Superintendent Prepares Whistling Straits for U.S. Senior Open

Whistling Straits has received high acclaim since it was opened in 1998. Yet another high-profile event comes to Kohler, Wis., July 5-9, when the course hosts the 2007 U.S. Senior Open. Making sure the layout is prepared to challenge the world's best over-50 golfers is GCSAA Certified Golf Course Superintendent Michael Lee, manager of golf course maintenance at Destination Kohler.

A 22-year GCSAA member, Lee is in his 14th year at Kohler. He oversees the golf course management programs at Destination Kohler's Whistling Straits (Straits and Irish courses), Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valley and River courses) and the American Club. One of his staff members playing an integral role in preparations for the U.S. Senior Open is David Swift, GCSAA Class A superintendent at the Straits course.

Designed by Pete Dye, Whistling Straits emulates the seaside links courses of Ireland. A more mature course than one would expect, golfers encounter huge sandy areas, deep pot bunkers, grass-topped dunes, vast and undulating greens, and wonderful views of Lake Michigan from each of its 18 holes. No. 17 features a green perched precariously over water and sand.

Whistling Straits features two miles of uninterrupted shoreline along Lake Michigan; eight holes border the lake. Other features include bluffs and massive sand-dune areas, natural fescue fairways, and a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep on the course.

A wireless irrigation system that includes 2,500 sprinkler heads is used on Whistling Straits' 36 holes. Controlled by a handheld computer, the system can water precise locations on an as-needed basis, saving resources. Recycled materials were used in the roads and bridges at Whistling Straits, and its fescue grass requires very little fertilization or watering. Lee's staff includes participants in an internship program that provides both domestic and international students with invaluable experience in golf course management.

Behind-the-scenes course preparations for hosting major championships began shortly after the Straits course opened. A system of gravel roads was created in 2000 and '01 for spectators in anticipation of hosting the 2004 PGA Championship and the 2005 Palmer Cup. These measures have allowed the paths to mature along with the course and seamlessly blend in with the layout. The PGA Championship is scheduled to return to Whistling Straits in 2010 and again in 2015, before the PGA of America holds the 2020 Ryder Cup there as well. The U.S. Women's Open, which was hosted at Blackwolf Run in 1998, will return in 2012.

Herbert V. Kohler Jr., chairman, CEO and president of Kohler Co., serves on the Environmental Institute for Golf's board of trustees. The Institute is the philanthropic organization of GCSAA. Kohler recently contributed $100,000 to the Institute for environmental stewardship programs.

For more information about the GCSAA or the Environmental Institute for Golf, visit www.gcsaa.org.