Evan Schiller/Courtesy of the club
Evan Schiller/Courtesy of the club
Evan Schiller/Courtesy of the club
Evan Schiller/Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of Paul Hundley
Milwaukee Country Club
River Hills, WI • Private
Milwaukee Country Club
8000 N Range Line Rd
River Hills, WI 53217-2099
United States
Overview
With much of the course hard against the Milwaukee River and several holes subject to flooding (the green of the 12th and the entire 13th are located across the river), one might think Milwaukee Country Club is a flat layout. But many of its holes are surprisingly hilly. Its classic design is still tree-lined, but one of the crucial improvements recently made by consulting architect Tom Doak and his associate Don Placek was to remove many trees to open up views of the river on the upland holes.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked 1966-'68, 1989 to current.
Highest ranking: 40th, 2003-'04.
Previous ranking: 86th.
2025-'26 ranking: 97th.
Best in State: Ranked Top 5 in Wisconsin since 1989.
Previous ranking: 3rd.
2025-'26 ranking: 4th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“A classic golf club that is really special from the 8th hole to the 18th hole! The routing along the Milwaukee River provides a great setting for a game of golf."
Read More2026
Review
“Amongst a number of great modern golf courses in Wisconsin, Milwaukee CC stands clearly as the best classic golf course in the State of Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest. Once you step onto the grounds at Milwaukee CC, you feel like you were transformed back to a bigone era. There is a wonderful winding entrance drive to its classic clubhouse and charming locker room. One could only wish that more clubs preserved the charm of old world locker rooms like at Milwaukee CC. The golf course is a classic woodland design. The course sits on a rolling landscape that tumbles down along the Milwaukee River. It offers two very distinct 9's. The opening 9 plays on the higher ground around its magnificent clubhouse in a parklike setting. It provides much of its challenge in its deep, strategic bunkering and demanding green complexes. Quality golf, but the real interest starts at the 8th hole and continues through the back 9. The back rolls down to and along the Milwaukee River, providing very strategic golf holes with beautiful scenery. As much as modern courses can try, they just can't capture the charm of classic courses like Milwaukee CC. It is one of the great golf experiences in the Midwest."
Read More2026
Review
“This course is a unique treat. Starts off feeling like a normal, well manicured park land course and then dives into the river valley."
Read More2026
Review
“very strategic golf course with a lot of tee options to consider on every hole"
Read More2025
Review
“Original Alison with recent changes by Renaissance Golf Design (Doak & Placek). Impressive conditioning, green complexes and expansive bunkers. Renaissance changes included removal of trees to further open up sightlines of the Milwaukee River. Good risk/reward on shorter par 4 holes #9 and #11. Extremely long par 3 hole #17 uphill which was challenging but had width. Holes #11-12 right beside and par 3 over the river were notable."
Read More2025
Review
“"I was really excited to see this place and really underwhelmed by the course. It's presented really well and really uniquely in the way the fairways run directly into the bunkers and the way fairways wrap around the giant bunkers. The bunkers themselves are incredibly striking and they almost feel like waves the way they rise up from the ground. They're very cool - however the course itself feels a little bland. Perhaps it's how massive the features are, or perhaps I was expecting more ""over-the-top"" bunkering and the layout of the course just isn't as flashy as how the bunkers look. I do think the greens were great and would be a blast to play from day to day, just came away underwhelmed - the first tee is a great one, just steps out of the pro shop - the first couple holes, while solid, do leave that little bit of underwhelming taste - the course picks up steam at the 8th, 8 thru 14 are all incredible and even though they never play tight to the river, use the river really interestingly well - the 11th especially is great as is the 13th - 16, 17 and 18 are all kind of ball-busters, so the course kind of runs out of sizzle which helps accentuate the underwhelming taste - writing the review, it sounds like a negative experience, but it's an incredible place, not negative in the slightest. It just in the terms of a historical stalwart in the top 100 of golf, it doesn't have the same pizzaz as others I've played such as Seminole, Fishers Island or Shoreacres - the clubhouse and locker room are one of the best in golf""
Read More2024
Review
“Fantastic walk... tree removal and opening up views of river holes and river views is fantastic! One of the coolest locker rooms!"
Read More2024
Review
“Excellent course just north of Milwaukee. A treat to play along with the several other great designs Wisconsin has to offer."
Read More2024
Review
“If you have access to Milwaukee Country Club it is a worthwhile stop and an enjoyable, challenging course to play. Despite being tree lined the wide fairways provide golfers with a variety of shots options off the tee and into the greens. The course is challenging for low handicap golfers yet not excessively penal to high handicappers. The routing makes for a good course to walk, elevation changes provide a mix of uphill and downhill shots and there are a variety of hazards including the Milwaukee River for players to negotiate. Course is very well conditioned with many memorable holes."
Read More2024
Review
“Really good long challenging golf course! Classic very well conditioned championship golf course. Best golf in the area!"
Read More2023
