golf trip questions

Can you play Whistling Straits without staying at Kohler?

Yes. Every Kohler course, including the Straits, is open to the public and can be booked online up to 30 days ahead. Further out, you call 844-246-0011, and on the Straits a hotel stay may be required, so for a summer date a stay and play package is the surest route.

Is Whistling Straits walking only?

The Straits course is walking only, with no carts. Caddies are optional but strongly suggested: in 2026 the fee was 90 USD per player plus a suggested tip of 70 USD per bag. The Irish, River and Meadow Valleys allow carts.

How much does it cost to play Whistling Straits?

Kohler does not publish a rate table, and prices show in the booking engine for each date. Twilight rounds are 30 percent off and a same day replay is 45 percent off. Add the caddie fee and tip on the Straits.

Where should I stay for a Kohler golf trip?

The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake in the Village of Kohler, about 5 minutes from Blackwolf Run and 25 minutes from Whistling Straits. Sheboygan, about 20 minutes from the Straits and 11 from Blackwolf Run, is a good base outside the resort.

When is the golf season at Kohler?

The courses usually open in late April and close around the start of November. In 2025 all courses were open from April 25 to November 1, and the Irish opened earlier and stayed open later, weather permitting. June to September brings the warmest, most reliable weather.

Which airport is closest to Kohler?

Milwaukee (MKE) and Green Bay (GRB) are both about 65 to 90 minutes away by car. Milwaukee has more flights, and Erin Hills is worth a detour of about 75 minutes on your arrival or departure day.

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Photo credits