The Club at Lac La Belle
About
Formerly known as La Belle Golf Club, Rolling Hills Country Club and Lac La Belle Golf Course. Over the years it has garnered a reputation amongst locals for being one of the best golf courses in southeastern Wisconsin. The course wanders across lush, gently rolling countryside that is studded with stands of mature trees. Meandering streams come into play, as do strategically placed bunkers. The classic layout has a character that you won't find on modern courses but its challenges and playability have withstood the test of time. Beginners can approach the golf course with confidence while more advanced players can enjoy a casual round that still offers a challenge.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
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Black | 71 | 6906 yards | 72.6 | 133 |
Black/Blue | 71 | 6556 yards | 71.3 | 131 |
Blue | 71 | 6321 yards | 70.1 | 128 |
Blue/White | 71 | 6095 yards | 69.0 | 127 |
White | 71 | 5870 yards | 67.9 | 125 |
Green (W) | 71 | 5250 yards | 67.9 | 125 |
Gold (W) | 71 | 4612 yards | 64.1 | 116 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 73.4/135 | 390 | 369 | 526 | 192 | 492 | 426 | 385 | 156 | 357 | 3293 | 425 | 198 | 605 | 461 | 367 | 378 | 524 | 166 | 489 | 3613 | 6906 |
Black/Blue M: 71.8/132 | 390 | 369 | 431 | 169 | 492 | 426 | 335 | 142 | 308 | 3062 | 402 | 198 | 605 | 415 | 365 | 378 | 500 | 166 | 465 | 3494 | 6556 |
Blue M: 70.7/130 W: 76.5/140 | 357 | 344 | 431 | 169 | 492 | 416 | 335 | 142 | 308 | 2994 | 402 | 181 | 534 | 415 | 326 | 349 | 500 | 155 | 465 | 3327 | 6321 |
Blue/White M: 69.7/128 W: 75.3/137 | 332 | 323 | 403 | 151 | 492 | 416 | 335 | 142 | 308 | 2902 | 371 | 170 | 534 | 395 | 326 | 349 | 453 | 155 | 440 | 3193 | 6095 |
White M: 68.7/126 W: 74.1/134 | 332 | 323 | 403 | 151 | 465 | 389 | 312 | 122 | 268 | 2765 | 371 | 170 | 515 | 395 | 301 | 320 | 453 | 140 | 440 | 3105 | 5870 |
Green M: 65.8/121 W: 70.6/127 | 332 | 290 | 332 | 138 | 402 | 356 | 280 | 122 | 234 | 2486 | 327 | 87 | 462 | 354 | 301 | 289 | 424 | 140 | 380 | 2764 | 5250 |
Red M: 63.2/114 W: 67.1/119 | 223 | 221 | 277 | 110 | 356 | 356 | 235 | 109 | 234 | 2121 | 327 | 87 | 398 | 308 | 236 | 289 | 393 | 112 | 341 | 2491 | 4612 |
Handicap | 14 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 1 | |||
Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, GrillAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities, Locker RoomsAccolades
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Golf Advisor: Top 25 Friendliest Courses in the U.S. (2021 #1)
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by petitt44 on 09/27/2023
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Photo submitted by petitt44 on 09/27/2023
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Photo submitted by bqRiIU7mSOPvj4u31IZK on 10/15/2022
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Photo submitted by bqRiIU7mSOPvj4u31IZK on 10/15/2022
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Photo submitted by bqRiIU7mSOPvj4u31IZK on 10/15/2022
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Photo submitted by bqRiIU7mSOPvj4u31IZK on 10/15/2022
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Photo submitted by BmhiWJvytcuyYZBYt7Rg on 05/31/2022
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 4 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 8 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 9 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 18 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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Par 4 2nd Photo submitted by dahlryan on 06/09/2021
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Par 4 1st hole Photo submitted by dahlryan on 06/09/2021
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Fairway on 18 Photo submitted by dahlryan on 06/09/2021
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Par 3 3rd hole Photo submitted by dahlryan on 06/09/2021
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Photo submitted by Kale1523211 on 08/03/2020
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Photo submitted by Kale1523211 on 08/03/2020
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Photo submitted by Kale1523211 on 08/03/2020
Very mature course
It appears they are clearing out a lot of the under brush to aid in playability and appearance. We have always enjoyed the variety on this course.
Lack La Belle
This was our first time at Lac La Belle. We played five days before the course closed for the 2023 season. Given the late season round it was clear that the course had had a busy year. However, condition of the course was really good considering the October date. Late season pin positions were not on flat ground, somewhat expected. The severe slope on the greens here are penal. Greens are not meant to be the biggest challenge for a course. On this day they were and I believe that the redesign made the greens more problematic than they need be. Birdies were scarce as a result.
The new holes that were built for the renovation are interesting but a bit contrived given the rest of the holes from the older layout. The hazards and design of the new holes were clearly about moving earth to build a challenging and visual hole not a natural hole that is revealed by the property. Backstop greens and deep bunkers don't make the golf challenge better, it's like weight lifting. Impressive to those who enjoy it. Yet, contrived to those who don't view good golf design as macho earth moving to get tongues wagging online.
The redesign with new clubhouse and range are quite special and worth talking about. They make the experience a value given the cost. The staff was Wisconsin friendly and professional. The Morse family has built it and now they come. The food and drink at the Rivalry pub was excellent too! The people in this place are truly happy to have you spend your time and money with them. Too often not the objective of other courses staff. Spend the day at Lac La Belle.
What was lacking at Lac La Belle this late in the season? The extraordinary amount of staked areas, traffic arrows and general sense of anxiousness about the guests inability to know course etiquette in a cart. I would have thought that guests willing to spend $150 on a round would know where to drive and where not to drive on a golf course. All the stakes positioned tee-to-green completely pocked the beauty of the layout. I realize that GUR needs to be marked, but on just one hole I counted 30 stakes of various colors and sizes. At one point we thought a croquet pitch was in the middle of a fairway. If one wants to have an Instagramable image of Lac La Belle you will have to remove these candles from the cake.
On this day, pace of play was 3hours 10 mins. We were one of three groups on the course and a few walking singles. The cart GPS was accurate and easy to read. However, the abrupt cart stoppages due to a five foot incursion off the cart paths was somewhat disruptive given that we weren't even close to the aforementioned staked ground when the cart stopped. All things considered, Lac La Belle is a good course with a stunning backstory in Wisconsin golf history. You will read about it on the course plaques and signage. The Wisconsin golf trail pricing seems about right for an experience at this level. I can see this course continuing to gain in stature. It is however, not a course for high handicap players unless you can keep moving at pace with the groups in front of you. There are lots of ways to get in trouble on this course with a slightly errant shot. You need to have a solid sand game and the presence of mind to pick-up when you think you need to line up your third putt.
Congrats to Lac La Belle and the golfer who can play and enjoy there day in Wisconsin.
Course
Played after getting 4+ inches of rain the previous 3 days was very soggy in some areas but overall great drainage. Unfortunately, it was walking only but cart fee was refunded. Talked to the starter guy a good bit and he was very friendly, as well as Claire in pro shop. Course overall is very nice layout with many challenging greens and bunker placements. Great views. Worth $140 walking? I think it's more around $80-90 personally.
Southerners in the Midwest
This is the only review you need to read because it’s honest. We’re from Georgia and we felt right at home at this course. The course is gorgeous. It’s in fantastic shape and you can tell how much effort they put into it. We’ve all been to a gorgeous course but had a bad experience with the staff that offsets your experience. That’s not the case here. The woman in the pro shop was as kind as could be. The head pro Clint Higgins is one that this course needs to make sure stays around. Incredible experience from top to bottom, would highly recommend playing here. Thank you guys!!
Nearly Flawless
Great routing of the holes with plenty of tee options to challenge any golfer’s skill level. Given the greens relative size, there is a premium in understanding where the pins are located as the cart GPS only shows distance to the middle of the greens. Only negative was the distance standards on the Par 3s today were off 4-7 yards. All departments provided top shelf service over our two day outing.
Hidden Gem
I came to Wisconsin to play the big three; Whistling Straits, Erin Hills and Sand Valley. I simply wanted to add a warm up round and chose Lac La Belle. I’m glad I did it is maintained meticulously. Beautiful! It has a great layout. The staff is very friendly and helpful. A bonus is the putting course with music playing in the background. Don’t miss this GEM! Perhaps everyone in Wisconsin knows about it. But as an out of state guest I’m glad I found it.
Best golf experience I've had
I haven't golfer many different courses but the moment I drove up it just felt different. The atmosphere, the staff, the layout, everything was so welcoming and amazing I nearly shot the best round of my life solely because of my mood from the start. Beautiful layout of the course itself with awe inspiring views and beauty, the greens rolled so true, this was the first time my ball didn't bounce while rolling, and omg the bunkers, best sand I've hit out of, I'm used to rocks and mud lol. Will definitely return soon
Absolutely Phenomenal in every way.
First time playing The Club at Lac La Belle after seeing commercials for it for the last year and finally making the hour drive to experience it! I’d give it 100 stars if I could, and loved every facet of this course. I’ve played Black Wolf Run (River), Wild Rock, The Bull at Pinehurst, The Bog and several other top courses in Wisco, and Lac La Belle takes the top spot for me. Course was in great shape and challenging yet scoreable if you hit fairways. Greens are no joke and quite diabolical but in a fun/creative way. Really makes you get out of your comfort zone. Such a unique layout and just loved every nook and cranny. Outside of the course, the real star of the show for me was the clubhouse/pro shop! Could just be my style, but they had all my favorite brands (Greyson, GFORE, Peter Millar, and more) fully stocked with it all the latest gear. The Lac La Belle swag was a plenty and too notch stylish.
New favorite course in Wisconsin and I can’t wait to play it again! The food at the rivalry pub was delish as well. Nothing but good times and great vibes!
As fun as it gets.
Played this course for the first time after reading so many good things about it. All you read is true - playing this course is an amazing adventure. A few observations: The fairways are the most true to a links course of anything we have played in the states - firm and fast.(my wife had the longest drive ever on the first hole). The traps are surprisingly difficult, and seemed to have a large catchment area - anything near the traps seemed to find them.(my irons were a bit off, so got to try lots of them) And the greens are as advertised. You simply have to find the right tier on approach - if you are above the hole, you sometimes will find it hard to keep the ball on the green. They were a blast to play - especially if you can manage to not be overly concerned about your score. Not sure I agree the first 4 holes are the best - they are great, but so is the rest of the course.
And hats off to the staff - both on the course and in the clubhouse - really well trained and friendly. Mentioned to the bag drop folks it was our anniversary, and this was acknowledged by the first tee starter - nice attention to detail. And the new clubhouse was really well done - great place for a drink or a snack. Too bad we didn't have time to play the putting course around the terrace.
By the way - we sort of assumed this would be a walking only course, but they do have carts. We love to walk - not a lot of walkers - it was about a 7 mile walk - similar to Erin Hills. Not a lot of elevation, so pretty easy.
We;ll be back - such a fun and challenging adventure
A gem
Course is a combination of shot making and progressive challenges to putt with skill- as a 12 handicapper I had constant risk reward shots- ball can stay in play with decent shots and good shots have high payoff
Course has great sight lines on every hole
First Timer-Memorial Day
I’ve played some of the best courses in WI and MN over 40 years. Although, life gets busy raising children and now caring for parents. Golf is a game you need to stay active to be consistent or improving. This was my first round of the season. The course plays to its rating and slope. It’s challenging and competitive. I will return. I enjoyed the friendly staff. The club pro even remembered my first name when I had a question. Well done.
Fun fun fun
I literally cannot say a bad thing about my experience at this course. Staff was great pace of play was wonderful course conditions were impeccable first thing I did when I was done was booked around for my guys for Labor Day and I’m driving up from Chicago. Visually stunning reminds me of a Monterey Peninsula style course mixed with some Carolina send belt style. Greens were some of the truest I’ve putt it in a long time. The undulations were severe but obscenely fun. Think of watching the pros putt at Augusta aiming some away from the hole to come back on a slope. Last time I felt this positive about my first round at a golf course was last year at Sand Valley. It’s not inexpensive at $150 to ride but there are plenty of courses that charge much less but are not near the value.
Wisconsin's next great destination course
It's fun to get in on the ground floor of something great. That's how I felt playing The Club at Lac La Belle. Kohler and, more recently, Sand Valley and Erin Hills tend to soak up much of the publicity (for good reason), but my favorite courses tend to be a little under-the-radar, and that's true of Wisconsin. Lawsonia Links in the middle of the state is a stunner, and now, so is Lac La Belle, totally redone in the last couple years by Craig Haltom, one of the best architects few golfers have heard of.
Where courses like those at Kohler and Erin Hills tend to brutalize golfers, Lac La Belle is relentlessly charming. You can get into some trouble here, but you'll rarely lose a ball thanks to the generous corridors. What will propel the course up the various ranking lists in the coming years, though, is the greens. Haltom gives golfer a set of 18 putting surfaces of practically unmatched variety in size, shape and contour, from the smallish pushed-up 7th to the supermassive, surreally shaped 4th, 15th and 18th. The last of these will stop you in your tracks; it forms the largest expanse of maintained putting surface I've seen this side of St. Andrews, as it connects to the club's undulating putting course. From end to end, it's more than 150 yards.
At $125 (walking - and you should definitely walk the course if you can), Lac La Belle is an incredible value when compared to the more famous courses within an hour's drive. And with 12-minute tee times, you'll enjoy a good pace of play. The Morse family has some exciting plans for the future which should raise Lac La Belle's profile even further. Make arrangements to visit as soon as you can.
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 4 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 8 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 9 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021
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The Club at Lac La Belle, hole 18 Photo submitted by TimGavrichGP on 08/03/2021