The Pines: Lake Arrowhead's Intimate Golf Experience

As originally published by WiscoGolf Addict

By Paul Seifert

TOWN OF ROME, WI: For years when I would push my Top 25 Public Courses in Wisconsin rankings out on social media I’d hear back from others in the know: “Your list isn’t complete without the Pines course at Lake Arrowhead!”

I’ve spent a lot of time in Rome/Nekoosa since the original Sand Valley media days, but I’d never found time to visit the world-famous resort’s [literally] next door neighbor until this past fall.

Arguably the more popular of the two tracks at Lake Arrowhead Golf Club, the Pines is the destination’s flagship course. Opened in 1982 (16 years before the Lakes), it’s long been known as one of Central Wisconsin’s premiere championship venues with tree-lined fairways, excellent conditions and now a beautiful, newly renovated clubhouse and dining experience.

Along with its Lakes counterpart, the Pines has played host to a litany of Wisconsin’s competitive golf tournaments over the years, including this past season’s (2023) State Match Play Championship won by Ty Kretz of Marinette.

With all the challenge competitive players can ask for, Lake Arrowhead is perfectly suited for events like these, as well as the more “friendly” ones – the property has hosted the Wisconsin PGA Junior Invitational each of the last 36 seasons and the Pater Filius (state father/son) eight times since 2000.

I wrote more about Lake Arrowhead’s championship pedigree in my review of the Lakes course, which you can check out below, but suffice it to say this is a golf destination that can be counted on for great fun and challenge for players of all skill levels.

“With over 500 public courses in Wisconsin, there aren’t many left that I haven’t played and expect to crack my top 25 rankings. I was really excited to check out Lake Arrowhead myself, and it did not disappoint.

Together with my cousin, Frank, and two of his buddies from the Wisconsin Rapids area, we got started early – myself, especially, with three consecutive days of sunrise and sunset photography.

The first few attempts were incredibly overcast, a condition I’ve become too familiar with while visiting Central Wisconsin over the past few years. It was on the last morning, though, when I was not even expecting to do photography that I woke up early at the Eagle’s Nest Guest House III, peered outside and finally saw something I hadn’t in a while: Clear skies! I got out of bed, thanked the night before’s version of myself for charging my drone batteries and left for Lake Arrowhead.”

That’s one of those things about being a golf course photographer: You never know when Mother Nature will cooperate. Especially over the past four or five years, summer and fall wildfires out west and in Canada have wreaked havoc on my early-morning flights.

Sometimes you need to be patient, though, and endure the occasional dull mornings to be rewarded with great scenes like the one I caught that Sunday morning.

The Pines Course: My hole-by-hole breakdown

As I mentioned in my review of the Lakes course, there is not a single other article I could find on the internet that goes over individual holes at Lake Arrowhead. In typical “me” fashion, I’ve taken that as a challenge to present them all. These are excellent golf courses and all golf addicts should have the opportunity to see them.

Hole 1: Par 4 (hcp. 9, 348/328/256)

The adventure on the Pines course tees off from across the parking lot on what I found to be a typical fairway here with about 100 total yards to work with laterally, trees on both sides and a number of deep, rugged bunkers to avoid.

The opening hole bends slightly to the left at around 300 yards, revealing a wonderful, back-left to front-right green complex fronted by three deep sand hazards that must be carried when approached from short (a long drive right of the green area is ideal as it takes them out of the picture).

Hole 2: Par 5 (hcp. 5, 517/487/429)

The second highlights one of my favorite features of the Pines course: Its bunkering. Across all 18 holes, the sand features on the Pines are deep and craggy, contrasted against a significantly smoother aesthetic on the Lakes.

Doglegging from left to right, the second features a bevy of bunkers, placing importance on positioning off the tee.

Hole 3: Par 4 (hcp. 13, 362/342/268)

The third is one of the tightest holes on the course, engulfed in tall jack pines (giving a good idea of what the Sand Valley land looked like prior to its development).

Hole 4: Par 3 (hcp. 17, 140/122/89)

A fun little par three, the fourth has two separate sets of tee boxes. The first set, just beyond the third hole green, keeps players from having to carry the pond while the second, more often played, tee boxes play directly over it.

Both tee boxes are downhill and set up between 135 and 160 yards.

Hole 5: Par 4 (hcp. 7, 388/358/275)

A straightaway par four, my favorite part of the fifth is its putting surface. Divided into a left and right side with a swale in the middle, this is a really fun little golf hole as long as you can skirt the fairway bunker to the left off the tee.

Hole 6: Par 4 (hcp. 11, 367/336/267)

Heading into a fun, intimate section of the course with a lot of sand and elevation, the sixth is a strategic little par four with trouble lurking everywhere. The tee shot plays significantly downhill into a chute protected on all sides by tough traps that will make recovery shots to this highly elevated green a challenge.

Hole 7: Par 3 (hcp. 15, 187/168/117)

Seven is a great little par three! A mid-iron from most tees, the tee shot plays slightly downhill to a two-tiered green perched above a massive green-side bunker on the left.

Hole 8: Par 4 (hcp. 1, 428/412/301)

The eighth is a long, solid par four over 400 yards from the two back sets of tees. Surrounded on all sides by trees, it’s one of those holes on the Pines course that gives players a feel of solitude – one with the golf course and this beautiful natural environment.

Hole 9: Par 5 (hcp. 3, 516/490/456)

The front nine of the Pines course finishes with a mid-length par five around 500 yards that finishes beside the pond behind the clubhouse.

A sliver of beach will help keep some wayward approach shots from a watery demise, but – like with many of the green complexes on the Pines course – the long, narrow putting surface can be a challenge to hit from outside of wedge range.

Hole 10: Par 4 (hcp. 8, 381/357/310)

Teeing off from behind the clubhouse, the back nine of the Pines course features some exceptional, woodlands golf holes. The first of these is the par four tenth.

The water left should not be much of an issue, but the fairway does pinch towards the mid-way traps and en route to the green.

We kicked things off on the back nine during our round to keep away from an outing that started on the front, so this was our introduction to the course and we were quite impressed, especially with the bunkering aesthetics and subtleties of the greens.

Even as the tenth, this is a great opening hole.

Hole 11: Par 5 (hcp. 10, 519/486/463)

A dogleg left par five, the 11th plays around a lone tree in the elbow of the fairway before heading softly uphill to a tightly guarded, narrow green surface that runs back-left to front-right.

Hole 12: Par 4 (hcp. 12, 362/337/300)

A gentle dogleg right, the twelfth is another fairly short par four that’s ripe for birdie opportunities. Keep the tee shot left of the corner for a great look in.

Hole 13: Par 4 (hcp. 16, 358/335/284)

A short par four, the 13th plays relatively straight between the tree lines. A lone fairway bunker protects the right side while a green-side one looms below the right side of the green.

Hole 14: Par 3 (hcp. 14, 195/169/115)

Fourteen is an excellent par three with an elevated green played to by way of elevated tees. The playing surface drops off on both sides of the green, making precision [or recovery] key to this challenging par three.

Hole 15: Par 4 (hcp. 2, 413/387/317)

A long, straightaway par four, most of the trouble on 15 comes into play near the green surrounds, especially on the left side where one of the largest bunkers on the entire property inhabits enough space to steer players toward the smaller, likely more challenging trap short-right.

Hole 16: Par 5 (hcp. 6, 521/498/474)

16 and 17 are two of the most popular holes on the Pines course at Lake Arrowhead. A par five/par three duo, the 16th is a 500-yard three-shotter with all the difficulty around the setup and approach areas.

The pond that separates these two dynamic holes juts into the approach zone, begging players to lay up short for a wedge in versus taking on the water. The wide green is canted in the back-right towards the middle and front-left with several distinct zones. This is a really tricky green.

Hole 17: Par 3 (hcp. 18, 162/144/119)

Seventeen is one of the most picturesque holes on the course. From the back tees, the tee shot plays over the edge of the water, while the forward sets up alongside it. The green is long, allowing for great yardage variations in setup, with traps left and short-left of the putting surface.

Hole 18: Par 4 (hcp. 4, 460/426/373)

The Pines course finishes with a long, demanding par four. Well over 400 yards from the two back tees, the fairway careens slightly to the left with a deep, rugged fairway bunker looming large on the right side.

The green surrounds are no picnic, either, with three equally as deep, challenging traps engulfing the entryway to this bean-shaped putting surface.

Carding a four here is like birdie on most holes so take it, smile and then be sure to grab some great grub afterwards in the clubhouse!

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The Pines is a fantastic modern parkland track that is well worth visiting whether you’re in the Central Wisconsin area or across the state.

Be sure to check out my review of the Lakes course, as well, and my Lake Arrowhead destination overview for more on this terrific golf destination.

With Lake Arrowhead, Bullseye and SentryWorld all within a short drive, there is a ton of great golf in the Nekoosa/Wisconsin Rapids area. If you’re looking for a perfect way to bookend a Sand Valley trip, or great destination for a standalone, affordable 36-hole in-state getaway on some really fun, classic Wisconsin golf courses then the tracks at Lake Arrowhead may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Are you looking to experience Lake Arrowhead for the first time? Book your tee times on their website, linked below, and be sure to comment on this or any of my other Lake Arrowhead posts with your opinion on the best course on property.