Madeline Island Does More with Less
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MADELINE ISLAND, Wis. - Wisconsin's Madeline Island is a popular vacation spot.
"It's like it just says recreation out there. Come out here and get on the water, sail our boats and play golf," said Jeff Obst.
And to hit the links, the place to go is Madeline Island Golf Club, oOne of two Robert Trent Jones courses in Wisconsin.
"He's one of the renowned golf course architechts and we're very fortunate to have had him design this course," said Obst, who is the professional at Madeline Island GC.
"I think we're blessed to have one of those courses out here," said Island resident Rick Gillman.
On Madeline Island, they do more with less. The course is built on about 80 acres, roughly 2/3 the size of a standard course. But the original owners wanted 18 holes, so they had Robert Trent Jones design it with shared greens.
"You'll find very few courses in the midwest that have this feature," said Obst. "You have a different look when you play the "I've never seen the front nine and the back nine bumping into each other," added Gillman. "This one's designed extremely well, and if Jones did that, he did a very good job."
Because of its unique layout, golfers often finish their rounds with higher than expected scores.
"It's very subtely challenging," said Obst. "This course is not that long, but it plays long. You really need to know how to club yourself here, it's very important."
The course is also in great shape, despite a modest staff.
"We have a very small maintenance crew, about three guys that take care of this course," said Obst. "However, the course is very playable, it looks wonderful. I would call it a jewel in the rough."
Golfers agree.
"On a scale of 1 to 10, it's about a nine," said Gillman. "They've kept on top of it extremely well."
"This year it seems to be better than ever," said Terry Karsen, who spends her summers on Madeline Island with her husband.
So take it from the locals...
"People should, if they come to Madeline Island, they should put this on the agenda," said Gillman. "It's a wonderful experience."
