Central USA Golf Course Reviews
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Golf Course ReviewKohler, WI
|
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Scorecard, as of the date of last review
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Golf Course Summary: This Pete Dye design golf course is the "second" golf course at Blackwolf Run, but similar to its bigger/better brother the River Course, it is still considered as one of the better public golf courses in America. It still features a few golf holes that have to contend with the Sheboygan and features some of the most memorable and/or terrifying shots on property, but that greatness is tamed by a few more standard fare stretches of golf and a few out of place holes. Dye still ratchets up the difficulty plenty so the player cannot go out for an easy stroll and still hope to score well. The golf holes that are the most memorable are described below:
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 2: The "meadow" portion of the course name is in full effect on the front nine with this par four being a good example. There are trees way right but the hole is pretty open with most of its defense coming through sand traps. The green is elevated behind a severe Dye drop-off, and is a fairly shallow putting surface, which puts a premium on coming in from the fairway, preferably with a short iron.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 2: The "meadow" portion of the course name is in full effect on the front nine with this par four being a good example. There are trees way right but the hole is pretty open with most of its defense coming through sand traps. The green is elevated behind a severe Dye drop-off, and is a fairly shallow putting surface, which puts a premium on coming in from the fairway, preferably with a short iron.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 5: This par four has an angled fairway that is otherwise wide-open and devoid of any major hazards. Trees do come into play on the second shot as they provide a gateway of sorts to the green complex, which features a narrow front opening and wider back section.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 6: This dogleg right par four requires the player to match a distance with a sight line and figure out the level of aggression they want off the tee. The fairway is fairly wide and green is large.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 7: This par five provides an opportunity for scoring due to its wide fairway, but more so with front/right pin placements, which are more accessible. There is a pot bunker that must be avoided in the fairway but other than that, the key is to not splash down into the large lake left of the fairway and the green.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 8: This par three is very difficult with a very narrow putting surface and pretty much no friendly bail-out area. The water is right on the edge of the green so, depending on the wind direction, this hole can go from hard to downright impractical to record a good score.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 9: This finishing par four to the front nine has a drive that needs to fit between the bunker right and the trees to the left. From there, the trade-off is angle vs distance as the second shot will be to a green fronted by water and with pin placements that favor different angles. Either way, it's a difficult hole.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 10: Even with all the space in Wisconsin, for some reason, the 10th was created on this course. It doesn't really fit with the rest of the holes and I believe that, for the LPGA events hosted here, a different hole was constructed to the same greensite to avoid playing this as is. It's a hard dogleg right with heavy trees on both sides and a very angled and narrow fairway with hidden bunkers. Thus, the first time you play it, it's truly impossible to know what the edges of an ok shot are. The green is also very narrow and has mounds and steep bunkers, which makes sense for it's short length, but not as a complete picture of the hole. Thus, this hole is included, not as a favorite, but as a warning for those playing to to be wary.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 14: This is the signature hole and, from the tee box, the player, can see the peninsula green sticking out into a tributary of the Sheboygan River, where salmon go to spawn on an annual basis. The par four is decidedly downhill and the fairway is generous, but the penalty for missing it is severe. The green is indeed surrounded by water on three sides, but leaves an opening short and left for the feint of heart.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 15: This par three requires a heroic shot over the junk to a firm and wide green with many levels on it. Another hole that probably needs a few attempts before it can be better known, it's definitely challenging both with the iron strike and for any putt not on the correct section of the green.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 17: Pete Dye loves his difficult par threes, especially near the end of a round and this one, not famous per se, is near his toughest one. Anything left is down a 1-2 story slope and a tree is put painfully in front of the green, which will kill and shots coming in too low. Going right leaves a nearly impossible chip from thick rough running away from the player, making this beast of a hole almost too hard in any sort of wind.
Blackwolf Run Meadow Valley Hole 18: If the previous par three wasn't enough stress, the arduous par four finishing hole certainly is both that and memorable. With the river to the right and with the hole being so long, a very big drive is needed and, the second will be again over the river to a massive green by the clubhouse. Woe to the player needing par or better to complete a milestone round.
