15 Best Golf Courses in Wisconsin
Wisconsin, historically home to five major championships and one Ryder Cup, is a sought-after destination in American golf. The wild dunes of Sand Valley can punish poor ball striking, and play at premier destinations like Whistling Straits requires shot creativity when dealing with high fescue and lake-effect winds. Between the historic significance of Brown Deer Park, where Tiger Woods played his first round on the PGA tour and scored a hole-in-one, and the leisurely pace offered at family-friendly destinations like Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin has a course for every player. Consider this collection of the 15 best golf courses in Wisconsin as you plan your next golf trip.
Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits is currently considered Wisconsin’s top spot for golf. The venue has hosted three PGA Championships and one Ryder Cup since 2004. Located a little over an hour from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on the cliffs of Lake Michigan, the resort is home to the Pete Dye-designed Straits and Irish courses, rated 77.2 and 74.1, respectively. The Straits Course’s signature 17th hole is an intimidating par 3 left unprotected against the Lake Michigan wind.
Ideal playing conditions run from June through September, with green fees costing around $600 for the Straits course and about $400 for the Irish course. Caddies are required to play the Straits course. These 36 holes are part of the greater Destination Kohler: American Club and Golf, and the resort is one of the best in Wisconsin due to its award-winning spa, multiple dining options, five-star lodging, and views of Lake Michigan. There are also several walking paths and bike trails surrounding the property. While it is a public club, due to high demand, it is best to coordinate your trip through one of the resort’s golf packages to make the most of your trip.
Blackwolf Run
The Pete Dye-designed Blackwolf Run is also a part of Destination Kohler and is home to two championship courses and a new short course. It is about 15 minutes away from Whistling Straits and offers a quieter setting with golf that is less expensive. The River Course is the most challenging track here, with a rating of 76.2 and drastic elevation changes. The Meadow Valleys Course features more exposure to wind and some intimidating open ravines and rates at 75.1, while The Baths is a short 10-hole par 3 course that is walking only. Green fees at Blackwolf Run are typically about $200 cheaper than their counterparts at Kohler. Overall, this set of courses is a great place to still experience all of the amenities of this first-class resort while playing championship-level courses.
Erin Hills
An inland links course, Erin Hills, rated 76.5, was the site of the 2017 US Open, where Brooks Koepka won his first major, and the 2025 Women’s US Open. The public course opened in 2006 and is known for its penalizing fescue. Green fees are typically close to $400 per round, but can be as high as $500 in peak season.
The resort scene at Erin Hills does not have a spa and has more limited shopping options beyond a great pro shop, while lodging options include an Irish-style lodge and large cottages throughout the property. High demand for this course may also require guests to book a tee time sometimes three months in advance, and caddie services are available.
Washington County Golf Course
Nestled between Milwaukee and Madison in Hartford, Washington County Golf Course is one of the best public values in the state. Designed by Russell Finger, this par-72 opened in 1995 and is known for significant elevation changes and several elevated tee boxes with great views of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine. It has a course rating of 73.6, and green fees are quite affordable, with discounted rates available for seniors and juniors. That being said, demand still requires tee times to be booked in advance.
This venue has a full-service bar and grill, along with a substantial pro shop and practice facility. No lodging is available on site, and because Hartford is quite rural, visitors may want to consider options closer to the greater Milwaukee area. That being said, Washington County Golf Course is among the best golf courses you will find at this price point in Wisconsin.
Sand Valley
Located in the remote central portion of the state, Sand Valley is home to five prestigious golf courses, with the 18-hole courses rated in the ballpark of 75 expected strokes per round. These courses are all public, and green fees can run as high as $300 in peak season. Lodging is available on site at the course hotel or in cottages. While there is no resort-style spa at Sand Valley, similar services are available on a smaller scale, including private, in-room massage services. Because it is in a rural area over two hours away from Madison or Milwaukee, shopping and additional entertainment options are limited.
The 18-hole track of Sand Valley is the signature course at the resort. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, it presents challenging links golf with limited defense against the wind. Mammoth Dunes has the most dramatic sand dunes and is more beneficial to long players. Sedge Valley is a more intimate course, while The Lido requires more disciplined shots. The resort's fifth course, The Sandbox, is a fun par-3 course. Sand Valley is a great destination for a challenging variety of courses in Wisconsin’s rural sand dune region.
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
Jack Nicklaus is the architect of The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, a public course on the outskirts of Sheboygan. This par-72 course has several risk-reward par 5s and comes with a difficult course rating of 76.3. Its atmosphere truly highlights Wisconsin’s open farmland and rural feel as it is built on a former dairy farm. The Bull has been ranked in the top 100 of Golf Digest’s American public courses multiple times.
Despite its high quality, playing here is quite affordable, with greens fees averaging around $150, though in peak season, reservations may need to be made well in advance. Premier lodging and resort activities are not far, with high-end luxury hotels such as the American Club located within a few miles of the course. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms is a refreshing contrast to the links-style courses within its same region.
The Golf Courses of Lawsonia
The Golf Courses of Lawsonia offer access to some of the state’s most historic courses at an affordable cost. The site is home to two public courses, Lawsonia Links and Lawsonia Woodlands. Designed by William Langford and Theodore Moreau, the links course was built in the 1920s and is known for its elevated greens, deep bunkers, and wide fairways. Green fees here top out at $150, and the course has a rating of 73.7. Meanwhile, the Rockly Roquemore-designed woodlands course opened in the 1980s and runs shorter with more water hazards. Its green fees are slightly cheaper than the links course, and it has a rating of 71.6.
Lawsonia is a golf property in the rural area of Wisconsin. It is at least ninety minutes from the state’s major airports and does not offer the same shopping or spa wellness experiences as other regional resorts. That being said, it is considered a must-play stop on Wisconsin's golf checklist with a backdrop of scenic Green Lake. Come play here for a historical golf experience in Wisconsin farm country.
University Ridge Golf Course
University Ridge Golf Course is a public track just outside of Madison along the Ice Age Trail. It serves as the home course for the University of Wisconsin golf teams. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. course opened in 1991 and plays long, with a rating of 74.9. It hosts the American Family Insurance Championship, an annual stop on the PGA Champions Tour, and green fees are in the lower range at $100-$150. It is known for its blend of woodlands and prairie-style golf, with its signature 16th hole beginning with an elevated tee box that offers views of the surrounding Madison countryside. University Ridge’s proximity to Madison makes it a good choice when looking to combine your trip with premier lodging and dining experiences. Head to Verona and enjoy championship golf with direct access to everything Madison has to offer.
Wilderness Resort
Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells is a major family vacation destination in the Midwest. The property has multiple water parks, ropes courses, go-kart tracks, and escape room experiences. Beyond this, the golf offered here is still one of its largest attractions. Wilderness Resort is less than an hour from Dane County Regional Airport in Madison and features a full spa and several restaurants on site.
Wild Rock is a premier 18-hole course at Wilderness Resort. It is designed by Mike Hurdzan and Dana Fry, the same architects of Erin Hills, and is less than 20 years old. The course itself features a variety of elevation changes as it is built on an old stone quarry. It plays tough with a rating of 76.3 and has affordable green fees at less than $140 outside of peak season. The property also has a fun 9-hole Woods Course, which is great for playing with kids. Wilderness Resort provides all you can think of in a Wisconsin vacation that can still be centered on golf.
Turtleback Golf Course
Just west of the town of Rice Lake in rural Wisconsin is Turtleback Golf Course, a par-71 designed by Todd Severude. This public course has a rating of 71.9 and receives excellent marks for its facilities and parkland-style play. Green fees run under $90, and rounds can be booked ahead to ensure access during the busy season. Several of the carefully manicured holes proved a great risk-reward opportunity right off the tee. Note that Turtleback is in a more remote location, over 100 miles from a major airport. However, Rice Lake itself is great for a relaxing small-town vacation feel with several accommodations and dining options, and the lake offers a variety of great activities aside from golf.
The Bog
The Bog is north of Milwaukee in Saukville and features a pristine track designed by “The King” himself, Arnold Palmer. Uniquely, play here blends into the natural Cedarbug Bog, a landscape of wetlands and meadows. As expected, The Bog presents a tough test with a rating of 75.3 and several forced carries over water hazards and areas prone to mud. Green fees here are a great value, ranging from $70 to $125. The property also features a large practice facility with an excellent driving range.
The town of Saukville is just under an hour from Milwaukee. It is a great area for fishing, hiking, or other water activities on the Milwaukee River or Kettle Moraine. As an underrated vacation destination, the community has a great selection of dining, lodging, and family-designated activities.
“The Brute” at Grand Geneva
The Brute at Grand Geneva is an hour from Milwaukee and presents some of the most well-known resort golf in Wisconsin. This course was designed by Robert “Brute” Bruce Harris and tests golfers with the immediate challenge of a large water hazard and sloping green on the very first hole. Green fees at this par 72 peak at around $160 in summer, and the course rating is 73.8. The Brute is known for its variety and is considered a replayable course. A complementary parkland course, The Highlands, is also on the resort property.
The Grand Geneva Resort and Spa is considered a premier, all-season golf resort destination. The WELL Spa + Salon features full treatment services and open space for relaxation. The property also features pools, water parks, biking, horseback riding, and even skiing in the winter months.
Brown Deer Park Golf Course
Historic Brown Deer Park Golf Course sits just north of downtown Milwaukee and has roots dating back to 1929. Designed by George Hansen, it was previously an annual stop for the PGA Tour. It has a course rating of 72.9 and is uniquely the site where Tiger Woods made his professional debut in 1996, making a hole-in-one on the 14th hole. This public course is an affordable place to golf in the city, with green fees typically around $80-$90. Aside from the entertainment and amenities available downtown, the course clubhouse itself is also known by locals to have a great atmosphere for dining after play.
SentryWorld Golf Course
Located 100 miles west of Green Bay in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, is SentryWorld Golf Course. This public, resort-style course was host to the 2023 US Senior Open. A par-72 designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., it is parkland-style and plays moderately tough with a rating of 74.4. Here, golfers pay for an all-inclusive golf package just south of $400, which covers food and drinks, practice balls, and parking. SentryWorld is known for its well-maintained shape, smooth bentgrass greens, and a treacherous amount of water hazards. The resort itself has a luxury hotel, multiple restaurants, an indoor driving range, and golf simulators.
Troy Burne Golf Club
Troy Burne Golf Club features great championship-level golf as a public course in Hudson, a small community directly across from Minnesota, about a 30-minute drive from the Twin Cities. The town has a good selection of local eateries and reliable lodging. This 74.8-rated, par-71 track offers an intimidating test within the St. Croix River Valley. Designed in the late 1990s by Michael Hurdzan and former Champion Golfer of the Year, Tom Lehman, the course presents a classic layout of changes in elevation and strategically placed bunkers. The back nine holes here increase in difficulty, crescendoing with back-to-back par 4s on 15 and 16 that bring water into play. Players can typically walk the course for around $115 and add a cart for $25 per person.
Head to Wisconsin for Some of the Best Golf in the Midwest
Due to its easy public accessibility, challenging courses, and pristine resorts, there is no question that Wisconsin is a top US state for golfers. Whether it be a premier destination like Kohler or a simple, yet historically significant round at Brown Deer Park, golfers can find what they want in this region. Enjoy play through rural farmland, urban parklands, or next to the Great Lakes in beautiful Wisconsin.
