The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Links

About The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Links

The Links is the classic course at Lawsonia, finished by William Langford and Theodore Moreau in 1930 and, the club says, virtually unchanged since. It sits on a glacial ridge above Green Lake with no houses on it, and it plays big and bold: wide fairways, deep bunkers and greens pushed up well above the fairway, all shaped with 1920s steam shovels. The map survey counts 72 bunkers and ten doglegs, eight of them bending right, and only one hole with water. Course character from OpenStreetMap contributors' survey data.

It's par 72 and 6,853 yards from the back, with sets at 6,481, 5,927 and 5,078. The greens are elevated and really only hold a short iron with spin, so the fairway matters more than the extra yards. The hole everyone photographs is the short par-3 7th, a plateau green that's long been rumored to be built over a buried boxcar. Starting at the 9th, six straight holes alternate par 5s and par 3s.

The name comes from Victor Lawson, the Chicago Daily News publisher who died in 1925; the course was part of a resort plan the Depression cut short. The American Baptist Assembly later owned it, and in the 1940s it closed so the property could house German prisoners of war. Management that took over in 2010 began restoring the original design, taking out trees and bringing back firm, fast turf.

It's a walkable course on rolling ground. Youth caddies from the Caddie and Leadership Academy work weekends during the school year; request one at least 24 hours ahead.

It's one of 51 courses Yoink watches in the Madison & the Dells area, and The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Woodlands is practically next door — handy when your first choice is booked solid.

What it's like to play The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Links

There's real elevation change: some holes rise or fall about 59 feet from tee to green. It's a sand-heavy layout, with about 72 bunkers. 10 of the 18 holes bend, most of them to the right, which favors a fade, so position off the tee matters more than length.

Course character from OpenStreetMap contributors' survey data (ODbL).

Booking a tee time at The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Links

Book online on Lawsonia's tee sheet; 2027 times are already open, starting April 13, 2027. You need a credit card, but it isn't charged when you book. Cancel at least three days out to avoid a charge; inside 72 hours you pay half the green fee, and no-shows pay it all. For groups or several days of golf, call the Golf Shop at 920-294-3320. Collared shirts and Bermuda-length shorts, no denim, soft spikes only.

How to get a tee time at The Golf Courses of Lawsonia - Links