University Ridge Golf Course
About
University Ridge Golf Course is just 15 minutes from the University of Wisconsin campus and downtown Madison. The course's name comes from the defining feature of the landscape, a remnant of the last retreating glacier. The course is perched right where the Wisconsin Glacier stopped, providing the backbone of the ridge that divides the terrain into clusters of hills and valleys. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the golf course with distinctly different front and back nines that make it feel like you are playing two courses in one. The front nine plays across grassy meadows, featuring contoured fairways and generous landing areas. Wind will definitely be a challenge on this more open nine. In contrast, mature trees frame most of the holes on the back nine. The golf course finishes with two of its toughest holes: a long par 3 over water and then another long hole, a par 4 that plays uphill.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 7286 yards | 75.8 | 142 |
Blue | 72 | 6718 yards | 73.4 | 139 |
Green | 72 | 6245 yards | 70.4 | 134 |
Green (W) | 72 | 6245 yards | 76.7 | 139 |
White | 72 | 5752 yards | 68.6 | 129 |
White (W) | 72 | 5752 yards | 73.8 | 134 |
Red | 72 | 5005 yards | 65.3 | 116 |
Red (W) | 72 | 5005 yards | 69.5 | 124 |
Junior | 72 | 3813 yards | 61.3 | 103 |
Junior (W) | 72 | 3813 yards | 62.9 | 110 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 75.8/142 | 396 | 555 | 242 | 467 | 198 | 623 | 429 | 207 | 587 | 3704 | 483 | 569 | 200 | 336 | 398 | 352 | 554 | 250 | 440 | 3582 | 7286 |
Blue M: 73.4/139 | 376 | 546 | 195 | 398 | 172 | 608 | 379 | 162 | 554 | 3390 | 456 | 537 | 174 | 330 | 377 | 321 | 533 | 192 | 408 | 3328 | 6718 |
Green M: 70.4/134 W: 76.7/138 | 370 | 515 | 174 | 354 | 169 | 570 | 345 | 151 | 475 | 3123 | 424 | 504 | 159 | 316 | 358 | 312 | 514 | 164 | 371 | 3122 | 6245 |
White M: 68.6/129 W: 73.8/134 | 355 | 461 | 170 | 332 | 140 | 534 | 325 | 144 | 442 | 2903 | 375 | 462 | 124 | 294 | 322 | 280 | 471 | 155 | 366 | 2849 | 5752 |
Red M: 65.3/116 W: 69.5/124 | 293 | 428 | 135 | 304 | 126 | 442 | 298 | 83 | 421 | 2530 | 342 | 412 | 95 | 222 | 309 | 245 | 434 | 130 | 286 | 2475 | 5005 |
Junior M: 61.3/103 W: 62.9/110 | 228 | 305 | 118 | 233 | 124 | 311 | 229 | 79 | 328 | 1955 | 241 | 330 | 78 | 171 | 205 | 173 | 296 | 124 | 240 | 1858 | 3813 |
Handicap | 11 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 2 | |||
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
SnacksAvailable Facilities
ClubhouseAccolades
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Hole 14 - So much sand Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 12 - downhill par 3 to a tough green Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 11 - one of the 5 really good par 5s Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 10 - My favorite hole on the course Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 8 - my favorite of the five par 3s Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 4 - a challenging up-hill par 4 Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Photo submitted by mccordgricegolf on 08/27/2019
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
University Ridge Golf Course
The Good: Fantastic RTJ Jr. design near the University of Wisconsin is one of the best campus courses in the country and future site of Senior tour event. Unique design includes two opposing nines, with the front a prairie feel and the inward nine weaves through woods. Excellent risk-reward Par 5's, nice variety in Par 4's, and some strong mid-length Par 3's. Pristine course conditions and large, challenging greens that putt very well. Superb practice facility includes huge driving range, elaborate short game area, and large putting green. Good pace of play and staff is nice enough. At under $100 during peak season, one of the better values in the state. Layout is devoid of houses! GPS on carts is nice touch (and much needed).
The Bad: Greens, while putting true, don't hold as well as they should. Clubhouse is good, but does not have overly nice dining or area for banquets. On-course service and restroom areas are lacking for a course charging nearly a Benjamin.
The Verdict: University Ridge is consistently ranked in Top 5 campus courses in the US, and rightfully so. The premier public course in Middle Wisconsin (at least for now given Sand Valley development). One of the most fun courses you will ever play.
Best Hole: Most holes are great, but the Par 5 16th with a duel fairway and tee cluster to carry is awesome. A hole that can easily lead as many 10's and eagles.
Love the ridge
Course was in tremendous shape. Fairways were tight and plush and greens were fast and true. Windy day which made for a challenging round but the course is fair and lush, especially for April. Love the Ridge.
Great Track
Greens were punched for late fall, but healing well and had been sanded over. Perfect fall day in WI. Couldn't have asked for anything more to rekindle my love of this course that I haven't been able to play in several years.
Great course!
I finally had a chance to play this course after a year of living in Madison. A great course. Hard but fun. I will be coming back and playing. Maybe even get a membership so I can get consistent tee times.
Cliff
Beautiful and we’ll maintained golf course with nice practicing areas for putting, chipping and bunker. Definitely worth to come back again.
Great in every way
From all the friendly staff to fast pace and excellent greens… URidge is a great course. The greens are true and smooth, and ran at about 11 - so try to stay below the hole. Fairways are well manicured and multiple tee boxes for all abilities. Of note, to protect the greens areas the carts have a digital boundary - if you get too close they shut down and you have to go in Reverse out of the restricted zone. Lots of risk reward areas in play through out. I could play here every day and never get bored. Also an excellent range - included with play.
Best of all university courses.
Better than Purdue and U of I 's new Atkins.
Wonder if better than Phau of Indiana?
Course is alike French Licks' Peter Dye
Tale of 2 9s
The course was in fantastic condition. Well worth the green fees. I really liked that you got 2 different styles of play. The front was more open and links style, where the back was more wooded and had a totally different vibe. The course was challenging without being gimmicky. The greens were fast but once you got the touch they rolled true. Definitely worth the money.
Poor on course bathrooms & no water.
The port-a-poddies on hole #5 were unusable and in horrible condition! Unfortunate for women who were in need of a bathroom on the front 9. All water containers on the course were empty except on hole #17 and it was 92 and humid.
Pace of play
I would of expected more coming from the capitol of Wisconsin. Course conditions looked like the Arizona desert. I guess they had one thing going for them at least they had water available on the course. 7.00 for a bottle water. Whoa! Pace of play was literally a free for all. We finished just over 5 hours. The price is normally 100.00 to play I’m glad I got away with 80.00. They had a full landscaping crew all over the middle of the round. No thanks from me and the three I played with.