RacDuff

Nestled on (essentially) a peninsula between Voyager Lake, Eagle Lake, and Scattering Rice lake, this course features some great elevation changes. Five (not consecutive) of the holes are wide and fairly 'open-field' play, while the other four are more secluded play through the woods. So, other than the woods, two very mild doglegs and a few (generally easily avoided) sandtraps are the only hazards. The elevation change is primarily on #1 (uphill) and #8 (downhill).

If you need a finely manicured, beautifully landscaped country-club experience, look elsewhere. If you can enjoy a true 'up-north' course to get in an easy nine, this one is worth a try!

This 9-hole course crosses the line! The state line, that is. First four holes are in Michigan, final five are in Wisconsin. The course is fairly flat. The front four play around ponds, the back five play through pines and and open areas, and back upon the Land O'Lakes airport. (With a hard slice off #7, your ball will be bouncing down the runway.) A smattering of sandtraps and typical northwoods-sparse-foliage roughs are not too punishing for errant shots.

If you are looking for a beautifully manicured 'country club' outing, look elsewhere.But, if you want a change of pace, easy-nine outing, this is an enjoyable course.

Great terrain: elevated tees, elevated greens, pitched fairways, tree-lined (but fairly wide) fairways, blind shots (hills and dog-legs) -- with all this, the course has reasonable challenge while still being fairly forgiving. One of my absolute favorites in S.E.Wisconsin.

Front nine and back nine head opposite directions from the historic (built back in CCC days) clubhouse, but rejoin for the last two holes of each. The front nine ends with a pair of par 5s (the only 5s on the course). Numbers 8&17 you drive up a steep hill (used for sledding/tobogganing in winter!) to greens hidden beyond til your second (or third) shot. On numbers 9&18, your second (or third) shot will have to avoid a large sunken pond (the only water hazard on the course) which narrows your approach to the green by half or more. (Watch for the markers staking out the boundaries of this hidden hazard!)

Last year (2013) this course underwent renovations to a few fairways and greens on the front nine. This was my first time on the course since the new improved areas were open. I had been a bit concerned because (during renovations) it looked as if the changes were going to make a couple holes on the course much more challenging. Fortunately, I did not find that to be the case -- the course seemed to play pretty much as before. Everything seemed in very good condition (rain/cold/wind most of June probably kept traffic down, and allowed grass to be lush). Greens all seemed quite fast, which took my partner and me a little bit to adjust to.

With occasional exceptions, the course is fairly forgiving of errant shots -- there are relatively few places with long rough, and no significant water hazards on the front nine. The back nine starts you off along the Root River, and you shoot across it on #11 and #18 (both par 3), but with the river very near the tee, it only comes into play for muffed tee shots. The course has nice variety, with a few elevated tees, a few significant uphill or downslope shots to the green, a couple good dogleg fairways . . . all in all, a great use of terrain.

Tips:
#2: Quarried rock lines a streambank behind the green; If you overshoot, your ball will funnel into it or careen off into the creek.
#4: A (new) drain lies dead-center of the fairway, hidden from view from the tees! Long-hitters should end past it, but mid-range hits may find it.
#5: A great uphill blind shot from the tee to a slight dogleg left is a bit intimidating to the novice/duffer.
#10: From the long tee, you have a super elevated shot down to the fairway, with woods encroaching from the left and the river coming into play along the right of the fairway. (Fortunately the gold and red tees drop you down to a much more straightforward tee/shot.)
#13: Consistently my bugaboo; a par 3, uphill, with green pitched toward the tee. Shots long of the pin will have you hard-pressed to keep balls missing the cup from rolling off the front of the green.