Discovering Eau Claire Golf & Country Club for the first time

828 Club View Lane, Altoona, WI 54720
6,855 yards, Par 71 – 73.4/137

In a state abounding with world-class golf courses and country clubs dating back to the turn of the 20th century, it’s no surprise some great private properties get overlooked, or even go unnoticed. I’ve been fortunate to travel all over Wisconsin (and the Midwest) over the past seven years, discovering some truly remarkable courses that were previously unknown to me. When I’m asked “What is your favorite you’ve played?” I usually have an answer, but it may change after my next round.

For avid golfers seeking the finest fairways and best clubs they can play, it’s hard to pick a favorite; it’s like picking a favorite child, in a sense. You love so many different places for so many different reasons. Like how Stevens Point CC transports you to a Pinehurst vibe in Central Wisconsin. Or how Troy Burne’s immaculate fairways and obnoxious number of traps keeps you on your toes. And how Green Bay CC pays homage to Amen Corner in a clever approach to the par five seventeenth. Wisconsin Golf gives you so many courses to love and it’s hard to choose a favorite. That being said, on a Saturday afternoon in early August, I fell in love with a new obsession called Eau Claire Golf & Country Club.

I first came across Eau Claire G&CC during a Google search for courses in the area. Though I had played some public golf in Eau Claire, I never gave much thought to the country club until about four years ago when I stopped by on a whim. At the time, the club was under different management and I didn’t gather much information. A few years later, after hearing the club was now managed by Troon, I decided to revisit. The timing was perfect, not only to explore membership options but also to introduce you all to one of the best clubs you probably haven’t heard of.

From Humble Beginnings to a Reimagined Golden Era Rendition

Eau Claire Golf & Country Club traces its roots back to 1899 when golf enthusiasts S.G. Moon, C.W. Stockwood and C.A. Chamberlain founded the club with the primary goal “to conduct, pursue, promote and encourage outdoor sports and athletic games, particularly the game of golf.”

Like many early Wisconsin clubs, the Club began as a nine-hole course, originally located about 620 yards east of the current fourteenth green, in what is now a quiet residential neighborhood. Around twenty years later, plans for an 18-hole course were put into motion. The design was a collaborative effort between Tom Vardon (brother of the legendary Harry Vardon) and renowned golf and landscape architect Charles H. Ramsdell from Minneapolis. Together, they created what is now the present-day Eau Claire Golf & Country Club.

Over the years, the course underwent several renovations and rerouting. The first major update came in 1962 when course architect Paul Coates was commissioned to re-route parts of the front nine, resulting in the present-day tenth, eleventh and eighteenth holes. In 2003, the club constructed a new clubhouse on the site of the former par three “Old 5th,” which played from where the clubhouse now stands to the current practice green near the tenth tee.

To honor this piece of history, the lower bar of the new clubhouse was named “The Old 5th,” with the original tee marker displayed above the door. This change also allowed for the redesign of today’s twelfth hole, along with modifications to the fifth.

Eau Claire Golf & Country Club Today:

More recently, from 2020 to 2021, Eau Claire Golf & Country Club underwent a large-scale bunker and tee renovation. This extensive project was carefully designed to honor the course’s heritage and original layout. The modernization aimed to evoke the Golden Era of golf design, enhancing both the visual appeal and challenge of the course while preserving the natural terrain. The result is a layout that offers a range of shot-making opportunities.

From the moment I stood on the first tee, looking out over Otter Creek and up a dramatic fairway that rises from the valley to an elevated green, I knew I was going to love this place.

This is Every HOle at EAu Claire Golf & Country Club

Hole 1 (Par 4, 417 yards, 5 hcp):

The opening hole starts you in the heart of the property next to Otter Creek, a hazard that winds its way through the course and comes into play on six holes.  A generous landing area gives way to an aggressive opening tee shot slightly uphill to a flat fairway.  Shots left will find thick rough (too far left and the gents on 17 tee may be under fire).  Right of the fairway is just as thick with a few large oaks to interrupt GIR aspirations.

The second plays uphill to a large green sloped back to front with gentle roll offs.  A small false front suggests playing to the middle of the green to avoid any mis ques and dashed hopes to a strong start. 

When I got to the fairway and saw the flow of the third green into the first fairway, I knew I was going to love this course!  It’s such a classy design to have holes intersect and connect while maintaining their own unique and distinctive flow.

Hole 2 (Par 4, 355 yards, 13 hcp):

The second is another straight away par four with tree trouble for errant tee shots left and right.  A lone tree right of the forwards tees harasses the tee shot and forces a straight or cut.  The fairway plays to a valley landing area with dense trees and a big hill separating two from three on the right and more trees left splitting two from fifteen. 

The hole shines around the green, which is elevated and flanked by a large white-sand greenside bunker protecting the left side and two more on the right. 

The green mimics a Redan design that welcomes approach shots played right to left into the large putting surface.  The raised green gives the illusion of a minimal dancefloor, but it’s large and receptive to play aggressive if confident enough.  Par was a confidence boost needed after an opening three-putt bogey.

Hole 3 (Par 4, 412 yards, 1 hcp):

The signature par four third was a quick favorite for me.  The elevated tee shot plays down to a large fairway that is pinched from the right side by two fairway bunkers along the hillside.  Deep fescue and tall oaks need to be avoided off the tee right and anything left is penial. 

The green is perched on an elevation next to one fairway with a tall oak looming right and deep traps left.  A miss left or long will leave a dismal up and down from way below the putting surface.  Anything short or just on the front risks rolling back down to the collection area front of the green.

Hole 4 (Par 3, 228 yards, 15 hcp):

The first par three is also the longest of the four on the course.  It’s a beautiful hole with the back tee tucked into the tree line off three fairway and adjacent to the opening fairway, separated by a couple large oaks right.  Natural areas with flowers and deep fescue await anything pulled left with short or right being the ideal miss, if there is such a though.

The green is a large, deep surface sloped back to front with two traps.  One trap in the middle of the fairway gives the illusion that is it greenside, when in fact it’s twenty-five yards short of the green.  The second trip hugs the left-hand side of the green leaving a testing sand shot with the ball well below the putting surface.  When playing the Vardon tees, par is stealing a stroke on the field here.

Hole 5 (Par 4, 431 yards, 9 hcp):

This long par four presents the tightest tee shot on the front nine with hazards flanking both sides of the fairway.  A tee shot carrying over the Otter Creek needs to avoid water right and the creek left.  The pond on the right was expanded to nearly three times its original size with the earth removed used to raise the fairway to it’s current stature.  

The approach is played with a mid to long iron in most cases into an accepting green for shots playing on the ground or through the air.  With run offs all around the putting surface, it’s best to play for the middle of the green and play for par. 

The Eau Claire River and Route 53 bridge frame the backdrop of this beautiful green setting where the Otter Creek empties into the river.  Two greenside bunkers lie left of the green; assisting in keeping stray shots in play.

Hole 6 (Par 3, 162 yards, 17 hcp):

Don’t let the seventeen-handicap index fool you on this short par three.  As described by the pro, David Zorn, it’s the shortest par five on the course! 

The sixth is a great classic par three true to the architectural era.  The Vardon tee plays well below the grade of the rest of the hole uphill to a volcano-style green.  Perched up with steep runoffs on all sides, the green has a severe back-to-front slope where anything above the hole is treacherous.  Missing left or right, or in my case, long, will really bring Zorn’s comment to light.

You really don’t appreciate how critical hitting the green is until you’re up next to the green. A miss left is more than six feet below the putting surface. A miss right isn’t any better. It’s a brute of a par three that demands respect to score well.

Take a moment to enjoy the view of the green with the train bridge in the background above the river.

Hole 7 (Par 4, 488 yards, 3 hcp):

The longest par four on the course is a brute from the Vardon tees, which have been stretched back to a new tee placed close to the riverbank.  An uphill carry over 150 yards is needed to reach the fairway, leaving most a fairway metal or at the very least, a long iron to reach in regulation.  A fairway bunker awaits long tee shots down the right side and needs to be avoided to have any chance at getting home in two.

A well-placed tee shot up the left-hand side of the fairway will position you on top of the hill with a great look down to the green.  The approach plays down hill with Otter Creek coming back into play on the right-hand side of the approach and green, making the second shot daunting and demanding.  Be sure to ring the bell at the bottom of the fairway to alert the group trailing of all clear.

The green was one of the larger undertakings in the remodel project as it has been repositioned and raised to be the same level as the neighboring ninth.  It’s a large green with collection areas below the surface both left and right.  Missing on either side makes for a very difficult up and down with the green speeds and contours of the green.  Bogey should be celebrated and treated like a par here.

Hole 8 (Par 4, 370 yards, 11 hcp):

The eighth is a short par four that gives the long hitters a chance to really unload off the tee.  A sweeping dogleg right that requires navigating three fairway bunkers staggered along the way and large trees separating the eighth from the ninth on the right. 

Keep the tee shot to the left to avoid the first trap on the right-hand side. The skinniest ribbon of a fairway on the course is part of the defense of this fun, winding hole. It can be played from the rough, but the sightlines around the trees may interfere with wayward tee shots.

Two greenside bunkers keep the green company on either side. Any missed approach shots will leave you short sided in a trap below the elevated putting surface. It’s a good scoring hole to build momentum heading into the par five ninth and an opportunity to get some strokes back before making the turn.

Hole 9 (Par 5, 532 yards, 7 hcp.):

The first of three par fives closes out the front nine. The ninth is a beautiful hole that delivers tee to green as the longest hole on the course. The tee shot is straight away through a grand hall of tall trees running parallel to the eighth right and the bordering hill left. Two fairway traps wait along the left side to hinder golfers journey down this long, narrow fairway.

The approach is a tricky one for first time plays and seasoned members alike. The fairway drops and doglegs right at about a pitching wedge’s distance in. A pair of traps cover each of the corners at the dogleg before dropping downhill and running to the green.

The ninth green was my favorite approach shot on the course visually as it plays to a green built along the side of a subtle hill with two traps anchoring it in place left and right. Anything missed right will find the greenside bunker well below the surface of the green. With a controlled tee shot and a well positioned second, it’s a very scorable hole and a great birdie opportunity.

Hole 10 (Par 4, 359 yards, 14 hcp):

The turn brings you up along the side of eighteen green past the clubhouse as the majority of the back nine plays along the SE permitter of the property along the high side of the course. The tenth plays tough off the tee for a guy who naturally works the ball left to right; the tee boxes are wedged into the tree line with very little room to start a shot to the left.

The fairway is generous with a fairway bunker down the left and another deep right. The fairway along the right side has been expanded slightly, giving golfers a bit more room to help navigate the trees and find the short grass. A tree removal project along the right hand side opened up more sunlight to the eighteenth below and really gave the tenth a dramatic feel that I absolutely loved.

The approach plays slightly uphill to an elevated green with a deep, large trap anchoring the right side. The large green has runoffs on either side, creating a tough up and down for any missed shots. Par is a great score here to start off the back nine.

Hole 11 (Par 4, 434 yards, 2 hcp):

From an elevated tee box tucked back into the woods down into the valley, the tee shot on eleven is dramatic on this long par four. Otter creek cuts the hole in half about 285 yards off the Copper tee and needs to be considered when making a club selection. Any tee shot missing the fairway right is most certainly going to have tree trouble. Anything left is not much better.

A good drive will leave a short to mid-iron approach shot back uphill to the tear-drop shaped green. It’s a deceiving second shot as the flag is your only indication the green is up the hill with two guardian bunkers front left and right.

The approach has been widened just in front of the green slightly on both sides. Aside from the work done on the two traps and the approach, the hole remains true to the original design.

Hole 12 (Par 3, 203 yards, 16 hcp):

Tucked back into the bend of Otter Creek is the tee boxes for the twelfth. A testy uphill par three into a large green sloped back to front. As is the case on so many holes, two greenside bunkers need to be avoided off the tee.

The green is deep and slick. Above the hole is a true test of touch and nerves to get one close or in; best to stay below the hole to give yourself the best look at birdie. I learned the hard way that above the hole is where three-putts are found.

Hole 13 (Par 5, 518 yards, 6 hcp):

The thirteenth is the second of only three par fives on the course. While the hole plays long and straight, the tee box presents the most challenging drive on the course, especially for a right handed golfer who naturally works the ball left to right. Tucked into the corner against the tree line, the tee shot needs to work right-to-left for the best results. A large pine tree stands sentinel at the front of the fairway on the left corner, forcing fairway bunkers to be used as a target line.

Two large fairway traps on the right side of the fairway some 270 yards off the tee add to the stress of hitting a good shot. What was the most visually stressful tee shot on the course for me also ended up being one of my best drives of the day I found the fairway with a three-wood and left myself in a great spot. Two more fairway traps test golfers on their second shots as the hole gently climbs uphill to the green.

This spot on the course is a tight intersection of five holes. The thirteenth green with the collar flowing into the fourteenth tee box, as well as into the fifteenth green only forty feet to the right. I love how they all intertwine without feeling like you’re on top of the adjacent holes.

Hole 14 (Par 4, 405 yards, 12 hcp):

The fourteenth is a straight away par four to a blind fairway that drops away to a wide ribbon of a fairway all the way to the green. With OB left and trees right, there isn’t a lot of trouble on this hole other than the thick rough and potential tree trouble for wayward tee shots.

The green is accompanied by a pair of traps on either side of the front. Like all the greenside bunkers at Eau Claire, they are well below the putting surface, making for a challenging up and down. The backdrop of this green is one of the best on the property; framing the hole with a hillside of thick fescue and tall trees.

Hole 15 (Par 4, 428 yards, 8 hcp):

The fifteenth plays similar to the previous hole in that it’s a long, straight away par four with a fairway that runs downhill off the tee. The test here is accuracy off the tee as the fairway is a bit narrow with large trees standing guard on either side of the fairway.

The approach plays with a long iron or hybrid that a large green framed with two sand bunkers on either side of the green. The green sits center between twelves green and sixteen’s tee box in one continuous flow that ties all these holes together.

Hole 16 (Par 3, 141 yards, 18 hcp):

The final stretch of ECGCC is a collection of three great holes to close out the round. The sixteenth is the shortest hole on the course and easily my favorite of the par threes. The green is generous in size, but intimidating in stature. Elevated from all sides, there is no safe place to miss off the tee.

Again, the magnitude of elevation around the greens needs to be experienced to really appreciate. What appears to be a relatively gentle green is anything but. Left is met with a greenside trap and deep fescue on a steep hillside. Miss right and you’re greeted with 2 deep bunkers and a touchy sand shot. A miss long drops well below the green surface and potentially runs into the woods.

With the wind whipping, it’s a tough little hole that can derail the best of rounds quickly. Small in stature but packs a big punch if you miss the green.

Hole 17 (Par 4, 461 yards, 10 hcp):

The seventeenth is a challenging, long dogleg right par four. The tee box is tucked against the hillside below the sixteenth hole and adjacent to the opening hole. A left-to-right tee shot is ideal, but there’s more fairway available than initially appears. Two fairway bunkers frame the dogleg, but it takes a solid 280-yard drive from the Vardon tee to reach them. The more immediate threat is the small trap on the inside of the dogleg at 245 yards down the right side.

Hitting the fairway is crucial to have a chance at reaching the green in regulation. The approach shot is long and plays slightly uphill, adding to the challenge. Unlike many other holes on the course, the seventeenth lacks greenside bunkers, providing a bit of relief from the sand.

The green is fully accessible, with an approach area as wide as the putting surface itself. Slightly crowned, the green offers birdie opportunities, but it can just as easily punish overly aggressive putts, making it easy to give a stroke back if you’re not precise.

Hole 18 (Par 5, 511 yards, 4 hcp):

The finishing hole at Eau Claire Golf & Country Club is the shortest of the three par fives on the course, but arguably the best. The tee box sets up perfectly for a final “grip it and rip it” drive, favoring a baby fade. A fairway bunker up the right plays about 260 yards from the Copper tee and needs to be avoided to keep hopes of a birdie alive. On the left side, another fairway bunker lies further down, equally punishing if found.

The fairway has been widened off the right hill to provide a bit more relief on this demanding hole. If you manage a big drive that finds the fairway, you’re rewarded with the best approach shot on the course. As you turn the corner of the dogleg, a long iron or fairway metal awaits, playing uphill to a green nestled below the clubhouse.

There’s ample room to lay up to a more controlled distance if you prefer a safer approach. However, any wayward shot quickly runs out of space on the right with the cart path and deep fescue, while trouble also lurks on the left. After my tee shot sliced into the right rough and stopped well short of the bunker, I was forced to lay up to a safer spot on the fairway.

The turtleback green slopes from back to front, making precision paramount. Fortunately, having lunch on the patio earlier allowed me to watch several groups finish and study the green. Like many before me, I faced an uphill birdie putt from about eight feet. All the studying paid off, as I sank the putt for a second birdie, capping off an incredible round.

Eau Claire Golf & Country Club stands alone as the premier private golf experience in the Chippewa Valley region, with the nearest comparable club over an hour and a half away. While there are several courses in the area, none match the excitement, character and welcoming nature of ECGCC. Touring the hills and valleys along Otter Creek, I found the club to be peaceful and serene — a true hidden gem.

Under the guidance of talented Superintendent Nick Peinovich and his team, the course continues to evolve and improve. The staff’s warmth and hospitality made us feel like longtime members, leaving a lasting impression that has us seriously considering making ECGCC our home club in the near future.