Big things expected at new small course
The late golf guru Harvey Penick once said, "The woods are full of long drivers."
Another wit said, "Golf is a good walk spoiled."
Good golfer or novice, you won't need driver and the walk will be fun – guaranteed – when Lake Geneva's newest course opens May 19 at the Grand Geneva Resort. It's called Wee Nip – located by the golf clubhouse main parking lot – and there's nothing else like it around here.
There are 11 holes – not 9, not 18. The shortest is about 50 yards, the longest maybe 125. With minor elevation changes Wee Nip is designed for walkers. Each golfer gets a small lightweight carry bag. Plan on toting four or five clubs, including putter. Bring your own and select the clubs you want, or Wee Nip can hook you up with rentals.
We sat down for a chat with PGA professional Ryan Brown, Grand Geneva's director of ski and golf operations. Ryan knows what he's talking about when it comes to golf. Better yet, he's a hoot.
The first question seems obvious: Why call a golf course Wee Nip?
"Our CEO Greg Marcus loved the old saying 'Let's have a wee nip of scotch'," Ryan told us. "He thought that was the perfect name for a short golf course."
Fittingly, the name sparked what surely will become a course tradition. Ryan explains.
"The 12th hole is going to be our hangout space, where you will check in with the starter and have a complimentary wee nip before you start your round. If you're of age, and you would like one, we'll be off ering a wee nip of curated whiskey."
The 12th hole is an outdoor space with a party atmosphere. It will include a patio, casual food options, fire pit, outdoor seating and lighting and yard games like cornhole. There will be music and a great view of the entire short course.
The architecture lends itself to the party space, with the first hole going out and the third hole looping back to the 12th. Same for holes 4-6, before going out again for holes 7-11.
And get this. The entire course is cut tight at fairway height. Ryan is not kidding when he says some holes can be played tee to green with a putter.
About those greens. They are massive. They roll. They include swales. Up. Down. And around. A three-putt may feel like a victory.
"The green complexes are large and wild," he said. "Lots of humps and bumps. You're going to see the ball moving a lot. Our architect said it best, 'The greens are the star'." Not to worry, though.
Wee Nip doesn't even list a par score. Or care if a group keeps score at all.
That's not to say better golfers won't find a challenge. It will test wedge and short iron play. And you will see putts here you may never see again.
Ryan said there is no target user. The course was designed to play fast and fun to be enjoyed by seasoned golfers, weekend warriors, men, women, kids and novices.
We can't wait to try our luck. Bill plays regularly, Stephanie plays rarely, and grandson Jack, soon to be 6, took his first turn last year. The little natural athlete scored his first birdie on his second round at a small pitch-and-putt course, embarrassing the adults.
"The beauty of Wee Nip and short courses in general, it doesn't take a majority of your day like maybe an 18-hole round, at typically four and a half hours," Ryan said. "With Wee Nip we're thinking maybe an hour and a half for your round."
Which leaves plenty of time to hang out at the 12th hole. For a nip. Maybe two.
By the way, it's that time of year when golfers can't wait to shake the winter blues and get out there. Maybe that's why Wisconsin ranks at the top nationally as a golf haven. We know it's why the Lake Geneva area ranks near the top statewide. Here are a few favorites open to public play.
The Brute and Highlands courses at the Grand Geneva are exceptional, not only for challenging play but for the sheer beauty of the layouts. The two championship courses are tough but playable.
Hawks View Golf Club, Lake Geneva, boasts 36 holes – the 18-hole championship Como Crossings course, and the 18-hole Barn Hollow par-3 course.Como Crossings is an exceptional track with major elevation changes and exciting views. Barn Hollow is family friendly, but still plenty challenging. Majestic Oaks at Delavan's
Lake Lawn Lodge skirts the lakeshore, winding over 250 acres of tree-lined fairways. The more than 100-year-old course has been redesigned and modernized and off ers challenge as well as beauty.
Evergreen Golf Club in Elkhorn has 27 holes for championship-caliber play. One of the more reasonably priced layouts, it's a local favorite but still attracts plenty of tourists.
Abbey Springs, on the south side of Geneva Lake, is tucked into rolling hills with tree-lined fairways. Lake views are gorgeous.
Traditional course openings are late March to early April, weather-dependent. Call ahead to be sure.
Stephanie Klett is the President and CEO of Visit Lake Geneva, and the former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Her husband, Bill Barth, is the former Editor of the Beloit Daily News and a member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame.
