Hidden Gem: Nagawaukee Golf Course

[TaylorA]

Hello all. I've been reading this board for the better part of 5 years now. I tried to login a couple of years ago, couldn't get my password to work and gave up. However, I decided to make another go of it, and here I am.

I thought I'd start out by mentioning a course that I haven't seen any discussion on here. I've seen a lot of discussion of Lawsonia, which is a great Wisconsin golf course. I lived in the Milwaukee area from 1998 to 2000 and a course that really needs to be discussed is Nagawaukee Golf Course.

Nagawaukee was built in 1956 and designed by Lawrence Packard. The course and surrounding park are owned by Waukesha County, which is the county just west of Milwaukee. It is reportedly the busiest course in the state, according to Gary D'Amato. His review can be read here:

http://www2.jsonline.com/golfplus/jun99/course16061599.asp

It's a parkland course with HUGE greens. They aren't particularly undulating, but they've got a good bit of slope to them. The course plays across fairly steep terrain - especially for Wisconsin. The back nine features some incredible views of Pewaukee Lake.

Some of the strongest holes are the par 4 4th, a medium length par 4 of about 410 yards. It features a pond guarding the right side which you can challenge for a short iron to the green, or play safe leaving a mid-iron.

The par 4 5th is a great short par 4, tempting the big hitter to carry a small cluster of trees to go for the green. The green has some of the most severe undulations on the course, meaning the big hitter who doesn't make it will have a more difficult pitch than the weaker player with a full wedge into the green.

The par 4 10th (which D'Amato didn't like) is a great hole, IMO. It requires the player to make a decision on the tee. A shot of 230 yards is ideal, leaving only a about 170 into the green. It plays shorter than 170, though, since the green is probably 30-40 feet below you. You can challenge a bunker on the right side of the fairway to leave a shorter shot to the green. However, the penalty could be a ball in the woods or, at best, a downhill lie into a very steep sloped green with a defined ridge running through the middle.

The par 5 14th features an incredible view of Pewaukee Lake from high atop a ridge. The hole is fairly strong, but if there is one weakness of the course is three of the four par 5s are repetitive. They all require basically the same strategy of playing a lay up shot to the right to have an open shot to a pushup, kidney shaped green that slopes back to front with a sandtrap guarding front left.

I'd give the course a 7 on the Doak scale. I've played it probably 50 times during the years I lived in Wisconsin. That golf course and the fish fry are what I miss most. I had a ton of pictures of the course, but they were lost in a hard drive crash last year.

Sorry this is so wordy, I'm trying to make up for the lack of pictures. Unfortunately, there aren't any on the web either. Here is a link to the aerial:

http://tinyurl.com/j5fwa

[RJ_Daley]

Taylor, I haven't played the course myself, nor have I seen it.  I have heard from folks that have played there in events that it is a solid test of golf.  Looking at the aerial, it looks like a fine walking course with well placed bunkering.  My local home course, Brown Co. GC is also an Ed Lawrence Packard design.  It has good bones and we don't get tired of playing it.  Packard built some solid courses and others that he did that I've seen indicate he was very good at using the varied terrain for interesting routing and strategy.

Where do you live and play now?  Welcome to GCA.com

[Dan Moore]

I haven't played there in over 20 years but remember it as a fun course with a lot of up and down.  Erin Hills is going to be 20-25 minutes dead north of there just west of Hwy. 83 off Holy Hill Road.

[TaylorA]

RJ-

Thanks for reminding me about Brown Co. GC - I didn't get a chance to play there when I lived in Wisconsin, however I do remember it having a solid reputation. It was hard to pull myself away from Nagawaukee given the fun test that it was and the price. I'm going to try and find some more Packard golf courses and see how they compare. I live in Atlanta now and play most of my golf out of Reunion Golf Course - a very nice Mike Riley design that I'll probably discuss in a thread in the future. Thanks for the welcome - looking forward to it.

Dan-

If you get a chance, you should head over. I think the only substantive change the golf course has had in that time is the removal and redo of the green at 15, which was too bad. It's a short, uphill par 4 that was really interesting because the green was the most severe on the golf course. Huge mound on the left side that you could use as a side board. The new green (done in 1999 if memory serves) is rather bland. I'm looking forward to seeing what Erin is - I'm hoping to get back to Wisconsin in a couple of years.

[Tom Roewer]

Taylor:  Come down to Tampa Bay and you can get a real feel for Packard @ Innisbrook (perhaps you've seen the PGA event on their Copperhead Course which always gets great player reviews),. The Island course there is also very good.  Cypress Run is also a pretty strong Packard layout on a much flatter piece of land.  

[Brendan Dolan]

Nagawaukee Golf Course is a real treat to play.  I played my first round there, and have probably played it a 100 times since then.  The 10th is definitely my favorite hole, but I also really like the 11th a short par five, that could be reached if the bunker on the right was challenged, but over the green was dead.  Overall it is an excellent course.  

Brendan  

[TaylorA]

Tom-

It's been years since I saw Innisbrook on TV. Is it worth the $$ to play? I'd be game to play when I'm in Tampa - whenever that might be. (Perhaps if my Boilers can make it to the Outback Bowl?)

Brendan-

Good call - the 11th is easily the best par 5 at Nagawaukee. I wish they'd take a few of those trees out around that bunker. The kick you can get off the down slope if you're able to carry the bunker is a HUGE reward. I also think the bunkerless 13th is the best of the par 3's.

[Dan Moore]

My friend Mike has played this every time he drives from Madison to Milwaukee to see his mom.  Here's what he has to say:  "the par 3s at Nagawaukee are worth mentioning.  No. 3 is a lengthy loft over a large pond to a characteristic huge green - an easy 3 putt.  No. 8 is a mid-range shot to another large elevated green bunkered in the front and sloping off the back.  No 13 is a very demanding 210-yard uphill shot to more potential 120-foot putts.  No. 16 is the scenic highlight of the spectacular back nine with postcard views of Pewaukee Lake, particularly from the back tees.  It is a 160-180 yard shot to, yet another, large sloping green.  Only the very heartiest should walk the back nine at the Nag."

[Sally Livingston]

Taylor-
Copperhead is in great shape, although I just heard they have added several trees to the course which I haven't seen how they come into play yet.
Larry Packard still lives there at 93 or 94, he's still thinking 92 but who's counting?? I was membership director there '02 - '04 and he and I would spend a couple hours together on Saturdays talking golf course architecture which I believe he enjoyed as much as I did.
At 93 he could still smash the ball straight down the center maybe 150 yards till he got tired. But we spent alot of good time together, me listening to his strategy and many great stories.