U Ridge - A Course You Have To Play By Brian Weis

U Ridge - A Course You Have To Play

University Ridge - Madison, Wisconsin

By Brian Weis

The older I get the more sensitive I become on dating myself. In this case, the pride for my Alma Mater trumps the date on my driver's license. University Ridge opened my Sophomore year in college and regretfully did not play the course as a student. Since 2000, I have been making an annual pilgrimage back to Mad-town to play the course Pat Richter built. Well okay, the former athletic director did not build the Robert Trent Jones, Jr course but he did break ground in 1990.

College alliances aside, if you have not played University Ridge yet, it should be on your bucket list. One small tip, if you attended college somewhere else in Wisconsin, primarily that downtown Milwaukee school that used to have a cool mascot, leave your school colors at home. When in Rome do as the Romans do, wear something cardinal red. You do not want to be that guy who stands out like a sore thumb. Better yet become the aiming target for the fore-some behind you.

All joking aside, everyone is welcome! That feeling starts at the bag drop and carries through to the pro-shop, restaurant and the starter. Speaking of the pro shop, the award winning shop carries every Wisconsin item geared towards golf known to man. You will find it all, from logoed bags, clubs, shoes, shirts, hats, posters, to even a Bucky Badger head covers. University Ridge was recently awarded 100 Best Golf Shops by Golf World magazine. The 11th time receiving the honor in 17 years.

To some the pro-shop is an experience in itself. But wait until you step on the first tee. The Big Ten course is a top ten course in the Badger State. The course is a classic tale of 2 different nines. The front weaves thru prairie grasses, wetlands and rolling hills while the back nine craves thru dense hardwood forest accented with grand elevation changes.

After your round, the W Grill serves as the 19th hole. Enjoy your sandwich wrap and cheese curds on the patio overlooking the course. If you have a designated driver, wash it all down with a Wisconsin brewed lager.

Bottom line, "U Ridge" is a Big Ten experience and "a must play" for every golfer...not just once, but at least once a year.

On Wisconsin!

More Information
University Ridge Golf Course
www.universityridge.com
9002 County Rd PD
Madison, WI 53593
608-845-7700

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Article Tags: University Ridge Golf Course

Revised: 09/06/2011 - Article Viewed 33,648 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.