Hawks Landing Golf Club (private) | Verona, WI | Par 72

Riding: 9 holes: $50; 18 holes: $99 (accompanied by a member)

Hawks Landing is a beautiful, dramatic course that has everything you’re looking for in a golf course layout. It’s challenging, yet fair, and with so many tee options, you can find the right tee box for your game. There are plenty of wide fairways, but also some demanding tee shots. There is also plenty of water, with the wet stuff showing up on half the holes, including the dramatic risk/reward 18th. The course has flip-flopped front and back sides, but it is back to its more familiar layout, putting the current 18th hole where it belongs. The front offers a good amount of elevation change, while the back is a little flatter. There are some holes that make you think off the tee, including the drivable par-4 14th, where the green is blind from the tee. As a private club, Hawks is not easy to get on, but there are some avenues, with the easiest being access for USGA members. Try to play this gem if you haven’t.

Before it went private, Hawks Landing was always one of the regular candidates for best public greens in the Madison area. Certainly, adding the exclusivity of a private club isn’t going to hurt that feature. Bottom line is that everything about Hawks is pristine. From tee to green, you will be impressed with the condition of the course.

One of the best, most complete, practice areas I’ve had the privilege to use. First, it is set away from the clubhouse and first tee just a bit, in a its own defined space. The range is excellent with great, flat areas and quality turf to hit from. It’s higher up, so you can enjoy beautiful views while you loosen up or practice, which just adds to the experience. There’s a separate chipping/pitching area that has loads of range balls for you to use, if you’re looking to dial in those shots around the green. One of the overlooked extras is a ball sweep to clear the green off with ease, which can be very helpful if there are a lot of balls on the green. The short-game area also has a couple of bunkers you can use. Finally, there’s a massive putting green that has about every putt you’d need to practice available. You cannot chip on this surface, which keeps it rolling wonderfully.

The large clubhouse is clean and modern and offers everything you’d expect from a private club. The pro shop is right of the entrance from bag drop area and has all the stuff you’ll need. At the far end is Dahmen’s restaurant that offers quality versions of golf course staples. A quality place to relax after a great day on the course.

The carts are outstanding. They’re clean and run well with everything you’d expect to find at an upper-echelon club. They also have the touch point GPS systems that I expect when I am playing a really nice course, too.

The first contact you’ll have with Hawks Landing staff is at the bag drop, and they are attentive and friendly. They get you going where you need to go. I haven’t had a whole lot of interaction with other members of the staff, especially since they’ve gone private. The coverage of the beverage carts was good enough.

Before the course went private, Hawks Landing was around $80, which I thought was a solid value for how nice the course is. I have only played the course once since the shift, and the cost was over $100. Because it was a course I knew I wouldn’t have the same opportunity to play as I used to, and the course is still as good as it always was, this didn’t seem egregious to me in any way. I still think it’s a solid value. I know it won’t be cheap, but i know I am playing an excellent track that will be in great condition.

Hawks Landing has basically everything you are looking for. You don’t have to be super straight off the tee, but it helps, and failure to keep it in play can cause for a long day. Nine holes with water on it, including on approach shots of three of the last four holes on the front, makes you focus in on the task at hand. All the par-3s are challenging, with (surprise) water, length, or both. There are several holes that have long fescue grass in play, though usually only if you’re way off-line. But if you’re in it, good luck finding it, let alone playing a quality shot from it. Bring your best game, and the course is there for the taking, and that’s all you can ask for.

Hawks Landing has always been one of my favorite courses. I am happy I played it several times before it went private, because it is a blast to play. It’s difficult, but not so much in the way that you think you can’t hit all the shots. There are short holes and really difficult long holes. There’s water all over, which isn’t exactly fun, unless you manage you stay dry. The course goes up and down and produces several outstanding views. I am hoping to get back there soon.

Hole 15 is a long – it’s the longest par-4 on the course – downhill par-4 that I always look forward to. First, it’s a beautiful hole with a great view back towards the course. Something about that tee shot that is comforting to my eye. There’s a pond that begins about halfway down the fairway, but it’s not reachable for me off the tee, so I can aim down the right and try to hit a draw, which will help shorten the long hole considerably. From there, you need to avoid the water on the right, but it’s not too daunting. It’s a wonderful hole all around.

The par-5 9th is a brutal way to end the front side. It’s the longest hole on the course, and it’s drastically uphill. The target area for your tee shot is pretty large, but hitting a good ball with some distance is imperative. From there, the climb up the hill really increases, bending to the right through some trees. Getting yourself into position with your second shot is the most vital. From there, you play to a large green, but it is tough to gauge. This is one of those par-5s where I’m not thinking birdie from the tee – I’m hoping to make a par.

Hole 3 is an uphill par-4 that I find to be pretty difficult. The reason I think it’s the worst hole is the tee boxes. They are slightly slanted and aimed (intentionally?) to the right, which messes with my mind, and has often resulted in a blocked tee shot, where fescue all the down the right side is ready to gobble it up. A course like Hawks Landing doesn’t have any true “bad” holes, but this one gets my vote for the worst hole of the lot.

This was the last time I played an actual round at Hawks, as it has gone private, and it’s difficult for the public to get on without a member. I remember it for many reasons. It was a perfect fall day, yet the course was pretty empty, as the Badger football team was hosting Illinois that day. Some people would rather watch the Badger game, but I am not one of those people. First, the Badgers got pummeled (this prompted the eventual termination of head coach Paul Chryst), so it wouldn’t have been fun to watch. Second, I played arguably my best round of golf in my life to that point, shooting a 76 from the Black tees.