Whistling Straits

What Whistling Straits does

Whistling Straits is a championship golf course and integrated luxury destination resort operated by Kohler Co. in Kohler, Wisconsin. Opened in 1998 along the Lake Michigan coastline, Whistling Straits features two courses (The Straits and The Irish) and has hosted four PGA Championships (2004, 2007, 2010, 2021), making it one of the most storied major-championship venues in the United States. The course operates as the anchor asset within a broader resort platform that also includes Blackwolf Run (a second championship venue), professional instruction facilities (Kohler Golf Academy, Kohler Swing Studio), the five-star Kohler Waters Spa, four distinct lodging properties (The American Club, Carriage House, Inn on Woodlake, Kohler Cabin Collection), seven dining venues, and the 500-acre River Wildlife nature preserve.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model, selling tee-time fees, lodging room nights, spa treatments, dining, and event services directly via its website, a central reservations phone line, and on-site bookings — with no third-party reseller dependency. Revenue streams span transaction-based green fees and spa/dining, recurring-equivalent lodging revenue, and event/professional services for weddings, corporate retreats, and group meetings. The customer base is segmented across affluent leisure golfers, corporate groups, and wedding/celebration couples, with bundled stay-and-play packages (e.g., "Escape to Kohler" offering up to $200 in resort credit) designed to lift average booking value.

Strategically, the resort is in a multi-year capital expansion cycle (2025–2027) that includes the new 14-hole Purebred Farm golf course, The Serve racquet sports facility, and the Carriage House renovation, alongside refreshed retail concepts (Woodlake Market, Big Joe's Fuel & Go). These moves signal a deliberate broadening from a pure golf-anchor destination into a more diversified luxury lifestyle resort, supported by cross-promotion with sister Kohler hospitality properties in Green Bay and St Andrews, Scotland.

Name

Whistling Straits

Legal name

Kohler Co.

Website

https://destinationkohler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whistling Straits is a championship golf resort operated by Kohler Co. in Kohler, Wisconsin, serving affluent leisure golfers, corporate groups, and wedding couples via tee fees, lodging, spa, dining, and event services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Golf Resort

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels & Motels (7011), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Resort Convention Hotels (THAGALAC)

Keywords

• Championship golf courses
• Luxury resort accommodations
• Spa wellness services
• Golf instruction academy
• Destination weddings events

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheboygan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Golf green fees and packages: Revenue generated from tee time fees for Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run championship courses, as well as bundled golf packages that combine multiple rounds with accommodations.
2. Luxury accommodations: Room revenue from The American Club, Carriage House, Inn on Woodlake, and Kohler Cabin Collection properties offering lodging across various price points and styles.
3. Wellness and spa services: Revenue from Kohler Waters Spa services including treatments, wellness programs, yoga classes, and fitness offerings.
4. Dining experiences: Revenue from multiple on-site restaurants including The Immigrant Restaurant, The Wisconsin Room, The Horse & Plow, and venue-specific dining at Whistling Straits Restaurant.
5. Events and experiences: Revenue from weddings, corporate events, group meetings, and recreational activities including River Wildlife experiences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Whistling Straits is a championship golf course and the anchor property of the Kohler Wisconsin Resort, featuring two courses (The Straits and The Irish) along Lake Michigan. The resort bundles this with multiple accommodations (The American Club, Carriage House, Inn on Woodlake, Kohler Cabin Collection), the five-star Kohler Waters Spa, multiple dining venues, golf instruction at the Kohler Golf Academy, and 500 acres of outdoor recreation at River Wildlife. Guests book tee times, lodging, spa treatments, and dining directly through the resort's website or central reservations.

Product overview

Whistling Straits is a luxury golf resort operated by Kohler Co. in Kohler, Wisconsin. The resort operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, with championship golf courses (Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, and the upcoming Purebred Farm) as the core offerings, supplemented by professional instruction (Kohler Golf Academy, Kohler Swing Studio), spa and wellness services (Kohler Waters Spa, wellness retreats), diverse dining experiences, and multiple accommodation options (The American Club, Carriage House, Inn on Woodlake, Kohler Cabin Collection). The resort is expanding with new facilities including The Serve racquet sports venue and ongoing property enhancements, positioning itself as a comprehensive destination resort experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Whistling Straits: Championship golf course at Kohler Wisconsin Resort, featuring 36 holes of golf along Lake Michigan with Irish-links style design.

Products and services

• Whistling Straits Golf Course Championship 36-hole golf facility featuring The Straits Course and The Irish Course, designed in an Irish-links style along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Open to resort guests and public tee time bookings.
• Blackwolf Run Golf Course

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ship SticksminorOthersShip Sticks is integrated as a shipping partner allowing golf travelers to ship their clubs to the resort. The link appears in the Information section of the website under 'Ship Your Clubs', providing convenience for destination golfers traveling by air.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Pure destination golf resort on the Oregon coast with multiple courses, on-site lodging, and minimal non-golf amenities. Comparable in core model: golf-first destination resort where users travel for the courses themselves.
• Sea Island Resort: Georgia coastal luxury resort with multiple championship golf courses, multiple lodging options, spa, beach, and dining. Comparable in scale, multi-course championship pedigree, and integrated luxury resort vertical.
• Pebble Beach Resorts: Iconic coastal U.S. golf destination resort combining multiple championship courses with luxury lodging, spa, and dining. Closest direct comp in business model: golf-anchored luxury resort with bundled packages and championship pedigree.
• Streamsong Resort: Florida destination golf resort featuring multiple contemporary championship courses, luxury lodge, spa, and dining. Comparable in offering (multi-course resort with full amenity set) and warmer climate that competes with Whistling Straits for shoulder-season golf demand.
• Pinehurst Resort: Multi-course championship golf resort with on-site lodging, spa, and dining. Comparable as a destination golf resort with deep championship history (multiple U.S. Opens) and bundled lodging/golf packages.
• Kiawah Island Golf Resort: South Carolina coastal destination with multiple championship courses (including a major Championship host), villas, hotels, spa, and dining. Comparable in scale, coastal setting, championship pedigree, and resort vertical integration.
• The Greenbrier: Historic American resort featuring championship golf, luxury hotel, spa, dining, and events. Comparable as a heritage luxury resort with golf as a flagship amenity and integrated meeting/event business.
• TPC Sawgrass: Home of THE PLAYERS Championship and operated by the PGA Tour. Comparable as a flagship championship venue with attached resort accommodations, dining, and high-volume premium public play.
• Big Cedar Lodge: Bass Pro-affiliated Missouri destination resort rapidly expanding golf (multiple courses including a Coore/Crenshaw and a Tiger Woods design) alongside lodging, spa, and outdoor recreation. Comparable as a multi-course destination resort with strong parent-brand synergies.
• Sand Valley: Wisconsin sand-dunes destination golf resort with multiple courses, lodge, and minimal non-golf amenities. Closest geographic competitor with similar climate exposure and a comparable golf-first destination model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GolfKohler
• Facebookfacebook.com/GolfKohler
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-core

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whistling Straits