Golfing in Wisconsin (A Smorgasboard Discussion)

[zurch1818]

Glad to spark your interest in a new course Menotti. It is probably one of my favorite courses in the area. If you play from the tips, the shortest par 3 is over 225 yards. The last time I played it was a three man scramble. We ended up -1 with my dad using 18 consecutive tee shots.

[burniebrewer]

Bergamont was actually on that golf deals website last year. I've heard it is an awesome course.

[dabrew141]

Bergamont has the best greens in madison. I've golfed there around 5 times. So fast and so true. Also beautiful hills, definetely a must before it becomes private. #10 is awesome.

[valpocrewsader]

Looking for courses to take someone who is relatively new. Some I've seen mentioned that I'm already aware of: Valley Green, Doyne, Hansen. There used to be another par 3 up on the north side that I'd go to as a kid (or maybe that was doyne). And whatever the course is by Timmerman was another one. And Cherokee/Zablocki on the south side. What about further out west in the metro area like New Berlin, Brookfield, Waukesha, etc? Someone mentioned Moor Downs, can you give some details? What about Deer Haven out by New Berlin West high school?

[joshua502000]

I grew up in Berlin, Wi. so I was lucky enough to have friends who worked at lawsonia and got to golf there once a week for 20 bucks with cart. Loved it. Whenever I come back from Iowa to visit, I make a 3 day tour by playing Lawsonia, Tuscumbia(oldest course in the state), and Mascoutin. Someone earlier mentioned playing Big Fish(Hayward, Wi.) and that it is expensive, personally I think for the course it is priced reasonably. I love the change is the style of the course from a links like front nine to a more traditional wood lined back nine. The Bull is very very good also. Near Madison, I do like the Oaks and Six Mile Creek.

[dabrew141]

valpo, brookfield hills or deer creek are good for beginners

[Menotti80]

valpo,

 

dabrew is right. those two courses are very good. i think the par 3 course on the north side is Noyes (on Good Hope)

[Menotti80]

Glad to spark your interest in a new course Menotti. It is probably one of my favorite courses in the area. If you play from the tips, the shortest par 3 is over 225 yards. The last time I played it was a three man scramble. We ended up -1 with my dad using 18 consecutive tee shots.

so i made a tee time for bergamont for this friday and i can't wait. keep your fingers crossed that the weather near madison is nice!!!

[burniebrewer]

Hey Menotti, I'm golfing at Bergamont tomorrow. Have a work contact who is paying for it on his company's dime! This will be my first round of the summer--how depressing.

 

I'll let you know how it plays. By the way, Friday is supposed to be a fairly nice day.

[zurch1818]

so i made a tee time for bergamont for this friday and i can't wait. keep your fingers crossed that the weather near madison is nice!!!

Oh they are crossed. If your walking, good luck moving from the front side to the back side because it seems like they are on two different continents.

[Menotti80]

i will be going with my dad, who is 60 and can barely golf a full round because of his back. we will be taking carts http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Weirdos19]

Janesville is blessed with three great courses right in town.

 

1. Janesville Country Club- Very well kept, as it should be. Monday is the day employees can take a foursome out for free. Know a couple of guys that work there. Greens are incredibly fast.

 

2. Riverside Municipal- One of the best kept secrets of South Central Wisconsin. This is where I play my Thursday 9 hole golf league. Lots of very beautiful holes.

 

3. Glen Erin Golf Club- About 5 years old, cut right into the woods by the Rock County airport. Very, Very nice for a new course. Lots of trees, so bring extra golf balls.

 

I recommend any of the three. Both Riverside and Glen Erin are less than 50 bucks (with a cart).

[burniebrewer]

My review of Bergamont......

 

 

--Nice course, but it's still very new and there aren't many trees and such, so it's wide open.

 

--Greens were very fast and all putts seemed to go straight. Every putt that I read a break, it didn't.

 

--Fairways were like carpet.

 

--All holes seemed to be uphill.

 

--Clubhouse is immaculate.

 

--Bring water....beer cart girl didn't show up until after 11 AM despite being told they'd be out earlier.

 

All in all, a very nice place. Very classy. "Kids" come out to meet you at the car to take your bag, everyone calls you sir, etc...

 

Anyhow, I shot 46-46 and would've been better if my fairway irons would've been better. Drives were great and putts were good, but those darn irons....

 

Have fun.

[zurch1818]

--Nice course, but it's still very new and there aren't many trees and such, so it's wide open.

This is very true, but should be expected since it is a links course. Hole 10 is probably the most scenic hole (also surprisingly goes downhill!).

[burniebrewer]

Oh yeah, I knew it would be wide open and I like that.

 

Seems like I drive for distance, not accuracy, so open works for me.

[Menotti80]

played the legend yesterday. overall a really nice course. thanks to all who recommended it!

[RU Rah Rah]

Played my first nine this week (albeit at Glenway in Madison, which is not exactly Augusta National).

 

I also saw a TaylorMade Burner driver on sale at Dick's. Thing felt as light as a feather. Anybody play one of those?

[DHonks]

I haven't recommended a Taylor Made in several years. Top drivers on the market the last few years have been Ping, Cleveland, and Titleist.

[RU Rah Rah]

I haven't recommended a Taylor Made in several years. Top drivers on the market the last few years have been Ping, Cleveland, and Titleist.

My strategy for buying clubs generally is "get what was cool last year on sale" -- thus my interest in this driver, which was like $130 (down from $300+). What would you recommend?

[bobbledude25]

I get a golf pass for the Brookfiedl Hills golf course right off of I-94 in Brookfield every month for 9 holes. Anyone that wants the pass can have it for $10

[lukevan]

I haven't recommended a Taylor Made in several years. Top drivers on the market the last few years have been Ping, Cleveland, and Titleist.

Can you delve into this a little further? I've heard lots of great reviews about the Burner and I'm looking at possibly picking up a new driver this season. Like RU, I'm looking for something affordable that's probably a model from a year or two ago.

[Menotti80]

actually, taylor made drivers are used more on tour than all of those drivers. and im pretty sure they are a better seller then titleist and ping...

[dabrew141]

Taylor Made drivers were top on tour a few years ago I know that. The year the R7 tour driver came out. Albeit it was 700 bucks then. I haven't read to much about the Burners yet. I know they are a very affordable driver. I bought a new Cleveland last year switiching away from my Titleist. (need some more forgiveness)

 

Buy a driver that feels good, confidence makes a huge difference.

[razzzorsharp]

Couple notes: I just switched to the NikeSumo5900 which came with a 5 wood (Sumo) for 180 shipped, brand new. I always try to be one year behind the times as there is a huge price drop.

 

Also, I just found out about this deal...

 

http://www.midwestgolfingmagazine.com/subscribe.cfm

 

My brothers and I all ordered it. I just received my first magazine and card in the mail. Seems like an awesome deal even if I only do The Bull.

 

Lastly, I have played courses in Madison, Green Bay, Sheboygan, and Milwaukee. My favorite is still the Irish at Whistling. I played that over 20 times one summer (I worked there) and to me, it is still the funnest course I have played.

[DHonks]

Menotti and I obviously don't agree. I found that the Ping drivers (G5 and G2) were the best drivers I've hit in recent years. They went farther and straighter than anything I'd ever used.

 

The Cleveland drivers sound like a shotgun going off and cover the first 200 yards in a heartbeat, but unfortunately they just don't go as far as the Ping.

 

Titleist are always solid, and finally in the last 2-3 years have rid themselves of the issues plaguing their drivers for the last decade--a dead feeling.

 

I used to have the Taylor Made TP R5, and found that even with the best fitting shaft, it tended to spray the ball. I've never been impressed with the R7, although the Superquad was a huge upgrade. Unfortunately the price is ridiculous.

 

The Burner has never impressed me, going all the way back to the huge flop of the 90s, the Burner Bubble. When I caddied, 1/2 the members had it while half had the Great Big Bertha. Nobody was able to hit the Burner Bubble straight, although it went far. The more recent Burner hasn't impressed me at all. The last Taylor Made driver I liked was a Taylor Made 300 (I can't remember if it had letters). It was nice, and its steel shaft and 7.5-degrees helped me finally learn to harness my swing (back when I thought about trying to go pro).

 

I hear occasional good things about Nike drivers, but I've never found a piece of Nike golf equipment that I liked.

 

I should have more in about two weeks, as I'm going to the Southwest's biggest demo day soon.