Lake Wissota Golf & Events | Chippewa Falls, WI | Par 71/72

Water is a major feature at Lake Wissota Golf & events, with the lake itself in view, though mostly out of reach) on the front, and offshoots from the lake impacting numerous holes on both sides. The Northwoods feel is prominent as you move away from the water and into the trees. The course offers a little bit of everything. It’s not overly long, measuring just over 6,100 yards from the back tees, but there are some spots where it doesn’t feel short at all. The course needs to be played strategically, though it gives you options. It’s also a bit more wide open now, as a good amount of lumber came down the past few years. The routing of the course is not a strong point. There are several places where a shot that is just a little offline can cause real problems for those on another hole. It starts on hole #1, a short par-4 that longer hitters can drive, that brings the 2nd tee box very much into play. If you’re unfamiliar with the course, make sure you’re paying attention to your surroundings.

Lake Wissota Golf & Events has some of the fastest, slickest greens you’ll find in the area. They roll true and add a lot to the overall challenge of the course. I particularly have a lot of trouble figuring them out, but that’s a me problem. The rest of the course is always well taken care of. The rough isn’t especially penal, so you can miss the fairway and still be able to score. The fairways and tee boxes are always in good condition. The bunkers are a little light on sand, which I find to be difficult to judge.

Wissota has a range that is little shorter than you’d like, and it runs right along the entrance/exit road on the right. That’s a little unnerving. There’s a putting and chipping green near the first tee box that mimics the speed and slope of the greens on the course well. It’s long and narrow, but should get you ready to roll.

The pro shop is relatively small, but has all the necessities and good customer service. It’s attached to a large bar/grill area with a couple big TVs and plenty of room to spread out and relax. If you’re looking to enjoy the weather after your round, the patio offers excellent views of Lake Wissota. The course also has regular food trucks on the premises throughout the season, so you can enjoy something different.

The carts run well and are well-maintained. They have the large center console for you to keep all your gear handy. Most, but not all, of the carts have a tablet-sized GPS feature on board. My rating for this category is based on having that GPS available.

There is a strong sense of community within the golf course. People are friendly and helpful and take excellent care of their course. I had the pleasure of knowing the former pro there, and he did an amazing job of running the course with the players in mind. I am hopeful that the new management will continue that trend.

Getting 18 holes on a weekend for under $60 is getting more and more rare these days. Wissota offers a strong peak price while keeping you on a well-maintained course. The value ramps up when you look at the specials they offer throughout the week.

Lake Wissota is not the longest course, but there is plenty of danger lurking. Water is a prominent feature on seven holes, waiting to derail your round. The greens aren’t overly sloped, but there are plenty of ridges and some that are deceivingly tricky. They’re also most likely going to be very fast. Whenever I play there, there is a definite adjustment period (usually an unsuccessful one) to the speed of the greens, as they’re as fast, if not faster than any greens I play normally. This is a course you can’t overpower, despite its length. You’ll need precision and touch.

This category is tough for me to look at objectively, because whenever I play at Lake Wissota, I’m playing with some of my best friends who live nearby. Through them, I’ve met even more good people, and that vibe is definitely there on the golf course. The course itself mixes up some easier holes with some difficult ones, giving you a chance to feel good about your game and to challenge it.

The par-5 13th hole is one of those holes that just really fits my eye and I feel super confident on. It’s a dogleg right hole that slightly inclines for the second half of the hole. You can try to cut off some of the hole from the tee, but anything left out to the right might be in serious trouble with a handful of mounds that have tall fescue grass that makes finding your ball a challenge. If you do find it over there, there’s also several trees to contend with. The green is reachable in two, but the surface is basically blind and has some ridges that can repel your ball away from the hole. There’s not a lot of trouble up around the green, so going for it is usually a reasonable play. This is your only par-5 on the back, so take advantage!

The longest par-4 on the course is the 16th, and it offers more than just length. Out of bounds marks the entire left side, and it is much more in play than originally meets the eye. Playing out to the right is the way to go, but don’t miss right, because there’s trouble lurking that way, too. OB, some large trees, and hazard to the right frame what will likely be a pretty long approach shot. The green is elevated, but very large with a slope from back to front. There are no real tricks, it’s just a long, difficult hole. If you make par here, you’re picking up shots on the field.

I might get some arguments on this, because there is a lot of strategy that can be employed on the 10th hole at Wissota. No matter how you feel about it, it’s probably the hole you’ll remember the most when you leave. The hole basically makes a right angle around the large pond, with the green resulting in an island. You’re going to have to deal with carrying the water at some point, it’s just a matter of when. I have decided that a short iron off the tee is the best way to go, but any mistake there can either leave you with a medium- to long-iron over water to the green, or dropping and hitting three over the water with a short- to medium-iron. It’s not often a par-4 is the #1 handicap hole on a course, but that’s the case here.

The course at Lake Wissota Golf and Events has changed quite a bit since my last visit, and will be changing more in the near future. The biggest layout change came as the par-5 third hole was lengthened with a new tee box. That makes the hole considerably longer and much more of a true three-shot hole. A few other holes had their back tees lengthened as well, but #3 is the most notable. More trees were taken out since my last visit, too, with the most obvious removal coming between holes 8 and 12. This changes hole #12 dramatically, as you are no longer forced to stay to the right, bringing the penalty area on the right into play. This was a difficult tee shot that has been made much simpler. As for future changes, the biggest are the transformation of holes 10 and 11. Hole 10 is being changed to a par-3 over water, while hole 11 is going to become a shorter par-4 with trees all down the left side. I have never been a big fan of the layout of hole 10, so I am excited to see it once it’s all completed.