Blue Devil golfers share their favorite courses

MENOMONIE (December 17, 2020) - We asked the members of the UW-Stout men's and women's golf teams what was their favorite course they have ever personally played and which "Dream Course" would they would like to play.


Grace Warrner, So, Lakewood, Wis.
Favorite Course: The Irish at Whistling Straits (Sheboygan, Wis.). The links style, and the sheep keep me smiling the entire time. Every time I'm there it is always so much fun, and a beautiful layout and view. 
 
Dream Course: Saint Andrew's Links Course (St. Andrews, Scotland). It is such a beautiful course and so many amazing golfers have played there. I would love to walk a crossed the bridge that so many golfers have, I feel like it would be a very magical moment. 


Sofie Morin, Fr, Buffalo, Minn.
Favorite Course:  Rancho Manana Golf Club (Cave Creek, Ariz.) This is probably one of my favorite courses because of how stunning the layout and the mountains and native plants surround you. It is tough to walk the course because of how much the elevation changes. It is gorgeous because of this, but it also makes it a challenging, exciting course to play.
 
Dream Course: The Old Course at St Andrews Links (St Andrews, Scotland). It is considered one of the oldest courses in the world. This course is also known for being 'The Home of Golf'. I would love to be able to experience the atmosphere of such an iconic course and beautiful scenery.


Klairissa O'Reilly-Dye, So, Monona, Wis.
Favorite Course: Reedsburg Country Club (Reedsburg, Wis.), Christmas Mountain Village Golf (Wisconsin Dells, Wis.), and Portage Country Club (Portage, Wis.). Reedsburg provided me with a huge challenge every year, especially with how easily it holds water. It was a difficult course to play, every time I played it, but that's what was fun about it. Christmas Mountain is another favorite of mine as I have fond memories of spending time with my grandparents and teammates there. We'd be there for each other in the morning, play our 18 holes, and get to spend some more time with each other in a lovely cabin and swim a little in the outdoor pool. Portage gave me great difficulty in my high school career, and I remember absolutely hating to play there for a while. One year it just clicked, and I managed to get first in the tournament. I realized that my grudge to the course is the reason why I performed poorly in years prior, as I was walking in with a negative mindset and expecting a negative outcome. It wasn't until I fixed my mindset that I succeeded on the golf course. 
 
Dream Course: Lahinch Golf Club (Lahinch, Ireland). I have been to Ireland and it is gorgeous. I picked this golf course because it looks straightforward, but it throws odd challenges to the golfer. One of the holes has a mound that completely blinds the player from the pin. Another hole there's a pin stuck between two mounds where a rock is the only thing guiding the players to aim in the right direction. Not only does it seem fun, but Ireland is beautiful, and only a few minutes away was my favorite destination my grandparents and I visited when we went to Ireland, The Cliffs of Moher. They are absolutely stunning, and if I ever were to go to Ireland again, I would try my hardest to make sure I stopped at the Cliffs of Moher again. 


Kendra Swanson, So, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Favorite Course:  Sentry World (Stevens Point, Wis.)  The reason that this is my favorite course is because it is very beautiful, they have a par three hole called "the flower hole" and the entire hole in surrounded by different types of flowers.  This is also the course where I shot my best competition round at.   
 
Dream Course:  The Old Course at St Andrews Links (St Andrews, Scotland).  This course is very famous and is considered the oldest golf course in the world.  The course is known as "The Home of Golf" and I think it would be a great opportunity to play at the course where golf started.   


Noah Benbow, Jr, Galesburg, Ill.
Favorite Course: Donald Ross Course at French Lick  (French Lick, Ind.)  We had the region 24 championship there when I was at Illinois Central College and the design of each hole was incredibly thought out.  It had a lot of signature Donald Ross elements such as turtle back greens, Ross double plateaus, and Punchbowls.  This course held the 1924 PGA Championship as well so it was really cool to play well at a course with a such a rich history.

Dream Course: Friar's Head Golf Club (Riverhead, NY.) I love Coore/Crenshaw designs, I think they do an amazing job together.  I have read about this course and seen pictures and I would love to be able to play it.
 

Austin Gaby, So, Verona, Wis.
Favorite Course: Sentry World (Stevens Point, Wis). Very nice and most fun course to play.

Dream Course: Augusta National (Augusta, Ga.) It's the course of the Masters.
 

Connor Hofslien, So, Shakopee, Minn.
Favorite Course: Whistling Straits (Sheboygan, Wis.) It's the nicest golf course I have ever played.

Dream Course: Hazeltine National (Chaska, Minn.)  It's the nicest course near my home and I have never played it.
 
 
Sam Klobucar, Jr, Beloit, Wis. 
Favorite Course: Cape Kidnappers (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand). Cape Kidnappers is a golf course unlike anything I have ever seen. It was created on a large plateau in Hawkes Bay where the course sits on top of it. The views from the course on top of the plateau were breathtaking. The course sat so close to the Pacific Ocean that you felt that you were on the edge of the world.

Dream Course:  Cabot Cliffs (Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada) The views from the ocean look incredible and I've always wanted to go to Canada.
 

Ansem Nomm, Fr, Minocqua, Wis. 
Favorite Course: Minocqua Country Club (Minoqua, Wis.) I'm biased, because it's my home course and I've grown up there. It's still one of the coolest courses you'll find in northern Wisconsin and is always fun to play.

Dream Course: Augusta National (Augusta, Ga.) - Who wouldn't want to play at Augusta especially if you were in the actual tournament.
 

Ben Plant, Jr, East Bethel, Minn.
Favorite Course: Minnesota National Golf Club (McGregor, Minn). I worked my internship over the summer, great course that is tough to sharpen your skills and every hole seems to be the best.

Dream Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach, Calif.) It's a beautiful course with legends that have played there. Playing a hole and looking out to the ocean. A championship course won by the greatest legends of the game of golf.
 

Adam Schilawski, So, Suamico, Wis.
Favorite Course: Green Bay Country Club (Green Bay, Wis.) Definitely one of the most challenging courses I've played along with some of the best conditions.

Dream Course: Augusta National (Augusta, Ga.) This is where the greatest tournament is played and the course always looks to be in perfect shape.
 

Luke Sladek, Jr, Mound, Minn.
Favorite Course: Chaska Town Course (Chaska, Minn.)  This course is a challenging, but a fun course to shape shots.

Dream Course: Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach, Calif.)  A beautiful and well-maintained golf course and it would be a dream to play there.
 

Scott Springer, So, Andover, Minn. 
Favorite Course: TPC Twin Cities (Blaine, Minn) It is a local course and hosts the 3M open which is a PGA event. It is cool to think that you are golfing where some of the very best players in the world have played. Also, a beautiful course and well maintained

Dream Course: Augusta National (Augusta, Ga.) Home of the masters, where the very best golfers compete every year. Tons of tradition at this course.  Extremely well-maintained course and beautiful views.
  

GOLF's biennial rank of the 100 best courses in America. (includes a breakdown of the top 50 courses by region)

PLANET GOLF's top US courses (includes a breakdown of courses around the world)

America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses by GOLF DIGEST

Top 100 US Golf Courses by TOP100GOLFCOURSES.COM

The World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses by GOLF DIGEST