My next four reviews will revolve around a trip I took this summer up to the Stevens Point area. This area has really become a great spot for a buddies trip with the opening of Sand Valley, and a couple of private courses now allowing public play. This review goes over a course in the small town of Iola called Glacier Wood.
I have always heard good things, and it gets great reviews, but for someone living around Milwaukee its location was just far enough away to not be able to make a day trip. Having a weekend to work with this time though, its location worked out perfectly. After driving up on Friday afternoon, Glacier Wood was the first course of the trip with a early 7am tee time on Saturday. Below is my takeaways from that round.
Atmosphere
The course sits just minutes north of the main drag in Iola. It is worth noting that a road(highway G) runs between the course and seperates holes 1 & 9 from the remainder of the property. The road is unobtrusive, as traffic is light and the only time it is in play is on the tee shot of the 1st. The remainder of the course transforms from rolling countryside on the west side, to heavily wooded on the east side. I really enjoyed the mix, and while there is not much drastic elevation change, there were very few flat spots.
Conditions
Truly nothing to complain about at all. Fairways were well above average, and borderline great for the price paid. Greens were again very good. Not an “A”, but nothing at all that deterred from the round. Other aspects were again nothing to complain about.
It was honestly overall better then should be expected.
Design
I really enjoyed the layout. They do a nice job of mixing in the more open holes with the wooded ones on each nine. Personally I like that better then when one nine looks drastically different then the other 9.
I will say in general that the tee shots are generally more of strength then the greens. The bunkers, while built into the green surfaces themselves, are generally unimaginative. I find to be the case at quite a few courses designed by Larry Packard(who designed Glacier Wood along with Art Johnson). That the layout or placement of the holes on the property is good, but the greens can be a bit repetitive/generic.
Facilities
While checking in, the golf shop was pretty standard for a public facility. While we didn’t hit range balls there is a range to the west of the 9th hole and a putting green adjacent to the 1st tee.
After our round we did sit down for lunch in the clubhouse. The food was solid for your standard golf course food of burgers, sandwiches and fried sides.
Value
The rates in summer are typical for what you see for a average course around Milwaukee. $40 to walk 18 on a weekend. However for Glacier Wood I would consider that price a good value as the course is much better then what would is found around Milwaukee.
- All aspects of the condition were above average
- Not a bad hole on the course
- Really good atmosphere. Just about enjoying the golf
The Good
The Bad
- Greens are a little generic
- Road splits property
1st Hole – Par 4
Based on the satellite image and terrain map I planned on the 1st and 9th being some of the weaker holes as they were straight and on the flatter portion of the course. The 1st at least fit that bill.
A bunker on the right is easily avoided, and the approach is basic with just a bunker to the left. Not a great hole, but as a opener it’s certainly not a deal breaker.
2nd Hole – Par 5
You cross the street to get to the dogleg right 2nd. The tee sheet is fairly plan, as it is pretty flat with a large bunker jutting out into the fairway. Big hitters will be able to carry the bunker. Once over it, the ball will get a good kick forward and to the right.
If laying up, a shot on the left side is best as it will give you the best angle to the green, as well as prevent your ball from kicking down into the rough on the right as the land slopes pretty heavily that way.
Like mentioned above, the green opens from the left with a bunker short and right.
3rd Hole – Par 3
Tucked away into a small pocket on the far south of the property, the 3rd is a fairly long tee to green par 3. The green is huge and protected by two bunkers in front. The green extends a good bit farther to the left, as the pin position on the day we played couldn’t be seen standing on the tee box.
4th Hole – Par 4
The 4th has you playing out of a shoot of trees back out into the open area next to the 2nd. The tee shot plays over a small dip to a landing area with bunkers acting as a gate to hit in between or over. The green is simple with just 2 bunkers front right & left.
I wasn’t expecting much based on the satellite image, but this was not one of the better holes. Luckily the course picks up from here.
5th Hole – Par 4
Usually when you play a hole poorly. like I did on the 5th, you have a negative connotation with it. The 5th overcame my poor play and was one of my favorite holes on the course.
This is the first hole in what I would consider the more wooded portion of the course. I thought it had the atmosphere of some of the holes at the Woodlands at Lawsonia.
The tee shot moves pretty severely right to left, with mounds framing the far side of the fairway. If hitting driver most players will have to work the ball right to left. The green is set right up against woods with bunkers both front left and right again. The surface itself was pretty tame.
6th Hole – Par 3
I had heard/read that the 12th was the best par 3 on the course, and while the 12th is not a bad hole, I actually like the 6th better.
The hole being significantly downhill with the pines framing the green makes for a great looking hole. As for the design, I liked that the water was actually a bit away from the surface of the green. considering it is a fairly long hole. I think with many non-destination courses(talking munis/your “local course”) design decisions like the above make a ton of sense. It strikes a good balance of a challenge without being overly penal.
7th Hole – Par 4
The tee shot on the 7th looks tighter then it is as the hole gets wider once you crest the hill. The green is set a bit to the right and is flanked by bunkers both right and left like many of the greens.
8th Hole – Par 4
The 8th comes out of the wooded portion of the course and moves back out towards the road. The tee shot is handsome, moving right to left and downhill. Bigger hitters can take the tee shot over the pines to the left of the tee. Otherwise, the aiming point is the mounding on the far side of the fairway.
The green isn’t anything too crazy as it features a bunker in front while it opens from right to left.
9th Hole – Par 4
The last hole on the front nine sits on the clubhouse side of the road, right next to #1. While I expected a bad hole based on the satellite image, I was pleasantly surprised to find a solid one. The tee shot is fairly straightforward, but is over some subtly rumpled land with a bunker on the right.
The approach is played to a elevated green with water lurking slightly off the green surface to the right. Similarly to the 6th, there is a slight buffer between the green and the hazard.
10th Hole – Par 4
The tee for 10th is hidden close to the road that splits the property, but faces away from it.
The 10th has the most dramatic land of any hole at Glacier Wood, so unsurprisingly the tee shot is one of the best. Just inside the left tree line is the optimal play, as you play your shot over a large valley and atop a large rolling hill. Keep in mind that balls right of the fairway kick hard down toward an area that will swallow golf balls.
Your second is played slightly uphill over another valley with a bunker left.
11th Hole – Par 4
The back nine gets you into the wooded portion of the property a bit quicker then the front with the 11th being encased in thick trees. The hole feels very reminiscent of the 5th as the hole turns right to left and over just a slight rise so that you can’t total see your ball land.
The hole then works slightly downhill, to a green situated tightly against woods. The approach is one of the nicer on the course.
12th Hole – Par 3
You walk(or ride) up a pretty big hill after the 11th to get to the 12th tee and for the most part it is worth it. A longer par 3 greats you, asking for a well struck iron shot across a area of wetlands to green with just a bunker sitting to the right of the green(it is there just blocked by trees). The hole is fun, but aesthetically it doesn’t look as impressive as I feel it should. The green sits at angle left to right and away from the player that makes it feel like a bail out short is ok. It probably seems petty, but because of the angle of the green in relation to the hazard, the hole just doesn’t strike the fear in you that I feel like it should. While it may seem like a contradiction of my statement about the 6th I think if you are going to make a hole across this sort of land make it as dramatic as it can be, and put the green right up against the hazard. Just my opinion.
13th Hole – Par 4
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of the 13th but it is the first of two holes side by side that are on the far east of the property. Besides the 1st the 13th probably has the most basic tee shot on the course. Pretty flat, and a very strange bunker on the left which currently sits behind a good amount of trees.
The hole does get better after the tee shot however, as the green is benched into a hill and has 2 bunkers fronting.
14th Hole – Par 4
I wasn’t expecting much from the 14th considering the hole looked straight on the satellite image, and the water near the green on this short hole sat a distance away from the surface. That being said, Glacier Wood gave me a surprise as the 14th had one of most handsome tee shots on the course. Downhill, to a slightly rolling fairway that starts wide, but get quite narrow as you get closer to the green. It also played more right to left then I was expecting.
The approach is just ok, with the surface being one of the flatter on the course on top of fairway flattening out significantly as you get to the green.
15th Hole – Par 5
The horseshoe hole as they some locals seem to call it, the 15th is a unique hole, and a highlight of the back nine. The hole is definitely a “3 shot par 5” which some may disapprove of, but I think it’s a good change of pace. It asks something different of the player then a lot of the other holes on the course.
The tee shot for instance places a large emphasis on being able to shape your tee shot as the hole moves sharply left to right. The mounds that can be seen beyond the fairway are easy to blow past, and for most players the their tee shot will need to be right of them. The 2nd then pinches in, and the best play is to take more club and get your second into the last elbow of the dogleg to leave yourself a good angle as the green wraps still to the right. The green is then perched up into a hill and features a good amount of slope back to front.
16th Hole – Par 4
The 16th sits parallel to the 7th, and is a very similar hole. The tee shot is over a slight hill and moves left to right. A player who can move it left to right will benefit considerably. I have to shoutout a buddy who truly hits a right handed hook on every shot try to play a fade off this tee and hit the best looking fade I think I’ve ever seen. Never thought I’d ever see it happen, but it was a great shot that’ll remember for a long time. The green is wide with a pair off bunkers both left and right. Overall I didn’t mind the repetition, considering I like the 7th pretty well.
17th Hole – Par 3
A long and slightly uphill par 3 greats you for the penultimate hole. A bunker sits front left and woods pretty tight behind. I thought the green was especially small for a hole of this length, making for a difficult par.
18th Hole – Par 5
Back out into the open portion of the course for the 18th. The tee shot is the crucial shot, as if you are able to carry the bunker the green is an easy target to go for in two. If laying back, the 2nd is stress free with plenty of room right, but note that there is a hollow to the left of the landing area that will make the approach blind. The green itself is pretty large and flat, with just one bunker on the right which you’ll have to contend with if you end up laying up to the right.
Final Thoughts & Grade
After playing I understand and agree with all of the positive reviews Glacier Wood receives. The course is very good and one I would love to be able to be able to play more regularly.
I think my biggest criticism is also my biggest compliment. There are no holes at Glacier Wood I would put on a list of best holes I’ve ever played, but there was not a hole out there without some redeeming aspect. All 18 have something that gets me looking forward to going back and playing it again. That means a lot, and it’s why I wholeheartedly encourage you to play it if you are in the area.