Ephraim, Wisconsin
Peninsula State Park Golf Course is the region’s classic public track, set above Eagle Harbor with brawny elevation swings and a memorable bluff-top par 3. It's not a national destination, but golfers touring Door County shouldn't miss its combination of old-school parkland character and spectacular views.
Pause at the Chief Kahquados memorial pole beside the 9th fairway—it's a one-of-a-kind heritage site on a golf course.
Peninsula State Park Golf Course is a parkland classic shaped by the natural Wisconsin bluff terrain and a century of public-golf heritage. The traditional, medium-width routing takes advantage of sweeping elevation, with pines, scenic water views, and holes that never feel manufactured. You'll find a mix of long, demanding par 3s, winding par 5s, and cheeky tempo-setting short holes — all climactically culminating at the breathtaking 17th. The green complexes are generally friendly but well-defended by elevation and approach angles, providing enough challenge for seasoned golfers yet accessible to families and summer guests. Recent improvements have preserved its unfussy charm while enhancing playability.
While Lawrence Packard's 1960s redesign modernized the course, A.E. Doolittle and William 'Bim' Lovekin’s early vision set the character — culminating in today's strategic, scenic classic.
This long par 3 calls for all the right club and a determined swing, playing over a pronounced drop with swirling wind creating doubt about yardage. Precision trumps aggression, as missing short or long leaves a hazardous recovery.
Respect the elevation and guard short-center to widen your margin for error.
Left or short leaves a tricky recovery from sloping, unforgiving rough.
Solid public-course standards with some rustic quirks; greens roll true but aren't immaculate.
Moderate to slow during peak summer; tee times are in-demand mid-season.
Casual, lively, and family-friendly — pure Door County vacation golf.
No formal code; wear standard golf attire.
Reserve your tee time well in advance, especially in July and August.
Walking is scenic but hilly; bring comfortable shoes if you do.
Pack wind-resistant layers—the course’s elevation brings exposed, breezy conditions near the bluff.
Check out the practice green—it’s the best place to get a feel for the uphill, sloping putts you’ll face.
Opened as a 6-hole layout
Expanded to 9 holes
First Resorters’ Tournament held
Completed as an 18-hole course, driven by William 'Bim' Lovekin
The 17th hole's stunning drop from the park’s sledding hill makes it both the visual and emotional climax of the round, earning near-mythic status in local lore. It has inspired both awe and anxiety in generations of Door County golfers.
At the 9th fairway, a memorial pole honors Chief Kahquados, recognizing the land's Potawatomi heritage and giving the park course a rare, poignant historical connection that few golf properties can claim.
Peninsula State Park’s Resorters’ Tournament has brought together local and summer visitors in competition since 1925, reflecting the club’s role as Door County’s summit of public-golf social life.
The original greens at Peninsula State Park weren't grass at all — they were sand and oil, demanding deft touch and creativity in an era before modern putting surfaces.
The 17th hole plays from a park sledding hill and is Door County’s most-photographed golf shot.
The course ran on sand-and-oil greens for decades before modernizing.
Chief Kahquados’s relatives oversaw the installation of the memorial pole in the 1950s.
The Resorters’ Tournament has been played for over a century.
There’s a 6-hole short course for beginners, a rarity among Wisconsin publics.
Second-strongest public course in the county; modern, vacation-friendly challenge.
A laid-back public alternative for relaxed rounds with friends or family.
Historic Door County course famous for scenic closing holes and water views.
Popular Door Peninsula option for those heading through Sturgeon Bay.
Fish Creek or Ephraim for the quickest access and classic Door County experience.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? Makes the landscape part of the experience — a familiar feeling, expressed in Samoset Resort Golf Course's own setting.
Why it matches: Spearfish Canyon Country Club is a natural next stop after Peninsula State Park Golf Course: it shares a memorable sense of place.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Skene Valley Country Club shares a memorable sense of place, making it a compelling counterpart to Peninsula State Park Golf Course.
Community Sentiment
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