After its meteoric rise to prominence as a top destination golf state over the past few decades, Wisconsin now finds itself with several heavy-hitting “golf hubs,” or greater metro areas with several nationally recognized courses in close proximity to one another.

Sheboygan, Rome/Stevens Point, Milwaukee, Green Bay and Lake Geneva come to mind immediately – at these destinations you can spend several days touring some of the best courses the state has to offer without putting much of a dent on the odometer.

As a state resident, I’m extremely fortunate that these special places are merely an hour or two from home, beckoning with the promise of a magnificent day trip or quick weekend getaway.

Of all the great golf hubs in Wisconsin, though, the one that keeps me coming back the most is centered around Erin Hills, in the sweeping countryside hills near the small town of Hartford.

The land movement in this region is a spectacle to behold – glacially-molded terrain that gracefully flows off the western edge of the Kettle Moraine, granting panoramic views of southern Wisconsin farmland from the hilltops.

I visit the area to golf at least a few times per year and my excitement level goes off the charts after exiting I-94 and heading northeast, when the landforms start their transition from mostly flat farmland to heaving prairie – a sign that great golf lies just over the horizon.

The rise of high-end golf in this gifted region is a story steeped in magic – a near-mythical tale of passionate, talented individuals drawn to the land with a unique vision for advancing the game.

It took one course to prove that the terrain near Hartford was something special, and it arrived in the late 1990s in a form you’d least expect – a municipal project by Washington County on an expansive, exposed hillside with brilliant views for miles.

Washington County Golf Course was built at the height of Arthur Hills’ powers, where the late architect took a modest budget and found a routing that let the exceptional land do the talking.

Working with a property that was ideally suited for golf, sculpted for millennia by geological forces to yield mounds, shelves, hummocks, taxing ascents and dramatic drops, Hills found playing corridors that already existed in the extraordinary landscape and accentuated these natural features to create a challenging and beautiful golf experience.

Over the years, Washington County would rightfully gain a reputation as Wisconsin’s greatest municipal property, spearheaded by supportive public ownership and a talented staff to offer exceptional course conditions that match the excellence of Hills’ design, in addition to maintaining one of the state’s best practice facilities – all available to the masses at a deeply discounted price point.

I’ll never forget my first visit to Washington County as a competitor in the 2001 WSGA State Junior. To that point, my golfing career had been concentrated on tight, tree-lined parkland courses, and I was absolutely blown away by the concept of open links-style design – and one that realized the full potential of meaningful public investment.

Washington County was an outstanding proof-of-concept that demonstrated the power of the land, paving the way for one of America’s greatest public courses to emerge several years later just a few miles to the south – Erin Hills.

The story behind the development of Erin Hills is the stuff of legends – a real-life Field of Dreams story that would make for a compelling movie in its own right.

If you haven’t read “The Making of Erin Hills: The complete story” by Gary D’Amato, drop what you’re doing and dive right in. It’s a tale of passion, sacrifice and sheer will that nearly brought me to tears by the end.

Intoxicated by the raw beauty of the landscape, local businessman Bob Lang poured his heart and soul into building Erin Hills, obsessed with the idea of bringing the U.S. Open to Wisconsin.

Plowing through obstacles that would make even the strongest of us fold, Lang delivered Erin Hills in 2006 and golf in Wisconsin was forever changed.

I played the course in its opening year, and as I walked off the 18th green that day, Bob Lang himself waited at the clubhouse patio, greeting every golfer and asking their opinion of the course. In that moment, I knew I had experienced something truly special – playing Erin Hills for the first time was phenomenal, of course, but seeing its owner so invested in the customer experience gave me an even greater appreciation for what he was building.

After years of expensive tinkering with the course in a desperate bid for a national championship, Lang’s obsession eventually drove him to financial ruin and he had to pass the torch to a new ownership group.

Investor Andy Ziegler not only rescued the course, he faithfully continued on towards Lang’s dream, pouring in substantial capital to add necessary scale to the operation. These efforts would indeed culminate in a 2017 U.S. Open – it was a long, winding, bittersweet road to get there, but Bob Lang must have let a smile slip when the news broke.

In addition to becoming a major championship venue, Erin Hills has evolved into a world-class destination, complete with top-notch amenities, dining, lodging and a vast putting course to complement its U.S. Top 100 layout.

With world-renowned Erin Hills firmly entrenched as one of Wisconsin’s top courses and its standout “Little Brother” Washington County to the north, the region now had an elite 36-hole combo worth traveling across the state to experience.

But to be a truly national-level golf destination worthy of a multi-day stop, a third acclaimed course was necessary.

About 20 minutes to the south of Erin Hills in the suburb of Oconomowoc, The Club at Lac La Belle filled this need after its comeback for the ages.

After the unlikely ascents of Erin Hills and Washington County to prominence, it only seems right that The Club at Lac La Belle emerged as a must-play public course against all odds.

With a rich history as one of Wisconsin’s oldest clubs once frequented by turn-of-the-20th century pros and affluent Chicago vacationers, Lac La Belle Country Club (as it was known at the time) had sunk into obscurity by the late 2010’s, facing financial headwinds and significant flooding issues.

It would’ve been a shame to see such a historic course go “NLE,” but businessman Matt Morse of Prestwick Golf Group recognized its significance and potential, stepping in to purchase the course in 2018.

It was no small project to revitalize The Club at Lac La Belle, though. The flailing property had to be totally reimagined and rerouted to solve the flooding problems, and a simple redesign would not meet the mark.

Morse tapped rising architectural star Craig Haltom for the redesign, which was a perfect choice – Craig’s ability to think outside the box was absolutely essential for the success of this complex project.

The end product speaks for itself – Craig’s unique design philosophy, fearless approach and appreciation for the roots of the game yielded what I believe was his crowning achievement to date.

Endowed with a new strip of land to the west of the clubhouse, Craig and his team tore down essentially the entire old course, moving mountains of dirt to conjure a golf fantasyland that immediately became one of Wisconsin’s most innovative designs.

With bold bunkering, wild and expansive greens complexes and continued investments in exceptional conditions, The Club at Lac La Belle is a thrill ride that is now recognized as one of the area’s premier public courses. The club has continually invested in the overall experience over the years, adding a putting course, a standout practice facility and an elegant, modern clubhouse to complement its exceptional golf course.

This year, it’s set to unveil a new par 3 course, Uncle Henry’s Backyard, to further solidify The Club at Lac La Belle as a can’t-miss Wisconsin destination.

The Out-of-State Perspective – an Ideal Home Leg

As someone who’s no stranger to golf travel, I can imagine it’s a bit overwhelming to plan a golf trip to Wisconsin.

We’ve already discussed the abundance of compelling golf hubs in the Badger State – case-in-point, it’s home to 11 properties ranked in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses, the most of any state.

With so many elite courses spread across its reach, what’s the ideal itinerary for a comprehensive Wisconsin golf tour?

Destination Kohler and Sand Valley will surely top the list – not only do each of these resorts possess 4+ U.S. Top 100 public layouts, other noteworthy options closely reside (e.g., SentryWorld in Stevens Point, just ~30 minutes from Sand Valley and The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, right down the road from Blackwolf Run).

I love everything about these two destinations and will rearrange my calendar for a round on any of their courses, but something about the Hartford area hits a deeper level. I always feel like I’m in another part of the world here, far removed from the hustle and constant demands of day-to-day life.

With three renowned, immaculate public properties in close proximity, you can easily fill a couple days of the itinerary in the Hartford area at a level of quality on par with any other Wisconsin destination.

The variety speaks for itself – outrageously dramatic Erin Hills, Washington County’s lay-of-the-land links experience and The Club at Lac La Belle’s maximalist roller coaster ride – it’s a stretch that will hit you with three vividly distinct experiences that each shine in their own way.

Great value is also in play here – a round at Erin Hills will predictably set you back quite a bit ($495 in peak season, before caddie fee), but combined with Washington County ($70-80 w/cart) and The Club at Lac La Belle ($170 walking), the average cost per round sinks to about $250 and it won’t crush the wallet.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Hartford is ideally positioned to minimize travel time and maximize golf bliss on a comprehensive trip to the Badger State.

A Gateway to the Rest of the State

Residing in the outer suburbs of Wisconsin’s largest metro area, the Hartford-area trio can be conveniently accessed from General Mitchell International airport, making it ideal as a first or last stop. From there, driving distance is reasonably modest to access the state’s other hot spots (2-2.5 hours to Sand Valley/SentryWorld, just over an hour to Destination Kohler and 1.5 hours to Lawsonia).

The three courses are within 20 minutes of each other, and two of them can be combined in a single day without the need to rush.

What follows is my recommendation for how to best sequence a couple days near Hartford to get the most out of your golf adventure and set the stage for an amazing overall trip.

Day 1: The Club at Lac La Belle (Bonus: Uncle Henry’s Backyard)

The ideal way to kick off your Wisconsin golf trip is with a round at The Club at Lac La Belle, located just off I-94, 45 minutes from the Milwaukee airport.

The Club at Lac La Belle will help you ease into your adventure thanks to its leisurely parkland setting and wide corridors off the tee. At the same time, an abundance of big, bold features will serve as an apt introduction to the resort-style architecture you’ll encounter on the rest of the trip.

While I never played the original course, I’ve visited the property annually over the past several years, and with each visit the course conditions are even more superb – CLLB is maturing before our eyes and is now a mainstay among Wisconsin’s top-ranked public courses.

The opening stretch is one of the best I’ve seen in the state, featuring four dramatic, challenging holes cut out of woodland to the west of the clubhouse.

The risk/reward short par four 2nd pumps excitement into the round early with its heavy bunkering and wild, three-tiered green complex. Long hitters will be licking their chops with the green in range from the tee, but the abundance of trouble will keep bogey in play if execution doesn’t accompany courage.

The fourth is one of the best par threes in the state, home to an absurdly expansive, wildly-contoured green. 60 yards deep, the putting surface features an enormous false front and an even more severe backstop, essentially split into two completely distinct holes depending on the pin position. The middle section sits on a shelf that’s sternly guarded by the false front, while the back portion forms a punchbowl in ideal position for ace possibilities.

Rugged bunkers encircle the entire complex, natural resting spots for balls tumbling off severe slopes to the sides.

Can Mother Nature claim an iconic landmark only to see it re-born as a relic and strategic obstacle alike? That’s what you’ll find at the par five 16th, with its gaping fairway bisected by the remnants of a specimen oak that happens to be the subject of CLLB’s logo.

Once sprouting its wide berth across the playing surfaces, the tree was a perfect strategic landmark, presenting several distinct options that each had their own risks and rewards.

After burning to the ground spontaneously a few years ago (the prevailing theory is a lightning strike), the charred base of its trunk remains, adorned with a plaque commemorating its unique role in the club’s history.

The mounding and bunkering up the middle (and the charred tree trunk itself) will still produce significant optionality off the tee, before the hole bends slightly left and ends on a gargantuan, multi-sectioned green.

Uncle Henry’s Backyard

Recognizing the burgeoning demand for golf and its new place as a legitimate destination, the club has added a short course – Uncle Henry’s Backyard – set to open in 2026.

Craig Haltom was once again tapped for the design and teamed up with Jimmy Cavazza, and their backgrounds with unconventional course design have paid huge dividends based on my first look of the course last fall.

Occupying an open plot just north of CLLB’s second hole, Uncle Henry’s Backyard features nine par threes ranging from short pitches to mid/long iron shots. Large-scale mounding and severely sloping greens complexes add challenge and should promote a fun experience, and after shooting this little beauty last fall I can’t wait to tee it up here in 2026.

A midday round at the original 18 followed by bonus golf at Uncle Henry’s Backyard in the evening would be an amazing way to kickstart a Wisconsin golf trip. The golf is challenging but not overly penal, and you’ll have a leisurely day working your way across a property that exudes more of an elite country club vibe than the hustle-and-bustle of a bigtime resort.

While you’re there, I’d highly recommend a meal at Rivalry Pub and a friendly match at the Flatstick putting course just steps away. The modern clubhouse dazzles with charm and spot-on service, while also offering some of the best fare I’ve had at any golf property in recent years.

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Stay: Erin Hills’ Five-Star Irish Village

If Wisconsin is among the nation’s best states for golf, it’s equally best-in-class for accommodations at its top resorts.

My past experiences at a four-bedroom Sand Valley cottage and The American Club at Destination Kohler were nothing short of extraordinary, and everything I’ve heard about the lodging at Erin Hills has been equally glowing.

I’ve never stayed on property here, but I’ve walked through The Village at Erin Hills – an authentic Irish-themed collection of buildings including the clubhouse and several luxurious cottages – and felt an extreme sense of peace and relaxation.

The lodging at Erin Hills isn’t as expansive as Sand Valley or Destination Kohler, but the sense of seclusion and level of service might surpass anything I’ve seen.

With a handful of four-bedroom cottages and a limited number of lodge rooms available, you’ll want to book lodging at Erin Hills well in advance or you’ll be looking at Airbnb or other local hotel options.

Day 2: Erin Hills and Washington County

After waking up to a peaceful scene at The Village, an epic 36-hole day awaits. First up is a morning tee time at world-class Erin Hills itself. Staying on property for a morning round has its benefits – time to nourish, stretch, practice and meet your caddies before embarking on a bucket list round.

Round 1: Erin Hills, My All-Time Favorite

If you’ve followed WiscoGolfAddict for some time, you’ll know that we’ve been busy touring the best golf properties we can find in the state and beyond. At the end of each season, I’ll tally up all the “new to me” courses and update my personal course rankings, and to this day Erin has somehow remained #1.

There’s something in the water here that gets me. It’s as thrilling of a walk I’ve seen anywhere, wandering from hill to hill with great reveals on nearly every hole, as beautifully-framed playing corridors present themselves within the surreal landscape.

The golf itself is bold, demanding and pure fun. Like Washington County, Erin Hills is completely exposed to the elements with precious few trees dotting the property. Fescue lining both sides of fairways presents a formidable challenge, but the toughest demand of Erin Hills is its topography. Many tee shots bound significantly downhill, while green sites are placed atop plateaus and ridges, naturally leading to burdensome approaches and semi-blind shots.

As a walking-only course, Erin HIlls is best tackled as the first round of a 36-hole day – its immense scale and heaving terrain will quickly wear down the legs, but with every uphill climb comes the reward of sweeping views from tee boxes and green sites.

The front nine, while stunning in its own right, is more of a grind-it-out challenge leaning on sheer length to engage the elite ballstriker.

Erin Hills kicks it up a notch at the ninth, though, and doesn’t let up the rest of the way.

Originally a “bye hole” (the “dell” sixth was eliminated from the routing a few years after the course opened), the short ninth dives downhill to a small green encircled by sand and steep runoffs.

I love a short par 3 that makes you think, and the ninth will have you carefully deliberating club selection and flight path, particularly on a windy day. It’s a microcosm of the whole course – Erin Hills will relentlessly beat you up, but will reward great shots and you’ll remember them forever. I certainly think back fondly to the time I birdied the ninth quite often.

The corners of a routing can make or break a golf course – unique topography and encounters with the periphery of the property just beg for creative golf design and memorable shots.

The 14th and 15th form my favorite two-hole stretch at Erin Hills, fearlessly exploring and optimizing the dramatic contours of the property’s northwest corner.

Skirting past wetlands and snaking across a riveting landscape, the par five 14th will lure aggressive players with a clear view of the green on the second shot, but make no mistake – the risks of going for broke are enormous. The shot is all carry over the wetlands/fescue and the green pulls everything hard-right towards a massive dropoff and deep bunker.

If you’re playing aggressively, I’d still favor the extreme left side of the green to use the contours to your advantage and avoid the dreaded right side. Personally, I’ll play this as a three shotter and take my chances with a wedge unless a huge wind is howling from behind.

The short par four 15th starts with a breathtaking view from the tee, overlooking a valley dotted with fairway traps and the course’s most impressive green perched atop a towering plateau.

Three options exist off the tee – lay up right and face a poor angle of approach over sand, play semi-aggressively to the middle-left to setup a more straightforward lob, or go ballistic and launch one at the left-center of the green.

Despite its short length, big numbers are in play at the 15th thanks to its penal bunkering and perilous green complex.

While this is an exceptional track from start to finish, holes 14-15 form the zenith of excellence at Erin Hills, pushing it into the upper stratosphere of my favorite courses. The whole back nine boasts one dramatic shot after another, and concluding on the bruising par five 18th with the iconic clubhouse in the background is a cherry on top of a very special experience.

For much more on Erin Hills, be sure to check out our extensive lineup of articles published over the years, including my 2022 course review linked below.

Round 2: Washington County, the State’s Best Value

To conclude a proper golf tour of the Hartford area, Washington County fits the bill.

For starters, you can take a cart here – and after a taxing walk on Erin Hills in the morning, riding will be a popular choice to save the legs for another challenging golf experience.

That said, this is a perfectly walkable course despite significant elevation change – distances from greens to tees are modest and the course is relatively compact, despite a feeling of vastness on the nearly treeless property.

Washington County is an upscale, modern layout, but it still has the heart and soul of a muni – like many other publicly owned venues, you’ll see dewsweeping regulars crushing their mornings with sub-3 hour rounds, followed by throngs of locals squeezing in twilight golf after work.

The popularity of this place is off the charts, and after one visit you’ll know why it’s so beloved in the community.

The greens fees remarkably clock in below $100 (even less for county residents), but what you’ll experience is:

• Private club-level conditions with greens running higher than 12 on most days
• A true links-style test, exposed to the wind and favoring a creative ground game
• An exemplary practice facility boasting a sprawling grass range and three practice holes
• Sweeping views for miles, including Holy Hill to the southeast and the golf course in the foreground framed by golden fescue (come in late summer/early fall for the best visuals)

Washington County has also been one of my favorite places to photograph over the years. With its perfectly-manicured corridors contrasted against golden fescue and infinity views of the surrounding countryside, I’ve simply had to show up during golden hour and collect great images – it’s almost impossible to take poor photos of this setting.

All 18 holes present a stern test – on calm days, the course is getable, but in the wind it’s a monster that will knock you off your toes. Completely open to the elements, the greens get especially taxing on windier days in the afternoon, approaching speeds I’ve rarely seen.

Just like Erin Hills, Washington County’s design maximizes interesting topography on the corners of the property to elevate the overall experience.

The fifth through eighth skirt the southern border of the routing, descending to its lowest point and encountering wetlands – virtually the only water in play on site.

The fifth is a particularly memorable short par 4, playing slightly uphill and across a shelf with deep trouble to the left. Any bold drive hit at the green will have to flirt with the left side, first needing to carry a long sand trap and then approach a well-defended, raised green. I usually play smart and bunt one up the right side where a straightforward par awaits, while I’ve seen plenty of aggressive playing partners fall victim to the left side.

The par 3 sixth plays back downhill to a narrow green made even more inaccessible by convex sloping. With sharp runoffs and pot bunkers guarding all sides of the green, playing to the center is advisable regardless of pin position, and the ability to recover from a tricky spot is essential if you can’t pull off a great tee shot.

The seventh and eighth feature wetlands lining the left side, but sand, fescue and blind shots will complicate matters if you steer too far clear of the water.

The par 5 seventh is a true three-shot beast, thanks to its longer length and a creek fronting the green. The eighth, on the other hand, is a reachable par 4, but the bold route requires a carry over water to a small green that’s extremely tough to hold.

Those are but a few highlights from a course loaded with dramatic shots, so be sure to check out my full course review (linked below) for much more on Washington County.

The value, vibes, great design and firm conditions combine to form an experience unlike any other you’ll encounter in the Badger State, and even though Washington County isn’t ranked in most best-in-state lists (note, it did appear in Golf.com’s ranking at #20), I’m quite confident you’ll find it worthy of a spot in your itinerary.

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Closing Thoughts

A common approach for out-of-state golf enthusiasts is to blow through the Hartford area, stopping only for one round at Erin Hills before moving on.

However, my experience playing and photographing Washington County and The Club at Lac La Belle over the past few years has given me a broader perspective on the depth of golf in this region, and I think you’d be missing something special without checking these places out.

Once you’ve seen the land around Hartford, you’ll immediately understand its potential for world-class golf design. The rugged hills, drumlins, valleys and rivers form an exquisite template for dramatic golf, yet much of the area remains untapped.

That’s quickly changing, though. A new development, Kettle Forge, is underway just to the west of Erin Hills on a dramatic property featuring blissful views of the surrounding hills. Wisconsin is light on elite private golf that caters to the traveling enthusiast, but Kettle Forge promises to fill that void with a Tim Jackson/David Kahn design (also known for their work at Lost Rail Golf Club) set to a sublime landscape that could match the grandeur of Erin Hills.

I’ve heard some chatter about other new developments in the area, as well, including Bob Lang’s Trinity Hills idea (which is sadly, to my knowledge, on hold). One thing’s for sure – the land here is so good, new high-end courses almost seem inevitable in the years to come.

What we have in the Hartford area right now, though, is enough to whet the appetite of the golf-tripper and live up to the lofty standards of what is now one of America’s best states for golf.

Are you planning a Wisconsin golf trip from out of state? Drop us a comment and we’d be happy to share more recs!

Photography by Brian Murphy (Washington County and The Club at Lac La Belle) and Paul Seifert (Erin Hills) for WiscoGolfAddict.com