SOWGF Whistling Straits 2023 Retreat

SOWGF held its Spring 2023 Retreat at Whistling Straits Golf Course located in Kohler, Wisconsin from May 7 to May 12.  Whistling Straits is made up of two links-style courses: the rugged lakeside Straits Course and the more inland grassland and dunes Irish Course.  The Straits Course most recently hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010 and 2015, the U.S. Senior Open in 2007, and the 43rd Ryder Cup in 2021.  It is currently recognized by Golf Digest as one of the World’s Top 100 Golf Courses.  We spent our first three full days of the retreat at Whistling Straits Golf Club and Blackwolf Run Golf Club (Blackwolf Run is another Kohler Property that houses the Golf Academy, Par 3 Course and putting course, and the Meadow Valleys 18-hole Course).  SOWGF is most grateful to Kohler Properties and Whistling Straits for making it possible for our 6 SOF wounded warriors and Mentors to experience this highly rated and historic venue.
As a final gesture, Whistling Straits served us our final meal in the actual Ryder Cup Locker Room.

We then traveled to the Erin Hills Golf Course, another historic venue located in Erin, Wisconsin. Erin Hills hosted the US Amateur Championship in 2011 and the US Open in 2017.  We stayed on the property, played the historic and difficult course, and had our closing dinner in the Erin Hills Clubhouse.

Our schedule included the following:

May 7 (Sun) —  Travel to Whistling Straits

May 8 (Mon) — Morning: PGA Pro Instruction and Clinic at the Kohler Golf Academy located at Blackwolf Run

Afternoon:   Rain prevented us from being outdoors in the afternoon, but we were able to continue our instruction at their on-site virtual golf bar and grill playing Scotland’s St. Andrews Golf Course.

Evening:  (5:30 PM) Group Meeting at Blackwolf Run Patio with Dinner (7:00 PM) at Blackwolf Run Restaurant

May 9 (Tue) —  Morning:    Golf (18 Holes) on the Irish Course

Afternoon:  Golf  at Blackwolf Run on the Meadow Valleys Course (a Pete Dye designed course that hosted the 1998 & 2012 Women’s US Open)

Evening:   Group Meeting (5:30) at Inn on Woodlake’s Fire Pits with Dinner (7:30) at Taverne on Woodlake

May 10 (Wed)   Morning:     Golf (18 Holes) on the Straits Course (Walking Only)

Afternoon:   Group Meeting (4;00 PM to 6:00 PM)  Ryder Cup Locker Room–Mentors and Warriors

Evening:      Dinner (6:00) in the Ryder Cup Locker Room

May 11 (Thu)    Morning:     Travel to Erin Hills

Afternoon:   Golf (18 Holes) on the Erin Hills Course (Walking Only)

Evening:      Group Meeting (5:00PM) with Closing Dinner (6:00 PM) at the Erin Hills Clubhouse

May 12 (Fri)    Return to Whistling Straits to play the Baths Course (a 10-hole Par 3 Course) and relax and end the day with an Elimination Tournament on their 18-Hole Putting Course.

NOTE: In addition to the 6 participating SOF Warriors, 3 members of the business community served as mentors and sponsors for our participating SOF Warriors. If you are interested in being a mentor and taking advantage of this unusual opportunity, please provide your contact information on our Contact Us page or email it directly to info@sowgf.org or art.welhoelter@sowgf.org.