Activities : Sturgeon Bay

Idlewild Golf
4146 Golf Valley Rd
Sturgeon Bay
920-743-3334

Idlewild Golf Club offers a serene environment to enjoy a great round of golf. This 18 hole course, tucked away in the center of Sturgeon Bay near Potawatomi State Park, offers a challenge to most every player. It is a straight-forward course, laced with small to medium trees with sprinklings of lofty ones and tall grasses. But it brings genuine challenge into the game with a greater than average number of dog-leg holes (11) while 10 of the holes test with water hazards. With an average of 2 – 3 sand traps a hole too, you will have to focus to play well! The atmosphere is tranquil, while the course well manicured and well maintained. It was immaculate when we played it.

In general, you will have to test your club selection to stop ahead of or fly over the lateral water hazards or to spot up in an ideal location for the dog-legs. Idlewild Golf Club has names for each of their holes, from Hole 1, “Take Off,” to the final, “The Landing.” But Hole 9, the “Canadian Turn,” is the most scenic, and their 5th handicap hole: it offers an island landing for the green, its traps and fringe.

Rated 4 Stars by “Golf Digest” as one of the “Places to Play,” the course offers a different look from the various tee boxes. We played from the Gold tees, but there are Black (Rating 72.3, with a slope of 129), Blue (70.7/126), Gold (68.2/121), Red (65.2/114) and Women’s tees Gold (73.4/128) and Red (69.7/120). Yardage ranges: 6,876 yards from the Black for men, 6,509 from the Blue, and 5,921 from the Gold. Women’s Red is 5,254.

The Club offers a driving range and a 9 hole putting green for practice. All the greens, including the practice green, were in great shape at the time of our play. With a nice pro-shop, golf lessons, and even the Solarium Lounge Pub and Grill – this is a complete facility.

We recommend taking a cart, as there are long distances sometimes between holes. Here is a quick summary of the holes as we saw them. On this round, we had one inexperienced golfer and one very good golfer. It was a windy, sunny day.

Hole 1: A dog-leg right, you have to cross a creek ahead of the tee boxes. 384 yards, par 4 from the Gold.

Hole 2: A dog-leg left, 368 yard par 4. No water on this hole, but you have tall grasses to the right (so don’t go right) and small trees to the left.

Hole 3: A 176 yarder par 3, almost straight on and downhill from the tee box, with a slightly elevated green. A pleasant and challenging hole.

Hole 4: 352 yards, par 4 – a strong dog-leg left, with 5 traps and water on the left from tee box to green.

Hole 5: 354 par 4 - another dogger – this time to the right – you have some water on the right lining most of the fairway, and you have to cross a lateral water hazard before the green. Thick trees ahead of the tee off. This one’s called “Lost Creek” – I could easily call it “Lost Balls” as I indeed was challenged on this one. My playing associate did just fine, but still bogied. This is the # 1 handicap hole on the course. I see why.

Hole 6: A short 138 yard par 3. Straight on, with trees to the right and left of the tee box. I used my 140 club and put it on the green, but 3-putted my way to a bogie.

Hole 7: 465 yards, par 5. The # 3 Handicap hole on the course is 465 yards, long straight away, then a dog left. I use a 3 wood from the tee, and 2 irons to land on the green. With a 2 put, we both hit a par on this one!

Hole 8: 355 yards out, and a par 4. This is a long and straight hole. I used a 3 wood from the tee, a 3 iron and a pitching wedge to get on in 3. 2 putted to a bogie. Partner did the same.

Hole 9: finished the front nine with the most scenic hole on the course: the “Canadian Turn,” which offers an island landing. 469 yards, par 5, it’s a long dog-leg right, but mostly straight. Approaching the green and traps meant hitting the island, large enough, but still a challenge. Two bogies on this one.

Hole 10: The back nine starts with a 359, par 4 straight away hole. With high grass left of the tee box and open to the right, play it accordingly. One bogie on this hole, and one – well, I don’t think there’s a word for it.

Hole 11: A par 4, 457 dog-leg left, around water to the left, and straight at the dog-leg bend. The hole’s name is “Migration” – and if you think of birds flying south for the winter to migrate, it took us about as long to reach the green. Yikes – double bogies for us on this one. # 2 Handicap hole.

Hole 12:: 370 yard, par 4 with water left and right criss-crossing the fairway – but far from the tee. One of us bogied, one did not.

Hole 13: a 115, par 3 straight ahead with only 2 traps. Easiest hole on the course, we managed one par and a bogie.

Hole 14: 450 yards, par 5, with a slight dog to the left. 4 or 5 traps add challenge, but we managed a par and a bogie.

Hole 15: A short 300 yard, par 4 straight as an arrow with small trees to the left and right, but still wide open. Again, we managed a par and a bogie (note when I say that, I am usually the bogie).

Hole 16: a 153 yard par 3, straight away, with tall trees to the right and thick trees to the left, with sand left and right of the green, and a birm behind. Easy hole.

Hole 17: A 354, par 4 with a sharp dog-leg left with a creek running the left of tee box and crossing the fairway about mid-point. No pars for us on this one.

Hole 18: we wrapped it up with a 323 yard par 4 dog-leg right. The green is reminiscent of Door County – it is a peninsula, with water left, front and right. Sand traps left and right of the green and one midway on the fairway, right offer more challenge.

Our very good golfer shot a 90, while the not-so-good golfer (hint: me) shot a 104. We wrapped it all up with a wonderful cheeseburger and potato salad in the Solarium - awesome! Try it, you will like it!

We think you should make Idlewild Golf Club one of the courses in your mix as you golf Door County. We enjoyed our round, and we think you will like it too. So try it, and tell them that DoorCountyNavigator.com sent you – please!