Whistling Straits on GSPro vs E6 vs TGC 2019: Which Version Is Best?

Whistling Straits is the course that looks like it was airlifted from Ireland and dropped on the shores of Lake Michigan. Pete Dye built over 1,000 bunkers into the dunes, put a sheep farm on the property, and created a course that has hosted three PGA Championships and the 2020 Ryder Cup.

The defining feature is the visual drama. Lake Michigan on one side. Massive dunes. Fescue everywhere. More bunkers than any other championship course in America.

That visual drama is exactly what separates the three sim versions.

Which Platforms Have It

GSPro: Yes. Community-created versions by multiple designers. Look for the one with the highest download count. Free with your $250/year GSPro subscription.

E6 Connect: Yes. Officially licensed, included in the Expanded ($600/year) tier. No premium add-on needed.

TGC 2019: Yes. Community-built, included in the base game. TGC 2019 is a one-time purchase that goes on sale for $20-30 regularly.

Graphics Comparison

E6 Connect (9/10): E6’s Whistling Straits is the best-looking version on any sim platform. The Lake Michigan water rendering is excellent — the blue-green color, the wave patterns, the way the light catches the surface. The bunkers are everywhere, and each one looks like a real bunker, not a brown patch. The dunes are massive and textured. The fescue has the right golden-brown color. The 17th hole’s peninsula green looks like it’s floating in the lake. On a 4K projector, this is one of the most visually impressive courses on E6.

GSPro (7/10): The best GSPro versions capture the scale of Whistling Straits well. The Lake Michigan shoreline is rendered. The bunkers are numerous and correctly placed. The elevation changes are dramatic. But the visual polish is a step below E6. The water doesn’t look as real. The textures are less refined. The fescue lacks the same depth. The course plays well and looks good, but it doesn’t have the same visual wow factor as E6’s version.

TGC 2019 (5/10): TGC’s Whistling Straits is recognizable but flat. The bunkers are present but simplified. The dunes lack the same scale. The water is basic. The course plays correctly but doesn’t look like the dramatic Pete Dye masterpiece it’s supposed to be.

Winner: E6 Connect — the professional build and E6’s visual engine create a version that looks like the real course. GSPro’s version is good. E6’s is spectacular.

Course Accuracy

E6 Connect (9/10): Officially licensed means professionally mapped. The bunkers are all in the exact right places — and with 1,000+ bunkers, that’s a lot of data points to get right. The routing is correct. The Lake Michigan shoreline is accurate. The 17th hole’s peninsula green has the correct shape and tilt. The 18th hole’s finishing approach plays uphill toward the clubhouse as it should. The elevation changes are exact. This is the most accurate Whistling Straits in sim golf.

GSPro (8/10): The best GSPro versions use LIDAR data, so the elevation profile is accurate. The bunker placements are correct. The routing is right. The Lake Michigan shoreline is in the right place. The gap with E6 is in the finer details — the exact shape of the dunes, the subtle contours of the 17th green, the precise way the 18th fairway cambers toward the lake. Minor stuff. The course plays correctly.

TGC 2019 (6/10): TGC’s version gets the routing right. The bunkers are in the right places, though they’re less numerous and less detailed. The greens are simplified. The 17th hole’s peninsula green is recognizable but lacks the subtle contours that make the real hole so difficult. You’ll play Whistling Straits on TGC. You won’t feel like you’re playing Whistling Straits.

Winner: E6 Connect — the license matters. E6’s version is exact. GSPro’s is very close. TGC’s is approximate.

Playability

E6 Connect (8/10): E6’s physics handle Whistling Straits well. The wind model is the most important feature here — the course is exposed to Lake Michigan winds, and E6’s wind affects ball flight noticeably. The bunker penalty is appropriate: hitting from a fairway bunker at Whistling Straits is hard, and E6’s physics reflect that. The greens play fast and firm. The ball releases on approaches, which is correct for a links-style course. The fescue rough is penal but not unplayable.

GSPro (8/10): GSPro’s physics are similarly excellent. The wind model is good but slightly less nuanced than E6’s. The bunker penalty is appropriately severe. The greens play fast. The ball release on firm ground is realistic. GSPro actually handles the fescue rough better than E6 — the penalty feels more severe, which is more accurate to the real course.

TGC 2019 (6/10): TGC’s Whistling Straits is playable but the greens are too forgiving and the wind doesn’t affect the ball as much as it should. The bunker penalty is less severe. You’ll score better than you should.

Winner: Tie (E6/GSPro) — both deliver an excellent Whistling Straits experience. GSPro has a slight edge in rough penalty. E6 has a slight edge in wind nuance.

Cost

GSPro: $250/year for everything. Whistling Straits is included. No extra charge.

E6 Connect: $600/year for the Expanded tier. Whistling Straits is included at no extra cost within that tier. Not available in the Basic ($300/year) tier.

TGC 2019: $20-30 one-time purchase. Whistling Straits is included. No subscription.

Winner: E6 Connect (relative to its own pricing). Unlike Pebble Beach or Oakmont on E6, Whistling Straits is not a premium add-on. It’s included in the Expanded tier. That makes it better value than the premium courses on E6, though GSPro is still cheaper overall.

The Verdict

If you want the best possible Whistling Straits experience: E6 Connect. The officially licensed version is the most visually dramatic and accurate sim version of the course. The Lake Michigan water, the 1,000+ bunkers, the 17th hole’s peninsula green — all rendered at a level that GSPro’s community builds can’t match. The $600/year Expanded tier is expensive, but Whistling Straits is one of the courses that justifies it.

If you want the best value: GSPro. The community version is very good, and $250/year gets you Whistling Straits plus thousands of other courses. The visual gap with E6 is real but not as wide as some other courses. GSPro is the smart financial choice.

If you’re on a tight budget: TGC 2019. The game costs $20-30 total. Whistling Straits is included. But you’ll be playing a simplified version of the course.

My pick? GSPro. The value is unbeatable and the community version of Whistling Straits is good enough that I don’t feel like I’m missing the E6 experience. The $350/year savings is real money.

For a detailed breakdown of playing Whistling Straits on each platform, read Can You Play Whistling Straits on GSPro? and Can You Play Whistling Straits on E6 Connect?. For the full platform reviews, see the GSPro Review and E6 Connect Review. For more course recommendations, check the Best Courses on GSPro and Best Courses on E6 Connect guides.