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Illinois/Wisconsin/Minnesota summer roadie

cydisc

cydisc

Double Eagle Member
Gold level trusted reviewer
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
1,023
Location
Ames, IA
I'm planning my summer vacation for August 30-September 7 and it will be heavily DG focused. Basically, I'm looking for good courses and any leagues/tournaments going on during that time.

First part of the trip, I'll be traveling from Iowa through Illinois to stay a couple of days in Lake Geneva WI area.

Then, I'm going through Milwaukee to Door County for a couple nights.

Then, the remainder will be in the Shawano area, so Green Bay and Appleton will be the DG scenes.

Finally, I'll head home to Iowa, either west through the Twin Cities and down, or diagonally towards Dubuque.

Ideas?
 
Blue ribbon pines is about 30 minutes north of Minneapolis. Leagues on Thursday and Sunday in the summer. Usually big ace pots. Fun course that is very well maintained. Bar/restaurant on the course. Monday there is a league at Bassett creek park, Tuesday there is league at Central Park, Wednesday there is Westside Wednesday that rotates to different courses, Friday there is one at winter crest in coon rapids, Saturday and Sunday leagues at kaposia (another great championship style course). A name to look up on FB is John solberg, he runs leagues at different courses like 3 days a week.

Courses worth checking out: bethel university, Bryant lake park, the valley, hyland hills. Haven't been to the southern part of the state to disc but I know there are several highly rated courses down there like kenwood trails, maiden shade. Otherwise, let UDisc guide you. MN has a ton to offer.
 
Last edited:
WI

Hit up Rollin Ridge on your way North out of Milwaukee.
In Milwaukee - Estabrook is the most popular course, Brown Deer is the most Challenging and a lot of locals favorite. Dretzka is my favorite and Root River is a blast. Stay away from Dineen.

Dretzka usually has Tuesday night leagues, Thursday is Estabrook I think. Estabrook also has a Beer Garden next to the course and is a lot of fun in the summer.
 
Between either your first and second or second and third legs of your trip I recommend a detour to play Fairfield Park (Squaw Creek Gold) in the northern Chicago suburbs and Silver and Grey Fox just north of the border in southern Wisconsin.

For a bit larger detour I'd check out the Joliet area in the southwest Chicago suburbs and hit up Canyons, Highland Park, Community and/ or West Park.
 
Between Appleton and the Twin Cities area you can come visit me. I've got inexpensive lodging. 18 holes of Bald/Golden Eagle that decent homegrown type wooded golf. Then we'll make the drive up the bluff to the trail of the gods, I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of the most epic courses in the country - epic views, epic rollaways, epic top of the world shots, suspension bridge, baskets attached to cliffs.

I say heavily wooded, but then show you the one picture that has only like 3 trees on it.

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Hole 9 tee is not for the faint of heart - I've had folks walk away before they even make it to the tee pad.

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Hole 11 may be the longest 100 foot hole you ever play, I've seen maybe 1 in 10 people be able to reach it. 100 feet long, gaining 120 feet of elevation.

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Oh boy I messed up the post a little - The first pic is hole 18 at bald/golden eagle (the beach shot). The second pic in the post is hole 11 (and 18) at Trail of the gods. The last pic is hole 9 (top of the world potential death hole).
 
One I have played in Minnesota is in Winnona the older and newer course though the one at the College has changed from the crappy course when I played. Try to find the Cone baskets if any of the courses in Twin Cities still have those.
 
Casey 1988 said:
One I have played in Minnesota is in Winnona the older and newer course though the one at the College has changed from the crappy course when I played. Try to find the Cone baskets if any of the courses in Twin Cities still have those.
Click to expand...

Hansen has added more cones and I have been hearing there will be 2 new holes soon. Moir Park has cones as well.
 
First part of the trip, I'll be traveling from Iowa through Illinois to stay a couple of days in Lake Geneva WI area.

Play Grey/Silver Fox. They're fantastic. Fairfield in northern IL is also pretty darn good.

Then, I'm going through Milwaukee to Door County for a couple nights.

Brown Deer is the best course in Milwaukee. Heading north, hit up Stoney Creek in Fredonia. Rollin' Ridge in Reedsville. Silver Creek in Manitowoc if you have time.

Then, the remainder will be in the Shawano area, so Green Bay and Appleton will be the DG scenes.

Green Bay doesn't have a lot of great frolf. Sugar Camp is ok, but not a destination course. In the Appleton area, you're looking at Plamann (sp) and maybe O'Hauser down the road in Menasha.

Finally, I'll head home to Iowa, either west through the Twin Cities and down, or diagonally towards Dubuque.

Plenty of good information about the TC's, but if you head back to Iowa, hit up Zobel and Wilderness (those would be good after O'Hauser).

If you haven't played the Davenport/Moline area, West Lake Park and Camden is pretty great.
 
Sethamphetamine said:
Hansen has added more cones and I have been hearing there will be 2 new holes soon. Moir Park has cones as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah I heard that Hanson was replacing the old Mach I baskets with cone holes to make an easy course more challenging.

Moir Park has the Cone Holes but only on a few holes and one of the original was stole but then remade for the course. https://youtu.be/vvinkXP0WRA
 
Having played a ton of the courses on your route I think Stardoggy pretty much hit the nail on the head with his list. When in Lake Geneva, the Silver/Grey fox combo is a must. The Red fox is a good 9 hole to warm up for the other two but if short on time should be skipped. Fairfield is really nice too, but I'd go with the Silver/Grey fox combo over that and it's closer. Johnson Park in Racine is also really fun and probably not too far off your route. As for through Milwaukee. I personally prefer Dretzka to Brown Deer (barely), but Brown Deer is top notch too. And Stoney Creek is AWESOME. I'd consider that a must play as well. Highly underrated IMO. Rollin Ridge and Silver Creek are both phenomenal, must plays. Silver Creek is 36 holes and Rollin ridge needs to be played a couple times through. With that being said Vollrath in Sheboygan is awesome too. Way easier but very fun. Zobel and Wilderness are both fantastic options too. Can't go wrong with them. But if you head from Shawano the twin cities a couple to check out not far off 29 would be Big Eau Pleine county park in Mosinee and Tower Ridge I and II just outside Eau Claire.
 
What is your planned route from Iowa thru Illinois? If you're taking I80 Id say you have to play the canyons in Lockport- best course in all Chicago area IMO. Highland or west park are great alternatives if you're looking for a quicker play. Shorewood Park is a decent course too. It doesn't have any wow factor, just a fun round on a short course- lots of ace runs and can be played solo in about 30 mins generally.

If taking I88, the stop along the way would be Sinnissippi park in Sterling. Many beautiful holes in a great park. Skare woods in Rochelle is a great 9 holer as well not far off the interstate.

If youre passing by Rockford, Anna page park has several fun courses on the property and is the best in that area.

If you're trip home takes you thru Dubuque you have to play Veterans memorial in Dubuque. Great wooded course with dramatic elevation and lots of fun throws.
 
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