Hardest Public Golf Courses in Wisconsin
The hardest public golf course in Wisconsin is Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, with a slope of 152 and a course rating of 77.2 from the Black tees (7,790 yards). It is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Next are Big Fish Golf Course (slope 147) and Erin Hills (slope 145).
5 hardest public courses in Wisconsin, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whistling Straits | Sheboygan | Resort | 152 | 77.2 | Black | 7,790 | Aug 2026 source |
| 2 | Big Fish Golf Course | Hayward | Public | 147 | 74.5 | Black | 7,088 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Erin Hills | Erin | Public | 145 | 77.9 | Black | 7,731 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Wild Ridge Golf Course | Eau Claire | Public | 143 | 73.6 | Black | 7,019 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Blackwolf Run | Kohler | Resort | 141 | 75.6 | Black | 7,363 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in Wisconsin, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 220 golf courses in Wisconsin have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 20 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Wisconsin public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Wisconsin?
Of the Wisconsin courses Stymie has checked for public access, Whistling Straits in Sheboygan has the highest slope rating: 152 from the Black tees, with a course rating of 77.2. Big Fish Golf Course is next at 147. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Whistling Straits?
Yes. Whistling Straits is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Stymie checked its access in Aug 2026 against en.wikipedia.org. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More Wisconsin golf
- Hardest golf courses in Wisconsin, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Wisconsin
- Every rated course in Wisconsin
- All Wisconsin golf courses