An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/335660
By JERRY SLASKE KEY Milwaukee Golf Editor 50 IF YOU WANT a full-service golf club with excel- lent clubhouse, food, and banquet facilities…and, oh yes, a meticulously groomed course with bent- grass tee to green, and greens second to none (run- ning at about 11 when I played them recently and truer than the Bible), but without the sticker shock, then Whispering Springs Golf Club in Fond du Lac is the place to go. Without a doubt, this is southeastern Wisconsin's – if not all of Wisconsin's – best-kept secret and value. (Note to anyone coming to the state for the 2015 PGA at Whistling Straits or the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills, plan on playing Whispering Springs while you're here. It's only about an hour from each of these courses, and about 65 minutes north of Milwaukee.) With five sets of tees measuring between 5,200 and 7,000 yards, everyone can enjoy this course. But it's certainly no pushover. A bit of brawn and brains go a long way here. Whispering Springs' front nine is somewhat of a links-style with water and sand on six and eight of the nine respectively. Greenside bunkers guard seven of the holes. Six of the holes on the back nine – the older of the nines – are wooded and lined with homes – none of which are obtrusive, except if you stray too far right on number 12, a downhill narrow par 4 (430 yards from the back tees). Water comes into play on two of the holes and all nine have greenside bunkers with fairway bunkers on six holes. This is definitely a shotmaker's paradise. Except on a couple holes, don't expect to be able to roll the ball onto the green. You have to hit the green or pay the penalty of sand, water, and in several cases, a false front or caroms off steep banks. For the most part, the greens slope from back to front, but there is plenty of undulation in between. Every hole in the Whispering Springs bunch is solid, but numbers 9 and 18 standout from the rest. In fact, I wouldn't be too bold in saying these are two of the best finishing holes you'll find any- KEY GOLF Golf club ranks right up there with Wisconsin's best holes Whispering Springs deserves a shoutout