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Hardest Golf Courses in Wisconsin

The 25 most challenging golf courses in Wisconsin, ranked by maximum slope rating.

The hardest golf course in Wisconsin on Stymie is Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, designed by Pete Dye (opened in 1998). It carries a maximum slope rating of 152, stretching 7,790 yards from the back tees, placing it well above the USGA's neutral 113 and into the territory where bogey golfers should expect to lose 8-12 strokes versus their handicap. These 25 courses below are ranked by maximum slope rating, the single best proxy for "how punishing this course is" for the average golfer.

Across the full Stymie directory, the average maximum slope in Wisconsin is 129 — above the typical US state benchmark around 125. 18 courses in Wisconsin carry a slope of 140 or higher; a slope of 140+ is considered very difficult and demands accurate driving, distance control on iron shots, and patience around the greens.

If you're testing yourself or planning a buddy trip built around difficulty, start at the top of this list and play from a tee one set forward of your normal handicap range. Course difficulty is not the same as course quality — many of the hardest courses below also rank among the most enjoyable in the state, but the slope rating tells you to bring your A-game.

Ranked

Peak slope

152

Avg max slope

129

Slope 140+

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Slope
1	Whistling Straits#26 GD 7,790 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1998Sheboygan	Sheboygan	72	152
2	Big Fish Golf Course 7,088 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 2003Hayward	Hayward	72	147
3	River Edge Golf Course 6,562 yds · Par 72 · 1990Marshfield	Marshfield	72	146
4	Troy Burne Golf Club 6,976 yds · Par 71 · Tom Lehman · 1999Hudson	Hudson	71	146
5	Erin Hills#49 GD 7,731 yds · Par 72Erin	Erin	72	145
6	Wild Ridge Golf Course 7,019 yds · Par 72Eau Claire	Eau Claire	72	143
7	Wildwood Marshes Golf Course 7,000 yds · Par 72Hayward	Hayward	72	143
8	Reedsburg Country Club 6,426 yds · Par 72 · Hillingham · 1924Reedsburg	Reedsburg	72	143
9	North Hills Country Club 6,718 yds · Par 71 · 1929Menomonee Falls	Menomonee Falls	71	142
10	Cumberland Golf Club 6,232 yds · Par 72 · Don Herfort · 1990Cumberland	Cumberland	72	142
11	Stevens Point Country Club 6,890 yds · Par 72 · Larry Roberts · 1962Stevens Point	Stevens Point	72	141
12	Green Bay Country Club 7,097 yds · Par 72 · Dick Nugent · 1995Green Bay	Green Bay	72	141
13	Blackwolf Run 7,363 yds · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1988Kohler	Kohler	72	141
14	Hudson Country Club 6,749 yds · Par 72 · 1955 · Semi_privateHudson	Hudson	72	141
15	Timber Ridge Golf Club 6,807 yds · Par 72 · Roger Packard · 1976Minocqua	Minocqua	72	141
16	Big Foot Country Club 6,753 yds · Par 73 · Tom Bendelow · 1924Fontana	Fontana	73	140
17	Horseshoe Bay Golf Club 7,101 yds · Par 72Egg Harbor	Egg Harbor	72	140
18	Alpine Resort Golf Course 7,045 yds · Par 72Egg Harbor	Egg Harbor	72	140
19	Pine Meadow Golf Club 7,218 yds · Par 72 · Glen Bartlett · 1960Eau Claire	Eau Claire	72	139
20	Trappers Turn Golf Club 6,705 yds · Par 72 · Andy NorthWisconsin Dells	Wisconsin Dells	72	139
21	La Crosse Country Club 7,164 yds · Par 72 · Arthur Hills · 1994 · PrivateOnalaska	Onalaska	72	139
22	Eau Claire Golf and Country Club 6,807 yds · Par 71 · 1901Altoona	Altoona	71	139
23	The Legend at Bristlecone 7,010 yds · Par 71Hartland	Hartland	71	138
24	The Rock Golf Club 6,773 yds · Par 72 · 1927Waupun	Waupun	72	138
25	Tuckaway Country Club 7,218 yds · Par 72 · Ken Killian · 1967Franklin	Franklin	72	138

Frequently asked questions

What is the hardest golf course in Wisconsin?

Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin is the hardest ranked course with a maximum slope rating of 152. Slope rating measures the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch player — 113 is average, 140+ is very difficult, and 155 is the maximum.

How many golf courses in Wisconsin have a slope rating of 140 or higher?

18 golf courses have a max slope rating of 140 or higher in Wisconsin based on the scorecards in the Stymie directory. A slope of 140 or above is considered very challenging for bogey golfers.

How does Wisconsin's average difficulty compare to the rest of the US?

The average maximum slope rating across golf courses in Wisconsin is 129, versus a US average around 125. A higher state average indicates courses that are, on the whole, tougher for mid-to-high handicap golfers.

What makes a golf course hard?

Course difficulty is driven primarily by slope rating (how much harder it plays for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer), course rating (how a scratch golfer would score), total yardage, hazards (water, bunkers, forced carries), green speed, and rough length. Slope rating is the single best proxy for "how tough this course is."