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By Jerry Poling
If someone told you there’s a part of the state where you can play 10 or more golf courses within a 45-minute drive, including work by legendary designer Pete Dye, face some of the toughest shots of your life, enjoy spectacular scenery, and that this place is billed as the Golf Capital of Wisconsin, in what direction would you point your car? If your first thought was the Kohler-Sheboygan area, where the construction of high-profile courses in recent years has made it one of the top golf destinations in the world, you’d be wrong. To find the Golf Capital of Wisconsin, as proclaimed by former Gov. Tommy Thompson 10 years ago, you have to head to northwestern Wisconsin to the Hayward-Cable area. You’ll find what has drawn vacationers for more than a century and all types of golfers the last couple of decades – a quintessential Wisconsin experience built around great Northwoods scenery, recreation and events. The lake-splashed region between Eau Claire and Superior still is largely known for its fishing, boating, resorts and world-class events, such as the World Lumberjack Championships and Ameri-can Birkebeiner ski race. However, more and more people are coming for the golf, all of which is open to the public. “We have our historic attractions, but golf is gaining day by day,” said Kevin Ruetten, executive director of the Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve increased our marketing the last five to seven years. We’ve seen a large growth in golf.” The addition of several challenging new courses in recent years, including Dye’s Big Fish GC design and the resort courses Forest Ridges and Teal Wing, is partly why golfers have discovered the Hayward-Cable area. Another big reason is variety. The region has par-3, executive, regulation-length nine-holers and championship tests. The whole family can find a place to play. The green fees are affordable. The scenery and pace of play are relaxing, with forests, lakes and often uncrowded conditions. The setting is hard to beat, with wildlife scooting across the white pine-lined fairways and nary a house or condo to be found. The Hayward-Cable area, as the Golf Capital of Wisconsin, lives up to its billing. It represents golf for the masses, classic state scenery and first-class tourist attractions. For more information about the region and its courses, go to www.wigolfcapital.com, where you can find package golf deals. Also, check out www.haywardlakes.com, (800) 724-2992 and www.cable4fun.com, (800) 533-7454.
Big Fish GC, Hayward
Add world-class golf to the world-class events in Hayward. Located just outside of Hayward near the Lac Courte Oreilles Casino, the addition of Big Fish GC in 2004 instantly made Hayward a bona fide golf destination, if it weren’t already. It’s the only course in the region designed by a big-name architect, the same one who designed the four acclaimed Kohler courses. Dye doesn’t disappoint at Big Fish either. The front nine, in a former corn field, is pure links golf featuring strategic bunkering, prairie grasses and collection areas around the greens. The back nine cuts through a stand of hardwoods, offering a completely different test. At 7,079 yards from the back tees, Big Fish is a championship golf course. The most memorable holes on the front may be two heavily bunkered par-3s and a par-5 with a pond running the length of the left side. On the back, you won’t soon forget the 13th, a 525-yard par-5 over a ridge that tempts you to let fly in two for the green, which is nestled in a valley. Contact: www.bigfishgolf.com; (715) 934-4770.
Forest Ridges GC, Cable Living up to its name, Forest Ridges is a classic Northwoods course that traverses rolling Chequamegon National Forest terrain east of Cable. One of the challenges facing Minnesota architect Joel Goldstrand was finding relatively flat areas for fairways. The woods are thick and the scenery spectacular, especially the par-3s. Three of them are all carry over bog lakes or marshes. Another has a 60-foot drop from tee to green. You might lose a few balls, but you’ll have fun doing it. The 360-yard 16th, uphill over a forest pond, has a 140-foot deep green, which has three stepladder-like levels from front to back. It’s shaped like its name, “Snowman.” Hopefully, you don’t make the dreaded 8. The 16th has an island green with a virgin hemlock growing on it. The course is part of popular Lakewoods Resort on nearby Lake Namekagon.
Contact: www.lakewoodsresort.com; (800) 255-5937.
Teal Wing GC, Hayward The Ross family has been running Teal Lake Lodge east of Hayward for more than 85 years. Now, golfers as well as anglers and nature lovers head to the shores of Teal Lake for a truly up north experience. Tim and Prudence Ross helped design the course, which opened in 1997. The serene setting plays past the Teal River, spring-fed forest ponds and a stand of ancient hemlocks. The tee shots and rolling greens can be demanding. The course is just 6,379 yards from the back tees but has a slope of 139, making it, yard-for-yard, one of the state’s toughest. In fact, Golf Digest this spring named it No. 48 on its list of the 50 toughest courses in America, joking that “apparently no trees were harmed in the making of this golf course.” One of the resort directors, Victoria Ross, said the course is taking its new designation in stride. It’s tough, she agrees, but points out that it has five sets of tees and that projects over the years – including brushing back the vegetation to widen landing areas – have “improved the playability.” Contact: www.tealwing.com, (715) 462-9051.
Hayward G&TC, Hayward Although it’s the oldest course around Hayward, it remains one of the most popular. HGTC opened in 1924, closed during World War II, was expanded to 18 holes in 1970 and remodeled by architect Ken Killian in 1998. The course is mostly flat and not tight by Northwoods standards, but people keep coming back because of its reputation for being in good condition and its playability for all ages and skill levels. It doesn’t hurt that the course is conveniently located, just up Main Street from the shops and restaurants that also are among the area’s attractions.
The par-4s are tough and the 164-yard 14th, over a pretty pond, is a good place to get out the camera. Contact: www.haywardgolf.com; (715) 634-2760.
Telemark GC, Cable Just a half-mile up the road from renowned Northwoods resort Telemark Lodge, Telemark GC winds through white pines and hardwoods and past the ponds and creeks that help make the resort a popular attraction for cross-country skiers and mountain bikers. The course itself is much like a trail, each hole a quiet clearing in the woods, making it memorable and challenging. At 6,407 yards, the length won’t overwhelm you, but the tight fairways might. Opened in 1968 (first nine) and 1970, the course once was owned by the lodge and fell victim at times to its past financial problems. Now privately owned, the course once again is in good condition, with a new driving range, some updated holes and a chalet-style clubhouse overlooking No. 18 that was added in recent years. If you’re having a good round, save something for 16 through 18. They’re not long but can be tricky finishing holes. Contact: www.cable4fun.com/golf27. htm; (715) 798-3104.
Hayward National, Hayward Similar in a way to Big Fish, Hayward National has very different and charming nines. The front is cut from a former red pine plantation, with mature trees framing generous fairways. The more challenging back winds through a pretty wetland. It has far fewer trees but more risk-reward shots, including one to an island green. The course was named Spring Creek when it opened in the early 1990s. The back nine was added in 1997. Contact: www.haywardnational.com; (715) 634-6727.
Spider Lake Golf Resort, Hayward
Spider Lake, a par-36, 3,300-yard nine-hole layout near its namesake body of water, is owned by the same family that owns Telemark GC. The course, however, is much different than Telemark with wide fairways and only a few rows of red pines.
The resort, 13 miles east of Hayward, offers condominiums for rent and other resort amenities. If offers play-and-stay packages that include Telemark. Contact: www.cable4fun.com/golf27. htm; (715) 462-3200.
Roynona Creek GC, Hayward Want to play a quick nine with the family before dinner? Hoping to introduce the game to someone? Roynona Creek, par-30, may be your course. It features five ponds, including one that players must carry on the 140-yard ninth hole. The 360-yard sixth hole is the longest of three par-4s. The course is on the north side of Hayward, behind the Pizza Hut on Highway 63. Contact: www.roynona.com; (715) 634-5880.
Lakeview Golf & Pizza, Hayward This shady, par-3 layout is another great place for a quick nine or for beginning golfers. The course is set on a peninsula between popular Round Lake and Lovejoy Lake, about nine miles east of Hayward. Neither lake comes into play, although both are visible from the course, which has been open since the early 1960s. It has been owned and operated for the last 11 years by Joan and John Cornale. The best holes may be the 124-yard seventh, with the green perched on a hillside, or the 153-yard third hole, the longest on the course, with woods behind and left of the green. People may come for the golf, but they also come for the homemade pizza and other fare, which can be enjoyed overlooking the ninth green. Contact: (715) 462-3787.
Tahkodah Hills GC, Cable A nine-hole, par-35 layout next to the Chequamegon National Forest, Tahko-dah Hills is a short but sporty nine at 2,635 yards. The woods come into play, but the holes are not tree-lined. The course is short, but look out for the 236-yard sixth, a long par-3; the 385-yard fourth, the Happy Hollow hole, so designated because the green is nestled in a valley; or the 237-yard, par-4 ninth, a short dogleg with the green guarded by trees, tempting big hitters. Water comes into play on two holes. Tahkodah was built in 1970 by a Racine businessman who spent summers at nearby Lake Owen. It has been owned since 1975 by Bev and Terry Pogwizd. Contact: (715) 798-3760.
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