Kohler will open a par 3 course in 2021
It has been just over three decades since Blackwolf Run opened as the first championship course at the Destination Kohler resort property, followed by Whistling Straits in 1998 and the Irish Course in 2000. U.S. Opens and PGA Championships have followed, and the properties have been must plays for golfers around the world.
So why not add something new? After discussing options for some time, Herb Kohler looked at the 27 acres of land in the middle of the Pete Dye-designed Blackwolf Run layout and elected to work in a new feature that will be ready for play in the summer of 2021: The Baths of Blackwolf Run.
The name is an homage to Kohler Co.’s bathing design history and Kohler enlisted the help of Dye protégé Chris
Lutzke to design a 10-hole par-3 course with holes measuring 60 to 160 yards, along with an 18-hole putting course spread over two acres.
“One of the things we wanted to do was provide a venue for the group of golfers, maybe it’s eight or 12 guys or gals or maybe even a larger group and our group of junior golfers as well, we wanted a place where they could go and experience Kohler golf without committing as much time as it may take to play a full round of golf,” said golf operations manager Michael O’Reilly.
Kohler co-designed and named the layout, which will have four water features that do not force a player to hit over them if they choose not to, which gives junior golfers (and their parents) a less-intimidating and less-time consuming option for learning the game.
The water features were important additions to the design process as well for Kohler, who would like them to be swimmable.
“And, one of them is shaped like a bath,” O’Reilly said with a chuckle. “There is definitely a connection there. We’re trying to come up with some creative ideas on what we can do. Hopefully there’s a lot of hole in ones out there and we’re looking at having some small bathubs made by the Kohler Co. that we can give away as a hole-in-one memoir.”
Had the Ryder Cup been at Whistling Straits as scheduled in September, a hole or two may have been opened for some advance play for the worldwide media contingent descending on the area, but now is expected to be fully playable when the tournament tees off in 2021.
U.S. Ryder Cup criteria updated
The coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with the Ryder Cup since the PGA Tour schedule was put on pause earlier in the year and eventually postponed the international team event until Sept. 21-26, 2021. Before the postponement, the PGA of America and U.S. Captain Steve Stricker tried to be flexible in allowing him to pick the best team possible and that trend has continued.
First, all points American players have earned in 2019 will roll over and will continue to be accrued through the 2021 BMW Championship.
But the biggest modification in 2020 will remain in place for 2021: More captain’s picks.
In June, the PGA of America gave Stricker six captain’s picks instead of the usual four to make up for the truncated tour schedule. He will keep that total even if golf returns to a normal schedule next year.
The top six points earners will receive automatic bids and Stricker will select the final six.