Lawsonia love.....

ode1 · October 28, 2016

Finally made it back there after a 3 yr, hiatus....the last time I played the condition was not the best, spotty, and 13 green was pretty much fubar.....so I stopped going, in part because it's a bit of a drive. This time of year I'll take some Fridays and Mondays to extend the weekend and venture around the state and play....Wash Co, Brown Co, Irish, Sentry, Brown Deer, etc. courses that I typically don't play during the year, once the fall rates hit, it's on....lawsonIa was always in the mix.

Anyways, decided to go again this year, heard the condition was again good and 13 was taken care of.....Def nicer, the trees were taken out behind 13 green, and although the hole looks different on the approach, it was much needed and it didn't change how the hole plays, just how it looks. forecast for today was 45-60* and windy, with winds increasing in the afternoon. it was Def chilly to start, it was windy, maybe 15 mph, gusts to 20, but it never got worse and when it warmed up, seemed like the winds died down a little as the day went on. I forgot how much I like this course. tee to green it's not crazy challenging, but there is enough to make you think, dog legs, blind tee shots, and stray too far the long stuff. imo where this course shines is the approach shots into the fantastic greens. these might be the best greens I've played. they are big, undulating, but not ridiculously so....they really allow for a wide variety of pin placements to bring in trouble on the approach. interesting to note is that you can run it up on every hole, however most approaches won't be played that way as a lot of the greens are crowned or built up around the sides and back.....so if you miss left, right or long, it's going to be a tuff up and down. shot off the day was on 6, I put in the fwy, left side, dead into the wind, and about 170 in, I choked up on a 3i and pulled it into the bunker, ugh, the one thing not to do. pin tucked back left, and the bunker shot I could not even see the flag, slightly downhill lie, no chance to get it close unless it hits the flag, shot came off perfectly, landed on the fringe and rolled out about 10 ft. drained the putt, which had about a foot of break....it might be my favorite hole on the course....blind tee shot, down the hill, angled to the right, big huge green, wide and a nook left and a nook right. it's not really tiered, but the middle of the green spreads out to two relatively small slivers left and right with mini swails, separating them out. if you know the course you can use these contours to play safe and allow the slopes to bring the ball back towards the cup, sometimes you have to do this to get it close. love the greens. what a fun day, looped twice, and played really well.

Please share your favorite bits about Lawsonia....

FairwayFred · October 29, 2016

I love Lawsonia Links fantastic golf course. Imo one of the most under rated tracks in the USA. I try to get up there once a year from MI.

FSCMatt · October 29, 2016

Lawsonia is crazy good. William Langford did all of his usual things and it's awesome. I played out there about two weeks ago and struggled, but loved every second of the course.

There are a couple of quirky holes on the front, but they are still very good holes. I really enjoyed my round there.

PooN · October 30, 2016

Links is a great course, but Woodlands is the most underrated in the state. A whole day at Lawsonia should be a yearly event for every Wisconsin golfer.

zer0 · November 1, 2016

Always warms my heart to read praise about my favorite course. I'm glad you came back after a few years. They changed management in that time, tore down all the trees 13 and 14 in order to give those greens the sunlight they needed. It worked like a charm as those greens are 100x better than they were a few years ago when 13 wasn't even playable.

#6 is definitely not my favorite hole. As a short hitter I rarely have to worry about the hidden bunker down the left side of the fairway, but the next shot is always 190 yard in to the one green on the course that you can't bump and run. My favorite hole is definitely #2. Blind tee shot, but very wide open once you get there. The 2nd shot on #2 is my favorite shot on the course. Downhill to a massive back to front green, the least elevated green on the course. The trick is that on the right side of the fairway there's a big mound that kicks everything to the green. Take one club less and hit it to the right side of the fairway and then watch in awe as your ball takes a bounce and then rolls up to the front middle of the green. Love watching newbies go for that green on a fly and then watch their ball rolll all the way to the back or even off the back.

Can't talk about Lawsonia without mentioning the amazing people who work there. Nicest staff I've ever encountered. From the clubhouse to the grounds crew to the rangers, cart girls, restaurant...everyone there is fantastic to deal with.

My parents have a place on the other side of the lake and I try to play at least 10 rounds a year at Lawsonia. One day I'm gonna get up there enough times to join, that's the goal.

ode1 · November 1, 2016

Always warms my heart to read praise about my favorite course. I'm glad you came back after a few years. They changed management in that time, tore down all the trees 13 and 14 in order to give those greens the sunlight they needed. It worked like a charm as those greens are 100x better than they were a few years ago when 13 wasn't even playable.

#6 is definitely not my favorite hole. As a short hitter I rarely have to worry about the hidden bunker down the left side of the fairway, but the next shot is always 190 yard in to the one green on the course that you can't bump and run. My favorite hole is definitely #2. Blind tee shot, but very wide open once you get there. The 2nd shot on #2 is my favorite shot on the course. Downhill to a massive back to front green, the least elevated green on the course. The trick is that on the right side of the fairway there's a big mound that kicks everything to the green. Take one club less and hit it to the right side of the fairway and then watch in awe as your ball takes a bounce and then rolls up to the front middle of the green. Love watching newbies go for that green on a fly and then watch their ball rolll all the way to the back or even off the back.

Can't talk about Lawsonia without mentioning the amazing people who work there. Nicest staff I've ever encountered. From the clubhouse to the grounds crew to the rangers, cart girls, restaurant...everyone there is fantastic to deal with.

My parents have a place on the other side of the lake and I try to play at least 10 rounds a year at Lawsonia. One day I'm gonna get up there enough times to join, that's the goal.

2 is def a fun hole, the pin was front right when I played it and I parred it both times, first loop I smashed a drive, just in the right rough and played conservative and bumped it up and had about a 12 footer that I missed, 2nd loop, again smashed a drive, left side of the fairway and went at it and ended up in the exact same position, lol. An example of what I was getting at in my op, sometimes you have to use the slope and contours to get close vs. going right at it.

5 was 210 and right to left wind hurting, pin back left, ugh, I played short and took my chances tryingG to get up and down, to no avail.

6 is def tuff and was dead into it. I love the green, super wide and easy to hit if you have a reasonable distance coming in, but as u stated, hard to run up because of the the slope, another great feature of the hole, down hill, blind tee shot, downhill approach to a crowned green. Nothing wrong with being short and trying to get up and down.

13 just looked so different, to the point where I questioned if they tempered the slope up to the green, But i think the green just looks closer vs the old days with the trees where that was a big part of the focus and the hole being in the light vs the shade. Hard to explain.

Chanceman · February 11, 2019

Lawsonia will definitely be on our itinerary for 2020 but can anyone tell me where is the best place to stay when visiting? They appear to have on-site cabins but wondering if they are better than what's available nearby? Do the towns nearby have good restaurant options? Not knowing the area its hard to assess. We will probably stay two nights and play Mascoutin before going on to Sand Valley.

Ryan3773 · February 11, 2019

Lawsonia will definitely be on our itinerary for 2020 but can anyone tell me where is the best place to stay when visiting? They appear to have on-site cabins but wondering if they are better than what's available nearby? Do the towns nearby have good restaurant options? Not knowing the area its hard to assess. We will probably stay two nights and play Mascoutin before going on to Sand Valley.

Maybe look for an Air BNB on green lake? Beautiful spot

ode1 · February 11, 2019

Lawsonia will definitely be on our itinerary for 2020 but can anyone tell me where is the best place to stay when visiting? They appear to have on-site cabins but wondering if they are better than what's available nearby? Do the towns nearby have good restaurant options? Not knowing the area its hard to assess. We will probably stay two nights and play Mascoutin before going on to Sand Valley.

Not gonna be much help on lodging, but might help to let others know what you are looking for. My family came up to visit last year and we stayed in Ripon at a hotel, I think it was the country inn and suites and it was what you'd expect. Ripon is about 10 mins or so from the course, and an easy drive. The on site homes/cottages def look rustic, but I suspect you could get a good deal. Re: food, Knuths Brewing in Ripon is good for wood fired pizzas and appetizers, his brews are.decent and they have 2 or 3 guest taps that are always outstanding and Wisconsin based.

Ryan3773 · February 11, 2019

Lawsonia will definitely be on our itinerary for 2020 but can anyone tell me where is the best place to stay when visiting? They appear to have on-site cabins but wondering if they are better than what's available nearby? Do the towns nearby have good restaurant options? Not knowing the area its hard to assess. We will probably stay two nights and play Mascoutin before going on to Sand Valley.

Not gonna be much help on lodging, but might help to let others know what you are looking for. My family came up to visit last year and we stayed in Ripon at a hotel, I think it was the country inn and suites and it was what you'd expect. Ripon is about 10 mins or so from the course, and an easy drive. The on site homes/cottages def look rustic, but I suspect you could get a good deal. Re: food, Knuths Brewing in Ripon is good for wood fired pizzas and appetizers, his brews are.decent and they have 2 or 3 guest taps that are always outstanding and Wisconsin based.

I just booked super cheap rooms there for July. Like 90 a night or something

USAF Retired E7 · February 13, 2019

Lawsonia has good food in the clubhouse. Their Friday fish fry is excellent.

B-Man · February 13, 2019

We stayed here last September. We did have 12 of us though.

http://www.sunrisepm...3/rental23.html

zer0 · February 13, 2019

Lawsonia will definitely be on our itinerary for 2020 but can anyone tell me where is the best place to stay when visiting? They appear to have on-site cabins but wondering if they are better than what's available nearby? Do the towns nearby have good restaurant options? Not knowing the area its hard to assess. We will probably stay two nights and play Mascoutin before going on to Sand Valley.

I have a place on the lake so we never stay at the hotels, but the cabins at Lawsonia are a great option. Also plenty of small bnb type places in the heart of Green Lake. also a fancy resort, the Heidel House is in town.

As for food, the clubhouse has great food. Only open for dinner Friday for fish fry and Saturday for prime rib and regular ribs. In town you have Nortons on the lake. Solid place, but definitely very overpriced. Christiano's is a solid pizza and Italian place in Green Lake. Ripon has a good Chinese restaurant and a little place called Mr and Mrs P that makes AMAZING sandwiches. I often eat there 3 days in a row.