An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/34796
KEY GOLF 10th hole at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms The Bull earns place in Golf Digestʼs top 100 By JERRY SLASKE KEYMilwaukee Golf Editor THE BULLAT PINEHURST FARMS, just outside of Sheboygan Falls,may look tame, at least fromthe comfort of thewell-appointed clubhouse, but don’t let it fool you. This coursewill beat you up and leave you staggering if you let your guard down. Even if you don’t let your guard down, you’ll feel like you’ve just been involved in a donnybrook. Amazingly, however, you’ll also find yourself think- ing, “I’ve got to come back.” Location, location, location iswhat it’s all about, on just about every shot and every hole. That’swhy you have to play itmore than once. There are just a couple holes thatwill give you a breather of sorts before the Bear’s pawstarts pummeling you. That’s the Bear as in JackNicklaus. Wisconsin’s sole JackNicklaus Signature Course, the Bullwas recently named by Golf Digest as one of America’s top 100 public courses, ranking it #86. The only otherWisconsin courses on that list are the two Blackwolf Run courses and the twoWhistling Straits courses, all part of the Kohler combine and also in the Sheboygan area. By far, The Bull is the best value at $135with a number of specials that could even lower the cost. Among The Bull’s outstanding features are greens that arewell protected by traps, sloping terrain, or water.However, they are receptive, true,manage- ably fast, and undulating – sometimes subtly, some- times not. If you don’t hit them, you’d better hope youmiss in the right location. Dense pockets of mature trees could come into play onmost holes. 50 Perhaps themost challenging and intimidating hole is #5, a par 4 dogleg left, 432 yards – although #18, a par 4, 485 yards, also could vie for honors. Your tee shot on #5must be long and straight down a fairway lined on both sides by dense trees. Favor the left side asmuch as you dare so you have a good look at the green and a relatively flat lie. Your second shot – probably froma slightly downhill or side hill lie – should be about 160 yards over a ravinewhich endswhere the green begins. So it’s all carry. You could bailout right, but there’s a large bunker guarding that route. If you carry it, the fair- way slopes toward the green. Go over the green, you’re chipping back toward the ravine. Number 18 also is a challenge. It looks straightfor- ward, but again looks are deceiving. Your tee shot must carry a lake,which shouldn’t be a problemif you’re playing fromthe tees tomatch your skill level, but it’s determining howmuch of the lake to cut off that’s problematical. Youwant to get as close to this green as possiblewith your tee shot. Cut off too little lake and you could run through the fair- way into bunkers. If your second shot doesn’t carry onto the green, you’re looking at bogey and proba- blyworse because it’smarsh and a creek in front. It’s probably best to aimto the left and then chip up, hoping for a one putt. The par 3s are really fun to play.Numbers 3 (213 yards) and 6 (193 yards) are two of the best in the state.Water runs along the entire right side of #3, while a ravine divides tee fromgreen on #6. Except for #6, each par 3 has a bailout option. Perhaps the toughest hole is #9, a par 4, 453 yards. It’s straight uphill and usually into thewind. You hit to a green – the surface ofwhich you can’t see fromthe fairway – guarded on the left and front by a large, deep bunker. Themost demanding tee shot is probably #16, a par 4, 422 yards, dogleg left. It’s uphill to a narrow landing area. Drivermight not be thewise choice, but if you do use it, cut the corner. Otherwise you’ll go through the fairway and somuch for a second shot. The fairway is lined on both sides by trees and drops off left towetlands. There is little roomfor error. Nomatterwhich tees you play from, the trick at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms is staying on and rid- ing it through to the end. Note: All distances are fromblack (or back) tees.