River Course Blackwolf Run (Kohler, WI)

      TOP 100 PUBLIC GOLF COURSES 

              GOLF DIGEST 2017/2018

         #15 BLACKWOLF RUN RIVER

The US Women’s Open was held at Blackwolf Run in 1998 and 2012. For the tournament, they use the back nine of the Meadows, and holes 1-4 14-18 of the River. (This was the original course before Pete Dye expanded it to 36 holes.)

(Ripples or ridges in the greens demand precise iron play to have good birdie attempts, while longer putts are difficult to negotiate in two.) 

The River possesses some of coolest holes I’ve ever seen! Interestingly, the best ones were not used for the US Open because Dye was given the property by the river after he designed the original course. That was a huge gamble by Kohler and Dye, and it paid off big time!! 

(The triple option ninth where players can hit down the left, over the trees, or at the green...

...it is often cited as one of the best short par fours in the US.) 

(The forever turning par five eleventh is excellent. It’s reachable in two, but the second is all carry over the river. Even short hitters will eventually need to challenge the water. For most, getting by the group of trees in pic is the key to par. It’s a super cool hole!)

(The par four twelfth green is snug by the river. A good drive down the left leaves a longer but open shot in while the right side leaves a shorter but all carry approach.) 

(The par three thirteenth is one of the most intimidating holes I’ve seen. It’s all carry over the river with towering trees on the left. A draw is the obvious play but can you hit it under pressure? How bout a high cut? Can I hit it high enough? Wow!)

While the river holes are the highlight, it’s Dye’s patented “getting the proper angle” architecture that solidifies the course. Missing fairways or hitting the wrong side can leave testy second shots. 

(The par three fourth can cause plenty of trouble. Right is a definite no-no, but overcompensating to the left can leave an incredibly difficult up n down.) 

(The short par four fourteenth slides along the water. Bail away from the water and it’s a blind shot over a mound. Driveable too for the long hitters. It’s a fun hole.) 

(The par five sixteenth displays Dye’s infatuation with trees guarding the green. Hitting this in two means going over the river and cutting it back onto the putting surface. For the open, the ladies we’re hitting it far down the right, and taking the tree out of play.) 

I can only imagine Pete Dye chomping at the bit when he saw all the possibilities with the serpentine river. The way he uses the water along with the trees makes this a wonderful course to study. As I’ve become a better player, I must admit my hostility towards trees defining strategy. They can expose ones inability to hit a particular shot. With the greens having so many nuanced pin positions, pars become valuable. 

(The split fairway par five eighth has an upper and lower route to the green. It has been said that River has the best set of par fives anywhere.) 

While Blackwolf Run is quite overpriced, there’s no denying the quality of it’s design. It changed the way golfers looked at resort courses. I give River an 8 (excellent)(worth spending the weekend.) 

(The eighteenth doglegs left to a green set below the clubhouse. During the US Women’s Open, Kohler surprised Dye with an unexpected twist. He flooded the waste area in the pic, making this a stern finishing hole. In 1998, Se Ri Pak stood in the water, her ball above her feet on the side slope, and hit a marvelous shot that saved bogey. A few holes later in sudden death, a birdie clinched the championship.)