Every corner of Wisconsin is filled with breathtaking scenery, and beautiful drives connect it all together.  One of my favorite scenic drives in all of Wisconsin is the route along the Mississippi River from Hager City to Prairie du Chien, then continued on to Dubuque, Iowa.  The river valley in this area is spectacular from both banks of the river and driving down the Wisconsin and back up the Minnesota side any time of the year is serene.

Along this beautiful stretch is the city of La Crosse.  Nestled into the bluffs along the Mississippi, the city bustles with summer festivals and year-round activities.  The largest metropolitan area on the state’s western border, La Crosse retains a small-town charm that’s typical of most that dot the Wisconsin countryside and makes our state so special.

As much as I enjoyed the incredible scenic drive from Hudson down to La Crosse, the incredible people and all that La Crosse has to offer, it was the La Crosse Country Club that was my main draw.  Its reputation as a beautifully maintained private club that is as challenging as it is picturesque has always piqued my interest and I have been eager to experience it for myself.

Like most of us, I’m always on the lookout to make connections and find ways to play some of the best private clubs I can. When I saw La Crosse CC playing host as a Wisconsin State Am qualifier location, I identified my opportunity and signed up when registration opened. July 1^st had become the placeholder for my eighteenth private Wisconsin golf club played. 

The course winds its way through two valleys tucked between the river bluffs. The front nine encompasses one valley and the back nine occupies the other. Many holes play parallel to one another, but the dynamic elevation changes and genius routing ensure no two holes feel the same and that only the most wayward shots interfere with play on adjacent holes.

The course doesn’t have the dramatic flair of wild green complexes or enormous crater-like bunkers like many modern courses. Instead, it has the nostalgic feel of a classic layout that has stood the test of time.

While I won’t detail my performance, which may have been my worst ever display of ball-striking, playing in an individual competition under tournament conditions was a valuable experience. What I will detail, however, is the incredible golf course and club that is La Crosse Country Club.

The History of La Crosse Country Club

La Crosse Country Club has an interesting history as one of the oldest clubs in Wisconsin, but with a few important caveats. In August 1900, the local newspaper, The La Crosse Chronicle, reported on a new club being built in the bluffs region known as Miller’s Coulee. With the construction of a new clubhouse, LCCC was born. Golf was documented to have been played on the site as early as 1892, a year earlier than at Wisconsin’s oldest course, Eagle Springs Golf Resort.

The club has since relocated 5.5 miles up the road to its current location in Onalaska, opening a new clubhouse and course in 1994. After nearly a century at the original location, a land lease agreement with the city of La Crosse expired and prompted the club to relocate. They commissioned the world-renowned Arthur Hills to design a championship golf course that would be fair to all golfers yet challenge the best players with its slick greens and thick rough.

My first look at La Crosse Country Club was not as an avid golfer enjoying a casual round, but as a focused competitor among a field of scratch golfers, all vying for one of six spots in the State Amateur qualifier. I was in the first group off the tee, helping set the pace for the day. With the announcement of the WSGA starter, “Now on the tee, from Hudson, WI: Mark McCorkel,” my journey at La Crosse Country Club began.

This is every hole at La Crosse Country Club

Hole 1 (Par 4, 390 yards, 11 hcp):

La Crosse Country Club opens with a confidence-building par four that bends ever so slightly left to right. The right-hand side follows the property line with OB on that side, while a cluster of fairway bunkers on the left separates this fairway from the ninth. The fairway here is wide and relatively flat, providing players with ample space to calm their nerves and hit anything from a long iron to driver, putting them in an advantageous position to attack the opening green.

I took advantage of this wide fairway and opted for driver off the tee, hitting my typical sweeping fade that found the center of the fairway—one of only five fairways I would manage to hit all day. The green is framed by mounds on the left and a greenside bunker on the right. Sloping gently back to front, it’s a welcoming starting hole where players can make an early par or even get into red figures quickly.

Hole 2 (Par 4, 439 yards, 3 hcp):

The second hole is a long par four that runs parallel to the eighth, playing from an elevated tee box to a narrowing fairway tucked into the hillside. The ideal tee shot is to the left side of the fairway, giving you a clear view of the green with multiple avenues to play into. However, be cautious not to stray too far left, as OB looms and the hillside rough is thick, often unwilling to kick a ball back to the fairway. The bailout area is to the right, but it’s no picnic either (trust me, I know). Subtle mounds and thick, deep rough separate the second and eighth fairways from one another.

From the right side, you must carry three large greenside bunkers at an awkward angle to reach the green or choose to lay up. One misstep can result in a big number and quickly derail your game plan if you’re not cautious.

Hole 3 (Par 5, 560 yards, 1 hcp):

The third hole, the longest on the course, will play as a three-shot par five for most golfers. If you think you can overpower this hole, it will require a well-placed tee shot. The fairway sweeps out to the left with two fairway traps on the right-hand side in the landing zone. The shape of the hole and the position of the tee box make it hard not to aim for the traps, but you need to play the hole as it’s intended and aim out to the left.

The rest of the hole plays gently downhill to a deep green protected by a greenside bunker on the left and deep swells on the right. The rough in these low spots around the greens is gnarly, adding to the challenge of the approach.

Hole 4 (Par 4, 346 yards, 7hcp):

Walking off the longest hole on the course, the fourth is the shortest of the par 4s playing at 346 yards from the tips.  The fourth is the shortest of the par fours, playing at 346 yards from the tips. It plays out to the end of the valley before turning back towards the clubhouse. While a long iron is all that’s required off the tee, it’s tempting to pull out the driver and aim for the green, leaving a short pitch shot in. This hole offers a multitude of approaches to score well.

I resisted the temptation to go for it and opted for a long iron to the center of the fairway, leaving myself an approach wedge in. Regardless of your choice off the tee, be mindful of the four fairway bunkers that anchor the fairway and the two more guarding the green. Any shot that misses the green will leave you well below the putting surface, making an up and down for par a challenging task.

Hole 5 (Par 3, 228 yards, 17 hcp):

The longest of the par threes, the 228-yard fifth hole, plays downhill and generally requires a club shorter than the distance suggests—unless the wind is a factor, which it almost always is. Like most greens at La Crosse Country Club, a greenside bunker waits to catch any mishits, leaving you below the sloped surface. The fifth hole is another great reminder to stay below the hole on these slanted, slick greens. Walking off with a par on this hole feels like gaining a stroke on the field.

Hole 6 (Par 5, 502 yards, 9 hcp):

The sixth is a great risk/reward par five. The dogleg left fairway tempts long hitters to cut as much of the corner as they can, but three fairway bunkers await those who bite off more than they can chew, with a fourth bunker through the fairway. The real test, however, is the approach. It’s the first of only four holes where water comes into play. The green is tucked into a gentle hillside with water on the right and two greenside bunkers on the left along the hill. The green slopes right to left and back to front, making any chip from above the hole a true test of nerves and touch. A few well-struck shots can be rewarded with a red number on the sixth.

Hole 7 (Par 3, 196 yards, 15hcp):

The seventh is a long par three that requires an all-carry shot over a pond to one of the gentler greens on the course. Although you might want to hit a draw into the green to avoid leaving your tee shot hanging out over the water, trees on the right take that shot away. The best approach is to take dead aim and be aggressive. Two bunkers protect the right side of the green and a third guards the left. Sitting exposed at the bottom of the valleys cutting through the bluffs, it’s crucial to note the wind and err on the side of caution with one extra club.

Hole 8 (Par 4, 434 yards, 13 hcp):

The par four eighth runs alongside the second, with OB on the left and ripples through the right rough extending into the fairway. While it’s one of the less stressful approach shots on the course, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. The ripples through the fairway are likely to leave you with an uneven lie, and the room for error around the green is minimal. OB comes up quickly on the left, while a steep hill and a large greenside bunker must be avoided on the right. It’s a good scoring hole if you can find the green in regulation and stay below the hole.

Hole 9 (Par 4, 454 yards, 5hcp):

Perhaps the most attention-grabbing tee shot at La Crosse Country Club is on the ninth, a great finish to the front side. Its elevated tee to a dogleg left fairway offers many options, depending on how bold you are. A large fairway bunker protects the left side and needs to be carried for those who want a wedge into the green. The smart play is to avoid the trap altogether and play out to the right, though this leaves a longer second shot. Since I had already thrown caution to the wind by this point, I took the aggressive approach with a driver and hit the best shot of the round over the trap to the center of the fairway. OB looms down the right-hand side and comes up quickly for errant tee shots that hang in the sky too long. The approach plays over a creek that runs through both the eighteenth and ninth holes into an elevated green that is severely pitched back to front. Walking away with one of my few pars here felt like a birdie.

Hole 10 (Par 4, 385 yards, 10 hcp):

The back nine opens with a shorter par four that plays away from the clubhouse and parallels a pond down the entire right-hand side. Two fairway traps on the left will hold your attention, narrowing the fairway and forcing consideration of less than driver off the tee. The approach shot is one of the more demanding on the course, with no room for error: there’s a deep collection area short left, a large bunker short right, water on the right, and thick rough on a hillside left and long. Regardless of the pin position, an approach to the center of the green will yield the best opportunities.

Hole 11 (Par 4, 466 yards, 8 hcp):

The long par four eleventh is a brute with no real frills.  A missed fairway will turn this into a par five quick as the position of the green demands a focused approach shot.  With only one small trap greenside, the hole is a test of ball striking and control more than anything.  Find the fairway, find the green, and you’re likely to find a par.

Hole 12 (Par 5, 543 yards, 2 hcp):

My favorite hole on the course, this long par five offers another good risk/reward tee shot that can set you up for a red number. The fairway snakes up and around a long fairway bunker on the left and comes back into view beyond the trap. Playing downwind, a big tee shot is required to carry the trap and find the fairway, setting up a chance to go for the green. Any miss left in the rough or trap takes that opportunity away, but a large layup area short of the green provides options for a fairway metal or long iron to position yourself for an up and down. Three traps protect the front of the green, forcing a carry onto the putting surface that is wide, shallow, and sloped back to front. While I didn’t find the fairway and definitely didn’t gain a stroke back, it was still a fun ride.

Hole 13 (Par 3, 163 yards, 18 hcp):

Don’t let the yardage fool you on the thirteenth. While it is the shortest hole on the course, it’s no gimme. It is the most beautiful corner of the property and an excellent par three with a lot of bite if you don’t find the green off the tee. OB looms down the right-hand side and chokes the rough right of the green. With kicks both left and right of the green, a miss right is likely to bounce out of bounds and a miss left into a deep greenside bunker. Another bunker protects the front of the green, and overcompensation deep finds the tree line quickly (trust me, it comes up really quick!). While the twelfth is my favorite hole on the course, the thirteenth is my favorite par three here.

Hole 14 (Par 5, 543 yards, 6hcp):

The fourteenth is a three-shot par five that turns back down the valley and plays downhill the entire way. OB rides the length of the hole on the right, and a large fairway bunker snags errant tee shots left. Regardless of where your tee shot ends up, it will take the boldest second shot to reach this green in two, as it’s all carry. A penalty area cuts the fairway off in front of the green, which is protected by two greenside bunkers short. If ever there was a hole to play as intended, this is it. The second shot should be positioned to a comfortable number to attack the flag and give yourself a chance at birdie.

Hole 15 (Par 3, 205 yards, 16 hcp):

The par three fifteenth is the strongest of the par threes and the most demanding approach shot on the course. Playing downhill, the green is flanked by traps on each side and a steep drop-off left with potential tree trouble. A miss right puts you below the green with an awkward, nerve-racking flop up to the putting surface that is running away from you. Par is an excellent achievement here and likely to gain you a stroke in your match.

Hole 16 (Par 4, 485 yards, 14 hcp):

Like the eleventh, the long par four sixteenth plays from an elevated tee box to a fairly generous landing zone. OB runs the length of the hole on the right, with thick, deep rough on the left. Only one bunker is found on the sixteenth, and it’s greenside left. The green is pitched strongly back to front, making it crucial to be below the hole. Two well-struck shots can set you up for your best shot at a birdie down the stretch.

Hole 17 (Par 4, 422 yards, 12 hcp):

Running parallel to the eleventh, the seventeenth is full of tricks to trip up even the best as you come home. The fairway sweeps right to left around OB that protects the entire left side of the hole. The ideal landing zone is guarded by a large fairway trap on the right where the hole pinches in. The green is anchored by three greenside traps and is again pitched back to front. It’s a great hole that can yield a birdie, but it’s full of trouble and may require aggressive play late in a match.

Hole 18 (Par 4, 420 yards, 4hcp):

The final push at La Crosse Country Club is a strong par four with a generous fairway that really only poses trouble on the right, where a large pond frames the hole beautifully. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have a chance to breathe and glide into the clubhouse smoothly, because this hole is all about the approach shot. The green is nestled below the fairway and guarded by a creek short and left. Tee shots that find the left rough will have to avoid OB and leave an awkward approach downhill over the creek into a green that runs parallel to the fairway. A pair of greenside bunkers serves as a backdrop behind the green, with the clubhouse perched up on the hill, watching over the ninth and eighteenth greens. It’s a great finishing hole where the match can be won or lost with heroics or blunders.

La Crosse Country Club may fly under the radar, but it deserves recognition as one of the finest tests in the state of Wisconsin.

The course doesn’t rely on tricks or frills; instead, it offers a beautiful property and great challenge for any golfer. It’s one of those rare modern courses built in the ’90s that feels like a golden-age classic.

This hidden gem, tucked away in a corner of the state far from the powerhouse resorts and historic clubs, should not be overlooked by any means.