Wild Rock - Hole #15

Getting To Know: Wild Rock Golf Course

An Insightful Interview With Pat Stein, Director of Golf Operations

By Brian Weis

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Construction on Wild Rock began the Summer of 2005 when the resort was expanded on to our former course Wilderness Woods. The totally new 18 holes was designed by Hurdzen and Fry. The piece of land that Wild Rock is built on is truly amazing. It offers some of the most incredible views of the Baraboo buffs on holes 6 and 10. Then you play though A old stone quarry on holes 14 through 16. The best part is it's 5 tee boxes make the course truly playable for golfers of any ability.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
At Wild Rock we pride our self on offering some of the best course conditions in the state. Being Name to Golf Digest top new courses in 2009 and one of the top ten course in the state by Golf Week magazine, we let those types of awards do the talking for us

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
The wide fairways make finding them off the tee boxes a little less stressful. The area that you need to give your full attention to are the greens. There is, without a question, a premium on the short game. The large and undulating greens can lead to many 3 putts if your not careful. The best thing to do before you come to Wild Rock is to make sure your short games is in order.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
2009 6th best new course in the country, Golf Digest
2014 9th best course in the state of Wisconsin, Golf Week Magazine
2014 Golf Advisor Power Rankings: Wisconsin's Wild Rock Golf Club led the top-rated courses of the week for June 30

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
We have two holes that get people talking. Hole 6 offers some of the most amazing views of the Baraboo Bluffs. On a clear day you can see almost 30 miles. The other hole would be 15, It is a par 3 that requires a tee shot over the old quarry. It's not a long hole but requires an accurate tee shot.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
My Favorite hole is 6. Its a challenging par 5 measuring 588 from the back tees. It requires 3 good shots to reach the small green with a ridge in the middle. A birdy on this hole is truly something to be proud of. The best approach to playing this hole is to keep it straight off the tees. The landing area is guarded by woods on the right and bunkers on the left. The second shot should be played up the left hand side of the fairway, it seem to leave a better angle for the approach shot. Make sure that your approach shots is on the correct side of the green. This is one of the greens on the course that can produce a 3 putt very fast if your shot is not on the right area.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
A steak sandwich and cold Miller light.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
We have had several players recorded 65. What is even more impressive is that it been done from both the Granite tees, 6953 and Quartzite tees, 7414.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7414
Slope: 141
Rating: 76.5

More Information
Wild Rock Golf Course
856 Canyon Rd
Wisconsin Dells, WI, 53965
608-253-4653
www.wildrockgolf.com

Revised: 07/07/2014 - Article Viewed 36,465 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.