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Home , Crooked Stick Golf Club, Ed Sneed, Gene Sarazen, Greater Milwaukee Open, Milwaukee Open, Todd Hamilton

REACHING THE GREEN ’S IMPACT ON

THOMAS HRUZ

hen Vijay across the country, Singh sank indeed the world, W his final looked upon this putt to win the 2004 infant , Professional Golf which stretches Association (PGA) along the shores of Championship, the Lake Michigan, and door closed on the watched the world’s final major golf tour- best golfers attempt nament of the 2004 to tame the course, PGA season. It was a all the while testing season that witnessed their mettle against finally each other. win his first major The members of tournament (at the Wisconsin’s golf and Masters in April), tourism industries, thereby permitting while themselves him to shed the dread- enjoying the specta- ed moniker of “the cle of watching the best player never to have won a major.” It was golfing world’s best players compete in their also a year in which golf fans watched Tiger backyard, have a much more parochial interest Woods fail four more times to win a major in this year’s PGA Championship. The numer- tournament, bringing his drought to ten ous resorts, hotels, golf courses, and other busi- straight major tournament losses after his nesses that form the nuclei of these industries remarkable stretch of seven major wins in are hoping that the Championship will spawn eleven attempts from August 1999 to June a profitable renaissance in vacation golf in 2002. In fact, Woods barely made the weekend Wisconsin. Their hope is that the millions of cut at this year’s PGA Championship. viewers who watched the tournament on tele- But of local concern, 2004 will always be vision or, better yet, who traveled to witness remembered as the season that saw the return the event in person, occasionally looked of major men’s championship golf to Wisconsin beyond the competitors and their golfing tal- for the first time since the inaugural year of ent, and gazed intently at the Whistling Straits Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidency. This golf course and its surrounding area. In doing year’s PGA Championship was held at the so, these fans from Wisconsin and elsewhere majestic, challenging, and (in many ways) “un- will, perhaps, remark: “Maybe Wisconsin is the Wisconsin” Whistling Straits golf course, locat- place for my next golf vacation.” Time will tell. ed just north of Sheboygan. Golf fans from Thomas Hruz is a attorney and former resi- dent fellow of the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

Wisconsin Interest 1 Bringing Major Professional Golf Back to the cally won the PGA Championship at the Dairy State Crooked Stick Golf Club. Major victories can elevate a marginal golfer to elite status or can To those unfamiliar with professional golf, take a great golfer and place him in the status a brief primer on the professional golf season of legends. As alluded to earlier, many golfing is necessary to understand why the PGA commentators (and perhaps the competitors Championship—a single golf tournament— themselves) believe that ’ career portends great significance for its host state. will ultimately be measured by whether he The professional golf season roughly coincides reaches or exceeds ’ eighteen with the calendar year, beginning in January at major tournament victories (Tiger is currently the Mercedes Championships and, for all stalled at eight). intents and purposes, concluding by September, although some events continue Because of their significance, major tourna- throughout the fall (such as the biennial Ryder ments, unlike all other tour events throughout Cup Championship, also occurring this year). the year, attract all of the world’s most promi- Tournaments are played each week through- nent golfers and a concomitant media interest. out the year, always culminating in a four-day, It also explains the fervor by which the cumulative-score tournament that concludes Wisconsin golf industry, golf fans, and so on Sundays. Besides playing to win the tourna- many others have welcomed the PGA ment over the entire field (often about 150 Championship to the state. golfers), players vie for higher placing, as each Prior to this year, the last (and only) major player who places after making “the cut” (the men’s golf championship contested in poorest-playing golfers are eliminated after the Wisconsin was the 1933 PGA Championship, second round of play) receives a winnings which was won by golf legend at check, the amount of which increases along the Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in with one’s final placing. Milwaukee. The tournament was then played Four of these weekly tournaments, howev- in a , as opposed to the present er, have through the years become recognized , format,1 and Sarazen earned a cool as “majors,” denoting an added significance $1000 for his efforts — an amount that is barely and special distinction in the hearts and minds enough for a of today to of golfers, and their fans. Major tournaments pay his entry fee for a tournament. All of this are the Super Bowl and World Series of profes- occurred long before Mayfair Mall and the sional golf; they include the Master’s (played massive commercial development on the in April), the United States Open (June), the stretch of Wisconsin Highway 100 that now British Open (July), and the PGA flanks the Blue Mound Country Club were Championship (August). even glints in the eyes of Milwaukee’s most- astute developers. And it happened long Professional golfers are measured by their before professional and recreational golf took performance in these tournaments far more on the popularity in the sports world that it than any other aspect of their golfing career. In holds presently. fact, most any golfer would trade in three or four regular tournament wins in any year for During the following sixty-plus years, just one major win. Just ask , a Wisconsin became a relatively popular desti- 38-year-old, unknown journeyman who, after nation for recreational golfers. Areas such as failing for years to even qualify for the PGA Lake Geneva and the Wisconsin Dells came to Tour, won this year’s British Open (or what build and boast some high-quality golf resorts. some golf purists call simply “the Open”) and But interest in these resorts often failed to immediately made a mark in golf history. John extend much farther than to Wisconsin resi- Daly splashed onto the scene in 1991 when, dents and the golfers of northern or, to sporting a mullet haircut and all, he dramati- an even lesser extent, other neighboring states.

2 Fall 2004 For the most part, the state has languished in all of the states in the U.S., save the Peach irrelevance with respect to garnering the atten- State, compete over only two of the four tion of major professional golfers, golf tourna- majors each year. The Masters is always ments, and, perhaps relatedly, major recre- played at the celebrated Augusta National Golf ational golfers. More on the latter point in a Club in Georgia, and the British Open is, well, minute. played in Britain. That leaves the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open as the only To be sure, each year since 1968 the major tournaments that vary their venue each Milwaukee area has played host to an annual year, although the U.S. Open tends to return to PGA tour stop. The Greater a handful or two of the most-recognized cours- (GMO)—renamed this year to the U.S. Bank es in the country, such as Pinehurst (North Championship—has been held at the Carolina), Pebble Beach, and Torrey Pines Northshore (1968-70), Tripoli (1971-73), and (both in California), to name but a few. Alas, Tuckaway (1974-93) country clubs, until find- the PGA Championship is usually the best ing its current home at Brown Deer Park in chance that a young golf course has for hosting 1994. While some of the game’s best golfers a major, at least its first major. have played, although quite sporadically, in the Still, even given this GMO over the years, few competition, seventy of the game’s best have years is a very long time. won the event. The most One of the best Many other states have prominent winners fared considerably better include measures of a state’s at being able to attract the (1989), PGA Championship, and (1986), Mark O’Meara professional golf these states include (1984), and Wisconsin’s neighbors. (1974). The tournament prominence is its ability Since 1933, which, again, does lay claim to being to host major golf was the last year the first event in which Wisconsin hosted a Tiger Woods competed as tournaments. major, Minnesota (three a professional. That year times), Illinois (three was 1996; he finished tied times), and Michigan for 60th place, earned (five times) have each $2,544, and has never hosted the PGA returned to the GMO since. Not to unduly Championship at least three times. Moreover, impugn the GMO/U.S. Bank Championship, these states have collectively hosted the U.S. but the tournament is widely recognized as Open eleven times since 1933. During this one of the least noteworthy on tour, as evi- time, it seemed as if few Wisconsinites cared denced by its placement in the tour schedule about the state’s inability to land a major golf — the week immediately after the third major tournament, and even less inquired into the of the year, the British Open, when most of the reason or as to what was going to be done PGA’s best players are still digesting their about it. Many certainly wondered whether Guinness beers or recovering from jet lag. Still, Wisconsin would ever again host a major men’s according to the Milwaukee Business Journal, golf tournament. the tournament brings in revenue “well into Things began to change for the better in seven figures,” but, perhaps tellingly, the 1998. That year, Blackwolf Run, a public golf GMO does not release specific revenue totals. course opened by the Kohler Company in 1988 In any event, one of the best measures of a as an upper echelon course for guests of the state’s professional golf prominence is its abili- company’s American Club Resort, played host ty to host major golf tournaments. To be fair, to the U.S. Women’s Open, widely regarded as

Wisconsin Interest 3 the most prominent women’s professional golf Then came January 2000, when the PGA tournament played each year. The tourna- announced that Whistling Straits would host ment’s host did a dutiful job running the oper- the 2004 PGA Championship. Story goes that ation and the tournament set LPGA attendance the USGA and the PGA were both so eager to records that still stand. In addition, the event beat out each other in first getting Straits as a brought out the beauty and challenge of new major tournament venue, that the PGA went Kohler-area golf courses. so far as stripping the Vahalla Golf Club in Louisville of hosting the 2004 PGA The tournament also got the attention of Championship, even though Vahalla had the United States Golf Association (USGA) and already been awarded the event. the PGA of America, the organizations that run the men’s U.S. Open and PGA The major events keep rolling in. Recently, Championship, respectively. A good thing too, the USGA announced that Whistling Straits because 1998 was also the year that the Kohler will host the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, which the Company opened another course, designed by USGA often uses as a testing grounds for a the venerable and much-revered, golf-course course to subsequently host a U.S. Open for architect . Just east of the tiny town of the first time. The U.S. Open sites are spoken Haven, which itself is only a few clicks north for through 2010, but many, especially those at of Sheboygan, construction finished on the Kohler Company, believe that Whistling Blackwolf Run’s jealous younger sister course. Straits is already being penciled in to host the The course is Whistling Straits, which was tournament soon thereafter. Herbert Kohler is built on an abandoned military base that had even talking about the course hosting a Ryder been used for years as a depository for trash Cup Championship. It’s hard to imagine, but refuse and, apparently, a rendezvous point for Wisconsin may go from no major men’s golf various malcontents. tournaments in seventy-one years to having two in less than ten years. Straits took little time making a name for itself. Constructed with the “if you build it, But first things first. How did Whistling they will come” creed ringing in the minds of Straits fare in its first performance? Most of the the Kohler Company executives, not the least players in this year’s PGA Championship were of whom was Herbert V. Kohler Jr., Whistling new to the course when they arrived in Straits endeavored from its inception to garner August. Opinions from the players before play major championship golf. Dye and the Kohler began were, quite frankly, astounding in their Company desired for it to be to Wisconsin degree, if not tone. For example, Sergio Garcia what the Hazeltine National Golf Club is to called it unequivocally the toughest course he Minnesota, is to had ever played in his life. In fact, talk before Illinois, and what Oakwood Hills Country the tournament was that around “even” Club is to Michigan. They understood that would win the Championship. Turns out, in what was keeping major professional golf from part because the weather held off and the wind Wisconsin was simply the lack of a champi- never got as bad as expected, the final scores onship caliber course; one so impressive that were not remarkably different than in other the USGA and PGA just couldn’t ignore it. major golf tournaments. Yet one could see how, if the rough was left longer, if some of Whistling Straits got off to a good start, as the tees were not moved up, and if the wind in 1999, only its second year in existence, it did blow, few in the field could shoot below played host to the PGA Club Professional par. According to players, fans, sportswriters, Championship. Around this time, PGA tour and sportscasters, Whistling Straits (and the player Peter Jacobsen played the course while fans who attended) received rave reviews. To on a visit, and he left calling it one of the five cap it all off the Chairman of the PGA of best golf courses in the world. Not bad for a America told the fans still in attendance at the course’s sophomore year. award ceremony (and all who were watching

4 Fall 2004 on television) that they were proud to be the Governor Doyle announced the “Golf first to “show off” this course and that the Wisconsin” program, described as “a series of event would be back to play there again. promotions and events designed to promote golf and golf-related tourism across Aiming for the Green: The Economic Impact Wisconsin.” The program is a joint effort of the Not surprisingly, hosting a major sporting Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the PGA of event like the PGA Championship will bring in America, the Golf Course Owners of considerable revenue to Wisconsin. The Wisconsin, the U.S. Bank Championship, and Governor’s office estimates that the PGA the Wisconsin PGA. According to Governor Championship will yield nearly $75 million in Doyle, “Wisconsin has spectacular golf resorts revenue for the state. Final economic impact and is among the nation’s leaders in the num- figures, which will appear in a study by ber of courses available for public play. . . . The Madison’s NorthStar Economics Inc. (commis- PGA Championship’s presence here this year sioned by the state’s Departments of Tourism provides us with an ideal platform to commu- and of Commerce), are due out in October, nicate those facts to the rest of the country — after the writing of this article. Of course, and the world.” Added the Governor: experts quibble with the “Tourism is a key eco- $75 million figure and the nomic driver in this state, economic assumptions and golf is a growth seg- that underlie the model ment within that sector.” that generates this figure, Hosting a major In other words, the notion especially the use of the sporting event like the is simple, yet provocative: multiplier effect to mea- namely, highlight golf as sure the out-of-state PGA Championship one of, if not the, number impact. But whatever the one tourist and recre- actual numbers turn out will bring in ational activities in to be, one thing is for cer- Wisconsin. tain: the state benefited considerable revenue to Ambitious? Perhaps. immensely from hosting But it is not an ill-con- this year’s PGA Wisconsin. ceived idea. There is per- Championship. haps no other sport that is Furthermore, while played professionally the PGA Tournament will where the average fan of bring in millions of dollars of revenue to the sport also regularly participates as a recre- Wisconsin this year, another sizable economic ational player. And one of the best selling benefit from the event may be yet to come. points for the state’s endeavor is that all of the Landing this one tournament could continue to recent major golf tournaments that have been pay dividends, albeit more indirectly, well into held in Wisconsin were played on public cours- the future, as Wisconsin, or at least that por- es. For a hefty greens fee, any golfer can pick tion of it near Kohler, becomes know as a pop- up his clubs and give it his best whack at the ular destination for serious golf. courses of Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits, and University Ridge (another top-tier course, At least that is the hope. Wise to the fact which has hosted the women’s NCAA golfing that hosting a major PGA golf tournament may tournament). In fact, according to Golf generate interest among recreational golfers in Wisconsin, there are nearly 500 golf courses the courses of Wisconsin, the state has under- located in the state, 432 of which are open to taken a concerted effort to dovetail that inter- public play. est into promoting Wisconsin as a golf haven, even outside of that notorious course in Yet it is not the number of public golf Haven, Wisconsin. In February of 2004, courses that ultimately matters, it is their qual-

Wisconsin Interest 5 ity. And it is on that score that the state has the money-clips worth of money in the process — Kohler Company to thank. For whatever rea- can turn their eyes to the state. Why? Quite son, no one dared to make a golf in course in simply, many golfers yearn to play on the Wisconsin that reached for the upper echelon famous courses frequented by the profession- of courses in the world until the Kohlers start- als, and Wisconsin offers that. Just look at the ed doing so in the late 1980s. The Company’s popularity by which Pebble Beach beckons success causes one to question why there was vacationing golf fans each year. And suffice it such a lack of effort. To many, the common to say, if you were to ask any serious recre- statement that, “Well, you can’t play year- ational golfer if he would pay whatever cost round in Wisconsin,” may have been the end (monetary or otherwise) it took to play just one of it. So, Kohler will never be the Myrtle Beach round at Augusta National, a private course of the golf world — but, then again, nowhere that is the home of the Masters, the answer will be. Instead the area is wrestling its way would invariably be yes. So when, in March into being in the second or third spot in terms 2002, ranked the golf courses of of U.S. golf resorts. Kohler the second best golf resort in America, all of this previously delusional thinking start- This brings us back to the benefit of this ed seeming reasonable. Still not convinced? year’s PGA Championship to Wisconsin. It is Golf Odyssey rates the Kohler golf courses of hard, at least presently, to quantify just how the American Club as one of the top twenty much having this major tournament at golf resorts in the world, while Travel & Leisure Whistling Straits is worth to the state in terms Golf ranked them as the second best golf resort of enhancing its image as a premier golfing in the United States. The list of such accolades destination. The anecdotal stories abound is even longer, and growing these days by the about the new infusion of energy into minute. Wisconsin golf. Based on these varied sources, one can conclude that hundreds of thousands Welcome to Wisconsin, the growing golf of golf fans from across the country and the Mecca. world who tuned in to watch the tournament Notes were taken aback by what they saw. With majestic bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan and 1. In match play, two golfers play one round against rolling hills reaching back to a soon-to-be icon- each other with the goal of winning individual holes (i.e., getting a better score than your opponent on ic clubhouse, the young Whistling Straits was each hole). Scoring is kept by comparing the holes presented to the world as a golfing venue that won by each player. A player wins a match if the tempts you with its beauty and aesthetic seren- number of holes he has won, minus the number of ity (in a manner never previously associated holes his opponent has won, is greater than the num- ber of holes remaining to play. Winners of each round with Wisconsin), all the while humbling you then can advance to play each other in a tournament with your “best ever worst round of golf.” bracket format. And the state’s golfing industry was able to In stroke play, which is the more common format, achieve this publicity for a price of almost free. each golfer plays a round of golf in which the score is kept by adding the cumulative total of strokes taken As a result of this enticing portrayal of throughout the round. Players’ scores are then com- what golf in Wisconsin has to offer, high- pared to each other to determine a golfer’s rank spending golfers who look for serious golfing throughout the length of the tournament. vacations — the kind who are willing to spend

6 Fall 2004