This post was last updated in October 2025.

Early in the 2024 season, as I joined Paul Seifert for photography at TPC Wisconsin, it struck me that I had never seen a proper ranking of Madison’s best golf courses.

Where would TPC Wisconsin stack up, fresh off its its high-profile redesign? What about Nakoma, Maple Bluff, Hawks Landing, University Ridge and all the other noteworthy local layouts I grew up playing?

As a native Madisonian armed with a budding passion for content creation, I felt like I was uniquely positioned to tackle this assignment with gusto.

Indeed, this post has been a long time coming, and it’s a project that has taken up a good chunk of my photography and writing efforts this season.

I’ve visited and captured all ten courses featured in this article in 2024 (with the help of Paul Seifert and Rich Bauer) and have played nine of them, providing a fresh perspective on each property. You’ve probably noticed a steady stream of Madison-area course reviews this season, as well.

Madison doesn’t always get a lot of love as a golf city, with only one area property regularly ranked in best-in-state lists and none of its other layouts enjoying a particularly high profile.

But what Madison does have is a deep lineup of well-manicured properties, offering a diverse mix of architectural styles, natural settings and accessibility. Many of these places have simply flown under the radar over the years for one reason or another, and I think at least a few of them warrant consideration for the best-in-state lists.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and our video compilation shot over the course of 2024 illustrates the depth of Madison-area golf.

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Just to set the ground rules, I’ve only considered properties in Madison proper and its adjoining suburbs for this ranking.

There are plenty of interesting Dane County layouts that lie just beyond this footprint, worthy of attention in their own right. So if a course is missing from this list that you think warrants inclusion and it lies outside of what I’d consider to be Madison suburbia, chances are I left it off the list simply due to geography.

So without further adieu, the Top Ten:

1) University Ridge Golf Course

It probably comes as no suprise that the home course of my beloved Wisconsin Badgers clocks in at the top spot.

This former AmFam Championship host occupies the most gifted golf site in the area, with challenging holes sculpted out of dramatic Driftless Region topography.

Robert Trent Jones, Jr. introduced high-end public golf to Dane County here in 1991, endowing the metro area with a modern, immaculate layout offering generous width off the tee but demanding approach shots and perilous greens complexes.

The property stretches out over two distinct environments with the front nine sprawling across an open, rolling meadow and the back nine touring heavily wooded hills.

University Ridge is beautiful, challenging and meticulously conditioned, deservedly a mainstay in best-in-state rankings and home to Madison’s most excellent golf experience.

2) Nakoma Golf Club

Sure, Nakoma is my longtime home course, but I can assure you this is an unbiased opinion.

This golden age Tom Bendelow layout lies in a secluded setting on Madison’s west side, the perfect place to escape for many rounds throughout the season.

While shorter in yardage, its par of 70, tight corridors and tough Arthur Hills-redesigned greens make it play much longer than the posted yardage to provide plenty of challenge for its membership.

Continual investment in the property, thoughtful redesign and restoration projects, best-in-class conditioning under Head Superintendent Mike Lemke and superb club management by Oliphant Golf Management have combined to yield an elite private golf experience that I’m proud to call home.

While playable for the average golfer, Nakoma is also a player’s course, as evidenced by its sheer number of plus-handicap members (I don’t even bother trying to qualify for the Club Championship anymore).

Nakoma is a classic gem, one that has kept up with the times, and I’m always pleased to bring guests to the property and hear their gushing reviews afterwards.

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3) Bishops Bay Country Club

Stretching from the shore of Lake Mendota deep into southern Wisconsin countryside, Bishops Bay occupies a sprawling property with a routing that makes full use of dramatic terrain and panoramic vistas of the lake and Madison skyline.

This mid-1990’s Bob Lohmann design features wide fairways with inviting approaches to large, elevated greens. Its pro-style architecture, stout length from the back tees and fast greens have made this a go-to property for area pros and elite amateurs to practice for championship venues.

Be sure to visit the clubhouse and patio after a round here, as well, as Bishops Bay boasts Madison’s most epic 19th hole with a sublime setting against the lake.

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4) Maple Bluff Country Club

Maple Bluff is what I consider to be the “Mid Pines of Madison” with its perfectly kept, gorgeous parkland setting complete with classic golf architecture.

Established in 1899, this is Madison’s oldest golf course and one of the few pre-1900 properties you’ll find in the whole state.

This is fittingly an old-school design, with tight fairways framed by towering trees on every hole, placing an extreme emphasis on accuracy and execution.

Maple Bluff’s par threes are especially noteworthy, including the signature downhill sixth with a three-tiered green bordered on two sides by the club’s only water hazards.

5) Hawks Landing Golf Club

This club is home to some of Wisconsin’s most exceptional course conditions, with summer green speeds often approaching a 14.

There’s nothing like playing dialed in conditions, and Hawks Landing takes great pride in curating only the best playing surfaces for its members.

This John Harbottle III layout is also loaded with some of the most dramatic shots you’ll find in the area, with greens and fairways closely flanked by bunkers, ponds and fescue. Risk/reward shots abound, putting both birdies and big numbers into play.

With its standout conditioning, challenging modern design and outstanding amenities, Hawks Landing offers one of Madison’s most complete private golf experiences.

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6) The Legend at Bergamont

The only publicly accessible Legend Club can be found here, a semi-private Andy North design that sprawls over rolling countryside south of town.

Offering width, playability, dramatic shots and superb playing conditions, this is a place I’ve always enjoyed visiting over the years. There’s also plenty of length to challenge elite players, making The Legend at Bergamont a solid competitive venue, as well.

A large modern clubhouse looms over the layout’s most compelling stretch – the start and finish to the back nine.

The back patio peers out over a beautiful golf landscape with miles of southern Wisconsin countryside beyond, making this a popular spot for weddings and other large events.

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7) Blackhawk Country Club

A member of the triumvirate of Madison’s classic private clubs, Blackhawk carries a name on its design that’s a rarity in Wisconsin – A.W. Tillinghast. Yes, the legendary architect of the early 20th century had a key role in renovating Blackhawk in the 1930’s, working his craft on a hilly and quirky plot on the west side of town.

As a par 72 squeezed onto a tiny property, Blackhawk is very short by necessity. In fact, three of its par fours are sub-300 yards from the back tees, with three others just a smidge over 300.

What it lacks for in length, Blackhawk makes up for with extremely tight width and mature trees closely lining all playing surfaces. Tiny greens add to the challenge, as well, putting a heavy premium on expert iron play.

This is the type of setup that plays right into my hands as a shorter hitter with a competent short game.

You’ll find some particularly unusual hole designs and have to hit some irregular shots throughout a round at Blackhawk, so put your creative hat on and enjoy the challenge of inventing shots to score well here.

8) The Oaks Golf Course

I consider The Oaks to be my “home-away-from-home” course, conveniently located in my home suburb of Cottage Grove.

This upscale public layout is the brainchild of Greg Martin, known for his unorthodox approach to golf course architecture that brings out the best in irregular properties while preserving their natural environments.

The Oaks is anything but a “normal” course, a par 71 that boasts six par threes and five par fives. All convention was thrown out the window here to yield a fun and memorable golf experience.

The routing traverses steep hills and open prairie, darting next to wetlands and forests. Its greens are some of the toughest in the area, featuring steep undulations and convex designs that will flummox even the best of putters.

One of my best golf moments ever came on the last round of the season this November as I recorded my first career ace on the par three 13th, dunking an 8-iron into the cup on the fly.

It was extra special that this maiden hole-in-one came at one of my favorite local courses.

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9) The Meadows of Sixmile Creek

Occupying a marshy property in the northern suburb of Waunakee, Sixmile is one of the few water-dominated layouts that I’ve enjoyed in my golfing career. The reason for that? A thoughtful Ken Killian routing that uses the lateral hazards to optimal effect, complete with risk/reward shots throughout the round. Water is in play on 15 holes, but safe routes and bailout zones exist to make this track playable for all.

Great course conditions and well-priced greens fees add to Sixmile’s appeal, and I believe this is the best value play in the Madison area.

I played The Meadows of Sixmile Creek often in my high school days, and after returning to review it in 2025 I remembered why it was a go-to course back in those days. With several sub-80 rounds under my belt on this challenging yet fun track, I have a boatload of great memories here and always look forward to the next visit.

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10) TPC Wisconsin

I must caveat here that of all courses featured in this article, TPC Wisconsin is the only one I’ve yet to play. Sure, I have walked and photographed the entire property, but it’s tough to rank a course without having an actual round under my belt.

I have played its predecessor, Cherokee Country Club, one of the most difficult golf courses I’ve ever experienced. My knock on Cherokee was that it was tough for the sake of being tough.

With long, taxing holes often bordered by water and mature trees on both sides, a round at Cherokee was a grind from start to finish, one that usually resulted in an exponentially high score.

After a $20 million project to completely overhaul and reimagine the course, I can say without a doubt that TPC Wisconsin is a massive improvement.

Nearly all of the trees have been removed, opening up expansive views of the Cherokee Marsh and enhancing playability.

The brand new greens, bunkers and raised fairways look incredible, as well, and I’m confident this will be a terrific test for the pros as it’s set to become the host of the AmFam Championship next year.

I’ll be sure to revisit this ranking after I’ve had a chance to play TPC Wisconsin, so stay tuned.

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Honorable Mention

Stoughton Country Club

This quaint private club on the shore of Lake Kegonza weaves together two distinct nines, one modern and one classic, with a quirky and memorable routing.

The Willie Watson-designed classic nine spills across hilly, wooded terrain with small greens and tough contours to navigate, while the modern nine explores open countryside offering generous width.

Stoughton is one of the better “tales of two nines” I’ve experienced, with thoughtful, engaging course design and excellent conditions throughout.

With a clubhouse offering a magnificent waterside view from its patio, this is a unique spot that I’m sure its members cherish.

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Pleasant View Golf Course

Set on a huge piece of land on the far west side, Pleasant View has always garnered accolades for its natural beauty and sweeping views of the city.

With 36 holes on site (including 27 full-length and a par three course), you’ll get a lot of variety and options in a day at Pleasant View. The sprawling property features large elevation changes throughout, with water hazards and foliage also coming into play significantly.

In 2023, Pleasant View joined the rising tide of munis making significant investments, undergoing a noteworthy renovation under the architectural direction of Kevin Norby. With seven of the 27 championship holes meaningfully altered, the new Pleasant View has a modern shine that has elevated it to become one of Madison’s best public golf experiences.

An outstanding staff, great course conditions and terrific patio peering out over Madison’s west side have only elevated this municipal gem further, making it well worth the price of adminssion.

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Closing Thoughts

Madison is a great town, and as the second-largest metro area in the state its golf scene holds water as a place that enthusiasts can thoroughly enjoy, whether you’re visiting for golf or for one of the many other reasons to frequent the area.

Like any ranking, though, this is inherently a subjective matter of opinion.

Where did we go wrong? Which courses did we miss? There are, of course, many other enjoyable places to play in Madison that haven’t even been mentioned here.

We’d love to hear your opinions and spark some healthy debate in the Comments section!

All original photography in this article by Brian Murphy, Paul Seifert and Rich Bauer for WiscoGolfAddict