Long known by tourists for its lakes, streams, woodlands and pastures, Wisconsin is fast becoming better known throughout the world for its fairways and greens. Despite a relatively short playing season, the state offers quality golf on courses designed by the likes of Jones, Dye, Hills, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino.

The international renown of the courses of Kohler (Whistling Straits along Lake Michigan and Blackwolf Run) clearly put Wisconsin in forefront of the sport, but fantastic golf is available in nearly every part of the state. (more…)

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If there were a way to combine the Norman Rockwell-look of a Kohler winter with the golf of a Kohler summer, I believe that I would truly be in an American sort of heaven. As it is, you’ll have to be satisfied with one or the other. Since this is a column about golf, we’ll pass on the snow, roasting chestnuts and Clydesdales and focus on fairways and greens (and other places, as you’ll soon learn.)

Mr. Herb Kohler, current overseer of the Kohler Kitchen and Bath Fixture company, made plans to build a remarkable resort in the factory’s hometown of Kohler, Wisconsin. Golf was to be of central importance, to the extent that the top architect of the day, Pete Dye, was retained to create four golf courses. Land slightly to the west of town was reserved for the Blackwolf Run complex. Named for a native chief, Blackwolf Run became the site of two, uniquely American, inland courses. Half of the River course was the site of the 1998 USGA Women’s Open championship, and is recognized as one of the top ten public access courses in America by many experts. The River follows the course of the Sheboygan River, at times surging uphill, at others, cascading downward. Like all courses at Kohler, please choose the correct tee decks. If you give in to pride, you’re in for a long and forgettable (not to mention painful) day. Trust me, play it shorter than you think best, and you might approach your handicap! (more…)

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Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

Location - LAKE GENEVA

Details -  The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa near Lake Geneva, Wis., is a great retreat for romantic couples or guests celebrating milestones. For golfers, the family friendly Links at Grand Geneva, regarded as one of the country’s top golf resorts, offers 36 holes on The Brute and The Highlands courses……….

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Lake Lawn Resort Location - DELAVAN Details -  The Lake Lawn Resort is located 50 miles from the Mitchell Field Milwaukee Airport. At Lake Lawn Resort, you’ll find warmth, comfort and genuine heartland hospitality. Nestled among 275 of its own wooded acres along the shoreline of scenic Delavan Lake, the resort provides a relaxed, casual setting for both business and pleasure……….. More Details

Wisconsin’s Best Golf Hotels Details - Search 100’s of Hotels in Wisconsin….. More Details

Hoteliers & Golf Resorts Post your golf travel specials here for FREE. READ MORE

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In most large cities, traveling that distance, particularly for someone who doesn’t know the area, might seem a bit daunting. But everything seems a bit more manageable in Milwaukee and many of these courses are outstanding opportunities, so don’t rule anything out.

Last month, I compiled a list of courses 30 miles from downtown. What you see here is an addition to those. We have added Web sites to this listing, because they should help in finding these courses.

When you add the two lists together, there are 63 courses. If you can’t find one that suits your game from that many courses, perhaps you should take up tennis!

Key:
Best=Interesting layout; good to impeccable conditions; also good pace of play; generally most expensive.

OK= Good test with some challenging holes and generally decent conditions; less expensive than “Best.”

Think twice= Could be a good enough layout with some decent holes, but either conditions or pace of play make the game less than enjoyable. In fact, in some cases, playing could be like having a tooth pulled. Generally least expensive.

North of downtown Milwaukee

Best (by far, but expect to pay big!)
Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valleys 800-344-2838 (www.destinationkohler.com)
Blackwolf Run – River 800-344-2838 (www.destinationkohler.com)
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (800-584-3285) www.golfthebull.com
The Irish 800-344-2838 (www.destinationkohler.com)
Whistling Straits 800-344-2838 (www.destinationkohler.com

Think twice
Hon-E-Kor 262-626-2520 (www.hon-e-kor.com)

Northwest of downtown Milwaukee

Best
Camelot 920-269-4949 (www.golfcamelot.com)
Old Hickory 920-887-7179 (www.oldhickorycc.com)
Rock River Hills (a real gem that’s inexpensive, but it’s the hardest in the group to get to) 920-485-4990 (www.rockriverhills.com)

OK
Mayville 920-387-2999 (www.mayvillegolfcourse.com)

West of downtown Milwaukee

OK
Meadow Springs 920-674-6858 (www.madisongolf.com)

Southwest of downtown Milwaukee

Best
Evergreen 262-723-4722 (www.evergreengolf.com)
Geneva National -3 courses 262-245-7000 (www.genevanationalresort.com)
Order of preference
Trevino
Palmer
Player
Grand Geneva (2 courses) 888-392-8000 (www.grandgeneva.com)
Order of preference
The Brute
Highlands
Hawk’s View 877-429-5788 (www.hawksviewgolfclub.com)

OK
Lake Lawn 800-338-5253 (www.lakelawnresort.com)
Rivermoor 262-534-2500 (www.rivermoorcc.com)

South of downtown Milwaukee

Best
Strawberry Creek 262-857-8400 (www.strawberrycreekclub.com)

OK
Bristol Oaks 262-857-2302 (www.bristoloaks.com)

For more information about these or any golf course in Wisconsin, the best Web site without a doubt is www.GolfWisconsin.com.

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KeyMilwaukee.com Golf Editor

Whether you’re an experienced golfer or simply want to take up a new hobby, the Milwaukee County Park System has a golf course suited for your game. Fifteen golf course are operated by Milwaukee County Parks and each is categorized based on the difficulty of the playing conditions.

Premium
Brown Deer Park Golf Course 7835 N. Green Bay Road

Many golfers around the country know of Brown Deer Park Golf Course. Home of the PGA Tour’s US Bank Championship of Milwaukee, Brown Deer is the premiere golf course of the Milwaukee County Park System. Established in 1929, Brown Deer features mature tree- lined fairways, water winding throughout the course and large colorful flowerbeds beautifying the landscape. While Brown Deer is not necessarily long, measuring just over 6,700 yards from the championship tees, narrow, bent grass fairways require accuracy off the tee. Brown Deer is designed for experienced golfers who want to test their skills on a PGA Tour Championship layout.

Gold
Dretzka Park Golf Course 12020 W. Bradley Road
Oakwood Park Golf Course 3600 W. Oakwood Road
Whitnall Park Golf Course 5879 S. 92nd Street

With fast greens and narrow fairways, these sculptured courses are designed for the low handicap golfer and all host various local tournaments throughout the season. Each course has unique features that set itself apart from the rest. Dretzka Park is set upon rolling terrain that provides difficult lies even in the fairways. Oakwood Park is the longest of all the Milwaukee County Park golf courses, measuring at 6,972 yards from the championship tees. Built in 1971, it is not as mature as the other gold courses but still serves a tough test to area golfers. Whitnall Park is carved out of the woods and is especially scenic in the fall. Loaded with doglegs, it requires precise shot selection to score effectively.

Silver
Currie Park Golf Course 3535 N. Mayfair Rd.
Grant Park Golf Course 100 E. Hawthorne Ave.
Greenfield Park Golf Course 12100 W. Greenfield Ave.
Lincoln Park Golf Course 1000 W. Hampton Ave.

Designed for the middle handicap golfer, Silver Courses offer wide fairways, low roughs and while the greens provide a true roll, they are not as fast as the other championship courses. Silver Courses provide just the right blend of challenge and relaxation for golfers of all ability. In fact, of all the Milwaukee County Courses, Currie, Grant and Greenfield received the most amount of play.

Bronze
Hansen Park Golf Course 9800 Underwood Creek Parkway
Warnimont Park Golf Course 5400 S. Lake Drive

The Bronze Courses are Par-3 courses, however they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Holes measuring up to 200 yards require long irons and even woods to reach the greens in regulation. The course settings contrast each other significantly. Hansen is located among stately trees with water traversing through much of the layout. Warnimont, located on the bluffs of Lake Michigan, is open with winds off the Lake creating unique challenges.

Oak
Doyne Park Golf Course 5300 W. Wells St.
Lake Park Golf Course 3233 E. Kenwood Boulevard
Madison Park Golf Course 9800 W. Glendale Ave.
Noyes Park Golf Course 8235 W. Good Hope Rd.
Zablocki Park Golf Course 3717 W. Howard Ave.

These six courses are perfect for beginners or for those that want to sharpen their short game. These are pitch and putt courses and require basic fundamentals to play well. It is interesting to note that Lake Park Golf Course is the oldest course of all 16 within the Milwaukee County Park System. Established in 1903, golfers had to contend with picnickers and other casual users of the park as they wound their way around its original six-hole layout. Lake Park now consists of 18 par-3 holes.

Greens Fees
Greens fees vary depending on the course classification, whether you play on a weekend or weekday, and if you are a senior or junior golfer. The Standard rates, established by the County Board of Supervisors each year as part of the budget process, are competitive and often lower than other daily fee courses in the area.

Discount Card
Golfers can enjoy discounted greens fees by purchasing the Milwaukee County Parks Golf Discount Card. Available for both residents and non-residents of Milwaukee County, the Discount Card saves you up to 40% of the standard fee of golf. The Card also enrolls you in the automated tee time reservation system that allows you to make tee times up to seven days in advance. Golfers can purchase the Discount Card for one, two or three year terms.

Golf Lessons
Personal instruction by PGA members is available at any of the Gold or Premium golf courses. There are also group lessons available for those that want a less intimidating environment. Group lessons can help alleviate the focus on only you and make lessons much more enjoyable. For either kind, simply ask the Head pro at the course of your choice.

Golf Office (414) 257-8024
Automated Tee Time: (414) 475-6222

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MILWAUKEEAN Jerry Slaske calls himself an “avowed golf fanatic.” It’s an understatement. “I live for golf,” he concedes.

During the typical golf season, Jerry plays more than 90, 18-hole rounds. Call him the connoisseur of courses and heed his KEY recommendations if you’re looking for an enjoyable and affordable day on courses around the Milwaukee area.

His top 10 area golf courses based on layout, conditions, test of golf, and cost are:

Nagawaukee (Pewaukee): Huge undulating greens, well-manicured and managed. Front nine is OK, but back nine makes the course. If it weren’t such a great value, it would rank farther down the list.

Washington County (Hartford): May look innocent, but you’d better have your “A” game or you’ll go home with a failing grade. Immaculate conditions, tough greens. Its only weakness is that it’s pricey to play regularly in peak season.

Whispering Springs (Fond du Lac): Could be the best value on the list. Great layout, well maintained, and fun to play. Requires brains with just a bit of brawn. Its only weakness is that it’s 65 miles from downtown Milwaukee.

Brown Deer (Milwaukee): One of the great traditional public courses in the country. Site of PGA tour stop – U.S. Bank Championship – so conditions are tremendous. Hundreds of mature trees, deep rough. Get off the fairway and you might as well get off the course. Just over $30 to play with Milwaukee County card.

The Broadlands (North Prairie): Links style course. Interesting layout. Well-maintained. Love the par 5s. Some long walks between holes.

Ironwood (Sussex): Play the original 18. Tough greens. Good test, particularly 7, 8, 9, and all of the back nine. 18 is a wonderful finishing hole.

Morningstar (Mukwonago): Most challenging and fun course to play in the area. Wonderful views, but keep your mind on your game because you have to be long and/or accurate. Carved out of former quarry, the elevation changes are dramatic. Conditions could be better and cost lower.

Fire Ridge (Grafton): Nothing particularly stands out, but nothing to be critical of either. Challenging layout, well maintained, near country-club conditions. Tough to score on. Near Lake Michigan so could be a lot cooler than other courses on list.

Rock River Hills (Horicon): A gem of a course situated on the scenic Horicon Marsh. Short, but don’t let your guard down because it could eat up even the best. Great value, but a bit of a drive. Three of the four par 3s are excellent, particularly 13. Only drawback is clubhouse staff.

Kettle Hills (Richfield): Play the original 18. You’ll use every club in the bag and it will wear you out. Challenging and interesting. Conditions could be better, especially the fairways.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the courses in the area. There are many more that are less expensive and there are many more that are more expensive. “These are simply those I play most often because I think they provide the best test and value,” says KEY Milwaukee’s connoisseur of courses.

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AS ANY GOLFER worth his or her Pro V1 knows that the toughest holes aren’t necessarily the longest, even though every course handicaps its longest holes as the toughest. Tough holes come in all shapes, sizes, and lengths.

Our list of 18 of the toughest holes within a travel time of about 45 minutes from Milwaukee tries to take all those factors into account. Obviously there will be disagreement, but that’s what makes this exercise interesting. All distances are from the back tees. For specifics about each course and directions, visit www.golfwisconsin.com.

#1, Brown Deer, 461 yards, par 4: A dogleg right with trees lining the entire right side and part of the left side. The drive has to be at least 250 yards center or left of center to provide a decent shot at the green. Anything right of center or short and you might as well play this as a par 5.

#18, Hartford, 416 yards, par 4: A fairly straight hole, but the drive must be positioned center or right of center; otherwise, trees along the left side will make it difficult to get a clear shot at the green. Bunkers guard the green’s right side.

#13, Nagawaukee, 229 yards, par 3: An uphill hole to a huge green that has the twists and turns of a roller coaster. Trees line both sides leading up to the green. If you don’t carry the green you won’t make it because of a steep incline just in front of the putting surface.

#7, Washington County, 545 yards, par 5: A dogleg left that has water along the entire left side and a fairway that slopes left. Drive should be center or right of center, although there is a large trap about 280 yards out. Second shot is important to position a third shot over a small creek in front of a raised green that is long, but shallow. This hole alone is worth the price of admission.

#17, Deertrak,171 yards, par 3: A visually intimidating hole that requires a narrow line over two ponds. This hole has ruined many a good score.

#10, Muskego Lakes, 445 yards, par 4: Either lay up in front of a creek about 225 yards from the tee and face an uphill shot to a long, narrow raised green that sits on an angle and is guarded by a gaping bunker on the left and trees on the right, or try and carry the creek (250 yard carry) and still be left with a difficult, though shorter, shot.

#7, Ironwood - The Callow 9, 500 yards, par 5: Golfers love to hate this hole. It’s a narrow (through trees on both sides), uphill hole that doglegs right about 240 yards from the tee. You not only have to hit a long drive to make the turn, but you also have to keep it center or left of center to have a decent second shot. The hole narrows slightly after the turn so accuracy and placement are important on the second shot. The third shot must carry a bunker in front of a shallow green and avoid tall trees on the green’s right side.

#12, The Bog, 348 yards, par 4: Don’t let its length fool you, this hole is a nail biter. A dogleg right that requires a tee shot over a couple of right side bunkers. Do that successfully and you’re still faced with a short shot over a creek that runs in front of a long, but very shallow green.

#16, Morningstar, 463 yards, par 4: A drive favoring the left side of the fairway needs to reach the top of the hill about 250 yards out. Don’t go too far left because a bunker sits on the left at the top of the hill. After this it’s all downhill to a long green that sits at an uncomfortable angle particularly if you’re hitting from a downhill lie.

#6, The Golf Club at Camelot, 324 yards, par 4: A downhill dogleg right that requires a tee shot in the fairway. The second shot is over water to a relatively small green that slopes from back to front. Go too far over the green and the recovery shot could be distressing – short and you’re all wet.

#12, Bristlecone Pines, 230 yards, par 3: Water along the right, trees and thick rough along the left, a raised green with a back shelf protected by a deep, front bunker. Enough said.

#15, Brighton Dale – Blue Spruce, 604 yards, par 5: A long drive favoring the right side of the fairway is needed so that you’ll have an easier second shot – blind and uphill – over a pond. Accomplish these two things and you’ll still have an uphill shot to a large, long, but relatively flat green.

#14, Broadlands, 447 yards, par 4: Two long and straight shots are required. Hit the tee shot right and you could end up in a trap or long fescue. Hit it left and it could be out of bounds or lost. Favor the fairway’s left side because a huge oak tree guards the right side of the green.

#7, Kettle Moraine, 178 yards, par 3: Green is raised and very undulating, generally sloping from back to front. Shots that are too short easily roll off the green. A bunker and a stand of trees protect the right side so if the pin is located on that side you’ll have to fade your tee shot.

#9, Fire Ridge, 440 yards, par 4: Drive must be long and straight because a stand of trees lining the fairway’s left side and a huge tree blocking the right side. In addition, there’s a right side bunker about 280 yards out. After the tee shot, it’s downhill to a tricky green guarded on the left and right front by bunkers.

#14, Kettle Hills – Ponds/Woods, 537 yards, par 5: A straight, but narrow hole that is lined on both sides with trees. Visually, it’s daunting because the tee shot’s landing area can’t be seen from the tee. And all along the left side (train tracks) is out of bounds. The fairway slopes to the right for the entire length of the hole. While the green looks relatively flat, it too slopes from left to right.

#4, Evergreen – South Course, 328 yards, par 4: A dogleg right that requires a straight drive of at least 220 yards to carry a bunker so that you’ll be able to see the hole on your second shot. Take the bunker out of play by favoring the left side of the fairway, but don’t go too far left because the fairway slopes that way into a small, almost hidden, creek. Go right and you’re looking at bogey or worse.

#17, Fairways of Woodside, 456 yards, par 4: A fairway that slopes to the right makes it essential to hit a straight tee shot on this slight dogleg right. You can favor the left side of the fairway somewhat, but the more you do the longer this already long hole becomes. Water lines the entire right side of the fairway and a large bunker protects the front right of a long and relatively narrow green.

Good luck. You’ll need it!

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Designer: Hurdzan/Fry
Established: 2007
Location: Wild Rock Golf Club
511 E. Adams Street
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Sauk County

Distance: Located just off of Highway 12 on I-90/94 (Exit 92).
Championship Length 7,397 yards
PAR 72
Golf Season: May - Nov
Phone: 608-253-4653
www.wildrockgolf.com

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