Minneapolis to Kohler Recommendation

[MN Power Fade]

We have reservations for 4 days (Fri-Mon) at Kohler this fall with a group of 8. Everyone is coming from Minneapolis, but departure times are going to vary quite a bit. Our first Kohler round is scheduled for early afternoon Friday. We have 1 round per day already scheduled at each of the 18-hole courses. Also have a replay rate special and a round at The Baths available. 

 

I have quite a bit of travel flexibility, and I'm trying to figure out the best use for it. Would love feedback on a few options I'm considering:

• Drive to SentryWorld (or Lawsonia?) Thursday to play and stay. Leave for Kohler Friday morning.
• Fly to MKE Thursday, dinner and hotel there. Leave for Kohler Friday morning to play the Baths before our afternoon round. 
• Leave Minneapolis early Friday morning. (some of the group will likely have no choice but to do this)

 

Is there a clear winner out of these options? Anything else worth considering?

[Drwoods2017]

On 4/22/2023 at 3:18 PM, MN Power Fade said:

We have reservations for 4 days (Fri-Mon) at Kohler this fall with a group of 8. Everyone is coming from Minneapolis, but departure times are going to vary quite a bit. Our first Kohler round is scheduled for early afternoon Friday. We have 1 round per day already scheduled at each of the 18-hole courses. Also have a replay rate special and a round at The Baths available. 

 

I have quite a bit of travel flexibility, and I'm trying to figure out the best use for it. Would love feedback on a few options I'm considering:

• Drive to SentryWorld (or Lawsonia?) Thursday to play and stay. Leave for Kohler Friday morning.
• Fly to MKE Thursday, dinner and hotel there. Leave for Kohler Friday morning to play the Baths before our afternoon round. 
• Leave Minneapolis early Friday morning. (some of the group will likely have no choice but to do this)

 

Is there a clear winner out of these options? Anything else worth considering?

I'm always in favor of more golf.  I've made the drive from Minneapolis to kohler and its fairly easy.  If the choice is between lawsonia and Sentryworld thats a tough choice.  What sets them apart for me is the lodging. Sentryworld has much better lodging than lawsonia.  I think I like lawsonia a bit better for the golf but the lodging is subpar.  I wouldn't fly into MKE unless you're gonna try to play Erin Hills Thursday afternoon and spend the night there before you head to Kohler. I hate the idea of driving 5 hours and getting out of the car to play a round of golf. Like you said though some are gonna have to do that.

[Abh159]

If you have the flexibility to do it, I'd chose any of the options that don't have you driving the full distance on Friday AM before your first Kohler round. 

 

I've done that on trips before, and it sucks. You're tired, you're stiff, and you never play well...

[jtowns43]

Yes I would personally choose SentryWorld over Lawsonia, but would agree that staying somewhere closer and playing a round to cut down on travel before the 4 days would make the most sense

[Lefty96]

I would also choose sentryworld over Lawsonia. It’s a great course that always seems to have top notch conditions and have recently made changes to teetime structure and on site amenities to make for an enjoyable day. It’s not a links course in the slightest which is a change of pace from Kohler. 
 

Don’t get me wrong I love lawsonia and play it every year. But it’s a links course that in my opinion is a step below all of the Kohler offerings. Woodlands is fun too but it’s even a step below the LL.
 

You’re already going to play some amazing Midwest links golf. Why not play some amazing Midwest parkland golf too? 

[jshel]

If you are doing this this spring, SentryWorld might not be an option or not as easy of an option. 

 

I know they are limiting play ahead of the US Senior Open. 

 

Lawsonia is great. Erin Hills could also be an option. 

[MN Power Fade]

Just got back from this trip. We did SentryWorld then all 5 Blackwolf/Whistling Straits courses. 

 

SentryWorld was immaculate and fun routing. Definitely want to go back, especially since it's an easy drive from Minneapolis.

Baths had great vibes.

Meadow Valleys was an outlier for me. Course was fine, but didn't seem on the same tier as the others.

Irish is underrated in my opinion. We played it 3 times.

Straits beat me up pretty bad. An awesome experience overall, but the round was 5 1/2 hours. 

River was awesome. Might like it more than Straits. 

 

We're planning next summer's trip. Sand Valley is our top choice, but it looks like we won't get the dates we need. Kohler is under serious consideration again. We might add Erin Hills, Lawsonia, and/or The Bull this time. Giants Ridge and Prairie Club are also in the mix.

 

Any feedback on these spots? Others we should consider?

[ode]

1 hour ago, MN Power Fade said:

Just got back from this trip. We did SentryWorld then all 5 Blackwolf/Whistling Straits courses. 

 

SentryWorld was immaculate and fun routing. Definitely want to go back, especially since it's an easy drive from Minneapolis.

Baths had great vibes.

Meadow Valleys was an outlier for me. Course was fine, but didn't seem on the same tier as the others.

Irish is underrated in my opinion. We played it 3 times.

Straits beat me up pretty bad. An awesome experience overall, but the round was 5 1/2 hours. 

River was awesome. Might like it more than Straits. 

 

We're planning next summer's trip. Sand Valley is our top choice, but it looks like we won't get the dates we need. Kohler is under serious consideration again. We might add Erin Hills, Lawsonia, and/or The Bull this time. Giants Ridge and Prairie Club are also in the mix.

 

Any feedback on these spots? Others we should consider?

Glad you liked it. Agree re Irish.  Beautiful looking course that is fun to play.  17 is a stinker and the layup on 18 is just a mess, but otherwise a super course with one really good hole after another.

 

Re Giants Ridge, it's fabulous.  Loved both courses.  The Quarry rivals anything I've played, that includes the River.  The Legends with a bit more room off the tee is also good fun and does not disappoint.  Add in Fortune Bay and you have 3 top notch courses.  It's a no brainer and a box that needs to be checked

 

I'd probably give a slight edge to SV with Sedge and Lido now being an option.   Hopefully you can get there in the next few years.  Both places are basically golf only with nothing else to do. 

 

Re Lawsonia, it's a personal favorite of mine.  Love that place and it really suits my eye.  The Bull is also a great course.  You obviously don't need to leave the property at BWR and WS but The Bull and Erin would be worth it.  Lawsonia on the way would be a fun stop.

[eboettne]

12 hours ago, MN Power Fade said:

Just got back from this trip. We did SentryWorld then all 5 Blackwolf/Whistling Straits courses. 

 

SentryWorld was immaculate and fun routing. Definitely want to go back, especially since it's an easy drive from Minneapolis.

Baths had great vibes.

Meadow Valleys was an outlier for me. Course was fine, but didn't seem on the same tier as the others.

Irish is underrated in my opinion. We played it 3 times.

Straits beat me up pretty bad. An awesome experience overall, but the round was 5 1/2 hours. 

River was awesome. Might like it more than Straits. 

 

We're planning next summer's trip. Sand Valley is our top choice, but it looks like we won't get the dates we need. Kohler is under serious consideration again. We might add Erin Hills, Lawsonia, and/or The Bull this time. Giants Ridge and Prairie Club are also in the mix.

 

Any feedback on these spots? Others we should consider?

 

I enjoyed Kohler more than SV but returning to SV next May to give it a shot with the 2 new courses.  Erin Hills I'd recommend a caddie, we didn't have one and it was a slog.  Giants Ridge/The Wilderness is a solid weekend, especially throwing in Fortune Bay Casino for gambling at night.  I've wanted to get out to Prairie Club it's just such a long drive and no easy flights.  Once I do, will probably do Prairie Club for 3 nights then hit Landmand on the way home.

[jvincent]

15 hours ago, MN Power Fade said:

We're planning next summer's trip. Sand Valley is our top choice, but it looks like we won't get the dates we need. Kohler is under serious consideration again. We might add Erin Hills, Lawsonia, and/or The Bull this time. Giants Ridge and Prairie Club are also in the mix.

 

Any feedback on these spots? Others we should consider?

 

Played Sand Valley / Lawsonia / Erin Hills on a trip a few weeks ago. Don't skip Sand Valley if you can't get accommodations on site. Lot's of AirBnB options in the area.

 

Lawsonia is a terrific routing / design. The fairway conditions were a little spotty when I played because of a lack of rain. They are re-doing the front 9 bunkers this fall so all of them will be terrific next year. Back nine is already done.

 

Erin Hills is a blast. One of my all time favourites. Bring your A game.

 

[MN Power Fade]

15 hours ago, ode said:

Glad you liked it. Agree re Irish.  Beautiful looking course that is fun to play.  17 is a stinker and the layup on 18 is just a mess, but otherwise a super course with one really good hole after another.

We had a lot of blowups on both of those, but personally I thought they were great holes to finish matches with. 

 

Thanks for the feedback on the others!

[MN Power Fade]

2 hours ago, jvincent said:

 

Played Sand Valley / Lawsonia / Erin Hills on a trip a few weeks ago. Don't skip Sand Valley if you can't get accommodations on site. Lot's of AirBnB options in the area.

 

I'm assuming guests staying onsite get preference on tee times. Do you think we'd be able to get decent times if our lodging is offsite? We'd probably do 36 holes a few of the days. 

[jvincent]

45 minutes ago, MN Power Fade said:

I'm assuming guests staying onsite get preference on tee times. Do you think we'd be able to get decent times if our lodging is offsite? We'd probably do 36 holes a few of the days. 

 

Other than the Lido, which you need to stay on sit to get access to, there's no preference on tee times. They don't have enough on site accommodations to keep the courses full.