No Bull – The Bull Opens in Wisconsin

After a couple of years of design and development, The Bull at Pinehurst Farms opened for play in July. The par-72, 7,332-yard layout was designed by golf’s “Golden Bear,” Jack Nicklaus. The 418-acre facility is located in Sheboygan Falls, Wis., not far from the Kohler Company’s acclaimed Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run courses.

The project was developed by David Bachmann Jr. on his family’s Pinehurst Farm. The course is located at the intersection of Highways 28 and 32, just south of Sheboygan Falls. The Bachmanns bred Grand Champion-caliber Holstein cattle on the property before they decided to convert it into what is now one of Wisconsin’s premier daily-fee courses.

Playing “The Bull” is not cheap, with green fees of $115 in peak season. Sheboygan County residents get a break, paying a reduced rate of $95. Besides a tough test of golf, the facility boasts a large, full-service clubhouse and a driving range-practice facility. The course will be augmented by a number of single- and multi-family homes.

Bachmann basically gave Nicklaus carte blanche to wave his magical touch on the property. Over the past few years Nicklaus made several visits to the site, making sure that wetlands, lakes, a deep ravine, dense forestry and the Onion River were properly woven into the layout. Such attention to detail seems to have worked. From the tips, the track has earned a 75.0 course rating and a 142 slope, placing The Bull near the top of the state’s top tracks.

Watching a golf course emerge on his farm – a family asset since 1910 – brought back fond memories for Bachmann. “I could tell you about something that happened on all 18 holes,” Bachmann told the Sheboygan Press. “I could tell you where a cow got loose, or where we had some fun with friends. Every part of this property is special to me.”

Both nine-hole sides feature a spate of challenging holes. Par-4s range from lengthy (450-yard-plus) to risk-reward (the 7th is just over 300 yards). Bachmann is happy with the results. “If you ask Jack what the signature hole is, he’ll say, ‘All of them,’ “Bachmann said. “There’s not a weak hole out there. We wanted to build 18 memorable holes. That’s not easy to do.”

For more information or a tee time at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, call 920/467-1500 or visit www.golfthebull.com.