I play a lot of golf: more than most millennials. Thanks to a relentless system of scheduling and an extreme amount of patience from my wife, I get out to play or practice about 3-4 times per week during the season.
Milwaukee is a hidden gem for golfers of all kinds. While the brutal winters shorten the Wisconsin golf season significantly relative to our friends out West and in the South, Milwaukee has quite a few advantages for golf enthusiasts. It’s really easy to get out of the city compared to larger cities like Chicago and New York. Because of that, Milwaukee area golfers have a long list of courses they can choose to play within a relatively short driving distance. This includes short par 3 courses for rookies, all the way through PGA Tour caliber courses, and everything in between. Last year, Golf Advisor ranked Wisconsin as the number one golf destination in the world, thanks to the surplus of Championship courses that have popped up over the past two decades, which are right in our back yard.
Whether you’re just getting started with the game or you’re a frequent player, there’s a course for you in the Greater Milwaukee Area. Here are fore (lol) of my favorites:
All photos by Rob Petrie, an “Award Winning Instagrammer”- follow me on Instagram
You’ve got to pay respect to your home course, and Wanaki is mine. Home of my Wednesday night 9-hole beer league, Wanaki is a Waukesha County golf course and the first place I suggest to friends for an impromptu 9 or 18. It’s just over a half hour from downtown during the week after work, and 20 minutes of smooth sailing on the weekend.
I like Wanaki because it’s relatively straight forward. They keep the course in good shape, and it’s pretty wide open, so you’re not going to lose a lot of golf balls (although there’s a two hole stretch in the woods you’ll have to navigate).
As far as negatives, pace of play is a concern. I’m not the only one that likes Wanaki – it’s a popular course. On weekends, especially mid-day, you’re looking at a five hour round. Also, like every golf course that doesn’t have a range, I wish it had a range.
You’ll find golfers of all skill levels and ages at Wanaki – it’s a course for the people. The first time I broke 80 was at Wanaki, so it has a special place in my heart.
This is probably the first time Hansen Park has been listed on one of these types of articles. Why? Because Hansen is a short course – 17 of the 18 holes are par 3s, 11 of the holes are under 115 yards. Located just east of Hoyt Park, Hansen is tucked right on the outskirts of Wauwatosa. The greens don’t roll great and they’re kind of beat up because of all of the play they get, but compared to most short courses, Hansen is in pretty good shape.
With so many outstanding courses in the area, why include Hansen Park? Hansen is perfect for people who are just getting started with the game. It’s short and un-intimidating, and even at the busiest of times it won’t take much more than an hour to get through nine holes. On most week nights, it’s not crazy packed. Hansen is also great for couples. My wife is just getting started with the game and Hansen is a course we get to play and enjoy together.
On the complete opposite end of the golf spectrum, Hansen is also a great place for frequent players to work on their wedge game. Once in a while I’ll spend an hour on the course before work and pay on my way out. It’s a great way to hone in those 100-140 yard approach shots from a number of different angles, and again, you’re not going to run into too many crowds (especially at 6:00AM).
There’s no dress code at Hansen – shorts and a tee shirt will do just fine. It’s golf as it’s intended to be: recreational and fun.
If you’re willing to extend your drive to about 40 minutes from the Milwaukee area, you open yourself up to a number of amazing championship caliber courses. One of my favorites, and believe me there are plenty, is Washington County Golf Course.
WCGC can play longer than some of the aforementioned tracks, but there aren’t a ton of trees. It’s got an outstanding practice area with a full driving range, so I’d suggest arriving early enough to get a warm up in.
I make sure to play Washington County at least once a year because it’s always in pristine condition. Because it’s a bit outside of the Greater Milwaukee Area, it doesn’t get as much play as some of the closer courses. It’s a fun and challenging track, and a great workout if you choose to walk. At $44 to walk 18 and $61 to ride, it’s one of the better values in the area if you’re looking to play a nice course without breaking the bank!
Home of Tiger Wood’s professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open (#RIP) back in 1996, Brown Deer is my favorite course to play in Milwaukee. Brown Deer is a country club caliber course that’s owned and operated by Milwaukee County. The fairways are beautiful and well maintained, the greens are fast and roll true, and it’s a perfect mix of risk / reward golf. It’s got one of the most challenging opening holes in the area – a lengthy par four with a dog leg right into a green that’s protected from all sides; slice your tee shot into the trees and you’re in deep trouble.
Brown Deer has had a busy couple of years. After the PGA pulled the tournament from the tour in 2009, the course kind of sat in limbo for a couple of years. Head Golf Professional Andy Barrett took over in 2015 and immediately started work on what he calls “Brown Deer 2.0”. Barrett was able to maintain the history of the facility while performing a number of key upgrades to the course, clubhouse, and practice areas. Today, Professional Golf is back at Brown Deer in the form of an LPGA Symetra Tour event every August, showcasing some of the top 300 women golfers in the world.
The most notable and significant improvement is the new driving range, which is still in progress. Brown Deer’s previous range was located in a spot that didn’t receive enough sunlight to grow the grass at a fast enough rate during the season. The result was a dirty and inconsistent driving range, which was a shame given the quality of the rest of the course. After a long drawn out process with the city and Brown Deer constituents, Brown Deer received approval to reroute the roads and begin construction. Once completed, it will be the perfect compliment to what was already the best place to practice golf in the area. Brown Deer has two pristine putting greens, and a large chipping area with sand traps that is free for all to use, regardless of if you have a tee time or not. I’ve spent more than my fair share of weeknights putting and chipping at Brown Deer with my headphones in.
Not an “instagram worthy” photo, but here’s an updated look at the new road and the driving range progress
If you’re a fan of the game and you’ve never played Brown Deer, I would 100% recommend it – you won’t be disappointed. If you’re a county resident, purchase a golf discount card when you check in to play at Brown Deer – it pays for itself in one round, and you’ll probably be back.