Fond du Lac golf gems?

[Shipwreck]

I’m planning an 8 guys buddy golf trip for my 40th next August. Already have Straits and Erin Hills locked in. Was planning on doing Sand Valley but they have no accommodations during that time and since I’m not an on site guest I can only make tee times 30 days in advance. Looking to find some great courses to potentially fill in that void should SV not happen. We will be staying in Fond du Lac since it’s most central to everywhere we would want to go so looking for something within about an hours drive of FDL. 

[jmudo]

Lawsonia if you’re ok with a classic course. 
 

Otherwise one of the other Kohler courses. 

 

[Shipwreck]

9 minutes ago, jmudo said:

Lawsonia if you’re ok with a classic course. 
 

Otherwise one of the other Kohler courses. 

 

There’s no local courses that are worth the play? We don’t mind a good muni or something. It doesn’t have to be high end. 

[CMCSGolf]

Whispering Springs was fine when I played it 10 years ago.  Nothing special, but a totally pleasant midwest course. Far below Lawsonia  in quality, but if you're no worried about the best, it will due the job just fine.

[ode]

Whispering Springs will do!  Very well maintained, good greens and some memorable holes, #12 and #17 come to mind.  It's a solid layout, mostly open/prairie style with a few areas where trees line portions of the hole.  Some elevation change on 7, 8, 12 and approach on 17.

 

You won't be far from Washington County....if you haven't played it, then go do that!  A little jaunt down 41 and you'd be there in ~ 30 minutes!

 

Another course worth the look is Old Hickory in Beaver Dam, probably about the same drive as WC. Love this place and a super collection of par 4's with nice amounts of elevation change with some perched greens/uphill approachs that are pretty unique IMO.

 

If SV does not work out, you might consider staying elsewhere.  Nothing against FDL, but I pass through it often to get to golf destinations around the state and rarely if ever stop, unless it's to get gas.  Not much there considering the size of the city!

[jwhite86]

I'll third Whispering Springs

 

And I'll second Washington County

[klebs01]

Lawsonia is the spot. One of the best courses in the state and I would put it above some of the Kohl’s courses. They have put some work into the woodlands course the past couple years doing tree removal and bunker renovations. It’s not near the level of the links course but is worth a play with the all day rate. 

[Shipwreck]

1 hour ago, klebs01 said:

Lawsonia is the spot. One of the best courses in the state and I would put it above some of the Kohl’s courses. They have put some work into the woodlands course the past couple years doing tree removal and bunker renovations. It’s not near the level of the links course but is worth a play with the all day rate. 

Yeah I think we might end up doing Lawsonia. For the price you can’t beat it. We played BWR this year and while I did love it, I am not loving the price of it lol. Lawsonia really does look like it “mirrors” the BWR courses with a more linksy style course and another one built up in the trees. I’m probably gonna book it but if SV opens up I will probably cancel Lawsonia. 

[Chanceman]

Mascoutin aka The Scoot is worth a thought. Reasonably close to FdL.

[jkody]

I have zero opinion about where you are staying or its relative location to these places, but with that caveat:

 

Lawsonia is A++ and you should 100% play it if you are going to Wisconsin regardless of any other courses you are planning to play. In fact, I would try to play it twice. It is that good. I played Erin Hills three times this summer and I think about my one round at Lawsonia more.

 

Another absolutely worthy day is Eagle Springs. One of the most unique courses I've ever played and by far the best 9-hole course I've ever seen. 

[mlwenzlick]

Sentryworld is nice, but rates went up (I have employees friend discount lol). The Oneida course in Green Bay where the LPGA played I’ve heard is nice and reasonable, but never been.

[Dave Saylor]

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms is a fun track.  

[Shipwreck]

So we decided on Lawsonia Links for one of the days (will be doing 36 that day) and on the 27th, after the Erin Hills round we will play 18 at Washington County GC. So this is what the trip looks like so far:

Fly in 8/25, drive to Sheboygan for 1 night. 
8/26 - The Baths around 930, lunch, then twilight Straits course, then drive to FDL to stay the rest of the trip

8/27 - Erin Hills morning then Washington County GC afternoon

8/28 - Lawsonia Links 36 holes

8/29 - The Bull on the way back to MKE

[jtowns43]

If you don't mind driving, Lac La Belle is about an hour from FDL and I think that is one worth playing.

[zer0]

On 12/28/2022 at 6:47 PM, Chanceman said:

Mascoutin aka The Scoot is worth a thought. Reasonably close to FdL.

 

LOL I thought I was the only person who called it The Scoot.

 

Love The Scoot, but the Blue9 is clearly better than the other Red9 and White9.     

 

And as much as I love the Scoot, if you are going there you might as well drive the extra 5 minutes and go to Lawsonia.

[zer0]

On 2/15/2023 at 10:38 PM, Shipwreck said:

So we decided on Lawsonia Links for one of the days (will be doing 36 that day) and on the 27th, after the Erin Hills round we will play 18 at Washington County GC. So this is what the trip looks like so far:

Fly in 8/25, drive to Sheboygan for 1 night. 
8/26 - The Baths around 930, lunch, then twilight Straits course, then drive to FDL to stay the rest of the trip

8/27 - Erin Hills morning then Washington County GC afternoon

8/28 - Lawsonia Links 36 holes

8/29 - The Bull on the way back to MKE

 

Great itinerary.       Try to get to Lawsonia as early as possible and then you can do the play all day special and squeeze in 3 rounds if have the energy.  2 on the Links and 1 on the Woods.

[ode]

5 hours ago, zer0 said:

Blue9

Love the blue ....might be my favorite of his designs which I like all of the ones I've played!

[Shipwreck]

16 hours ago, zer0 said:

 

Great itinerary.       Try to get to Lawsonia as early as possible and then you can do the play all day special and squeeze in 3 rounds if have the energy.  2 on the Links and 1 on the Woods.

We have an 8 & 810 tee times and a 2 & 210 tee times for Lawsonia. Definitely looking forward to that!!!

[zer0]

On 6/13/2023 at 7:49 AM, Shipwreck said:

We have an 8 & 810 tee times and a 2 & 210 tee times for Lawsonia. Definitely looking forward to that!!!

 

Playing it twice is a great idea.   You might want to take notes on your phone of all the blind shots during the first round and then consult them during round 2.   Lots of blind shots out there that take multiple play throughs to chart in your head.

 

Some words of advice.  You're gonna want to be below the hole on pretty much every hole out there.   Massive penalty if you put it past the pin on some holes.

 

On pretty much every hole there is trouble left, right and long.   The safe play is always in front of the green.   The fairways are firm and fast so you can definitely bump and run out there.   When in doubt always have your miss be short of the green.   Left right and deep could be a death sentence on a lot of the holes out there.

 

Try  not to play Lawsonia ping pong on the famous box car par 3 #7.  It's a right of passage so you might end up doing it, but try not to lol.   Ping pong is when you put your tee shot left or right of the green and then start hitting shots over the other side of the green.  This repeats till you put your ball in your pocket and go to the next tee box.