Where to Stay if Playing Whistling Straits and Erin Hills Golf Courses

Day 1

From the moment you step off the plane, you could be only an hour or two from stepping onto the green. Wisconsin is a different kind of golf destination where a diverse array of America's top courses are just a short drive apart. Even on the day you arrive, you won't have to worry about making your tee time. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is located just eight miles from downtown Milwaukee and serves more than 45 destinations non-stop. It's easy to head downtown to check into your hotel, but if you're itching to hit the green, you're just a one-hour drive from the tarmac to Erin Hills.

Most recently the host of the 2017 U.S. Open, Erin Hills is ranked by Golf Digest #44 in the Top 100 U.S. Courses and #2 in Wisconsin. Located in the Kettle Moraine region of Wisconsin, the course at Erin Hills takes advantage of the unique contours left behind when the glaciers passed over Wisconsin that give the area its name. A traditional walking-only course, your time at Erin Hills will most likely be accompanied by one of the course's talented professional caddies. But golfers aren't the only ones taking notice of this course – Architectural Digest named Erin Hills' The Clubhouse the most beautiful clubhouse in Wisconsin. Depending on your schedule, don't miss a hearty Irish breakfast before you play, or celebrate a great round with lunch or dinner on the patio overlooking the course.

2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships

2025 U.S. Women's Open

Erin Hills - USGA Host Site

2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships

2025 U.S. Women's Open

Day 2 & 3

Your next 18 is waiting for you in Kohler. Just under 90 minutes from Erin Hills, this resort is home to two of Wisconsin's most buzzed about courses: Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits (The Straits). The Straits has hosted three PGA championships and will be the site of the 2020 Ryder Cup. Golf Digest has heralded this rugged, Irish-style course as the best golf course in Wisconsin and ranks it #4 on the Top 100 U.S. Courses. Designer Pete Dye was inspired by the ancient seaside links courses of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and you'll feel as though you're on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean instead of Lake Michigan as you navigate the steep elevation changes, grass-topped dunes, natural fescue fairways, and stone bridges that characterize this challenging course. There's even a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep that wander the course freely during the golfing season. Sister course The Irish is another Pete Dye-designed course that features views of Lake Michigan, bridges constructed of reclaimed wood, and nearly 2,000 trees. Both courses at Whistling Straits were designed as walking courses.

After playing Whistling Straits, spend the night on-site in Kohler. There are several lodging options at the resort, but it's hard to resist The American Club, a five-star, five-diamond hotel ranked as one of America's top resorts in the Conde Nast Reader's Choice Awards. After a night at this historic property, you'll be well-rested to play Kohler's other premier course, Blackwolf Run. Hailed as one of Pete Dye's crowning achievements, this course boasts 36 holes of championship golf divided into two 18-hole courses, all blending playability and challenge in a stunning natural setting. Both The River and Meadow Valleys at Blackwolf Run are regularly ranked among Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Courses.

Day 4

Your next top-ranked course is only fifteen minutes away. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course ranked among Golf Digest's Top 100 Public Courses. Once a dairy farm, these rolling hills are now home to a classic, strategic layout that will challenge golfers of all skill levels. The first four holes may seem tame, but once you've been eased into the round, you'll discover the rest of the course is full of the high risk/reward holes Nicklaus' designs are famous for.

Day 5

It's just over a two hour drive to the center of the state, where you'll find SentryWorld Golf Course, Wisconsin's original destination course. SentryWorld debuted in 1982 and received a full redesign in 2014, bringing together exciting modern features with the course's classic playability. The course is known for its colorful flowerbeds, particularly those surrounding the legendary 16^th hole, known as the "Flower Hole."

Day 6 & Beyond

Complete your tour of the state with a quick 50 minute drive to Wisconsin's newest premium golf destination, Sand Valley Golf Resort. The resort's first course, Sand Valley, made a splash upon opening; it was named Golf Digest's Best New Course of 2017 as well as claiming the #7 spot on Top 100 Public Courses. Golf Magazine called it the Best New Course You Can Play. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, this walking-only course makes stunning use of the area's natural sandy dunes.

Though the second course, Mammoth Dunes, has been open for less than a year, it's already garnering major buzz as a must-play course. David McLay Kidd's design makes a dramatic impression with roomy fairways, vast areas of open sand, and memorable holes and vistas. The resort is also home to The Sandbox, a 17-hole short course also designed by Coore and Crenshaw. With so many unique offerings, you'll want to spend a few days here – rent a room at the Fairway or Dunes Lodges, or, if you're traveling with a group, consider one of the cottages or private residences on-site.

The end of a golf getaway that includes nine top-ranked courses will always be bittersweet – but don't say goodbye to Wisconsin golf just yet. Before you fly out of Milwaukee, don't miss playing on one of the excellent Milwaukee County courses. Check another tournament course off your list with 18 at Brown Deer Golf Course, where Tiger Woods made his professional debut and the current site of the Symetra Tour's PHC Classic. Or relax on one of the county's approachable par-3 courses, perfect for a few quick rounds with friends before you head back to the airport.

Where to Stay if Playing Whistling Straits and Erin Hills Golf Courses

Source: https://www.visitmilwaukee.org/articles/sports-recreation/wisconsin-golf-itinerary/

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