The Golf Courses of Lawsonia

The golf course was in decent condition, a couple of dry spots along the Fairway on several holes, overall compared to other courses with lack of rain not a bad course.
I would say the biggest problem on the course are the sand traps. The sand traps need a lot of help. I putted several balls towards the hole and they took a quick left or right turn because of a pebble from the sand traps. The sand traps are filled with rocks.
I had a good breakfast, the staff was friendly helpful and very pleasant.

First of all this is not a links by any stretch of the imagination and shouldn't be compared to them. This is earthworks and engineering. Think of Seth Raynor. Most of us can't play a Raynor course so this gives us a chance to see what scale and mounding can do for a golf course. This course was very interesting from a design standpoint. Architecture appreciators will enjoy looking at the mounding, bunkering, routing and great use of natural features combined with earthworks. Most greens are elevated. Plenty of large bunkers to protect them. Greens are large with undulations to force players to approach correct section. Most greens have 10 feet or more slopes for misses to force short game accuracy. I found this course to be unique and therefore enjoyable. Serious bombers might not find it to be extremely challenging but it is challenging to all.
The two nines are both great. The back nine is 3 of each type of par. The back nine also opens up so that you can see the whole back nine and out into the distance. The front nine has a feel that each hole is out there almost on its own. I enjoyed both nines but found the stretch from 5-9 to be excellence. All of the par 3s are great, but 7 is all world. The par 5s offer challenge and demand accuracy if you are thinking about going for it in two. The par 4s vary but most demand that you make a decision from the tee as each tee shot has blatant risk/reward options. The shorter the hole, the tighter the lines and more contours in the greens. Can't just bomb it out there without taking the proper line and need two quality shots for birdie.
Most greens are elevated and well protected. There are also a few blind tee shots. You can drive ahead to figure out landing zone. The 2nd and 8th come to mind. There are forced carries if one wants the best position but there are bail outs which force a great 2nd. The architects found a great routing complete with plenty of elevation changes. I found that the elevation changes added to the interest and even varied in how much more club was needed. They also enhanced the walk. I would also encourage that you walk as, being a golden age course, the distance from greens to tees is minimal.
Off the course, there is a restaurant, putting green , range, etc for everything you need. The customer service was great and they are proud of their course.
I must warn you that the only knock would be playing at twilight-it gets crowded. I played in 4.5 hours. I have heard longer. They do offer an all day rate that, if you can, you should take advantage of. A group in front of me was on their third round and averaged less than 4 hours as a foursome for the first two rounds. Beside Pace of play there were heavy rains so the bunker conditions could be iffy in some places. Some turned into no sand while others had an ideal amount. I can only think that this was attributed to the weather as the locals I walked with said that this is not normal.
Another positive is that this is a great value. A classic and unique course is yours to walk for only about $35 at twilight. The aforementioned all day rate is around $110. Considering the green fees at the destinations in this state, this makes for an incredible value.
I wouldn't say you should make a special trip to get here (unless you are an architecture buff, then you will want to see this course from a design appreciation standpoint and that will make you want to play it), but if you are in Wisconsin to go to Sand Valley or Kohler or Erin Hills, the sheer value makes this worth the hour or so drive. If you are actually in the area for any other reason and looking for a round it is a can't miss.

Played the links course. There are a lot of blind shots from the tee and approach, especially on the front nine so it would take a few rounds for me to be comfortable aiming my shot on those. The greens rolled well overall though and there are a lot of tiers and break to them. The sand quality was pretty fine grain and easy to hit out of. I thought it was a great example of a unique and challenging links course. The restaurant had really good food too. I would recommend this course to anyone who enjoys playing a links style course.

Braved rainy conditions to fitin a round on this L&M design that harkens to golf course architecture of a bygone era.

It was so refreshing to see the design elements that are rarely, if ever, employed anymore. Cross bunkering and sod walls that appear to be bunkers from a distance, but are not, directs your attention away from the target, and are camouflaged beautifully when looking back at holes from the green.

The mounding to form greens is no joke. Miss in the wrong places on this course and you face awkward pitches from gnarly rough and old-style bunkering. I read in a previous review a concern about the unkempt bunkering. Rather, I found the bunkers and conditions to reflect the standard of the period that the course was designed in - the early 1930s.

The course was extremely lush. The first cut was fascinating. At times, lies would appear to be good and a flier would be diagnosed, only to find that the gnarly, wet grass would just ensnarl a clubface, or hosel. And when in the fescue, just take your medicine and take a lofted club to escape back to the fairway.

Finding the fairway off the tee is a must to scoring well here.

The bluegrass greens rolled good and most of the slope was gradual, although there were a few harsh creases in green complexes that could potentially be troublesome.

This course flows so well, and there is ample hole variety. Though it rained persistently throughout the day, the Links course handles water tremendously well. I encountered only one trouble spot in the sixth fairway. Otherwise, it drained well. There are gravel and dirt cart paths around teeboxes and some greens. Carts are able to roam all over the fairways, which was impressive, considering most courses would likely be CPO in today’s conditions. Additionally, it is evident that the course is highly walkable.

For a first-timer here, like myself, strategy on a few holes from the tee is hard to discern, particularly on the opening two. A yardage/course guide would have been helpful in this regard, and the pro shop attendant said the course had just undergone measuring and a guide would be available shortly. That will be a nice addition.

In conclusion, if doing the bucket list Kohler-Sand Valley-Erin Hills trip, take an afternoon to go play the Links at Lawsonia. A voucher for a $50 round good on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday can be printed off Golfwisconsin.com and will save you $25 off the rack rate.

Laswonia is a great golf course. I play it a few times a year with a friend who is a member so we usually play all day and get in 54 holes. We play both courses (Links and Woodlands). Two completely different courses but both are top notch. Greens are to die for on either course. Awesome staff. Just do it and enjoy!

So, I played both courses at Lawsonia the same weekend for the past three years and they are really amazing from a design perspective. However, it appears that they are making investment decisions that are affecting the playability of these golf courses. The bunkers at Lawsonia are inconsistent, some are ok, others have no sand at all, some only have weeds growing in them. The Links traps are better than the Woodlands. I asked one of the dudes working around the place what the deal was? He intimated that the owners of this place, he called them the Baptists, choose not to invest in sand. Now I know renovating bunkers is a pricey task, but these golf courses demand a pricey fee to play them. Look guys, if you aren't sand buyers then get some grass seed and make them grass bunkers. Otherwise, right now these courses are in good shape, they're mowing, which is a good thing and the greens are all good! To tie this up in a neat little bow, I can see how this place gets so highly rated, but am frustrated that every year the bunkers are the same, not top 100 quality.

The Good: Lawsonia's sister course to the Links is no slouch, with one of the prettiest layouts in all of central Wisconsin. The Woodlands is appropriately named, with huge trees all over but enough room off the tee to navigate fairly. Fantastic foursome of Par 3's, excellent variety in Par 4's, and some of the most challenging Par 5's that you will ever play. Good fairway and rough conditions, along with smallish, tough greens that putt true. Fantastic, friendly staff will do all they can to make your experience memorable. Clubhouse duals as a rustic restaurant and bar that has some great local grub and flair. Great value, especially when you take advantage of the All-Day-Play package.

The Bad: The sand trap conditions were absolutely an embarrassment for such a high caliber course. Many traps were even considered ground under repair. Limited practice facility with only average putting green and driving range that is uphill with no targets. No GPS and limited on-course amenities.

The Verdict: The Woodlands course is a Top 10 layout in Wisconsin but with only adequate conditioning. Despite the sand woes, a blast to play and great companion to the better known Links course.

Best Hole: Most will side with one of the downhill Par 3's or tough Par 5's, but for me the best hole was the dogleg right Par 4 #5 with great views of Green Lake in the distance and several beautiful lake homes behind the green. Awesome!

The Good: The Links course at Lawsonia is one of the most official "Old School" designs in midwestern public golf. Designed by the great William B. Langford in the 1920's, this track has some of the most challenging green complexes and unique sightlines off the tee that you'll see at any course, anywhere. Design includes an excellent grouping of Par 5's and Par 3's, most notably the #7 Boxcar hole with one of the most severe green fall-offs you'll find. Excellent course conditions, particularly the severely undulated greens that are very fast and challenging. Fantastic, friendly staff will do all they can to make your experience memorable. Clubhouse duals as a rustic restaurant and bar that has some great local grub and flair. Great value, especially when you take advantage of the All-Day-Play package.

The Bad: Much like its companion course, the Woodlands, the sand traps were a little thin. The practice facilities are to be desired with only a decent putting green and an uphill driving range with no targets. No GPS on the carts and limited on-course amenities.

The Verdict: The Links course is one of the most unique public courses in the Midwest. A true Scottish feeling without the adjacent body of water. Top 8-10 public course in Wisconsin.

Best Hole: The Par 5 13th would be on this list, but the beautiful bordering trees that engulfed the hole were all removed. The Boxcar hole remains the signature hole of the entire complex.

To be upfront, I preferred the Woodlands over the Links. While the Links was an interesting look at golf course architecture thinking in the 1930s, it was more a curiosity than a great course. Having played 40+ links courses in Scotland and Ireland, I would put this below almost all of them.
That is not to say there isn't some challenge in this course. It starts with 3 straight longer par 4s, followed by a long uphill par 3 before the course "softens" up a bit. The main challenge is the greens with many of them popped up 4 feet or more, making getting up and down a challenge. The greens also have a good amount of interest in them.
As with the Woodlands, the bunkers are in horrible condition for a course normally rated quietly highly.
Play it once for the historical interest and make your own determination if it was worth the money or a return trip.

Having played both on back-to-back days, I'd vote Woodlands the better of the two courses at Lawsonia.
True to its name, the course largely winds through the woods with some water in play. While holes 2 and 3 get the attention due to the land they are on (#2 has a 2nd shot carry over an old quarry and #3 is a par 3 with a shear drop downhill), I thought the par 5 7th was the best designed hole on the course, using a mix of doglegs, well placed pond you have to consider on your drive and excellent bunkering for both the 2nd and approach shots.
While the fairways and greens are quite good, fair warning that the bunkers are generally in horrible condition, with several of them marked as ground under repair and other deserving off the same treatment.
Putting the bunkers aside, the Woodlands is a great place to play though a bit overpriced for the area (even with the range finder on the cart).

Lawsonia Links is truly a one-of-a-kind.
Any golfers who consider themselves a bucket-list chaser or an architect aficionado must come play it.
I've never seen so many dramatic falloffs around the greens. Before you move on from the first green take a look behind it. Imagine having to hit a flop-shot from there. The shot comes up again and again, especially below the green on the famous 'Boxcar' par 3 at no. 7.
There's so many little nuances to this classic course. The gently rolling land makes for great tee and green sites. The first two tee shots are almost completely blind. Wild and completely random berms, almost like walls, block certain paths to other fairways or greens.
The course doesn't necessarily play firm and fast enough to be a true links, but with its berm/mounding and the longer grasses in spots, it certainly offers up the look. It's an engaging design, that's for sure.

Coming into my round, I had low expectations of the Woodlands, a course I knew nothing about. The strength of the main course (the Links) makes the Woodlands almost an afterthought, but that shouldn't be the case. It's a nice track, one that's thoroughly enjoyable to play. The only knock was the bunkers were in poor shape.
There are no bad holes, and quite a few good ones, especially all the downhill par 3s. Many of the holes are tree-lined, although they're not narrow enough to feel claustrophobic. There aren't many 36-hole facilities in the Midwest with a contrast as good as Lawsonia.

Played Lawsonia-Links while in Wisconsin on vacation. Arrived about 3pm on a Sunday afternoon and the place was dead. Had been a very windy day, so I'm guessing that is why. Went to Langford's Pub for a quick bite (average food) and went in to the proshop. There was a guy behind the counter that seemed too busy flirting with a female worker to notice us. After he asked if he could help us, I paid my fee (twilight w/cart $59) and he said I could go when I was ready.

Got to the first tee and could only get a vague idea where the hole went, due to a blind opening tee shot. Second tee shot is blind as well, but this seemed to be a design feature, more than just poor architecture. What followed was 4 enjoyable hours of golf. The greens are very firm and true. Many of the holes have cross bunkers that block the view of the fairway or target.

All in all, it was a fun course to play and I would do it again. $59 seemed a fair price for the course at twilight. Finished in plenty of daylight.

Lawsonia is a great place to play and the fact that is has two distinctly difference courses make it a great option for the golf enthusiast.
Played the Links Course and it was in fantastic shape. The greens rolled true and were fast. Fairways were lush (as are most fairways in the state based on all the rain we've had so far). This 18 is wide open but that means nothing. Every teem shot is right in front of you but ball striking is at a premium if you want to play well here. EVERY SINGLE green is elevated so if you miss one, your short game better be on point to even have a chance at saving par.
The driving range and practice area have always needed some improvement and area below average for courses of this caliber. A totally different experience than nearby Mascoutin (another central WI gem) but totally worth the effort to play 36 at Lawsonia.

I have been playing this course for about 10 years and it is still one of my favorite courses in Wisconsin. This course does not get the accolades that is deserves. It can be challenging and rewarding. From the tips the course is fairly long and quite a few of the holes will test you.

The one downside is the pace of play. I am typically an early morning golfer, but when I play in the afternoon, rounds out here can stretch to almost 5 hours. There is no on course Marshall which is a shame for a course of this caliber. Thus you are at the mercy of golfers that sometimes don't understand golf etiquette.

This is a must play links course in Wisconsin. We played on a very nice day in late October. The greens had been punched a week prior which was the only minor drawback to a great round. We finished in late afternoon and the bar was closed, but the pro shop manager was happy to open it up for us and we all had a nice chat.

I have been playing the Lawsonia golf courses for about 10 years. Typically I played them 2 - 3 times a year. Last year I got a tee time on the woodlands and thought I would try it out as the links has always been my default course.

The woodlands is an extremely under rated course. People shy away from it as they think it is extremely narrow but it is very playable. I would describe it as a shot makers course and some of the holes have breathtaking views. It is a hidden gem and has become one of my favorite courses to play.

Just like the Links, this course is hampered by pace of play. The lack of course marshalls really hurts this course. I can get around in just over 3 hours for 2 people in the morning. During peak time this becomes 5.5 hours. Note that this 18 is riding only so it makes the waits even seem longer.

Awesome course! Only issue was a twosome that decided they could jump ahead of our twosome and then hold us up on every hole!

First, the guy checking us in was very rude and the set the tone for this course. didnt explain anything or where to go or even say thank you. Just a very rude welcome and not worth the time and money. def. not coming back

Have always loved the Links course. Shots to the greens must be accurate or your next shot from left right or long will be very challenging. You need to be in proper position on green in relation to hole location or putting will be a major challenge. Green pace is usually fast.