Last year, my buddy Nick started up an annual golf tournament called the “Member/Guest Tournament.” We held it last year at Silver Spring Country Club, and the inaugural tourney was won by Mike Heerey (Tuckaway CC), and “Whoever he played with.” It turns out that was Nick, who claims he contributed on a hole or two.
We can always be pretty sure that Mike will win it, because he’s a really good golfer.
For this year’s member/guest tournament, though, Mike was teamed up with his friend, Dan, and playing in the same grouping as my friend, Jason, and me. Jason, one of my best friends from college at UW-La Crosse, is probably my favorite person in the world to hang out with, but has only played golf a handful of times in his life. I figured we were donating money for this gambling event.
It turned out, though, that Jason’s game is going pretty well, and my ball-striking has turned for the better in the past couple of weeks since playing a round with a member at North Hills Country Club, Bob. I double-bogeyed the par four third hole on the Meath course at Ironwood, but still shot 40 on the front. I am sad to say, but that was my best nine holes of the entire 2013 golf season.
Mike’s back was in a lot of pain, and he was grimacing after every shot like Tiger Woods when he’s not playing well. Dan, on the other hand, played very well, and finished with a 78. Even though Mike probably shot his worst round of the year, the Heerey team won as it always should. My guess is that Jason and I probably finished in third place, which is not too shabby!
Located in Lisbon, Wisconsin, but with a Sussex address, Ironwood is the Milwaukee area’s king of group outings.
Growing up in Hartland, Ironwood is a course I have been very familiar with for decades. I played there growing up, and during my freshman year on the golf team at Arrowhead High School, and quite a few times since then.
My favorite nine at Ironwood is their newest nine, the Birr. For our tournament, though, we played the Meath and Callow courses, which are their original two. Of the two, I love the Meath, and especially the aforementioned third hole on the Meath that I happened to double-bogey during my round to keep me from playing this “Front nine” under 40.
Here are photos from this past Saturday morning’s round at Ironwood Golf Course, starting on the Meath course and then going to the Callow:
The ultimate risk/reward hole, the third on the Meath course is just 278 yards from the tips, but plays to a green on a peninsula lined with water on three sides. The left side is quite open, so the smart play is to strike the ball down the left side with a long iron, and play a wedge in.
If the tee shot is sliced, the right half of the fairway can be played, but leaves a tough shot over water to a heavily sloped green.
After hitting a great tee shot in the fairway on the sixth, here is how I was rewarded with one potential second shot: A drawn knocked-down six-iron around the tree.
Here is more of what you can see with a shot played to the right side of the treeline on the sixth hole:
Course Wrap-Up:
Location: Sussex, WI
Yardage: Black-6,522, Blue-6,412, White-5,755, Red-4,672
Par: 72
Weekend Rates: $62.00 (including cart)