Lost Creek at Door Creek Executive Course | Cottage Grove, WI | Par 30

Walking: Sun-Sat – 9 holes: $14

Riding: Sun-Sat – 9 holes: $25

Kids 15 and under play for free with a paying adult.

There’s a driving range on the property between the clubhouse and the Lost Creek course. It’s not the most convenient location if you’re looking to hit balls before you play, but it is there. It offers a covered area when hitting from the mats, which might be the best place to hit from, because the sod is usually pretty sparse. You can buy range balls right there with cash, which is so convenient, or you can buy tokens in the pro shop. There is a very small chipping/putting green at the entrance of the course itself, but it’s usually in pretty rough shape. It’s also very severely sloped for being so small. It would be nice if they could having a little bit bigger area, but the space is precious.

Door Creek’s clubhouse is modest, but has everything you need, including a very nice outdoor bar area. They have good indoor space for any events, as well as outstanding food at the restaurant/bar. The clubhouse is a ways away from the executive course. You’ll want to park next to the clubhouse, run in to pay, then drive over the separate parking lot for Lost Creek.

The carts are your basic, run-of-the-mill golf carts. They run well, but don’t have any of the frills or features you would like to have, like GPS. I believe some of the fleet is relatively new, but they have some older holdovers. There are push carts available, free of charge, to use when playing the executive course, which is a nice bonus. Just grab one by the little building at the entrance to the course, and make sure you put it back.

Staff at Door Creek are always some of the best. Owner Phil Frederickson is polite and professional and does a great job of offering a really solid golf venue. The beverage carts don’t make it over to the executive course too often, so make sure you purchase your drinks before you leave the clubhouse..

Hole #9 is the last of the three short par-4s on the course, and it’s a dramatic finish to the round. You hit from an elevated green and can see everything as you plan your strategy. If you’re a long hitter, it’s around a 220-yard carry to the green. If you play it as a true par-4, you want to be as far up and as far right as you can without being in the trees, because the green very narrow from the left, and has a ton of slope. Two-putts are no gimme, so it can leave you a buit frustrated as you make the short walk back to the parking lot.

Hole #5 is one of the longest true par-3s on the course, and it plays uphill. Your tee shot will need to be well struck, otherwise it well be repelled to the right or back down the hill. The green itself is extremely crowned and difficult to maneuver on. Any shot that is long runs the risk of having trees inhibiting or blocking your next shot, and you’ll need to have a deft touch, as the green slopes away from you severely. Most of the par-3s have you thinking about birdies, but this one you should be very happy with a par.

Hole 6 is a par-4 that plays much more like a par-4. Trees down the right and near the green make it very difficult to try and go at the green from the tee. The tee also lends you to basically aiming at the hazard that is all down the left side. After any sort of decent drive in play, a wedge or short iron will get you to the green, but the large trees near the green are so tall that can grab a descending wedge shot and knock it down. If you’re too aggressive, a shot that hits on the green can still take a firm bounce and wind up in the penalty area behind the green.

Took my youngest son out for his birthday, and I was impressed with how well the course had handled the rain. I am sure the bugs will ramp up as you get closer to dusk, but they weren’t too bad. What also wasn’t bad was my son and I – we each had about our best rounds that day.