Trucking a few million cubic yards of sand to the shore of Lake Michigan for the purpose of building a synthetic Irish links experience is more than moderately ambitious. And judging by the golf magazine rankings, full tee sheets and word of mouth during my stay in Wisconsin, the final product is an unqualified success story.
The quaint, well-equipped clubhouse/pro shop/restaurant/locker room.
Practice green.
Bridge to the 1st tee.
1st hole: 497 yards (405 yards or less for mortals) The opening tee shot (sets the tone for the round – with acres of pseudo-sand dunes on either side, the fairway appears wholly inadequate.
For those that find the fairway, a flat lie will be the universal result. Off-piste, the wild undulations manufactured by Pete Dye and his crew provide a stark contrast in fortunes.
Ever enamored with angles, Mr. Dye offsets many of his greens relative to the fairway axis, in this case favoring a drawing approach.
From the left fairway, the 1st green offers a narrow visual target beneath our first of many lake views.
At sunset, the view over the property to Lake Michigan is quite pleasing.
More sandy waste is found beyond the green in this retrospective image.