Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run

What Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run does

Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run is the golf and destination-hospitality portfolio of privately held, family-owned Kohler Co., operated from the company's headquarters at 444 Highland Drive, Kohler, Wisconsin. The portfolio spans four top-100 US public golf courses in a single Wisconsin destination — including Whistling Straits, host venue of the 43rd Ryder Cup, and Blackwolf Run, now extended by the newly launched The Baths (a 10-hole par-3 course with a 2-acre putting course and patio gathering space) — alongside five-star lodging at The American Club, secluded private cabins, and multiple on-site dining venues. Through Kohler's hospitality division, the portfolio extends transatlantically to St. Andrews, Scotland, where it operates the AA five-star Old Course Hotel at the famous 17th Road Hole and The Jigger Inn, described as the most famous 19th hole in golf.

The business runs a direct-to-consumer model with three identified revenue streams: (1) green fees and tee-time revenue from championship-caliber public golf courses, (2) five-star lodging and dining at Destination Kohler properties on quote-based pricing, and (3) event-hosting income, including major tournaments such as the Ryder Cup. Distribution flows through owned digital channels (kohlerwisconsin.com), phone reservations, and on-site sales. Two customer segments are targeted — affluent luxury golf travelers seeking championship-quality play in destination settings (primary), and leisure travelers pursuing five-star accommodations and distinctive experiences (secondary). Marketing is multi-channel but website-centric, supplemented by email newsletters and earned media around flagship events.

Customer concentration risk is low by construction: revenue is fragmented across thousands of individual golfers, leisure guests, and event-goers with no disclosed enterprise anchor accounts or single-customer dependency. Competitive positioning draws on Kohler's 128-year design heritage, the rarity of four top-100 public courses in one domestic destination, Ryder Cup-grade event credentials, and a cross-Atlantic (Wisconsin + Scotland) footprint that few — if any — direct competitors can replicate.

Name

Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run

Legal name

Kohler Co.

Website

https://golfkohler.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run is Kohler Co.'s dual-destination (Wisconsin and St. Andrews, Scotland) golf and hospitality portfolio, comprising four top-100 US public courses, the Ryder Cup host venue, and five-star lodging serving affluent luxury golf travelers and leisure guests worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf Resort Hospitality

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Golf Resorts (THAGACAH), Golf Clubs & Tournament-Host Clubs (Professional/Elite Golf Clubs) (MPAKABAE)

Keywords

• Golf resort hospitality
• Championship golf courses
• Luxury destination lodging
• Golf vacation packages
• Resort dining services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kohler

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Golf Course Fees: Public access to championship golf courses including Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, generating revenue through green fees and tee time bookings.
2. Lodging and Hospitality: Five-star accommodations ranging from hotel rooms to secluded private cabins at Destination Kohler, plus dining experiences at various on-site restaurants.
3. Event Hosting: Hosting of major golf events including the Ryder Cup, generating revenue through event hosting fees and increased visitor traffic.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Whistling Straits & Blackwolf Run operates a portfolio of championship golf courses and resort hospitality offerings, including golf play, overnight lodging at historic hotels, and on-site dining. The business caters to golfers and leisure travelers seeking premium, destination-based golf experiences in Wisconsin and Scotland.

Product overview

Kohler & St Andrews Golf Experiences is a portfolio of world-class golf destinations offering a platform-plus-properties architecture. The core offering includes four public golf courses in Kohler, Wisconsin (Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, and The Baths) alongside five-star accommodations (The American Club and private cabins), plus the Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland. Whistling Straits, a top-100 public course and home of the 43rd Ryder Cup, serves as the flagship attraction, while The Baths provides an innovative 10-hole par-3 experience. Together with The Jigger Inn and destination lodging, the portfolio delivers a complete golf travel experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Whistling Straits: Host of the 43rd Ryder Cup, one of four top 100 public golf courses in America operated by Kohler.
• Blackwolf Run
• The Baths
• The American Club
• Old Course Hotel
• The Jigger Inn

Products and services

• Whistling Straits Championship-caliber public golf course located in Kohler, Wisconsin, offering premium tee times to destination golfers and resort guests.
• Blackwolf Run Championship-caliber public golf facility located in Kohler, Wisconsin, providing premium tee times and resort-based golf experiences.
• The Baths at The Old Course Hotel Championship golf course located at The Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland, offering premium golf play to resort guests and destination visitors.
• The American Club Historic resort hotel in Kohler, Wisconsin, providing overnight lodging for golf guests and leisure travelers visiting the Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run courses.
• Old Course Hotel Resort hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland, offering overnight lodging for golfers and leisure travelers visiting The Baths and the wider St. Andrews destination.
• The Jigger Inn On-site dining venue serving resort guests and golfers at the Kohler, Wisconsin golf destination.

Quantifiable outcome

• Host venue for 43rd Ryder Cup, premier international golf competition

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pinehurst Resort: Iconic multi-course golf resort in North Carolina offering championship-caliber public play alongside luxury lodging. Closest U.S. analogue to Kohler's portfolio of multiple top-tier courses anchored by a single destination property.
• Pebble Beach Resorts: Premier destination resort anchored by an iconic public championship course and luxury lodging on the California coast. Comparable in brand prestige, public-access championship positioning, and resort lodging integration.
• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Destination golf resort in Oregon built around multiple links-style championship public courses. Directly comparable to Whistling Straits/Blackwolf Run as a multi-course, public-access destination resort targeting affluent traveling golfers.
• Kiawah Island Golf Resort: South Carolina destination resort hosting major championships (including past Ryder Cups and PGA Championships). Directly comparable as a multi-course destination resort with major-event heritage and luxury accommodations.
• St Andrews Links Trust: Operator of the Old Course and other historic links at St Andrews, Scotland. Directly adjacent peer in the most iconic golf market in the world and a benchmark for premium Scottish destination-golf economics.
• Trump Golf Properties: Portfolio of branded luxury golf properties across the U.S. and internationally. Comparable as a multi-property, brand-anchored portfolio of premium public-access championship courses.
• The Broadmoor (Golf): Five-star resort with championship golf in Colorado Springs. Comparable as a luxury full-service resort whose golf offering (hosting majors and USGA events) sits within a broader five-star hospitality operation.

Emerging players

• Sand Valley Golf Resort: Multi-course destination golf resort in central Wisconsin. Geographically proximate peer and a credible emerging competitor for Midwest-affluent destination-golf demand.
• Cabot (Cabot Cape Breton / Cabot Cliffs): Fast-growing destination-golf developer with multiple luxury course-and-lodging properties. Comparable as a newer entrant building premium destination-golf experiences and competing for the same affluent golfer travel dollars.

Regional players

• Erin Hills: Wisconsin-based public championship course that hosted the 2017 U.S. Open. Comparable as a Midwest U.S. public championship venue competing for the same regional destination-golf demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whistling-straits-&-blackwolf-run

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 & Blackwolf Run