A Tiger Sighting in Wisconsin

[Brad Swanson]

I had the pleasure of joining John (Tiger) Bernhardt and Dick Daly (The Unofficial Ambassador to Lawsonia) for a wonderful round of golf at Lawsonia Links today.  The course and company were great.  I am happy to see altered green mowing patterns that are reclaiming lost green surfaces at the edges of many greens relative to a few years back.  Also of particular note was the maintenance meld which had the slightly brown tinged fairways playing firm.  Greenspeeds were relatively modest, but considering the slopes on some of the greens it would be tough to get them all consistently faster without having some unreasonable greens and many fewer hole positions.    

Although Tiger said he was off to play Erin Hills in the afternoon, I have a suspicion he is on a booster-sponsored recon mission to Camp Randall to spy on my beloved Badgers.

Cheers,
Brad

[RJ_Daley]

It was a very nice day, and Lawsonia was playing very nicely in maintenance meld.  It was cut plenty wide enough, yet I still missed a few FWs in the native rough, which though I didn't break my limp wrist - did only allow me to advance a ball but a few yards.  The course was presented very fairly to us with true rolling greens about 8 to 8.5 I'd say.  Unfortunately, we started behind some conventioneer types, and it was a long round, somewhere north of 5 hours.  The weather was warm but not oppresive, thus I did not see any pink elephants climbing the hill after the tee ball on 11 as I did last year with the gang.  But, the heat did hit me on the drive home, and I nodded off and almost bought it on the shoulder with the ribbed warning bumps bringing me back from a scary and out of no where slumber.  

Tiger was on to Erin Hills which I am very glad I didn't attempt today.  

The totally remarkable and completely impressive thing for me today was watching Brad, who has not played a single round of golf this year, shoot even par.  3 bogies - 3 birdies and rest pars, as I remember it.  He can flat out play the game!  

Tiger, we await your pronouncements on Erin Hills that I hope you made your tee time.

[Jim Nugent]

Wow, a round with Tiger and Daly.  Maybe you can set the record straight on who is longer off the tee?  

[Dan Moore]

I haven't seen Tiger play in person, but my money's on Brad.  Go Badgers.  

[RJ_Daley]

It is a close race between "that" Daly, and Brad.  As for me, this Daley had to get smart and move up to the white tees after a few holes.  I don't belong on blues...

[Jonathan McCord]

Speaking of Lawsonia, I had an awesome time there back in early May.  The Links course is an absolute blast to play, and provides some very interesting playing characteristics.  The deep bunkers and the elevated greens are a bunch of fun to play.  Here are some of my pictures from the day.

Third Hole from Fairway


Is there a box car under there? Par 3 7th


Playing Partner from right hand bunker on the long Par 3 10th


Fairway bunkers on Par 5 13th


Short Par 3 14th


Par 5 18th


You can get some UNBELIEVEABLE stances at Lawsonia Links

[Joe Perches]

Here are some of my pictures from the day.
You can get some UNBELIEVEABLE stances at Lawsonia Links

And play some great trick shots too?
He doesn't even look at the ball and yet he still makes it right?

[John_Cullum]

That looks like a minimum security prison camp right of the third

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Brad and Dick, it was a pleasure to spend the morning with you two at this splendid course. Dick is the man at two of America's best kept secrets. I made a comment of Lawsonia Links on the par 3 thread before seeing this one. I did have a poor round there after a really good week of play at Whistling Straits. But on that course and with the company of two distinguished GCA guys it was a blast. Brad, I did make it to Erin Hills and I had a most wonderful evening playing a very good course, warts and all. I think this is a case of unreasonable expectations. Erin Hills is a solid if not almost great course. It is not the 2nd coming in my opinion. I think it is the best of the 6 very good modern courses I played in Wisconsin with the exception of the Straits course. However I would rather play Erin Hills than the Straits course. I would rather drink at the Straits course though. lol Yes there are routing issues. 1 and 10 are suspect holes. However there are 10 really great holes which could make anybodies favorite hole list. There are some incredible green complexes. I found the walk from the parking lot to the course stupid and from 18 green back in to be well insult to injury after a day of climbing hills. On a good note the girls that work there are almost worthy of being Tiger Cheerleaders and very friendly. Lets say they could get a try out. It was like they took the quality which was left in the state not already in Madison and hired them at Erin Hills. I did wear my LSU hat throughout the state being the good will type I am lol. I respect those who have little use for Erin Hills and question those who think it is top 5 in America.
I had a wonderful golf experience there and found many places to hit odd fun shots from all over the course given I had it to myself from 3 to 7 last night. Fortunately I got my swing back for the afternoon round. Erin Hills is not a course to dog it around. I played from the blues and it was plenty of course for this Tiger. It will be interesting to see it 5 years from now and see what changes have been made. Brad and Dick, thanks again for the wonderful round at the special course called Lawsonia Links. Brad you golfed your ball like you played for LSU rather than Iowa State lol

[Phil McDade]

That looks like a minimum security prison camp right of the third

John:

Lawsonia is part of a religous-affiliated conference center that hosts groups throughout the year, including a number of church and youth groups. The center offers some rudimentary, bunker-house style housing for them.

The 3rd at Lawsonia, from the left side of the fairway, has one of my favorite views in Wisconsin, similar to Hogan's view of Winged Foot East's 10th as a "3-iron into some guy's bedroom." The 3rd at Lawsonia is a mid-iron into the back porch of a classic Wisconsin farmhouse (the white house behind the dorm house.) The 3rd also skirts what was reputed to be the largest dairy barn in Wisconsin, now apparently used to store the course's equipment.

[RJ_Daley]

The 3rd at Lawsonia, from the left side of the fairway, has one of my favorite views in Wisconsin, similar to Hogan's view ...

With the observation about the prison camp, I thought your were going to refer to "Hogan's" view at Stalag 17.  

It is a darn good hole.  

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Shivas, I had to come home for some business. I had planned to spend the rest of the week down in the great Shivas Kingdom of Chicago. I am a bit concerned Jeff Goldman will have my hide for having kind feelings about EH. lol You have to love a place like Lawsonia whose pro is on a first name basis with one of Chicago's distinguished GCA contributors and our own hickory expert.

[Dan Moore]

That looks like a minimum security prison camp right of the third

I don't know if John is being sly or if that is the right building, but history has that German prisoners of war were housed at Lawsonia during WWII.  That would have been after the resort went belly up during the depression and before the bank sold it to the Baptists.  

[Greg Clark]

John,

I'm playing the Kohler courses and The Bull next week.  What were the conditions of the courses you played?  I've played all but the Irish previously.  If you played the Irish, what were your thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Greg, All are in good if not great shape. I frankly found the Straits course to be far too wet ie not links like. I was going to ask the treehouse if that is normal or just preparation for the Seniors in a few weeks. The Irish is a fun course which is in the same spirit as the Straits without the lake views and less drama. The par 5 4th seems real weak to me. It is like a bad florida hole with water and large waste areas on right and lake on left the 2nd half of the whole. I liked it 3rd best of the 4 courses. I liked the Meadow 2nd to the straits. It has a very strong back nine and fits on the land better than any of the other courses. The Bull is fine and pretty good for a Jack course. It also has some good holes. The greens there were a bit slow. You might consider EH over the Bull given all the buss. it is semi on way from Milwaukee airport to WS.

[Phil McDade]

Tiger:

I do know a good share of Wisconsin got a very good, multi-day drenching just prior to your visit, and that may have accounted for the wetness of the Straits. It was really quite firm and fast at many Wisconsin courses in the late spring before the recent downpour. But we've had a very hot and dry week this past week!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Phil I was aaware of that but I played it the last time Tuesday after the Thursday night showers. The sand bas should have long sense gotten firm again. Frankly it was no drier Tuesday than Saturday.