Wisconsin Golf- My Field of Dreams

I left for home a day early, cutting my Wisconsin golf trip one day short. Kelsey was shocked when I showed up at the door. Never one to miss a round of golf, I was shocked too. Wisconsin has some of the most incredible golf courses that I have ever played. At Whistling Straits I found my Field of Dreams. But, after two days of golf and midway through my 4th round a thought came to my mind, “go home.”

This wasn’t the Happy Gilmore “Go Home” but a feeling that I needed to “go home”. I was shocked. I was playing great. The golf courses were incredible. The weather was fantastic. This was my baseball diamond in a middle of a cornfield. Still, it was time to go home.

Wisconsin Golf

Wisconsin was my stomping grounds from 2007 to 2011 during med school. Besides the Green Bay Packers, cheese, and brats, Wisconsin is home to 10 of the top 100 public golf courses in the USA. Too poor to play them during med school, I had been wanting to go back for years. Courses like Whistling Straits, Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Black Wolf Run, Erin Hills, calling me back home like Shoeless Joe Jackson. I was the “He” in their “If you build it, He will come”

There are too many amazing golf courses in Wisconsin to know them out in one trip. My friends played 7 courses, I played 4: Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, Black Wolf Run, and Whistling Straits.

Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes

Sand Valley, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, was voted as Golf Digest’s top new course of 2017. It is #18 on Golf Digests Top 100 Public Golf Courses. Mammoth Dunes, designed by David McLay Kidd (Architect of Bandon Dunes and Gamble Sands) is not far behind at #27.

I preferred Sand Valley to Mammoth Dunes, but my playing partners were split. I shot a 74 at Sand Valley and an 82 at Mammoth Dunes which probably influenced my decision a bit. Without playing them for yourselves pictures will have to do.

Sand Valley

Mammoth Dunes

Black Wolf Run- Meadow Valley

The beauty of this course perhaps is dwarfed by it’s sister course the River and by it’s neighbor course Whistling Straits. Still a blast to play and worth the effort to visit.

Black Wolf Run- Meadow Valley

Whistling Straits- My Field of Dreams

When I first arrived at Whistling Straits Rudy’s Dad’s words popped into my mind “This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen”.

“Is this Heaven”

“No, this is Wisconsin”

“I could have sworn this was Heaven”

Adapted from Field of Dreams

Pete Dye is one of the more famous architects in the golf world. His masterpiece of Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin is the most majestic golf course I have ever played. It now ranks #1 on my list of top courses.

Whistling Straits

Go Home

Maybe my appetite was satisfied. Maybe I had as much heaven as I could handle. Possibly my field of dreams was meant to be played just once. Maybe I’m just crazy. But, I changed my plane ticket and packed my bags. I missed out on some great courses, but it was time to go home.

“Is there a Heaven?”

“It’s the place where dreams come true”

Field of Dreams

About the Author

I’m a husband, dad, golfer, and doctor navigating his way through life. I‘ve tried to make millions with GolferMD.com but spent thousands instead. I want to be known as more than just a golfer, but some days a golfer is all I want to be.