W2615 S. Valley View Drive, Green Lake, Wisconsin 54941, US
(920) 294-3320
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About The Golf Courses of Lawsonia

The Golf Courses of Lawsonia in Green Lake is one of Wisconsin’s greatest golf treasures. The Links is a classic inland links of blind shots, mounding and incredible hilly topography to challenge and engage the best of players. The newer Woodlands course delivers a contrasting viewpoint with tons of trees and more elevation changes. It’s a high-caliber 1-2 punch. Lawsonia offers three homes for onsite accommodations: The Moreau House with a single and double suite; the five-bedroom Birches House and the three-bedroom Dawson House. Langford’s Pub is located inside the clubhouse, featuring a Friday Fish Fry and Saturday Prime Rib specials.

Facts

Price Range$$
Property Class★★★
Year Opened1931
Number of UnitsLess than 100

Amenities & Services

RestaurantsCasual
Room TypesSuite
Practice FacilityYes

Rules

Is the resort pet friendly?No
Is resort stay required for a tee time?No

Golf courses at The Golf Courses of Lawsonia

Reviews

3.1
199 Reviews (199)

Reviewer Photos

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Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
First Time Playing

Links

I couldn’t believe it! Thursday late afternoon (4:00pm) and the place was packed. Overall it’s the kind of place every better than average player should try! Honestly it was the first time my friend and I have played it. The young man in the golf shop didn’t have Time for us and we were 30 minutes early. We hit a small bucket of balls and went to the putting green waiting for my name to be called, because they made it quite clear no one goes off until being called! After ten minutes past our tee time we went to the 1st tee box and the starter left after sending the group in front of us off. Lucky for us a member (Doug) was nice enough to let us play with him. The sand traps are the worst maintained I’ve ever seen! They were concrete (I’ve never seen anything like it). When we mentioned it to Doug, he mentioned they haven’t done anything to them ALL year, like running a drag through them once. To me that’s fine for a waste bunker, but a green side trap, ridiculous! The greens are very challenging for the first time playing. I have played over 30 courses this year and believe this lets you know exactly how good you are! Overall I would recommend this course but believe for the price they get, they need to put at least a little time into the sand! Lotsa courses in the area that are so much better maintained for half the price of Lawsonia. Sorry for the lengthy review, but feel a course should be complimented on what’s right and future players should know the negatives as well.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Good Day, but...

Woodlands course was undergoing renavations of all bunkers. No sand. Should have reduced Green Fees.

Aside from that course was in great shape and staff extremely friendly!

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 8
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 28
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Total failure to manage pace of play

I am surprised to find that the links course at Lawsonia was ranked number 64 on the golf digest top 100 public courses in United States. While the course is nice and well-maintained, it isn’t particularly unique or appealing. Maybe that is why it is no longer on the top 100 list. By comparison, the Hawkshead course in South Haven Michigan, which is a links course, should be ranked well above the Lawsonia links course. And Hawkshead is not even rated in the top 100.

The bunkers were less than optimal too. They have stones in them, and many were hard packed and ungroomed . We were told that a major amateur tournament had been played just a week before. Presumably the course was in peak condition for that tournament. If these were peak conditions, I wouldn’t want to play it in less-than-peak conditions.

We played on a Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, they had allowed a group of five on the course. That group’s pace of play was appalling. There were three holes open in front of them, and we were waiting on every tee box on the back 9 because of them. On one par five we had four groups on one hole. At that point we decided to skip two holes and move over to number 15. Had we not skipped 13 & 14 we wouldn’t have finished anyway before dark. And we would’ve missed the last two holes. So better to sacrifice two holes in the middle and finish before it got dark.

That is just poor management. It’s all about the revenues.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

What a Nice Fun Course

Played the all day rate, once from regular tees and once from senior tees. A unique fun experience with few trees to annoy you.

Just relax, hit the ball, and enjoy the honest roll. That's true for both fairways and greens.

I will go back.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Amazing experience.

The Woodlands is an awesome course and is in excellent condition. The staff is very nice. I can’t wait to go back again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Some good features

It’s been 15 years since I last played. And 15 years ago, the course was unbelievable and I had always wanted to come back. Today, I was impressed with some holes on the woodlands but some tee boxes were rough, and the sand traps, thankfully I didn’t see many, were poorly maintained. For what I am paying, I’d expect more. I was not impressed with the driving range at all. The clubhouse was fully stocked and the staff was incredibly helpful and very kind.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 126
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Iowa Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Tough but Fair

The Woodlands at Lawsonia is the lesser known sister course to Lawsonia Links. While it plays 2nd fiddle to the classic Lawsonia Links, the Woodlands is a worthy addition to the Lawsonia property. The Woodlands is a traditional Midwest parkland style course with some tight corridors, and a few water hazards and many bunkers sprinkled throughout. Overall our group found the Woodlands to be a tough, but fair test of golf.

The Good:
The Woodlands has some of the best views you'll find at Lawsonia. There are a handful of great views of Green Lake, especially hole #5 (pictured). In contrast to the Links course, the treen lined fairways remind you that you are, indeed, in the United States.

The Average:
It's not fair, but when compared to the Links course, the layout of the Woodlands course is just average. It feels very much like a course you will find at any number of lakeside resorts in the Midwest.

The Not So Good:
The conditions are really good, but not immaculate, and numerous bunkers need sand to improve overall consistency of play. I've spoken with others who have played the Woodlands and they had the same complaint about the bunkers, so it seems to be a persistent problem.

My favorite hole is #2 (pictured). The fairway splits off the tee. The further right you can get on the split fairway, the better look you have at the green. Plus it has the bell tower in the distance, which has wonderful music every hour.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 126
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Iowa Advisor
Top 100 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

A Classic

Lawsonia Links has been increasing in popularity on golf social media over the last couple of years. Given that it's less than 4 hours from me, I had to go play it. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, Lawsonia Links may just be the best course I've ever played!

Everywhere you look on the Links course, you're greeted with incredible vistas that turn into challening golf holes as you move up and down and around the property. The view of the back 9 at sunset is one of the greatest vistas I've seen in my life.

The layout of the links is challenging yet very fair. If you get out of position, you still have a chance to make par, or even birdie, but only if you hit a great shot for your next one. In my opinion, this makes golf more fun. Who doesn't love attempting a good recovery shot?

The bunkering is incredible. I can't remember any bunker where there isn't a large grass mound in front of you. The picture I shared of hole #5 gives some idea of the bunkering. I found the fairway bunkers to be particularly penal, so you have to strategize around them.

The green complexes are huge and require positioning to get the ball on the correct plateau. If you're in the wrong spot on a green you will need a great putt to get down in 2. The pace of the greens was fair and the roll was very true.

It's really hard for me to pick a favorite hole because I liked them all. I think the 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 18th are in competition for the top spot though. There really isn't a bad hole on the property. Each is memorable for something!

I can't recommend Lawsonia Links highly enough. For me, I could play it every day for the rest of my life and never get bored. It's such a great golf course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 45
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Walked
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 378
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Bring your imagination

There's is nothing boring about the Links Course at Lawsonia. Not one thing. Every hole on this Langford/Moreau gem is a game unto itself, and every hole is unique, whether it's the shape of the hole itself, the bunkers or the large greens, which have more angles and slopes than 99 percent of the golf courses you'll ever play. But they all have a purpose and are most interesting. Half the fun is trying to figure out if your putts are uphill or downhill and once you do that, how severe the slope is. Often, you might think you have a slick downhill putt and leave your approach four feet short. I loved everything about this experience, from the starter and opening tee shot to hanging out in the clubhouse afterwards. It's an experience every golfer who comes to Wisconsin should enjoy,

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 69
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great course in great setting

Played as a single on a Wednesday mid-day. Starter was great in prepping me for the course. Lots of blind shots, but aim for the 'v' and go. Condition of course was great, grassy fairways, large but tricky greens. Most greens were on mounds, so practice your flop shots. Lots of local knowledge here. My only problem was the 4 groups that let me play through: it's always hard to play well as strangers watch. Great experience.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great shape

Course is in great shape. Other than a few groups who had no corse etiquette, it was a great day

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 44
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Great old course

The design has stood the test of time and modern equipment.

Very fun golf. Would not recommend for beginners or hackers. Not extremely difficult, but you do need to be able to deal with 15 foot deep bunkers and mounds.

Course was showing some wear on the greens and tee boxes, again, mostly do to resort golfers who don't know what they are doing.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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