Lodges of the Lakes

Overall excellent layout with course.. Nice challenging course.

We had a great time course was in great shape was just a full tee sheet so little slow

Nice course with a rotten pace of play. 5 hours is normal. Too bad. Won't be back.

The 8:00 tee time was a bit early after yesterday's late afternoon round at the Lakes, but it was a great way to spend a morning with good friends. The pine tree -lined fairways get your attention right away. Straight drives are a must on this layout. The Lakes served as a good warm up for a more demanding and challenging Pines layout. Accuracy is rewarded into the greens too. Greens were faster and more undulating here than at the Lakes. If you think your putt breaks 3', it really breaks 6'. The course routing is similar to an out and back links routing. Get ready to play into the wind or into the sun for 9 holes, then the reverse for another 9 holes. It certainly makes you think through your approach off the tee and into well protected greens. Definately a step up in difficulty from Lakes to Pines, so plan your trip accordingly. So if your a bit tired of sand and wind, book a few rounds amongst the pines and lakes :-). You'll enjoy the change in scenery.

Playing the Lakes was a great way to start a golf trip weekend. The fairways were wide and receptive to our foursome's varying skill levels. Accuracy off the tee is rewarded with easier approach shots to large greens.
The greens roll true and have more break to them than it first appears. The pro shop team was helpful in making tee times and the new restaurant was a great escape from sun and humidity. If you're playing both Lakes and Pines, start here first.

What a treat in the middle of Wisconsin not far from Sand Valley. The Lakes course was very difficult and in great shape. The greens were very fast, undulated and very well bunkered. If you short side yourself you are in for a difficult up and down. The tee shots require accuracy as almost every hole is tree lined with little bail out. Bunkers all down the fairways as well. In a nutshell, this is a very well conditioned, very challenging course. I do recommend it, with the caveat that this is a stiff test of golf.

The Good: Lake Arrowhead (and particularly the Lakes course) is an unheralded, relatively unknown 36-hole complex about 5 minutes from the new Sand Valley. Tight, tree-lined parkland layout by designer Ken Killian has his staple visually impressive sand traps, tons of water, and subtle greens that are fair for all levels of player. Course is in top-notch shape and has a nice driving range and putting green. Nice staff and excellent pace of play. Good value given quality of course and conditioning. Very strong Par 5's.

The Bad: Overall amenities are average at best with a small clubhouse and pro shop. No GPS on carts is a bummer, especially with so many forced carries and water. On-course service, albeit in the morning, was non-existent until the final hole.

The Verdict: The Lakes course at Lake Arrowhead is a fun, nice surprise of a golf course that will hopefully get more play with nearby visitors at Sand Valley. Great place to stop off if you want have a quick, nice stroll through the woods!

Best Hole: The short Par 5 #12 is quintessential risk-reward. A drive must avoid two water hazards and then a decision must be made to go for a green guarded by water and tons of sand.

First time playing the Lakes course. Nice design. Very peacefully routed through the housing area. Fairways and Greens in very good condition. Quite a few workers all about all afternoon doing the little extra maintenance things to make it all look good. Fits in nice with its sister course the Pines. Traditional Parkland courses, nicely kept, good values to play.

Not much to say about the Lakes other than that it is a very good track that is very different than its defacto big brother the pines. While both are great courses, the lakes provides a nice change of pace in that it provides a pseudo links style where as the pines is a very traditional parkland course. Pace of play was amazing for a gorgeous summer Saturday (finished as a twosome in 3 hours) and the course was in fantastic condition other than a few unfixed ball marks and spike marks on the greens (typical of a public course.) Still, great track in great condition. Would recommend to anyone visiting the Central Wisconsin area.

This is one of my favorite courses to play throughout the state. One of the best maintained courses in the state. Fairways are generous, however poor tee shots bring serious trouble into play. Not a lot of undulation on the greens, however every green has at least two tiers to it which rewards pinpoint accuracy on approach shots. I know the course had some issues years ago as far as course maintenance, however, they have really stepped up their game to make sure that the course stays in immaculate form.

I have played at Lake Arrowhead a couple times a year for a long time. It seemed like the conditions declined a few years back. Last year was vastly improved and after playing today, I can say this was the best I have seen this course for years. There is a definite return to form-fairways were great, greens received the ball well were pretty quick and very true.

If you haven't played here: Lakes Course is a very challenging layout with pine tress lining the holes and a lot of sand. Killian the architect seems to put hazards like sand traps in the perfect areas to really make you think about your approach. Grip and Rip is not the approach on this one. Most of the greens have different tiers and some big breakers. Downhill putts can get very slick. Also, there seems to be clever hidden spots where a slight miss with you approach will put you in a collection area off the green.

Pace of play is always good here unless you run into an outing. For the most part players here tend to play ready golf and normally will let quicker players play through. I played as a single early and made great time.

Lakes is more like a sattelite to the Pines since the clubhouse and ammenities are better at Pines if you want to lounge around at a restaurant after, Pines is the place. They do have a bar area to meet for 19th hole to settle up.

I occasionally run into wild life like deer, turkey, and cranes. Be careful for ticks they are everywhere in this ares, especially deer ticks that carry limes disease. Load your body with a very high percentage DEET bug spray to help . Also, be careful for stinging nettles in the woods. If you touch it, you will not enjoy holding a club or golfing the rest of the day. I had it happen while playing at Lake Arrowhead but on the Pines.

Awesome course well maintained beautiful and player friendly at times

The course really took a bad beating this winter and there is a lot of burn out everywhere. If it were in better shape it would have been a lot more enjoyable.

I love playing golf at Lake Arrowhead. Just wish it were less expensive. I'm glad I found "GolfNow" The greens here were great. FAST FAST FAST

Even though we made the reservation for the Pines Course, at check in we were told that they had an event at the Pines Course and that our tee time was actually at the Lakes Course.

At least six greens were in poor shape. Very little grass and in rough shape. Fairways were generally in good shape.

Pace of play (especially the back nine) was unacceptably slow.

Golf course staff were friendly.

Each hold was felt isolated as you couldn't see the next. Nice layout. Greens were quite sloped and pretty fast.

Most of the greens still have winter kill on them. It is August 2, that problem should have been fixed with seed by now. My local course which charges much less takes better care of there greens.

The greens still show some of the effects of the long winter and late spring. Most imperfections, however, are due careless or poorly-trained players and not improper maintenance.
That said, green speeds are true and consistent for all 18 holes. The course is both attractive and challenging. Having a precise target in mind - and hitting it - are the key to good scores. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with a visit to Lake Arrowhead.

This is one of my favorite courses in the State. Always in great shape, and a really nice layout. The Pines and The Lakes courses are maintained the same, I like the Pines course just a little better than the Lakes. It just plays a little longer than the posted time.