Kohler

My bro in law & I just booked a 4 day, 3 night trip to Kohler June 29th-July2nd. This will be our first time there and was wondering what to expect. We are playing all four courses as part of the Dye-Abolical package. Flying into Milwaukee. Staying at the Inn on Woodlake which seems to be the most reasonable. Also, which restaurants would u guys recommend having dinner at? What should we expect as far as playing conditions, course layouts and weather? Thanks....

[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1429618128' post='11405463']
My bro in law & I just booked a 4 day, 3 night trip to Kohler June 29th-July2nd. This will be our first time there and was wondering what to expect. We are playing all four courses as part of the Dye-Abolical package. Flying into Milwaukee. Staying at the Inn on Woodlake which seems to be the most reasonable. Also, which restaurants would u guys recommend having dinner at? What should we expect as far as playing conditions, course layouts and weather? Thanks....
[/quote]

Great!!! You and I will be there the same week. My wife and I are staying at the American Club. This will be our 3rd trip in 3 years...we love it up there. The weather should be fine, provided it is just not a 'rainy week'. We stayed this same week last year and played one day in a pretty good downpour. The rest of the time, the weather was in the upper 70's.

As far as food, there is a pretty good restaurant in the basement of the American Club called The Horse and Plow. It is casual dining, but good food. If you want something fancy and formal, there is the Immigrant at the American Club as well. I would also recommend eating in the bar at Whistling Straits. Less formal than the dining room and good food as well. If you want to get outside of the American Club properties, there is a good Italian place down on the lakefront called Lino's. One more place of note....your Inn on the Woodlake sits right next door to an upscale strip mall. At the opposite end of that strip mall is a little designer grocery store, I think it is called The Market. My wife and I went there for breakfast every morning and will probably go again this year. It is nothing fancy, but it is quick, cheap, good and made to order.

The golf is unbeliveable. I have played The Straits (twice), The River and Meadow Valley (once each). I am playing The Irish this year and we are making a stop at Erin Hills on the way up. The Straits course is awesome and the caddies are great. To me, there is not a huge difference between The River and Meadow Valley. Both are good courses, but do not compare to The Straits. Have fun and PM me if you need any specifics.

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1429628921' post='11407085']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1429618128' post='11405463']
My bro in law & I just booked a 4 day, 3 night trip to Kohler June 29th-July2nd. This will be our first time there and was wondering what to expect. We are playing all four courses as part of the Dye-Abolical package. Flying into Milwaukee. Staying at the Inn on Woodlake which seems to be the most reasonable. Also, which restaurants would u guys recommend having dinner at? What should we expect as far as playing conditions, course layouts and weather? Thanks....
[/quote]

Great!!! You and I will be there the same week. My wife and I are staying at the American Club. This will be our 3rd trip in 3 years...we love it up there. The weather should be fine, provided it is just not a 'rainy week'. We stayed this same week last year and played one day in a pretty good downpour. The rest of the time, the weather was in the upper 70's.

As far as food, there is a pretty good restaurant in the basement of the American Club called The Horse and Plow. It is casual dining, but good food. If you want something fancy and formal, there is the Immigrant at the American Club as well. I would also recommend eating in the bar at Whistling Straits. Less formal than the dining room and good food as well. If you want to get outside of the American Club properties, there is a good Italian place down on the lakefront called Lino's. One more place of note....your Inn on the Woodlake sits right next door to an upscale strip mall. At the opposite end of that strip mall is a little designer grocery store, I think it is called The Market. My wife and I went there for breakfast every morning and will probably go again this year. It is nothing fancy, but it is quick, cheap, good and made to order.

The golf is unbeliveable. I have played The Straits (twice), The River and Meadow Valley (once each). I am playing The Irish this year and we are making a stop at Erin Hills on the way up. The Straits course is awesome and the caddies are great. To me, there is not a huge difference between The River and Meadow Valley. Both are good courses, but do not compare to The Straits. Have fun and PM me if you need any specifics.
[/quote]

Great reply, thanks for the info.

We'll be there a couple of weeks after you. This post should help with restaurants.

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/894110-erin-hillswhistling-straits-trip-june-2014/#entry7676474"]http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/894110-erin-hillswhistling-straits-trip-june-2014/#entry7676474[/url]

We did the same package 2 years ago! What a blast. I wrote a short review some time ago..here is synopsis of our trip and recommendations:
1. Wednesday flew in from PHX, dinner in Milwaukee (Elsas on the Park), check-into Inn on Woodlake
2. Thursday morning golf with caddy on Irish, afternoon golf on Meadow (cart); dinner at some bar just north of the hotel on the corner. GREAT cheese curds, otherwise good bar food.
3. Friday morning golf River--rained out around halfway through; afternoon round at Straits with caddy (upgraded). Dinner upstairs clubhouse.
4. Saturday morning Straits with caddy; Irish with cart I think -bailed after 9-holes to get to Erin Hills. Dinner at Erin Hills bar. Love that place!!!
5. Sunday morning Erin Hills with caddy. Lunch at bar. Fly home.

If they could have Erin Hills' accommodations at Kohler then it would be the absolute best. Meadows course was meh. Irish course once was enough with all the other golf. Straits course still my favorite all-time (but going to Bandon in a week so that could change). If I would do it again, I could do without Meadows, play Irish once, Straits twice and River once...and squeeze in Erin Hills--it's well worth it.

Anyone going to Kohler needs to figure out a way to eat at River Wild. It's a private dining club that is in a log cabin. It's set back in the woods near the River course and is right there on the river. It's a very cool place. They have a one page menu with maybe 5 entrees to chose from each night. We kind of had a hook up to get in there but someone did tell us the American club has some select reservations they can get you the day of.

It's a bit pricey but the food is outstanding and the experience alone is worth it. Apparently they set each table in the cabin one time per night. So no turning tables, nothing like that. Just one setting per night at each table. I would talk to the concierge when you get there to see if they can hook you up. It's a pretty cool spot and it's very unique.

Also, take the 10 minute drive to Sheboygan and eat at Stefanos. Great italian food and it's reasonably priced. I liked it better than anything we ate at the American club.

[quote name='Jeremysm1' timestamp='1429653016' post='11410355']
We did the same package 2 years ago! What a blast. I wrote a short review some time ago..here is synopsis of our trip and recommendations:
1. Wednesday flew in from PHX, dinner in Milwaukee (Elsas on the Park), check-into Inn on Woodlake
2. Thursday morning golf with caddy on Irish, afternoon golf on Meadow (cart); dinner at some bar just north of the hotel on the corner. GREAT cheese curds, otherwise good bar food.
3. Friday morning golf River--rained out around halfway through; afternoon round at Straits with caddy (upgraded). Dinner upstairs clubhouse.
4. Saturday morning Straits with caddy; Irish with cart I think -bailed after 9-holes to get to Erin Hills. Dinner at Erin Hills bar. Love that place!!!
5. Sunday morning Erin Hills with caddy. Lunch at bar. Fly home.

If they could have Erin Hills' accommodations at Kohler then it would be the absolute best. Meadows course was meh. Irish course once was enough with all the other golf. Straits course still my favorite all-time (but going to Bandon in a week so that could change). If I would do it again, I could do without Meadows, play Irish once, Straits twice and River once...and squeeze in Erin Hills--it's well worth it.
[/quote]
Went to Bandon last year.....what a terrific golf destination. Period.

A buddy of mine and I are headed to Kohler mid-May and can't be more excited. River, Irish, Whistling Straits, then off to Bull and Erin Hills at sunset.

Should be a memorable couple days!!

Do u need to make dinner reservations at any/all of the restaurants? Or can u walk in. Going June 29th week....

[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1429880001' post='11431913']
Do u need to make dinner reservations at any/all of the restaurants? Or can u walk in. Going June 29th week....
[/quote]

If you go to either The Immigrant (American Club), The Whistling Straits Restaurant or Blackwolf Run Restaurant for dinner, you may want to make reservations. Whistling Straits has an 'upstairs' room called The Irish Pub which is pretty casual and you do NOT need a reservation. The Horse and Plow, you do not either.

One other place I forgot to mention....Faye's Pizza. This is just a corner pizza joint and is nothing special to look at. But the pizza is good and cheap. And there is a tee shirt hanging on the wall that is signed by Bubba Watson and Ricky Fowler!!!!

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1429888498' post='11433027']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1429880001' post='11431913']
Do u need to make dinner reservations at any/all of the restaurants? Or can u walk in. Going June 29th week....
[/quote]

If you go to either The Immigrant (American Club), The Whistling Straits Restaurant or Blackwolf Run Restaurant for dinner, you may want to make reservations. Whistling Straits has an 'upstairs' room called The Irish Pub which is pretty casual and you do NOT need a reservation. The Horse and Plow, you do not either.

One other place I forgot to mention....Faye's Pizza. This is just a corner pizza joint and is nothing special to look at. But the pizza is good and cheap. And there is a tee shirt hanging on the wall that is signed by Bubba Watson and Ricky Fowler!!!!
[/quote]
ok great, thanks for info....

If you're looking for true fine dining the Immigrant Room is outstanding. Cool room, great service and the food is exceptional. There is a reason the American Club is the only 5 diamond property in the mid-west. The brunch they put on was excellent as well.

If you're looking for a good steak and fun room in Milwaukee we had a fantastic time at Carnevor. Been several years since we've been but it was quite the hotspot. One of the Bucks was there with his entourage taking up most of the middle level. One of the locals can chime in if it's still a great steakhouse.

Any caddie recommendations for the Straits course? Going in mid-July

Caddies will all be pretty good, they are the #1 caddie force in the nation and very proud of it. My caddie on they Irish course was mortified when I removed a pin myself. I told him I really didn't mind and he told me that's not the point.

I played in mid July last year and conditions were excellent, but we just played the straits courses not the Blackwolf Run courses. The Blackwolf courses actually appeared to the eye to be in better shape than the straits courses, and I've had a few people tell me since that they are actually the better tracks, particularly the River Course.

Don't miss Stefanos, maybe grab a reservation for dinner on your way back from the Straits courses as Sheboygan is in between the straits facilities and Kohler. The food is excellent and one of the better meals I had anywhere when I was out there last.

[quote name='Drudersh' timestamp='1429904320' post='11434897']
Caddies will all be pretty good, they are the #1 caddie force in the nation and very proud of it. My caddie on they Irish course was mortified when I removed a pin myself. I told him I really didn't mind and he told me that's not the point.

I played in mid July last year and conditions were excellent, but we just played the straits courses not the Blackwolf Run courses. The Blackwolf courses actually appeared to the eye to be in better shape than the straits courses, and I've had a few people tell me since that they are actually the better tracks, particularly the River Course.

Don't miss Stefanos, maybe grab a reservation for dinner on your way back from the Straits courses as Sheboygan is in between the straits facilities and Kohler. The food is excellent and one of the better meals I had anywhere when I was out there last.
[/quote]

Awesome, appreciate the feedback! Will definitely check out Stefano's, seems like a good place to stop. We'll be playing all four courses so hopefully they're all in good shape. I have a feeling the Straits will eat us alive given that it's a month before the PGA

[quote name='sths31' timestamp='1429903661' post='11434811']
Any caddie recommendations for the Straits course? Going in mid-July
[/quote]

I've played there twice and both caddies were fantastic. This last year, I had Ray Trout. He double bagged during a downpour. He was soaked, but me and my clubs were nice and dry. (tipped him $65). The year before that, I had a guy named Phil. Don't remember his last name. But you will not be disappointed with any of them.

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1430146400' post='11450747']
[quote name='sths31' timestamp='1429903661' post='11434811']
Any caddie recommendations for the Straits course? Going in mid-July
[/quote]

I've played there twice and both caddies were fantastic. This last year, I had Ray Trout. He double bagged during a downpour. He was soaked, but me and my clubs were nice and dry. (tipped him $65). The year before that, I had a guy named Phil. Don't remember his last name. But you will not be disappointed with any of them.
[/quote]

Thank you! I think I'm seeing a constant theme that you can't really go wrong. *Hopefully no rain for us*

I can't recall the name of my caddie as it was a few years ago, but they are all very professional and add so much to the round. He double bagged it when my wife and I both played the Irish course and spent more time looking after her, which was perfect for me. He also carried for me at the Straits and River course and I enjoyed my rounds immensely more thanks to him.

I've had excellent caddies at all the courses at Kohler. Definitely felt the meadows really wasn't much compared to the river and irish. I now feel after having played them several times that I prefer the river to the Irish. Much better design and course. Of course, the Straits is something else. Definitely one of the toughest courses i've played (at least in top 3). Great design, although I think some of the bunkers are just to say they have lots of bunkers and are totally worthless. Must hit the ball well at Straits and it helps if you're long. Caddies are very good. Not sure if they're #1 in the country versus the caddies I've gotten at Bandon or Pinehurst but way better than average for the most part. Had one on River one time that i didn't care for at all. Fired him partway thru round. But the others were exceptional.

That little grocery around the corner from the Inn is phenomenal. Had several takeout salads from there and sandwiches that were great. More than once we came back to the room and didn't really want much, too tired from 36+ holes of golf and just went and had some salad or things from the market.

Regarding the caddies: I would say I have had a mixed bag.

A couple of total professionals
A couple of total clowns

I really liked the work of Juan - he kind of looks like Seve. There was also another guy at River who claimed to have caddied the women's open. Skinny smoker guy. Someone here probably knows who he is.

Had a guy I fired at Irish.

Another older fellow that people here like made me really twitchy and wouldn't let me take less than driver. Then he would tell me to hit it center or within a couple yards of center. Thanks, hit it in the middle with a club you aren't hitting well today...

Would love to hear more on these "firings". Did you guys tell them to get bent and carried your own bags or request someone different?

Is it worth playing whistling straits a second time & paying an additional $400 or stick to the free replay round at the meadows thatwe get with the diabolical package?

[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434287609' post='11748428']
Is it worth playing whistling straits a second time & paying an additional $400 or stick to the free replay round at the meadows thatwe get with the diabolical package?
[/quote]

Meadow Valleys wasn't all that impressive to me. It was nice, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather play Straits or Irish.

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1434328509' post='11751504']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434287609' post='11748428']
Is it worth playing whistling straits a second time & paying an additional $400 or stick to the free replay round at the meadows thatwe get with the diabolical package?
[/quote]

Meadow Valleys wasn't all that impressive to me. It was nice, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather play Straits or Irish.
[/quote]
Booked the straits on Monday @2:00, the day we get there. Only playing the meadows once. So playing straits twice, meadow once,river once & Irish twice....

[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434417582' post='11758748']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1434328509' post='11751504']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434287609' post='11748428']
Is it worth playing whistling straits a second time & paying an additional $400 or stick to the free replay round at the meadows thatwe get with the diabolical package?
[/quote]

Meadow Valleys wasn't all that impressive to me. It was nice, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather play Straits or Irish.
[/quote]
Booked the straits on Monday @2:00, the day we get there. Only playing the meadows once. So playing straits twice, meadow once,river once & Irish twice....
[/quote]

You can replay any of the Kohler courses if you've played any other Kohler course first. So, if you play the Straits after playing the River ,or the Irish, you still get the replay rate. Don't have to pay full rate.

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1434464694' post='11761328']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434417582' post='11758748']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1434328509' post='11751504']
[quote name='scottleo' timestamp='1434287609' post='11748428']
Is it worth playing whistling straits a second time & paying an additional $400 or stick to the free replay round at the meadows thatwe get with the diabolical package?
[/quote]

Meadow Valleys wasn't all that impressive to me. It was nice, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather play Straits or Irish.
[/quote]
Booked the straits on Monday @2:00, the day we get there. Only playing the meadows once. So playing straits twice, meadow once,river once & Irish twice....
[/quote]

You can replay any of the Kohler courses if you've played any other Kohler course first. So, if you play the Straits after playing the River ,or the Irish, you still get the replay rate. Don't have to pay full rate.
[/quote]
My diabolical package includes free replay rounds on the Meadows and Irish courses only.

What was your experience on sunset? Played in MN last summer and you could play until about 9:15 (albeit a bit hard to find any non well hit ball)

i almost dont even want to share, but the best caddy around these parts. goes by the name of phil. They will know who he is. Youre welcome.

[quote name='roll - gybe' timestamp='1431028737' post='11518311']

There was also another guy at River who claimed to have caddied the women's open. Skinny smoker guy. Someone here probably knows who he is.

[/quote]

I had him on the Irish Course, pretty cool guy and a good caddie.

Had a great meal at The Black Pig in downtown Sheboygan - best of the trip. Good beer list there as well.