Central USA Golf Course Reviews
Blackwolf Run River Golf Course Review
Kohler, WI
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Blackwolf Run River Scorecard, as of the date of last review
Blackwolf Run River Golf Course Summary: This Pete Dye design golf course is heralded as one of the better public golf courses in America; with the Sheboygan River a constant threat, along with thick trees (moreso in the summer months), lakes complete with railroad tie lined hazards when needed, this golf course is as challenging as it is beautiful. I don't normally focus on clubhouses, but the lodge here is also quite stunning, with good food and views of the finishing holes on both this golf course and the Meadow Valley course as well. The most memorable golf holes among a long list of good ones are described below:
Blackwolf Run River Hole 1: The Sheboygan River makes its first, but not last, appearance here on the tee shot. The fairway is reasonably generous but going left towards the river on any shot is not a good idea. There are half a dozen bunkers along the way from tee to green on this slight dogleg right par five opener.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 1: The Sheboygan River makes its first, but not last, appearance here on the tee shot. The fairway is reasonably generous but going left towards the river on any shot is not a good idea. There are half a dozen bunkers along the way from tee to green on this slight dogleg right par five opener.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 4 (left): This par three is quite terrifying with essentially no bailout to the left other than mounding with thick rough that will leave a tough chip towards the water to a narrow green. Of course, that is still better than going right, which is instant penalty stroke. Going short but online is the only real miss the golfer can make and still have a decent shot at par.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 5 (below): The view from this tee is stunning with the river on the right and the hole beautifully laid out before the golfer. the hole is, however, quite difficult, as it is long and the approach shot is uphill to a green that is tough to hit, with right pins being the nastiest. The water short of the bunker here is not normally here, but was due to heavy rains. The river, however, is definitely there.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 5 (below): The view from this tee is stunning with the river on the right and the hole beautifully laid out before the golfer. the hole is, however, quite difficult, as it is long and the approach shot is uphill to a green that is tough to hit, with right pins being the nastiest. The water short of the bunker here is not normally here, but was due to heavy rains. The river, however, is definitely there.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 6: This short, dogleg right par four leaves plenty of room to the left and is not long; however, the farther right one goes, the shorter the shot, but there is also hazard over there near the river valley. The green is wide and not too deep with a troublesome bunker short to avoid. Pins to the left side are much easier than ones to the right, which can be tricky to get near in the wrong wind conditions or with too long of an approach.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 7: This dogleg left par four is medium length and the player can try to cut the corner to leave a shorter approach. There is a long bunker and other pot bunkers there to catch the overzealous or not well struck shot. The green is angled and fairly undulating with right pins being extraordinarily difficult to access.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 8: Dubbed "Hell's Gate", the name of this hole is worse than the actual tee shot that gives it the name. Very visually intimidating, there is more room both left and right than it appears from the tee...but still not too much. The par five then doglegs right to a split fairway. the right fairway is elevated like the green, giving much easier approaches, butt the river valley and hazard strokes are also over there. The left on is below the putting surface and leaves a tougher shot over a deep bunker and hill to the green at a shallow angle.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 9: This outstanding short par four has a massive group of trees dead center of the hole. the player can easily go left of them with even an iron or fairway wood and still have a wedge in. The golfer can also flirt with the river and go right of the trees and try to hit the green in one shot or get close. the green slopes strongly to the river and is nestled on its banks. The hole is much easier when the trees are dead as the summer monthly obscure the view of the hole and make the trees (as an obstacle) 50% more problematic.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 10: This long par three has the river way right, but that wasn't enough for Pete Dye, who added a lake and long bunker on the right side to make the trouble one can get into much more local.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 11: This outstanding long par five sweeps to the right following the course of the Sheboygan river, which is in play at all times. It takes three outstanding shots to avoid the river, bunkers and/or trees that come into play on all the shots, which really require both distance, precision and some courage. The green complex is especially daunting, sandwiched between sand traps and the river bank.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 13: This tee shot is reminiscent of the par four 9th, but this is a par three so there is no option to lay up. The tee shot must find it's way between the trees and the river, which is no easy task. For the average amateur golfer, no fear, the shorter tee boxes are played from the left, making the hole a bunch easier.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 14: Fortunately, this par four is not long, as there is a tremendous amount of water in play on both shots with very little room for error; the fairway is tight with mounding to the left and a green-side bunker on that side as well to nab the shot that is too afraid of getting wet.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 16: This par five plays downhill. The drive needs to avoid the bunker and mounding left and the trees to the right. From there, it is downhill to a green that is set on the river with nothing but railroad ties to reject shots that go left back into the river. Right is much safer and sensible on the 2nd and 3rd shots.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 17: The final par three is tough, with water short and left of the green. The hill just left of the green won't hold up shots either so any chip coming back towards it need be carefully hit.
Blackwolf Run River Hole 18: The final hole of the day is a dogleg left that plays towards the clubhouse. It is fairly wide but long. The green is very large, which is good given the length of some final approaches that golfers may have, but also can leave some long last putts on the final hole of the day.
