MOSEL, Wisconsin – Whistling Straits’ Straits Course, home of the Ryder Cup on Sept. 24-25, is one of the most dramatic visual treats in golf.
Built by Pete Dye on the shore of Lake Michigan, the formerly flat site once housed a military base before the legendary designer trucked in some 13,000 loads of sand to shape an incredible vista of flowing dunes, fescue grass and incredibly difficult golf shots.
Golfweek’s Gabe Gudgel has shot aerial drone videos of each hole to get you ready for the Ryder Cup. Video of one hole will be released each day for 18 days. We start today with No. 1, which will play as a 364-yard par 4 for the matches between the U.S. and Europe.
Mike O’Reilly, the golf operations manager at Whistling Straits, has provided the commentary on each hole. He began his career at Destination Kohler’s sister club, Blackwolf Run, as a caddie before Whistling Straits even opened, and he has had a front-row seat to all the action in three previous PGA Championships. His insights are invaluable.
The Straits will play as a par 71 at 7,390 yards for the Ryder Cup. It’s normally a par 72, but the par-5 11th will be shortened to a par 4 for the event. The Straits ranks as the No. 1 public-access course in Wisconsin on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list, as well as No. 8 among all of Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses in the U.S.
And for more golf in Wisconsin, check out this road trip that played the top five courses in a surprisingly strong golf state.
Enjoy the videos!
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