Caddy Recommendations - Whistling Straits

Playing the Straits course on Sunday and was wondering if anyone has a good caddie recommendation? Can you request caddies or do they just assign a random one to everyone?

Think this could be my first post, mostly enjoy reading the posts but...small world, I have a 9:00AM on WS Sunday. In reading past posts the consensus seems to be that they have a first rate caddie program. We rolled the dice last year at Pinehurst and got some great caddies, hoping its the same here. Best of luck!

Excellent! We're doing Blackwolf River on Saturday @ 11:50 and Straits on Sunday @ 11:30. We made dinner reservations at Lino's Italian restaurant and I've read the same about the caddie program. Weather looks like we will be getting an authentic Irish weekend. Cold, windy and rainy!

[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430334045' post='11467185']
Excellent! We're doing Blackwolf River on Saturday @ 11:50 and Straits on Sunday @ 11:30. We made dinner reservations at Lino's Italian restaurant and I've read the same about the caddie program. Weather looks like we will be getting an authentic Irish weekend. Cold, windy and rainy!
[/quote]

I"ve played WS twice. The first time, had a guy named Phil....he was excellent. The second time I had a guy named Ray Trout and he was excellent.

You can either request a caddie or just go with who they give you. Both my guys were great.

[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430334045' post='11467185']
Excellent! We're doing Blackwolf River on Saturday @ 11:50 and Straits on Sunday @ 11:30. We made dinner reservations at Lino's Italian restaurant and I've read the same about the caddie program. Weather looks like we will be getting an authentic Irish weekend. Cold, windy and rainy!
[/quote]

That sounds like a solid weekend you have set up! We have Irish on Friday and both courses at Blackwolf Run on Saturday - 8:40 on the River and Meadow in the afternoon...as for the weather...I am looking at the most optimistic forecast possible and ignoring the rest! We will have to compare notes next week..still have to figure out where to go and watch the Mayweather Pacman fight Saturday night.

[quote name='jcbenfante' timestamp='1430336002' post='11467431']
[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430334045' post='11467185']
Excellent! We're doing Blackwolf River on Saturday @ 11:50 and Straits on Sunday @ 11:30. We made dinner reservations at Lino's Italian restaurant and I've read the same about the caddie program. Weather looks like we will be getting an authentic Irish weekend. Cold, windy and rainy!
[/quote]

That sounds like a solid weekend you have set up! We have Irish on Friday and both courses at Blackwolf Run on Saturday - 8:40 on the River and Meadow in the afternoon...as for the weather...I am looking at the most optimistic forecast possible and ignoring the rest! We will have to compare notes next week..still have to figure out where to go and watch the Mayweather Pacman fight Saturday night.
[/quote] It's an epic sports weekend - NFL Draft, Pacman v Money, Kentucky Derby, NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, WGC Match Play Tourney!!!

[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430336505' post='11467493']
[quote name='jcbenfante' timestamp='1430336002' post='11467431']
[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430334045' post='11467185']
Excellent! We're doing Blackwolf River on Saturday @ 11:50 and Straits on Sunday @ 11:30. We made dinner reservations at Lino's Italian restaurant and I've read the same about the caddie program. Weather looks like we will be getting an authentic Irish weekend. Cold, windy and rainy!
[/quote]

That sounds like a solid weekend you have set up! We have Irish on Friday and both courses at Blackwolf Run on Saturday - 8:40 on the River and Meadow in the afternoon...as for the weather...I am looking at the most optimistic forecast possible and ignoring the rest! We will have to compare notes next week..still have to figure out where to go and watch the Mayweather Pacman fight Saturday night.
[/quote] It's an epic sports weekend - NFL Draft, Pacman v Money, Kentucky Derby, NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, WGC Match Play Tourney!!!
[/quote]

Jam 72 holes in to that mix and your making a strong argument for heaven!

I have 810 tee time sunday morning on the River followed by a 200 at the straits. Great weekend!

I am playing the Straits course tomorrow morning at 9:30. I'll let you know about the caddies we have

Going at the end of the month - and assuming he is still there, last trip was 2 years ago - I'd highly recommend Matt #27. We didn't request a caddie, but got him for our first round and were so happy with the way it went we asked him to caddie for us for our other two walking rounds. Laid back, knows how to enhance the experience, without getting in the way, good with the banter between holes, professional while playing the hole.

Now that I think of it, I should really ring them up and make a request
Enjoy your rounds everyone!

Played Irish and Straits yesterday. Greens on the Irish were in better condition by far. Staits is already growing in the rough to pinch the fairways for the PGA.

Early season nats, bugs were Definately out!!!

Straits greens were absolutely terrible! They were very bouncy and slowwwww from being aerated. My caddie was Rich and he has been a caddie at WS for 15 years. He was excellent and really made the round more enjoyable.

[quote name='ninothing' timestamp='1430588127' post='11486377']
Played Irish and Straits yesterday. Greens on the Irish were in better condition by far. Staits is already growing in the rough to pinch the fairways for the PGA.

Early season nats, bugs were Definately out!!!
[/quote]

I'll be packing bug spray!
Did they actually tell you that about the rough? Seems odd, as there is no way they'd need to start growing in it 3+ months before the tournament.

We played the Straits yesterday afternoon. Yes green were incredibly sandy, bouncy and slow. They were growing the rough in. And the bugs were atrocious! But for $150 green fee, it was all worth it. 1st 9 the wind was from the southeast off the lake and it was COLD! Then almost instantly on hole 11 the wind atarted coming out of the west and i swear it warmed up 20 degress. My caddie was Nick and he was a spitting image of Justin Bieber. So obviously he became known as "The Biebs" to us. Nice kid, been there for 3 years.

[quote name='duffer987' timestamp='1430753947' post='11495309']
[quote name='ninothing' timestamp='1430588127' post='11486377']
Played Irish and Straits yesterday. Greens on the Irish were in better condition by far. Staits is already growing in the rough to pinch the fairways for the PGA.

Early season nats, bugs were Definately out!!!
[/quote]

I'll be packing bug spray!
Did they actually tell you that about the rough? Seems odd, as there is no way they'd need to start growing in it 3+ months before the tournament.
[/quote]

I made a comment/question to our caddie that on several of the holes the rough was coming into the fairway significantly. Visually it seemed odd at the efforts in growing the rough took a lot of the strategy in placement of fairway bunkers out of play.

Keep the reports of the green conditions on Straits coming in please! I'll be there in about 10 days, and we're hoping it'll be recovered enough by then.

I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.

[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595'][quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....[/quote]

As long as it doesn't rain me out. I'll post some

[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430937865' post='11511221']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595'][quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....[/quote]

As long as it doesn't rain me out. I'll post some
[/quote]

Awesome. My buddy and I will be there next week and we're getting worried. He called today, and they said they punched the greens early April and top dressed again last weekend.

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595']
[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....
[/quote] here are a couple from Sunday... I didn't actually focus on the greens in the pic but they were very sandy and bumpy. Almost seemed like they didn't cut the holes that day as a lot of them were very worn out.

[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430941684' post='11511707']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595']
[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....
[/quote] here are a couple from Sunday... I didn't actually focus on the greens in the pic but they were very sandy and bumpy. Almost seemed like they didn't cut the holes that day as a lot of them were very worn out.
[/quote]

If the greens are still as bad next week as you say they were this past weekend, we may not play Straits at all and just do Erin Hills that day...we're hoping for the best...

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430942835' post='11511829']
[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430941684' post='11511707']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595']
[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....
[/quote] here are a couple from Sunday... I didn't actually focus on the greens in the pic but they were very sandy and bumpy. Almost seemed like they didn't cut the holes that day as a lot of them were very worn out.
[/quote]

If the greens are still as bad next week as you say they were this past weekend, we may not play Straits at all and just do Erin Hills that day...we're hoping for the best...
[/quote] Skip WS and play EH. I live about 20 minutes from EH and it has had substantially better weather being "inland" and about an hour south of WS. Most of the courses around EH are in great shape. You will save lots of money and play a course just as good, too!

[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430943602' post='11511899']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430942835' post='11511829']
[quote name='ckostrewa' timestamp='1430941684' post='11511707']
[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430932071' post='11510595']
[quote name='Dr. Frankenputts' timestamp='1430790612' post='11499811']
I'm playing Friday at 12:40 on the straits course. Hoping this week is good to the greens.
[/quote]

Some pictures would be great if you wouldn't mind....
[/quote] here are a couple from Sunday... I didn't actually focus on the greens in the pic but they were very sandy and bumpy. Almost seemed like they didn't cut the holes that day as a lot of them were very worn out.
[/quote]

If the greens are still as bad next week as you say they were this past weekend, we may not play Straits at all and just do Erin Hills that day...we're hoping for the best...
[/quote] Skip WS and play EH. I live about 20 minutes from EH and it has had substantially better weather being "inland" and about an hour south of WS. Most of the courses around EH are in great shape. You will save lots of money and play a course just as good, too!
[/quote] Just thought I would also mention Whistling Straits had us warming up on driving range mats, and not the grass. Erin Hills consciously makes the decision to open later in the season to give players a full experience.

Ok, I'm leaning towards not spending the in season rates on Straits now, or at least complaining and trying to get them to give us the off season rate.

How are the other Kohler courses? River, Irish?

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1430946792' post='11512243']
Ok, I'm leaning towards not spending the in season rates on Straits now, or at least complaining and trying to get them to give us the off season rate.

How are the other Kohler courses? River, Irish?
[/quote] The River was in decent shape - Greens were a little slow and they were better than WS. I heard the Irish greens were in better shape, too, but only played the River and WS.

My buddy just posted this pic from EH today. Sure looks a lot greener than WS!

Thanks for the recon everyone!! Keep the pics coming. We called the shop at Straits, and they insisted the conditions were good. We'll see once people report back this weekend.

I think my buddy and I will end up playing Straits anyway. It's just a matter of whether we'll try to argue that we should be getting off season rates for the current conditions. We can try at least lol...

Play Bandon in the winter and it will re-orientate your expectations
Kidding aside, we've got 2.5 weeks to go till our trip to Kohler and cannot wait. Put in our caddy request, booked a round at The Bull, still to sort out our getaway day round near Chicago, but otherwise it's just getting through the wait and we're playing

I'm booked to go up there the weekend of June 19-21. Have everything booked, playin WS on the 20th at 11:30. Also have spas booked for the wives, and dinner booked at the Anerican Club.