Plans for the company’s third Wisconsin layout—joining Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits—took a hit when Judge Mark F. Kaiser said the Department of Natural Resources failed to follow state requirements for projects involving wetlands loss, and that the steps that would be taken by Kohler to assuage the losses would be inadequate.
Former Marine Helps to Resurrect Cherry Hills Golf and Lodge
The Sturgeon Bay, Wis. property floundered during the 2008 recession and was eventually foreclosed upon, but golf junkie and former Marine Jon Martell has plunged in to undertake its revival. More than 100 golf courses close each year nationwide, reported Door County Living, and this was once likely the fate for the Cherry Hills Golf…
Wetland Permit for Kohler’s New Course Approved
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approved the first of several permits that will be needed for the new course to be built by the creators of Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, even as an array of potential environmental impacts from the project were detailed. Kohler has agreed to create wetlands in other parts of the area and to contribute $200,000 towards restoration work.
Report Says PGA Championship Will Return to Valhalla GC in 2024
A press conference is scheduled for November 16 at which it is expected to be announced that the major tournament will return to the PGA-owned Louisville, Ky. property, which last hosted the Championship in 2014. This would be the first time Valhalla would host the tournament in May, after the PGA announced earlier this year that it would be moving the Championship from its traditional August dates, starting in 2019.
Kohler Co. Files Permit Applications for New Course
The company that includes Whistling Straits among its golf properties has applied to the Army Corps of Engineers for a permit to discharge dredged and fill material into wetlands as it constructs an 18-hole course in Town of Wilson, Wis. Total investment in the new course would be $25 million, with projected completion in 2020.
Destination Kohler Finds New Ways to Spur Winter Golf Activity
The Wisconsin resort property has debuted virtual golf, and officials there have been pleasantly surprised by how quickly it has caught on. “We’re trying to extend our season and the golf experience for our guests, not only into the winter months, but into the later hours of the day,” said Director of Golf Dirk Willis.
Paul Levy Elected as PGA of America’s New President
The executive with the Sunrise Company is also the CEO/General Manager of Toscana CC in Indian Wells, Calif. He will be the organization’s 40th President. Former LPGA Tour player Suzy Whaley is the new Vice President and Jim Richerson, General Manager & Group Director of Golf for Kohler Co.’s Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run properties, is the new Secretary.
Kansas Course Gets Goats to Help Revive Property
The former Highlands GC in Hutchinson, Kan., is being reborn as the Crazy Horse Sport Club and Golf Course, and three new members of the grounds “staff” are tackling weed management on the property with gusto. “They love the weeds, especially the poison ivy,” says General Manager Matt Seitz. “It’s like candy to them.”
Golf Properties in Wisconsin Flourish While Illinois Struggles
Golf courses throughout Wisconsin are bucking national trends by bringing in strong outing and event business at competitive pricing. In neighboring Illinois, municipal golf facilities are turning to video poker and slot machines to make up for declining revenue with varying degrees of success.
DNR Releases Environmental Impact Report on Kohler Course
The draft of the report is being called premature by a group opposed to the course’s construction in the Town of Wilson, Wis., because the company has not made a formal proposal. “Overall, we believe the science and facts of the statement confirm the project can meet applicable standards, reflecting a minimalist design and a responsible approach while providing a major economic boost for the community,” a Kohler representative said in a statement.
Restoration Hailed for Reclaiming “Original Mystique” of Davenport CC Course
A $3 million project is credited with helping the Pleasant Valley, Iowa club “turn back the clock” for its Charles Alison course to once again evoke a time when it hosted Western Opens and provided “grief” for golfing great Sam Snead.
GCSAA Offers “Thank a Golf Course Superintendent” Sweepstakes
Contest entrants get a chance to win a trip to the 2015 PGA Championship, August 10-16, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.
Kohler Co. Confirms Plans for Fifth Golf Course
Speaking to town officials and a crowd of 100 people, the company confirmed that it plans to build an 18-hole golf course with a clubhouse, maintenance facility and golf cart barn on a 247-acre property along Lake Michigan in Sheboygan County, Wis. The company will now seek a conditional use permit to proceed, a process that will allow the company to respond to any concerns raised by the community.
Kohler Considers Fifth Golf Course in Wisconsin
According to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Kohler Co. has been quiet about a possible addition to the four 18-hole courses it already owns in Wisconsin, neither confirming nor denying a report by the Golf Channel that Pete Dye has assessed a potential golf course property that Kohler has “been sitting on for years.”
The American Club Considers Fifth Golf Course
Pete Dye, who designed the Kohler, Wis., property’s four other golf courses, is assessing a parcel that could be the site of an additional golf course, noting that owner “Herb [Kohler]’s been sitting on this property for years.” Dye added that Kohler might be ready to “pull the trigger” on the next course, possibly in response to Mike Keiser’s plans for developing golf courses in the Wisconsin Rapids area.