Hit the Links at These Standout Courses
Quintessential summertime for many is swinging clubs with your favorite people and relaxing afterward with a great meal and good-natured ribbing as you compare score cards. Golfers in Northeast Wisconsin have many opportunities to hit the links each week, often enjoying several choices within our own communities. Though the green and gold and our squeaky cheese curds might dominate national headlines, Wisconsin is also a hot bed for golf—and one of the first areas in the nation where the sport took hold back in the late 1800s.
With the greens calling us, we’re making plans to hit up the following four courses for their historical impact, picturesque views, challenging yet rewarding play, and innovative approach to the game so many of us love.
Eagle Springs Golf Resort, Eagle
To find the birthplace of golf in Wisconsin, simply head south two hours to just outside the town of Eagle, on the shores of Eagle Spring Lake, where the historic Eagle Springs Golf Resort beckons you. Ranked the 23rd 9-hole golf course in the world by Golf Magazine, the course has been family-owned for its entire existence—six generations worth!
The course came to fruition in 1893, when William Tuohy bought a portion of his family’s farm. He wanted to create a vacation spot for guests from Chicago, Milwaukee and Waukesha, and decided the area would be ideal for building a resort including a grand hotel, 12 cottages and an 18-hole golf course. He hired A.G. Spaulding, a former pitcher and manager of the Chicago Cubs, to design the first two holes and let nature dictate the remaining 16 holes.
Following the Great Depression in 1929, the course was transitioned into a 9-hole golf course. Now in the capable hands of sixth generation owner Anne Krug and her husband Matt, they carry on the rich tradition and excellence in golf that patrons have come to expect.
“I think the diversity of people [who] like this place has been a joy of mine as we’ve grown,” Matt reflects. “I think it can appeal to a good golfer, an average golfer, a brand new golfer, females, males, juniors. There’s going to be something that you like about the playability of the course. Sometimes people get afraid because it’s not that long. But I will tell you that it is not easy, even though it’s not long.”
Golfers will find the course provides unique experiences at many of the holes. Matt says there are five or six holes that you just don’t see other places because they don’t build them in such a manner anymore. The Krugs have also kept history alive on the property, paying homage to its beginnings. The old hotel’s laundry building is currently the clubhouse for the golf course, and the old icehouse for the hotel serves as the cottage next to the 9th green. The original cherry wood tables and chairs from the resort and the cherry wood bar from the hotel are also part of the current-day ambience.
Eagle Springs Golf Resort offers limited onsite accommodations, as well as a variety of fun events like wine and whiskey tastings and live music throughout the season and off season. Golfers can rent boats, kayaks and canoes during their stay to use on Eagle Springs Lake, and Lulu Lake is just next door, giving the entire experience a real throwback vacation kind of feel with modern amenities.
For a twist of rich nostalgia and tradition for your next golf getaway, Eagle Springs checks all the boxes.
“It’s going to feel like you’re going up north; it’s going to feel like you’re going back in time,” Krug says.
The Club at Lac La Belle, Oconomowoc
Imagine arriving for a long golf weekend and walking the same grounds as families like the Pabsts, Armours, Montgomery Wards and more did in the 1890s and beyond. You can do just that when you book a tee time at The Club at Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc, located just over 90 minutes south of Appleton.
The Old Course at Lac La Belle was originally located at Woodruff’s Hill, in the back acres of the H. H. Shufeldt family property, in 1895. It was then moved to its current site, nestled along the banks of Lac La Belle, spanning 80 acres. The land was acquired from club member George Seaverns, and it was incorporated on October 7, 1896.
The course was an attraction for the wealthiest families from Chicago and Milwaukee who had homes on the lake and spent their summers enjoying the high-end experience the club offered. In 2018, the Morse family acquired this historic property with the intention of honoring its rich traditions and reimagining the course and facilities for a successful future.
“Our golf course architect, Craig Haltom, studied golf course architecture for four years over in St. Andrews—again, tying back to the origins of golf,” The Prestwick Companies CEO and course general manager, Tyler Morse, says. “You’re going to see a lot of fescue out there, a lot of undulating greens like you would see over in Scotland. We tried to really bring back that architecture that you would see overseas, and the course plays very firm, fast, like link-style golf.”
In addition to their 18-hole golf course, a new addition is set to open in 2026—Uncle Henry’s Backyard at Lac La Belle, a 9-hole, Par 3, which will be walking only.
After your round is over, don’t forget to plan time to have a meal at the Rivalry Pub during your visit. With an ample rotating menu of starters, handhelds, flatbreads and salads, scratch made in-house, they’re also a hot spot for their Friday fish fry. Grab one of their delicious drinks and it’s the perfect ending to a day with friends. Named the Top New Wisconsin Golf Course for 2021 by Golf Digest and ranked the sixth Most Fun Golf Course in the United States by the same publication, it’s clear leaders in the industry feel the same.
“Our staff really care, and they want everyone to have a great time,” Morse adds. “We emphasize the customer service at the course. You need anything, we’ll get it for you. And so, from the time you arrive, to the time you leave, you know we’re going to make sure you have a good time and are taken care of.”
Erin Hills, Erin
If stunning views, the longstanding traditions of golf and feeling transported to a quaint village in Ireland are your preference for your next getaway golf trip, look no further than Erin Hills. A little less than 90 minutes south of Appleton, it has become a destination for professional golfers and golf enthusiasts alike.
As Erin Hills’ marketing manager and media relations representative Steve Pease explains, the course was designed around the natural contours of the property by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten, routed over those kettle moraine areas that remain following the exit of the glaciers from south central Wisconsin.
He says it embraces the natural architecture and has a minimalist approach to its design. The course, which is walking only, provides golfers with a firm playing surface that plays shorter than its length you will find on your scorecard.
“Glaciers have been our friends,” Pease explains. “They have done a lot of the work ahead of the course opening to create a landscape that is optimal for high-end golf. It has a lot of land movement, so even though it sits pretty firmly in Wisconsin farm country, there are pretty big peaks and valleys to the golf course. We have bent grass as our fairway and putting surface, but there’s also fine fescue that acts as our rough that borders and frames each hole. So, we have these green, verdant fairways and greens, but it’s lined and outlined, if you will, by gold. Especially in mid-summer, it’s a pretty cool place.”
As a public course, it’s an opportunity to play where the best in the sport have walked among the fairways and greens. Though it started as a $50 daily fee course, it quickly rose to championship echelons. It’s now been home to the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship, the 2017 U.S. Open Championship, and the recently completed 2025 U.S. Women’s Open Championship. This doesn’t mean it’s not accessible for any average weekend golfer, however. Seasoned caddies assist you hole by hole to achieve the best possible score and help ensure you have fun.
The golfer’s experience is at the forefront of every moment of your stay at Erin Hills, whether it’s for a round or for the weekend. They also offer visitors a top-notch lodging and dining experience, but golfers will need to be prepared—while tee times aren’t as limited, lodging is, and it books quickly. In fact, it’s already underway for 2026.
Considering the combination of Erin Hills’ impeccable golf and dining offerings, it’s really an advantage to have this boutique golf experience in our proverbial backyard. When current owner Andy Ziegler purchased it and saved the course from an uncertain future, he and his capable staff set forth to turn Erin Hills into something special, explains Pease, and that they have—so much so it’s ranked in the top 10 public courses in the nation by Golf Digest.
“It’s a gem and a jewel of Wisconsin golf,” Pease says.
Maple Hills Golf Course, Wittenberg
If you’re looking for a nice 9-hole, par 36 golf course to add to your getaway to the Northwoods, or you’re looking to get out of the Fox Cities for the day for a quick round of golf up north with breathtaking views, you need to make a tee time at Maple Hills Golf Course.
Tucked off of Hwy. 29 on Cardinal Lane in Wittenberg, less than an hour and a half from Appleton, the course features rolling hillsides, lush fairways and the beautiful views we’ve all grown to expect from our “up north” destinations.
Current course owner Marc Stelter purchased the business in 2020, and it’s been a part of the community since 1967. It was actually the golf course Stelter learned to play on back in high school. When he and his wife started playing it more, enjoying the time they spent at the course, the decision was made to purchase it.
In the last five years he says they have worked hard to ensure that it’s competitive and challenging for the experienced golfer, but still fun and engaging for those occasional golfers.
“It’s good for beginners and advanced players alike,” he says. “There are challenges to every hole. Some play a little easier than the others. It’s very scenic, with some rolling hills.
“The greens are very, very well kept. That’s one of our highlights. Everybody enjoys our greens. They’re not very easy. They’re more challenging with the slope and designs of them.”
After your round, enjoy Maple Hills’ full bar, as well as quick bites like pizzas, sandwiches and hot dogs. When looking for available tee times, call Maple Hills or book through their website. The course is a popular host for golf outings, so choosing Friday or Sunday tee times—or visiting during the week—is always a good bet.
No matter your plans for the weekend, choosing Maple Hills to add a “quick 9” to the itinerary is always a good thing.
“It’s a quick drive from the Fox Valley, and it’s a place that’s challenging for beginners to the more efficient golfers… with beautiful scenery and a nice layout,” Stelter adds.
