Milwaukee area

[Olson12]

A friend and I are headed to Milwaukee end of May.  We land at 2pm and are looking for a good warmup course we can play that afternoon.  I hear it doesn’t get dark until almost 9pm that time of year.  
 

Just looking for something within 30 min of the airport. We may also have time the day we fly out early in the AM in the same area so 2 options would be great. 

[Dr.Frankenputz]

Morningstar 

Brown Deer

New Berlin Hills

Oakwood

Ives Grove

Edgewood

 

[TBone0576]

I’m not sure it will be staying light quite that late in May.  Based on where we are with the time zone you can easily tee off before 6am if a course will let you out though.  

[Olson12]

11 hours ago, Dr.Frankenputz said:

Morningstar 

Brown Deer

New Berlin Hills

Oakwood

Ives Grove

Edgewood

 

Thanks for the options. Which one would you say is top of the list for you?  

[big_cat37]

Of that group…Brown Deer is tops. The finest MKE Co. municipal and where Tiger made his professional debut. If you’re looking for something fun and easier, I recommend Greenfield Park. Another gem with great rolling terrain and awesome greensides. Nagawaukee would also be a good option, the top Waukesha County municipal. 
 

If you expand range to 45 minutes, Lac La Belle is the premier in the metro area. Washington County is also a class above…Erin Hills but make it muni. 

[Dr.Frankenputz]

9 hours ago, Olson12 said:

Thanks for the options. Which one would you say is top of the list for you?  

I’d do Morningstar & Brown Deer over the others on my list. 

Agree that Lac LaBelle is really good, Washington Co and Naga are also very good if you have the time to get a bit further from the airport. 

Edited April 14 by Dr.Frankenputz

[games]

On 4/13/2025 at 3:21 PM, Olson12 said:

A friend and I are headed to Milwaukee end of May.  We land at 2pm and are looking for a good warmup course we can play that afternoon.  I hear it doesn’t get dark until almost 9pm that time of year.  
 

Just looking for something within 30 min of the airport. We may also have time the day we fly out early in the AM in the same area so 2 options would be great. 

 

You've been given some good options. Where is the first "official" round of your trip?

 

If you don't mind heading south toward the Illinois border, you could get to Brighton Dale Links within 35 minutes. It's a 27-hole muni that's always in good shape. The larger complex might give you some flexibility in getting in more holes before sunset, but I don't know how strict the rangers are at twilight. 

 

Edited April 15 by games

[Olson12]

15 hours ago, games said:

 

You've been given some good options. Where is the first "official" round of your trip?

 

If you don't mind heading south toward the Illinois border, you could get to Brighton Dale Links within 35 minutes. It's a 27-hole muni that's always in good shape. The larger complex might give you some flexibility in getting in more holes before sunset, but I don't know how strict the rangers are at twilight. 

 

 

We land Thursday @ 2pm: Open

Friday: Hosting a client and they chose Ironwood Golf - don't know much about it but that's the course they chose so don't want to push them. 

Sat: Lawsonia
Sun: SV and Sedge

Monday Morning: Open

 

[MountainKing]

I would put another vote in for Brown Deer, easy to get to from the airport, fun course that used to hold a PGA event.  I'm not sure who told you 9pm, but that's not true at all.  Milwaukee, like Chicago, is on the east side of the timezone so we lose daylight first.  In May you're probably good until about 8 to 8:15pm.  After that, depending on the clouds etc you'll hit a combo of playing in conditions making it tough to see the ball, and pissing the golf course employees off who want to go home after a full day.

[games]

1 hour ago, Olson12 said:

 

We land Thursday @ 2pm: Open

Friday: Hosting a client and they chose Ironwood Golf - don't know much about it but that's the course they chose so don't want to push them. 

Sat: Lawsonia
Sun: SV and Sedge

Monday Morning: Open

 

 

Played Ironwood several times when I lived in Wisconsin. Solid courses and a good warmup for the rest of your trip.

 

Given the quality of the courses you're playing on Saturday and Sunday, I'd probably go with Brown Deer, which is a parkland-style course with majestic mature trees shaping many of the fairways. A nice complement to the rest of your trip.

 

If your Thursday hotel is near Ironwood, there are a lot of good tracks north and west of MKE. Someone already mentioned Nagawaukee due west of MKE, which is scenic and always in fine condition. Wanaki, like Nagawaukee, is also a muni run by Waukesha County. Wanaki is actually tougher than Nagawaukee but isn't quite as scenic. Fairways of Woodside is always decent. 

 

My personal favorite is Washington County which exceeds your 30-minute mark away from the airport, but it's really good. For a muni, it's at the level of Brown Deer in terms of conditioning and challenge.

 

If you land at 2pm and you get out of MKE at 3pm, you could still make any of the above courses before evening leagues start.

[klebs01]

On 4/15/2025 at 10:32 AM, Olson12 said:

 

We land Thursday @ 2pm: Open

Friday: Hosting a client and they chose Ironwood Golf - don't know much about it but that's the course they chose so don't want to push them. 

Sat: Lawsonia
Sun: SV and Sedge

Monday Morning: Open

 

Yikes on Ironwood. It’s good for drinking beer in a scramble but that’s about it. 
 

Im not a fan of the business model being local, but Lac La Belle would be a lot better and a good option for Thursday. Especially if your hotel is west of town. 
 

Washington county or Brown Deer are probably your best options for Monday. Maybe Wild rock or University Ridge would be good alternatives if driving back to Milwaukee Monday morning.  

[Olson12]

16 hours ago, klebs01 said:

Yikes on Ironwood. It’s good for drinking beer in a scramble but that’s about it. 
 

Im not a fan of the business model being local, but Lac La Belle would be a lot better and a good option for Thursday. Especially if your hotel is west of town. 
 

Washington county or Brown Deer are probably your best options for Monday. Maybe Wild rock or University Ridge would be good alternatives if driving back to Milwaukee Monday morning.  

 

 

That's unfortunate on Ironwood but I'm kind of stuck since its a client and that's what they chose.  Al in all I can tolerate a dud since there are so many other good options. Thank you everyone for your recommendations. 

[JimV10-4]

			Price- Walking	Distance
Southeast WI - < 1 Hour	Rating		October	Frm Airport
Blackwolf Run - Kohler	5		>$400	1 hour	Amazing.
Erin Hills	5		>$400	1 hour	Amazing.
Whistling Straits - Kohler	5		>$400	1 hour	Amazing.
The Bog	4.5		$74 (Cart)	40 Min	Haven't played it for a while. Popular.
Geneva National Resort	4.5		$100 (Cart)	50 Min	Haven't played it for a while. Popular.
Grand Geneva Resort -The Brute	4.5		$69 (Cart) Wnsdy	50 Min	Played it a handful of times years ago. Very nice.
Bull at Pinehurst Farms	4.5		$129.00	50 Min	Nicklaus designed course. Tough. Haven't played it.
Nagawaukee	4		$39.00	30 Min	Play multiple times per year. One of my local favorities.
Washington County	4		$50.00	35 Min	Play multiple times per year, Super popular.
Broadlands	4		$44.00	40 Min	Very nice, scenic course,
Hawks View	4		$89/$69 (Cart)	50 Min	Haven't played it.
Brown Deer GC	4		$81 (Non Card)	20 Min	Muni course. Former course on PGA tour where Tiger played his first professional round of golf. Not a wow factor but a nice layout.
Oakwood GC	3.5		$45.00	10 Min	Solid muni course.

[Olson12]

Great start to the trip yesterday at Brown Deer. Sunset deal $27 to walk and it came with a drink.