Peninsula State Park (Short Course) | Ephraim, WI | Par 18

The Short course at Peninsula State Park is well, short. You’re likely not going to using anything more than your wedges and putter, so as long as you understand that, you’ll enjoy the design. Five of the six holes measure under 100 yards, usually closer to 70 yards. Most holes have some degree of mounding around the greens you’ll have to contend with, as well as bunkers on four of the six holes. One understandable negative is the fact that you hill all your tees shots off mats, but they are nice and even give a little extra forgiveness to the skill level of the golfer the course caters to. The greens aren’t huge, and they have some contour to them, so they’ll challenge players. You can absolutely have an enjoyable time playing the Short Course, no matter what your golf experience is.

The condition of the Short Course was excellent overall. Most of what you’ll experience is the greens and the areas right around the greens, and I thought both were very nice. The greens rolled well, and can be quick if you’re above the hole. Shaved areas around the greens were cushioned and allowed for many shot options. The tees are mats, and, while not ideal, helps keep the course in consistently great shape. This does not feel like your typical par-3 course.

The Short Course is across the street from the main course at Peninsula State Park Golf Course, so there isn’t technically any practice area right next to the course. That said, you can see the range from the course, so it’s easy to access, if you want to add some practice to the longer clubs you won’t need when you’re playing your round. There’s also a short game area at the main course, so you can home in your skills before writing down some scores.

The clubhouse for the Short Course is tiny, and there’s not much to it. There’s a separate structure that has bathrooms near the 6th green. There are a few bottled drink options in the clubhouse, but not much else if you need gear. Also, it’s only going to be a short it me on the course, so hopefully you don’t need too much. Anything else you would need, food or gear-wise, you can get at the main course’s clubhouse across the street.

The Short Course is walking only.

I’m thinking of the staff as a whole when considering this rating. First off, the maintenance crew does a really nice job keeping up the condition on the course, so they deserve some praise. You’ll likely only see on person checking people in at the pro shop. Call the pro shop to set up a tee time, which is appreciated, but not absolutely necessary. You can’t book online like you would for the main course.

If you extrapolate the cost per yard for the Short Course, you might feel like it’s kind of expensive. But when you just look at the face value of the greens fee and the condition of the holes you get to play, it’s definitely a good deal. If 6 holes isn’t enough, you can play again for around half the cost, too.

The Short Course was not designed as a stern test of golf. It’s short holes that kids can play with their families or a group can have a golf experience that doesn’t take four to five hours. An experienced golfer should have no issue with any of the shots you’ll play there, and if you execute, you’ll have no problem making pars or better. However, there are plenty of bunkers and the greens are tricky enough to challenge most everyone.

I had a great time playing here. I knew what the course was all about before stepping foot on it, so I knew it would be a day to work on my short game. These are the shots that I can easily say will impact my score on a championship style course, so I embraced the experience. The course looks nice and is well maintained. I saw plenty of families with very young kids enjoying the course, which is always fun to see.

Hole #5 is my favorite hole, though I really liked all the holes here. The green is blocked from view on the tee box, so you’ve got a little bit of guess work on your tee shot. If you carry the mounds of log grass, the ball should kick forward, potentially getting very close to a front pin position.

None of the holes at this course are going to keep you awake at night. They’re short, and they’re meant to be something novice players can handle. That said, the pin on hole #2 was not an easy one. If you find the same pin (on the right side of the green), you’ll have to be pretty precise to carry the bunker directly in front and keep the ball on the green. Anything on the left side of the green is a much tougher two-putt.

The Short Course at Peninsula State Park has no “bad” holes. I will just say one thing about the sixth and final hole – it makes me nervous hitting a wedge to a green that has a parking lot directly behind it. I’ve bladed too many in my life, and the little row of trees probably won’t stop a heat-seeking missile from doing some damage.

My son and I squeezed in a couple quick trips around the short course during a trip in Door County. We played in under aa half hour each time, so it’s great if you’re not looking to invest a whole lot of time. The yardages of all the holes are ones I struggle with, so it was a great way to work on my game without a lot of pressure or cost.