Derek Duncan
Derek Duncan
Derek Duncan
Derek Duncan
Derek Duncan
Pine Hills Country Club
Pine Hills Country Club
4914 Superior Ave
Sheboygan, WI 53083-3437
United States
Overview
Not much is known about Harry Smead, the architect who built Pine Hills in the 1920s. Compared to his contemporaries, his portfolio of courses is small and quiet, with one exception: Pine Hills. Pine Hills is an eruption of contour as holes are draped like linen over the brawny knees and elbows of earth. Fairways pitch this way and that, going where the land takes them, and Smead's greens are miniature versions of the natural movements, full of swales, knobs and dips. The first hole sets the tone, a par 4 that banks of slopes like a roller coaster, swooshing into an elevated green. The fourth, coming back the other direction, tackles the same topography, pitching off the opposite tilt, plunging down toward a tabletop putting surface. The par-3 fifth looks like the slalom course, climbing steeply toward a jetstream green. And on it goes. Drew Rogers has been tending to the course over most of the last decade, polishing this and burnishing that, but leaving the remarkable green contour alone. A notable improvement was removing the forest of trees along the inside of the curving par-4 18th, exposing the ravine on the left and giving players something sinister to think about as they tee off. If Smead had designed more courses like this, we'd know his name as well as we do Perry Maxwell or Seth Raynor.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
Best in State: Ranked 8th in state, 2013. Ranked 12th, 2023-'26. Ranked 13th, 2021-'22.
2025-'26 ranking (and previous): 12th.
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
“Almost every approach shot was blind. There were many blind tee shots, as well as a few around the greens. Not a fun course. There were four interesting holes. The 8th is a good downhill par 4 with your approach shot is over water, The 9th is an uphill par 3 with a terrifying green. 10 is a different par 4 uphill and 16 is a solid par 3 surrounded by bunkers."
Read More2026
Review
“Pine Hills is likely the most underrated golf course in Wisconsin, and one could argue it sits right alongside the other top Golden Age Parkland layouts in the state such as Milwaukee CC, Blue Mound, and Lawsonia Links. This rollicking property keeps the player guessing, and looking back at your round you will be dumbfounded all those shots were packed into the same 18 holes."
Read More2024
Review
“Excellent course with some beautiful holes playing through and around a river valley. Excellent greens!"
Read More2024
Review
“Elevation changes make this a super fun course. Very well-maintained..."
Read More2023
Review
“Interesting and fun layout with a lot of elevation changes, sometimes down and up or up and down on the same hole and a fair amount of sidehill lies too. 5 par 3's make the course yardage a tad longer than the scorecard reads, but there are 4 par 5's ranging between 458 yards and 548 yards. Great green complex with a mix or major and subtle undulations. Some greens have collection and runoff areas and a few sharp drop-offs if you miss to that side."
Read More2023
Review
“Excellent use of the hill and river. Challenging green sites."
Read More2022
Review
“First three holes. Ho-hum. Typical parkland golf. Get warmed up because .... I'm pretty sure I wasn't in Wisconsin anymore. As the name implies majestic pine trees and hills galore. Maybe I was in Alabama or Georgia for a few hours that day."
Read More2018
