Better by the Dozen
Search Google to find where the concept of “dozen” originated, and you’ll get a myriad of mixed and contradicting results. Typical for a lot of internet searches ever since it became a dumping ground for anybody who ever had an opinion.
Doesn’t really matter where it originated, though, does it? Just be glad it’s a thing.
Because some of the best things in life come in dozens. Donuts. Roses. Golf courses.
Wait. What? Golf courses?
Yeah, that’s right, golf courses. That is, if we’re talking about 12 of the most fun and scenic courses you’ll find anywhere, but luckily for us, happen to be plotted right here along the Wisconsin River - from Rome to Stevens Point. Twelve golf courses that makeup what’s been dubbed, the “Golf Corridor.” (Well, not really. We kinda just made that up, but it’s pretty catchy, isn’t it?)
They range from the player friendly everybody’s-got-a-chance-to-make-a-par courses to the most challenging better-bring-your-A-game tour-level courses.
So, what are they, you ask. What are these 12 amazing courses?
Alright, let’s get into it. Let’s start in Rome and work our way upriver to Stevens Point - because alphabetical is boring, and there’s no such thing as best to worse, or worse to best, when you’re talking about golf in The Corridor.
1. Sand Valley, the namesake of the Sand Valley Resort in Rome, was founded on the promise of bringing incredible public golf to the prehistoric sands of central Wisconsin. With massive and exposed dunes, firm and fast fairways, majestic bunkers, and a multitude of strategic playing options, Sand Valley is fun and playable, but can be set up to provide a serious challenge for even the most accomplished golfer.
597 Leopold Way, Nekoosa, WI 54457
888-651-5539
2. Mammoth Dunes, also in the Sand Valley Resort, was designed to be a journey around a majestic landscape, with enormous fairways, big accessible greens, and huge, alluring hillsides of exposed natural sand - “mammoth dunes,” if you will. Like Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes focuses on fun and fair rather than intimidation. The wide, almost unmissable fairways offer players multiple angles of attack into generous greens. Mammoth Dunes is a welcome reminder that a great golf course can also be eminently fair and a whole lotta fun.
597 Leopold Way, Nekoosa, WI 54457
888-651-5539
3. The Sandbox, a 17-hole “short course” at the Sand Valley Resort, meanders through a once wild sand prairie that sits within the same V-shaped ridge that frames Mammoth Dunes. With tempting holes ranging from 40 to 140 yards, chances are you’ll play this course with just your short irons and a putter. But don’t be fooled. It features sneaky little greens that dare you take aim at the pin, but then laugh at you as you pull out your lob wedge. Again.
597 Leopold Way, Nekoosa, WI 54457
888-651-5539
4. The Lido used to be a world-class golf course located on the shores of Long Island in the early 1900’s. It was considered by many golf historians to be one of the greatest golf courses ever created. Sadly, it was demolished by the U.S. Navy to make way for a military base during World War II and was believed to be lost forever. But thanks to the golf gods, The Lido is being resurrected, and ready for play in Spring 2023, with every exacting detail, at the Sand Valley Resort, right here in central Wisconsin. Yup, The Lido lives again.
597 Leopold Way, Nekoosa, WI 54457
888-651-5539
5. Lake Arrowhead – The Pines, a 4 ½ star “Places to Play” course as lauded by Golf Digest, is among the top 75 public courses in America. Located at Lake Arrowhead in Rome, the course features bentgrass fairways, sculpted bunkers, natural sand areas, large undulating greens, and four sets of tee boxes to fool some of us into believing we’re better than we actually are. And that’s OK.
1195 Apache Lane, Nekoosa, WI 54457
715-325-2929
6. Lake Arrowhead – The Lakes, another course at Lake Arrowhead that has received a 4 ½ star ranking by Golf Digest, is tucked among tall pines (makes sense) and lush woodlands. With ominous bunkers, primal sand waste areas, and menacing water hazards, this course is sure to challenge anybody who’s ever swung a club. Although, the large, contoured greens give even the hacker, who’s most likely scribbling down a double bogey on his card, a sense of accomplishment as he heads to the next tee.
1195 Apache Lane, Nekoosa, WI 54457
715-325-2929
7. The Ridges is a course that couldn’t decide what it wanted to be when it grew up. And that’s what makes it so wonderful. The front nine tends to be long and wide, whereas the back nine is wooded and tight. As you make the turn, you’ll find yourself in the tee box second-guessing your decision to pull out the driver. But at the same time, you’ll be awe struck by the view from atop a ridge overlooking towering pines, the babbling Buena Vista Creek, and the flourishing valley floor more than 80 feet below. But don’t be afraid. Go ahead. Just grip it and rip it!
2311 Griffith Avenue, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
715-424-3204
8. TriCity Golf Course is a very approachable 9-hole public course that welcomes the beginner golfer but yet challenges the experienced low handicapper with "postage stamp" sized greens. It is perfect for a game of “Bingo, Bango, Bongo” with old friends, or a quick after work round with new friends. This par 35 course features narrow fairways and modest, well-protected greens that will test the resolve of any golfer. When you play here, it’s more about fun and frivolity than it is about posting your lowest score. Lastly, after your round, enjoy delicious food and drinks at the "IronWood Bar and Grill!"
3010 Golf Course Road, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
715-423-1380
9. Bullseye Country Club is an 18-hole course overlooking the beautiful Wisconsin River. But don’t be too distracted by the beauty. This course will test your mettle with tree-lined fairways, pesky little bunkers, and fair, yet threatening greens. It’s a definite challenge, but at the same time, it chases away any stress you may have had when you first pulled into the parking lot. Especially as you listen to the sound of the Wisconsin River gurgling by as you watch your drive, impressed with yourself, splitting the fairway right down the middle.
2800 Ridgewood Trail, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
715-423-2225
10. Homestead Golf Course had humble beginnings as the Hafermann family farm in Wisconsin Rapids, until 1970 when Richard Hafermann so cleverly converted the farmhouse into the Homestead Bar. The following year, the surrounding farm fields that once produced hay, oats, and corn, now produced birdies, pars, and bogeys as the total transformation to a fun little 9-hole golf course was completed.
3372 Highway 73, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495
715-423-7577
11. Wisconsin River Golf Club is a scenic course also set amid the picturesque Wisconsin River. The 18-hole course was designed with all levels of skill in mind. From the first tee to the last, the Wisconsin River Golf Club will challenge the experienced golfer, yet encourage those swinging a club for the very first time. Well-groomed fairways and greens as true as your living room carpet, are sure to bring out the best in your game – as some of Wisconsin’s wonderful wildlife watches from the gallery.
705 West DR W, Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-344-9152
12. SentryWorld is the pinnacle of parkland golf—combining the character and versatility of the country’s finest tailored courses with the stunning natural beauty of Stevens Point - where fields meet forests under clear blue skies. It truly is a course within reach for golfers of all skill levels. Challenging the low handicapper with narrow corridors and looming fairway hazards, SentryWorld encourages creativity, and rewards resourcefulness. While at the same time it offers the recreational golfer a friendly, inviting experience, with breathtaking views and countless opportunities to make this round the best round of your life.
601 Michigan Avenue N, Stevens Point, WI 54481
866-479-6753
There they are. A dozen extraordinary golf courses strung out along the Wisconsin River in central Wisconsin. A dozen courses, each unique in its own way, making golf in The Corridor, some of the best golf in the Midwest.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick a course and make a tee time. Better yet, make a dozen tee times.
Written by: Lydell Capritta