Swinging through northern Wisconsin: Minocqua

For nearly a century, golfers have relished the woods and lakes between Sayner and Rhinelander.

© Timber Ridge

The woods and waters of north central Wisconsin offer some of the best vacation opportunities in the Midwest.

Stretching from Hayward in the west to Minocqua in the east, you will find fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and Friday fish fries.

There's also a little bar at nearly every intersection — sometimes, two.

The area has a long history of golf, dating to the opening of the Plum Lake course in Sayner in 1912.

Where Hayward is boisterous and brash, Minocqua is relaxed and comfortable. Its cross-state rival claims the world's largest musky, the world's best hamburger, the world's best 10-hole golf course, the Lumberjack World Championships and the title of Wisconsin's Golf Capital.

Minocqua has almost twice as many residents, but folks there temper their boasts with a bit of Midwestern humility.

Cleverly nicknamed the Island City, downtown Minocqua sits squarely in the middle of Lake Minocqua, crossed by two bridges that carry travelers on U.S. 51.

Hayward is a quick 2½-hour drive from the Twin Cities, but the Milwaukee and Chicago folks who vacation in Minocqua need 4½ to 6½ hours to get there.

Perhaps that defines the two towns' personalities, as visitors to the Minocqua area tend to stay longer and are more able to develop a vacation inner peace.

Though it doesn't hold the Golf Capital title, it did wrest the Musky Capital of the World trademark back from Hayward, after a protracted legal tussle.

And the Minocqua area gives its counterpart a run for its money with stylish, high-quality golf courses between the historic Plum Lake in the north to the beefy Northwood municipal course in Rhinelander, to the south.

Rhinelander is more businesslike than Minocqua. With its Wisconsin River location, it has some industry and a bigger-city vibe. The city-owned Northwood Golf Club was designed by Don Herfort and opened for play in 1989.

© Beth Gauper

This is not your normal muni-course. This is a professional, big-time golf course stretching more than 6,700 yards, with a first-class bar and restaurant, practice facility and GPS on the golf carts.

Golf Digest has awarded the course its second-highest ranking, 4½ stars, and named it one of the best municipal course in the country. That makes peak rates for walking a relative steal.

As you line up the tee shot on the par-3 11th hole, you will notice tightness in your throat and dampness in your palms. It's only 130 yards, but the green appears to be an island with zero room for error.

There is, in fact, more room behind the green than it might appear, so a few times around the course will improve your score. A huge rock water feature that is visible from several holes dominates the middle of the course.

Just south of Minocqua, Timber Ridge Golf Club is the centerpiece of a self-contained community designed by superstar Roger Packard and built in 1977.

A service-oriented staff holds sway over leagues, lessons and clinics that provide a wealth of entertainment value to residents as well as casual visitors.

The course features five sets of tees, ranging from 4,700 to 6,700 yards, that accommodate junior members as well as big hitters.

There is plenty of personality to the course layout without the ball-gobbling intrusion of the northern forest. Signature No. 16 is a 165-yard par three that appears to be all railroad ties and sand when you contemplate your tee shot, but most of the holes are built to be friendly to the community residents.

A few miles north of Minocqua and across the road from Trout Lake is Trout Lake Golf Club. The historic claim to fame for Trout Lake is that it is the oldest 18-hole course in this area; by 1926, it had a full 18 in play.

Originally a potato farm, the clubhouse is the original residence, with wrap-around porches and cozy sitting areas to watch the meandering Trout River out the back door.

The river also is the dominant feature on the course, and native-grass areas add personality and intrigue to the course.

With bouncy poa-grass tees, greens and fairways, there is a consistent feel and perfect conditions throughout.

Trout Lake has received four stars from Golf Digest as well as a Best Places to Play designation, and it has hosted Wisconsin PGA events.

© Beth Gauper

Even closer to Minocqua is the St. Germain Golf Club, owned and operated by the town of St. Germain. This municipal course is a beautiful blend of sophisticated in-town golf club with some distant corners to remind you that you are still in the woods.

The front nine was designed by Gilmore Graves in 1993 and in 1996 was followed by the back nine, designed by Don Stepanek. The two were magically integrated into a full 18 that flows effortlessly through stands of white and Norway pines.

The local version of Amen corner, made up of holes 5, 6 and 7, is tucked in the farthest reaches of the property. This is where you need to slow down your game and take a minute to remind yourself that a great day on the golf course is about more than shots and scores.

The soft hand of the designer on this gorgeous stretch is certainly the best possible use of this land. Playing to a robust 6,651 yards, the rest of the course is an interesting blend of double doglegs, double fairways and double bunkers that dare you to unravel the best way to play each hole.

A few miles farther east is another municipal, Eagle River Golf Course. The entrance to the course is unceremoniously located behind a shopping area in Eagle River, and the view from the clubhouse doesn't seem very dramatic.

As it turns out, that view is of the practice area and the first few holes from the original 1923 design.

Once you reach hole No. 6, you begin a swooping up-and-down, back-and-forth ride through a beautifully crafted, rolling landscape that is mostly the 1988 back-nine creation of Don Herfort.

Particularly noticeable are the contoured fairways that are graded to accept shots regardless of ball flight. Even if one strays, the bordering woods have been meticulously brushed, allowing a punch-out to get back in play.

The result is a very well-maintained, player-friendly course that has received four stars from Golf Digest.

Our tour of the Wisconsin woods will end where it all began, Plum Lake Golf Club, just north of Sayner and about a half hour northeast of Minocqua. This nine-hole, 3,100-yard classic was built in 1912 on the shores of Plum Lake.

In spite of its age, the course continues to win awards both for its historical significance and its quality of play.

In 1912, Woodrow Wilson defeated incumbent William Taft and a gone-rogue Teddy Roosevelt, and politics certainly were discussed in the wooden chairs on the wrap-around deck of the clubhouse.

This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of the history of the Wisconsin north woods.

© Beth Gauper

Trip Tips: Golfing around Minocqua, Wisconsin

For a guide to golf courses in the Hayward area, see Swinging through northern Wisconsin: Hayward.

For more about lodging, dining and sightseeing, see our stories about Minocqua, Boulder Junction and Eagle River.

For more about the area's gangster history, see Chasing gangsters in Wisconsin.

Dining: The Rhinelander Café and Pub in downtown Rhinelander definitely is the town gathering place. Turn right when you walk in and you can pull up at the breakfast-lunch counter, or turn left and cozy up to the bar.

Walk farther in and you will be in the massive dining room, where you can eat three tasty home-style meals a day at bargain prices. If you can't find a place to park on Brown Street, there is a big lot in the back with a door to the dining room. 715-362-2424.

You often hear someone say, "no trip is complete without . . . " but in the case of McGregors Blink Bonnie Supper Club in St. Germain, that's all you hear.

Known locally as "The Blink," this steak house is located almost across the street from the St. Germain Golf Club, which makes it the perfect conclusion to an afternoon on the links.

They don't take reservations, so the crowd literally will tail-gate in the parking lot in the late afternoon, waiting for the doors to open. The wait can be more than an hour during busy times, but the full bar is renowned for classic cocktails, so who cares (except the designated driver).

Parking tip: Street parking appears free and plentiful in downtown Minocqua, but looks are deceiving. The parking meters are tucked up by the buildings across the sidewalk from the street, so bring your change.

Best Bets

Here are our picks for the best golfing in northeast Wisconsin.

Best place to golf

St. Germain Municipal, St. Germain

Most intimidating tee shot

Hole #11, North Wood, Rhinelander

Best value

Eagle River Golf Club, Eagle River