
Irish Course
Whistling Straits Golf Club


About this course
Whistling Straits' Irish Course presents a stark contrast to its more celebrated sibling, yet it firmly establishes Kohler's dominance in Wisconsin golf. Carved inland from the dramatic bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, the Irish is a modern links creation from Pete Dye, owing more to the rolling farmland aesthetic of Ireland than the rugged coastal terrain. It is wide and forgiving off the tee, but is marked with pot bunkers, fescue rough, and undulating greens, and offers a distinctive strategic test. Unlike the Straits course which hosted multiple PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup, the Irish has largely remained a haven for resort guests and members. This has shaped a more relaxed atmosphere, where camaraderie is encouraged but unforced. Although it has never held a major, the Irish Course is respected for its playability, its subtle challenges, and its embodiment of Dye's strategic genius. It provides a welcome respite from the more demanding Straits course while still delivering a memorable and authentic links experience, complete with the ever-present bagpipes that echo across the property. It’s also not unusual to spot the club’s prized flock of Scottish Blackface sheep freely roaming the grounds, adding to the course's distinct charm.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in WI
Quick facts
- Location
- Sheboygan, WI, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 2000
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Pete Dye
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,201 yards
- Difficulty
- 75.6/146
- Course Vaults score
- 8.3
Getting there
The journey to Whistling Straits Golf Club begins at Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport, roughly an hour's drive north along the western shore of Lake Michigan. The route traces Interstate 43 through Wisconsin's dairy heartland before veering east toward Sheboygan, where the landscape opens to reveal the vast, wind-swept expanse of the lake. As you approach the property, the road narrows and the terrain shifts dramatically - suddenly you're threading between towering dunes and glimpsing fairways that tumble toward the water's edge, the final miles delivering you to Pete Dye's audacious reimagining of the Irish coast, transplanted to the American Midwest.

FAQ
Common questions about Irish at Whistling Straits Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Irish at Whistling Straits Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.3 out of 10 based on 272 logged golfers.
Irish was designed by Pete Dye.
Yes. Irish at Whistling Straits Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Irish is 72.
Irish plays 7,201 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Irish is 146.





