Great Courses in Wisconsin You Haven’t Heard Of

If there is one thing Wisconsin isn’t lacking, it is quality golf courses. The state’s premier courses are mind blowing: Whistling Straits. Erin Hills. Sand Valley. Blackwolf Run. Sentry World. Lawsonia Links. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms. 

There’s just one small—well, large—problem. The hefty green fees at these courses prevent most golfers from being able to do anything more than dream about playing them. 

Fortunately, we’ve got a list of some great courses that will give you a fantastic experience in the Dairy State at more palatable green fees. If you’re from Wisconsin and arguably the upper Midwest, you may recognize most of these courses. If not, look one or more of them up the next time you’re planning a golf trip to ‘Sconnie.

Northern Wisconsin

Northern Wisconsin is an expansive area that is home to some fantastic courses, public and private. Here are three great options open to public play.

Big Fish Golf Club – Hayward, WI

• Course Architect: Pete Dye
• Slope Rating: Black – 74.0/136, Green – 71.7/130, White – 69.9/127, Gold – 67.5/115, Red – 64.2/107
• Yardage: Black – 7,231, Green – 6,608, White – 6,084, Gold – 5,646, Red – 4,950
• Green Fees: $45 + cart

You’ll find Big Fish Golf Club in the heart of the north woods in Hayward. A Pete Dye design (one of only five in the state), Golf Week magazine ranks it as the 14th-best course in Wisconsin. You’ll find contrasting styles of play between the links style front nine and wooded layout on the back. Big Fish offers four tee boxes, playing to a whopping 7,231 yards at its tournament tees.

Timber Ridge Golf Club – Minocqua, WI

• Course Architect: Roger B. Packard
• Slope Rating: Black – 73.1/130, Blue – 72.0/128, White – 70.9/119, White/Gold – 70.1/116, Gold – 69.4/113, Red – 67.5/119
• Yardage: Black – 6,867, Blue – 6,560, White – 6,221, White/Gold – 6,027, Gold – 5,865, Red – 5,458
• Green Fees: $67 + cart

Timber Ridge GC, in Minocqua, a popular summer tourist destination, offers manicured fairways and fast, true greens. There are five tee boxes to choose from, with the longest playing just shy of 7,000 yards. When planning your next family vacation to the Dairy State, don’t look past Minocqua!

Honorable Mention Northern Wisconsin

Turtleback Golf Course – Rice Lake, WI

• Course Architect: Todd Severude
• Slope Rating: Black – 72.2/136, Blue – 71.0/132, White – 69.2/125, Gold – 67.6/118, Red – 66.0/112
• Yardage: Black – 6,646 yards, Blue – 6,385, White – 6,002, Gold – 5,592, Red – 5,250
• Green Fees: $43-$54 for 18 holes walking; $64-$75 with cart

Central Wisconsin

This region of the state is loaded with great tracks, including a few personal favorites. Partner that with numerous lakes where VRBOs & Airbnbs run aplenty, and you may just find the spot for your next buddies’ trip.

Stevens Point Country Club – Stevens Point, WI

• Course Architect: Larry Packard, renovated in 2016 by Craig Haltom
• Slope Rating: Black – 74.3/141, Blue – 72.8/137, White – 71.4/129, Gold – 69.4/126, Red – 65.0/115
• Yardage: Black – 6,916, Blue – 6,567, White – 6,167, Gold – 5,758, Red – 4,884
• Green Fees: Contact Course

This is the only private course on my list because I would be doing it (and you) a disservice to exclude it. Tee times are available upon request to the public on a limited basis, making it a must play when you visit Wisconsin. SPCC underwent a redesign in 2016 by Craig Haltom, restoring the natural sandy areas as well as adding three new holes, widening fairways, new bunkers and new tee locations. SPCC represents some of the finest golf in central Wisconsin.

Bullseye Golf Club – Wisconsin Rapids, WI

• Course Architect: Leonard Macomber
• Slope Rating: Blue – 73.6/131, White – 72.5/129, Members – 70.7/127, Gold – 69.6/126
• Yardage: Blue – 6,633, White – 3,385, Members – 6,086, Gold – 5,749
• Green Fees: $50-$56 + cart

Located just 22 miles south of Stevens Point CC, Bullseye Golf Club is another “must play” course in central Wisconsin. Situated along the Wisconsin River, you’ll find challenging hole layouts throughout this woodland-style course with fantastic greens. Guests can pick from four tee boxes, with the longest playing just short of 6,700 yards. A fun fact about Bullseye is that it got its name from the prominent logging days of central Wisconsin. The location the clubhouse sits on was known as the “Bullseye Bend.” Loggers ran logs down the Wisconsin River day and night to the sawmills. Once night fell, they’d place a lantern on the shore of the Bullseye Bend to have a location to aim at. If their aim was true, the current of the river would carry the logs past the bend and down the river, which the loggers would call a “bullseye.”

Lake Arrowhead Lakes Course – Rome, WI

• Course Architect: Ken Killian
• Slope Rating: Black – 74.8/140, Blue – 72.5/134, White – 70.5/128, Gold – 67.4/114, Red – 65.5/112
• Yardage: Black – 7,105, Blue – 6,585, White – 6,144, Gold – 5,612, Red – 5,291
• Green Fees: $65 + cart

A yearly destination for me and three of my best friends, Lake Arrowhead is the next-door neighbor to Sand Valley, but playable at a fraction of the cost ($65 for 18 walking, $85 with cart). The two courses —The Lakes and The Pines—are rated 4 ½ stars from Golf Digest. Here you will experience two unique layouts with elevation changes, large bunkers, fast and true greens, and some of the best conditions you’ll find in the state. The Lakes is my preferred course and regarded as the more challenging of the two. Just 15 miles south of Bullseye Golf Club, add this to your trip itinerary in addition to Stevens Point CC for a Wisconsin golf experience you won’t soon forget.

South/Southwest Wisconsin

Southwest Wisconsin contains many courses that take advantage of the natural hills and bluffs that remain prominent in the area.

Reedsburg Country Club – Reedsburg, WI

• Course Architect: Ken Killian, Richard P. Nugent, Dan Feick
• Slope Rating: Blue – 71.3/136, White – 70.0/127, Gold – 68.0/120, Red – 66.2/114
• Yardage: Blue – 6,426, White – 6,027, Gold – 5,611, Red – 5,182
• Green Fees: $89 with cart

I am not ashamed to admit my bias for Reedsburg Country Club, as it is my home course. Located 15 miles from Wisconsin Dells, you will find a fantastic playing option that is more affordable and less busy than resort courses like Trapper’s Turn and Wild Rock in the Dells. Manicured fairways and fast, deceptive greens await you. The front nine favors a strategic approach while the back nine allows for more opportunities for big drives.

The Oaks Golf Course – Cottage Grove, WI

• Course Architect: Greg Martin
• Slope Rating: Scarlet – 72.6/134, Black – 70.6/129, Blue – 69.2/129, White – 67.4/123, Green – 64.9/118
• Yardage: Scarlet – 6,763, Black – 6,310, Blue – 6,011, White – 5,615, Green – 5,071
• Green Fees: Dynamic pricing, contact for details on rates

Located directly off eastbound I-94 just outside of Madison, The Oaks Golf Course is one of the best public tracks in the area. Golfers will find an interesting layout: six par-3s, five par-5s, back-to-back par-5s with both nines ending with a par-5. Course designer Greg Martin took this rather unconventional route when designing The Oaks to effectively navigate the property’s unique characteristics and elevation changes.

Honorable Mention South/Southwest Wisconsin

Glen Erin Golf Club – Janesville, WI

• Course Architect: Greg Martin
• Slope Rating: Orange – 72.4/126, White – 70.3/121, Green – 67.7/116
• Yardage: Orange – 6,849, White – 6,342, Green – 5,786
• Green Fees: $49+ cart

Southeast Wisconsin

Southeast Wisconsin holds its claim to one of the best tracks in the state—Erin Hills. While undoubtedly outstanding, it is a bucket-list dream for the majority of us. The following courses will give you a wonderful experience that will leave you wanting to come back for more, and being able to afford to do so!

Washington County Golf Course – Hartford, WI

• Course Architect: Arthur Hills
• Slope Rating: Black – 73.6/134, Blue – 71.8/130, White: 69.7/126, Gold: 67.3/122
• Yardage: Black – 7,048, Blue – 6,587, White – 6,198, Gold – 5,650
• Green Fees: $50 + cart

The top-rated municipal course in Wisconsin, Washington County Golf Course is a links-style course with shaped mounds and hills presenting blind approach shots into greens guarded by more mounds, valleys and bunkers.

Brown Deer Park Golf Course – Brown Deer, WI (George Hansen)

• Course Architect: George Hansen
• Slope Rating: Black – 72.9/133, Blue – 70.6/129, White – 68.5/124, Gold – 64.7/115
• Yardage: Black – 6,759, Blue – 6,306, White – 5,847, Gold – 5,033
• Green Fees: $81 + cart

Our final featured location played host to a young Tiger Woods making his professional debut in the Greater Milwaukee Open where he aced the 14th hole in his final round: Brown Deer Park Golf Course. Consistently ranked as the No. 1 public course in Milwaukee County, you can expect top-notch conditions and three tee boxes to play from. For $81 to walk 18 holes, you’ll save a good chunk of change compared to the resort courses of the state.

Conclusion

Wisconsin is, without question, a golf destination hotspot. Pair numerous world-class courses and resorts with great summer weather and it’s a tough place to beat. However, it doesn’t need to be a “once-in-a-lifetime” kind of trip that costs thousands of dollars every time you visit. Incorporate some of these courses the next time you make your way to the state I call home and you have a great time!