Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
The Club at Lac La Belle delivers a modern, memorable take on Wisconsin’s golf tradition with a seriously strategic parkland test and top-shelf public conditions. Its storied past meets a bold, contemporary layout that rewards both daring and discipline. Expect a destination-worthy experience, especially for those chasing the state’s best.
Between nines, take a moment in the locker room lounge—club stories and relics from the 1900 Oconomowoc Open line the walls and offer a rare sense of golf history.
The Club at Lac La Belle is a showcase of classic parkland golf rejuvenated through bold, inventive modern design. Craig Haltom’s restoration embraced the historic bones of the site, integrating strategic bunkering, sprawling greens, and a routing that dances between risk and reward. The result is a public-access course that both honors its early 20th-century roots and demands twenty-first-century thinking, from tee shot placement to the testy multi-level putting surfaces.
Craig Haltom revitalized the property, marrying modern strategy with respect for one of Wisconsin's oldest courses and integrating new land without losing its legacy.
A monster par 4 at 526 yards, No. 3 throws down the gauntlet early with a demanding tee shot and a long, controlled approach to a well-guarded green. Placement over brute force is the key to avoiding carnage here.
Favor fairway position over length to set up a manageable second shot; bold players must respect the green’s defenses.
Straying off line courts trouble and big numbers quickly add up if you chase too much yardage.
Immaculately maintained fairways and greens with an upscale public course feel.
Moderate to slow on busy weekends; early tee times move quicker.
Destination-style energy—serious but welcoming, with a dash of tradition.
Standard golf attire expected; confirm when booking.
Prime slots, especially weekends, fill fast due to the course’s reputation as a regional destination.
Massive, multi-level greens place a premium on imaginative pitch shots and precise lag putting.
The Black tees are a brute; most visitors enjoy a fair-but-tough challenge from Blue (6,321) or White (5,870).
Club organized and site selected.
Original nine-hole course built by David Foulis; golf is played for the first time.
Oconomowoc Open attracts top US pros, overshadowing the Western Open that year.
Craig Haltom begins comprehensive restoration and redesign.
Grand reopening of the modern Lac La Belle, now updated for championship public play.
In 1900, the Oconomowoc Open offered a purse so large it lured the best players in America away from the Western Open, making headlines and confirming Lac La Belle as a serious golf destination. Legends like Willie Anderson and James Foulis competed in what historians see as a precursor to future major invitationals.
Craig Haltom’s bold remodel in 2018–2020 didn’t just tweak fairways but excavated and re-imagined the property, with four new holes and an emphasis on massive, multi-tiered greens that demand creative putting. The result is a harmonious blend of parkland tradition with modern shot values.
Few American courses can boast back-to-back US Open champions as club professionals: Both Alex Smith and Willie Anderson worked here, leaving a legacy that still resonates through tales in the pro shop and local lore.
The 1900 Oconomowoc Open’s purse was reportedly so large it upended the national tournament schedule.
The property features greens often topping 8,500 sq. ft. with dizzying contours.
Both Alex Smith and Willie Anderson, multiple U.S. Open champions, served as early club pros.
Craig Haltom’s renovation unearthed and expanded the course with four entirely new holes.
Lac La Belle’s reinvention is credited as one of Wisconsin public golf’s revival stories.
A public U.S. Open host with legendary modern inland links and dramatic scale.
Globally acclaimed links-style masterpiece on the Lake Michigan shoreline with PGA Championship pedigree.
Elite Pete Dye challenge with tournament conditioning and scenic river holes.
A strong classic parkland option with accessible tee times in the Milwaukee area.
Downtown Oconomowoc or Delafield for convenient lake access, dining, and quick course hops.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: If The Club at Lac la Belle is your kind of course, Seattle Golf Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: If The Club at Lac la Belle is your kind of course, Siwanoy Country Club is worth a look because it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in The Links at Perry Cabin's own setting.
Community Sentiment
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