WI Golf Bucket List

[cipher]

@Jakester23 and I were talking about all the great courses that we have not yet played here in WI the other day.  I thought I would start a WI public golf bucket list thread.  Here are what I consider to be or have heard are some of the top "must play" courses in the state.

Whistling Straits

The Irish

Erin Hills

Blackwolf Run

Bull at Pinehurst Farms

Lawsonia Golf Course

University Ridge Golf Course

Wild Rock Golf Club

Grand Geneva Resort and Spa

Geneva National

The Bog

Sentry World

Any others we should add?  Paging @14ledo81 @treebound @David in FL @sigfan2340

Some others I thought of for consideration: Morningstar, The Oaks, Trappers Turn, Castle Bay, Washington County, I might even consider adding Naga-Waukee.

[treebound]

I've only played a few courses here in Wisconsin, so with that in mind my "want to play" list is long and my "have played list is short. I've wanted to someday play Brown Deer simply due to it's PGA history. I've enjoyed Hawthorne Hills near Saukville the couple of times I've played it. I drive past a corner of The Bog weekly but can't afford to play there. I could easily add several of the above like Whistling Straights and Erin Hills to a bucket list. Washington County is on my short list to play some day soon.

[14ledo81]

Big fish in Hayward. I have not played it yet but Apostle Highlands in Bayfield has amazing views of the Apostle islands.

[Jakester23]

Northern Bay would be all Id add to that list unfortunately I haven't played any of the linked courses.

[cipher]

  treebound said:

I've only played a few courses here in Wisconsin, so with that in mind my "want to play" list is long and my "have played list is short.

I've wanted to someday play Brown Deer simply due to it's PGA history.

I've enjoyed Hawthorne Hills near Saukville the couple of times I've played it.

I drive past a corner of The Bog weekly but can't afford to play there.

I could easily add several of the above like Whistling Straights and Erin Hills to a bucket list. Washington County is on my short list to play some day soon.

Yeah I will add Brown Deer.  It is a must play because of the history.    BTW, play Washington County for sure.  It is a very fun course.  I am really close to adding it to the list.

  14ledo81 said:

Big fish in Hayward.

I have not played it yet but Apostle Highlands in Bayfield has amazing views of the Apostle islands.

I agree, Big Fish looks really cool I am going to add it.   Love the name BTW. I will make the trip up there at some point.

  Jakester23 said:

Northern Bay would be all Id add to that list unfortunately I haven't played any of the linked courses.

Yep the Castle Course at Northern Bay is supposed to be very good.  Replica course though.

[cipher]

Revised list:

Whistling Straits

The Irish

Erin Hills

Blackwolf Run

Bull at Pinehurst Farms

Lawsonia Golf Course

University Ridge Golf Course

Wild Rock Golf Club

Grand Geneva Resort and Spa

Geneva National

The Bog

Sentry World

Castle Course at Northern Bay

Big Fish

Brown Deer

---

I have only played The Irish and the Straits off this list so far btw, but it is a good start. @Jakester23 and I are planning on testing out Erin Hills this year though.  I should try and cross one more off the list.

[18rounds]

  14ledo81 said:

Big fish in Hayward..

Nope. Save your time. I played Big Fish this summer and it was in really bad shape. Like low end muni bad shape. It's a pity because the design (Pete Dye) is very nice. If you are in Hayward the Hayward Golf Club right in town is your best bet. We ended up playing it twice when we where there. Great condition.

[cipher]

  18rounds said:

Nope. Save your time. I played Big Fish this summer and it was in really bad shape. Like low end muni bad shape. It's a pity because the design (Pete Dye) is very nice. If you are in Hayward the Hayward Golf Club right in town is your best bet. We ended up playing it twice when we where there. Great condition.

Sounds rough, did you get any pictures of the course at all?

[Jakester23]

The way to do it would be to do the bull and bog in a day. Hit sentry world on you way up to big fish so it's only one trip. You could do sentry on your way up stay at big fish play it that day. Wake up early play it again and come home. My buddy said when he went to big fish you got 2 greens fees for the price of one if you stayed there or something like that.

[14ledo81]

  cipher said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 18rounds

Nope. Save your time. I played Big Fish this summer and it was in really bad shape. Like low end muni bad shape. It's a pity because the design (Pete Dye) is very nice. If you are in Hayward the Hayward Golf Club right in town is your best bet. We ended up playing it twice when we where there. Great condition.

Sounds rough, did you get any pictures of the course at all?

I would like to hear/see more as well.

I live less than an hour away, but have never played there.

[18rounds]

I don't have pictures. Wish I did. We were there in August and found patchy dead grass on a few greens. lots of weeds in the fairways and minimal watering on the back nine. Just not what I was expecting.

It is too bad because the design could have been one of the nicest I have played but it was hard to appreciate with the course being neglected like it was.

Also, the "clubhouse" appeared to be in a finished off part of a poll shed.

It looks like a property that is out of money.

I do not play very high end courses and Big Fish was in worse shape when I was there than my local course where I can walk 9 for $12.

[cipher]

  18rounds said:

I don't have pictures. Wish I did. We were there in August and found patchy dead grass on a few greens. lots of weeds in the fairways and minimal watering on the back nine. Just not what I was expecting.

It is too bad because the design could have been one of the nicest I have played but it was hard to appreciate with the course being neglected like it was.

Also, the "clubhouse" appeared to be in a finished off part of a poll shed.

It looks like a property that is out of money.

I do not play very high end courses and Big Fish was in worse shape when I was there than my local course where I can walk 9 for $12.

That is too bad.  I sure hope they are able to turn it around.  Trappers Turn has also gotten a bit that way IMO.  Which is strange because it always seems to have a pretty good amount of people playing it.

[sigfan2340]

  cipher said:

Lawsonia Golf Course

Wild Rock Golf Club

Grand Geneva Resort and Spa

Geneva National

Lawsonia

I have played twice, both times the links course and it was great.

Wild Rock

I Played  3 times this year, a 3 day weekend in October and it is a beautiful course, probably the nicest looking of my list. You will have to take cart, you won't want to walk this one. Plus you better bring your a game putting, they are fast and they move. Consider yourself warned! LOL

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

I have played the courses here multiple times and they are all extremely nice. My personal favorite is the Player course but any of the 3 are great and worth the drive.

Geneva National

I have only played the Brute but that's their premiere course. It was the best one I have played until I played Wild Rock which I would rate slightly higher.

Another one to add to the list is Hawks View Golf Club in Lake Geneva http://www.hawksviewgolfclub.com/

You would not be disappointed at all and it ranks up there with the others on my list.

And if you are in the area to play those three consider a 45 min drive to play Sheppards Crook in Zion....

Anyone wanting to play the ones in Lake Geneva area let me know as it's 45-50 min from me.

[cipher]

  sigfan2340 said:

Lawsonia

I have played twice, both times the links course and it was great.

Wild Rock

I Played  3 times this year, a 3 day weekend in October and it is a beautiful course, probably the nicest looking of my list. You will have to take cart, you won't want to walk this one. Plus you better bring your a game putting, they are fast and they move. Consider yourself warned! LOL

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

I have played the courses here multiple times and they are all extremely nice. My personal favorite is the Player course but any of the 3 are great and worth the drive.

Geneva National

I have only played the Brute but that's their premiere course. It was the best one I have played until I played Wild Rock which I would rate slightly higher.

Another one to add to the list is Hawks View Golf Club in Lake Geneva http://www.hawksviewgolfclub.com/

You would not be disappointed at all and it ranks up there with the others on my list.

And if you are in the area to play those three consider a 45 min drive to play Sheppards Crook in Zion....

Anyone wanting to play the ones in Lake Geneva area let me know as it's 45-50 min from me.

Very nice.  Yeah I have heard good things about Hawks View as well.  Wild Rock is one I am really trying to knock off the list this year.  A friend of mine keeps telling me how great it is.

[sigfan2340]

I played Wild Rock 3 days in a row and and seen 3 different pin settings.... all 3 were amazing. We got warned at the 1st tee on the first day that they were the toughest pin placements they had all year. I shot 112 that day and was in the fairway off the tee almost every hole, I watched balls roll 20 feet of the green back into fairways on numerous holes. Sunday, the last day there I was and shot 92 which is good for me. I took an 7 on 8 and 6 on 9 (9 is a par 3) otherwise I would have broke 90.

[cipher]

  sigfan2340 said:

I played Wild Rock 3 days in a row and and seen 3 different pin settings.... all 3 were amazing. We got warned at the 1st tee on the first day that they were the toughest pin placements they had all year. I shot 112 that day and was in the fairway off the tee almost every hole, I watched balls roll 20 feet of the green back into fairways on numerous holes. Sunday, the last day there I was and shot 92 which is good for me. I took an 7 on 8 and 6 on 9 (9 is a par 3) otherwise I would have broke 90.

Ouch, sounds like fun!

[Jakester23]

  18rounds said:

Nope. Save your time. I played Big Fish this summer and it was in really bad shape. Like low end muni bad shape. It's a pity because the design (Pete Dye) is very nice. If you are in Hayward the Hayward Golf Club right in town is your best bet. We ended up playing it twice when we where there. Great condition.

Do you live near Big Fish?

[sigfan2340]

Here are 3 photos I took well at Wild Rock back in October.....