When most golfers hear the phrase "great county golf course" they likely list it among other oxymorons such as jumbo shrimp, French resistance and happily married. But my college education (sorry, another oxymoron) taught me that for every rule, there is an exception, and that exception is Ozaukee County's Hawthorne Hills Golf Course. Don't take my word for it: Golf Digest rated the course 4 stars.
When I asked the two gentlemen in the pro shop which hole was the course's signature hole, they paused and pondered. Then the two batted around four or five different holes, never quite settling on a signature.((
After playing the course, I understood their dilemma. Could it be the first hole? From the tee the fairway drops several stories to the wetland floor. The hole doglegs hard right to a small green nearly surrounded by water.
Or maybe the fourth? A downhill short par 3, guarded by a fountain-filled pond in front and edged by a dense forest on the right.
No, the signature, I thought, has to be the monster par-5 eleventh, which feels like riding a glacier-formed roller coaster. The tee and green are similar in elevation, but getting from the former to the latter requires both a dramatic descent and ascent.((
The final hole I considered was the appropriately named "bell hole," hole #14. The blind tee shot made me wonder what was over the hill. The anticipation built until the group in front sounded the "all-clear" bell, which let me know it was okay to launch my drive. After I did, I encountered one of the more dramatic second shots on the course: Mature trees backdrop the small oval green, mirrored by a teardrop-shaped pond, and the whole scene was breathtaking.
Upon completing the round, I realized that the staff's inability to name a signature hole made perfect sense. Too many good holes exist at Hawthorne Hills to single out just one.
In addition to the great design and the fantastic views, the conditions at Hawthorne Hills are country-club quality. Hawthorne Hills is indeed a hidden gem, a county course that shatters the ho-hum stereotype of county courses. But, of course, the residents of Ozaukee County have known of this exception for the last 50 years.((
The Skinny 4 Tee Boxes: 6657, 6246, 5769 and 5352 Yards Slope/Rating: 119/70.8 Weekend Walking Rate: $34.00 ($29 with County Discount Card)
Local Tip Many of the greens slope toward the fairway. To eliminate speedy downhill putts, leave the ball short of the hole, which will almost always guarantee an uphill putt.
Hawthorne Hills Golf Course 4720 Highway I Saukville, WI 53080 Phone: 262-692-2151 www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/
