12 Golf Course Destinations That Combine Sport and Scenery

8. Whistling Straits, Wisconsin - Lakefront Links on Lake Michigan

Whistling Straits presents a remarkable transformation of former farmland into a spectacular links-style course that rivals Scotland's finest coastal venues, set dramatically along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline where massive waves and shifting winds create an authentic seaside golfing experience. Pete Dye's design philosophy embraced the property's natural topography while adding strategic elements that enhance both the visual drama and playing challenge, including over 1,000 bunkers that range from small pot bunkers to massive sandy wastelands that define the course's rugged character. The Straits Course, which has hosted multiple PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup, showcases holes that play directly along the Lake Michigan bluffs, where the inland sea's moods can change from calm to tempestuous within minutes, affecting everything from club selection to putting speeds. The course's commitment to links-style maintenance means that the rough areas are allowed to grow wild and natural, creating a landscape that appears windswept and ancient despite being relatively young, while the fairways provide firm, fast playing conditions that reward strategic thinking and precise execution. The property's restoration included the creation of natural habitats that support diverse wildlife populations, from migrating birds that use the Lake Michigan flyway to native prairie plants that have been reestablished throughout the course's natural areas. The dramatic elevation changes along the lakefront holes provide spectacular vistas that stretch to the horizon, while the inland holes wind through restored prairie landscapes and wetlands that showcase the natural beauty of Wisconsin's original ecosystem, creating a golf experience that celebrates both the challenge of championship golf and the majesty of the Great Lakes region.