Pioneer Pointe Golf Course | Verona, WI | Par 40 (13 holes)

Pioneer Pointe is a course that was built to join a trendy space in the golf world – a shorter course that can be played by more people and be played in less time. The course has a total of 13 holes, with 12 being par-3s. Instead of set tee markers, there are various markers showing yardage to the center of the green, and players are encouraged to play from wherever they want. This allows for the course to play differently each time, and for players of varying skills to tee it up together. Built on the site of the former course Tumbledown Trails, Pioneer Pointe moves through a new subdivision, with each hole feeling all to itself. Nearly all the holes have a pretty large gap between them, making the walk a little more daunting than what you would think for a 2,000-yard course. While many of the holes are going to be pretty similar in terms of distance (though, again, that’s kind of up to you), you will see a variety of shots. There’s some elevation change as the course moves along, allowing for some uphill and downhill holes. There’s even a hole with a bunker in the middle of the green! The lone par-4 on the course measures around 275 yards, but it is uphill, so there’s no need to leave the driver in the car. The greens will offer most of the challenge, as many have severe contours and ridges to navigate. All in all, the course is an excellent addition to the Madison area and a fun alternative to your normal 18-hole golf course.

Despite only being a couple years old, Pioneer Pointe offers you a round of golf played on excellent conditions. It offers almost a country club feel when you look at all the turf and the condition of the greens. The teeing areas are massive to allow for individual choice on where to play from, and they are in really nice shape, too. The greens roll very well, and they can be really challenging. I think in my recent visit they weren’t quite as fast as I remembered, but there are certainly some places where they run rather quickly. The lines of the course are well-defined, yet the fairway and fringe turf is soft and cushiony. The bunkers looked spot on, too. Pioneer Pointe definitely brings it when you’re talking about course condition.

The only thing you can practice at Pioneer Pointe is your putting. And while the putting green is very large and very nice, it’s a bit disappointing that you aren’t allowed to at least chip on it, and it is pretty clearly marked as such. I wouldn’t necessarily expect there to be a range on a short course like Pioneer Pointe, but it’s not a positive that that’s the case. The way I look at it, the course itself can be looked at as a practice session for your low irons, wedges and short game.

The building is brand new and has improved quite a bit between my last two visits. The pro shop is open and bright, and while there’s not a ton of merchandise, they do offers some nicer branded gear. They have the other basics of what you need, too. Through the pro shop, there’s a hallway where you’ll find beautiful bathrooms. Continue through the hallway on to the restaurant and bar. I didn’t have a chance to eat anything, but the venue itself was wonderful. There was a rooftop patio area, as well, which looks like a great place to re-visit your recent round with your buddies. UPDATE (9/6/24) – It is my understanding that the restaurant attached to the pro shop has closed.

The carts seemed to be brand new, and they were nice, though basic. There was a ball and club washer and the bigger console with multiple places for drinks, your phone, etc. There is not GPS, which for a short course like Pioneer Pointe, I don’t have a problem with. The course is short, but the distance between holes can be pretty lengthy, so these carts get the job done if you don’t feel like hoofing it.

As far as I could tell, there was only one golf-related employee working when we arrived. He was really hustling, though. He was cleaning carts, checking people in and made sure I didn’t hit chip shots on the practice putting green. He was friendly and helpful, allowing us to tee off earlier than our tee time. The bar area was much more staffed and took good care of my group with some drinks. I am assuming there is never a beverage cart on the course, so this is where you need to go for your refreshments, and you’ll want to do it before the first hole, because you won’t see the clubhouse again until you’ve finished all 13 holes.

Pioneer Pointe is a little pricy when you consider you’re only playing about 2,000 yards worth of holes, as most times it will cost $32 to walk ($42 to ride). So while the overall price isn’t too high, its price compares to around what you’d pay for 9 holes on a championship course. That said, you are paying for a course in excellent condition, and there is a bit of variety, so you’re not only hitting wedges and 9 irons. Pioneer Pointe is absolutely worth trying out, despite being on the expensive side.

Pioneer Pointe is a unique design, as 12 of the 13 holes are par-3s. Many of those par-3s are on the shorter side, so the lower part of your set will likely get a workout. Knowing that, hitting tee shots with 8 irons and under all day shouldn’t necessarily be considered overly difficult. The greens are large, so you won’t have to be overly precise from these shorter yardages to get it on the dance floor, either. There are some spots that can jump up and bite you, no doubt, and there are a few holes on the longer side, so it’s not like the course is easy. The more precise you can be, the better chance you have to scoring really well.

It’s fun coming to every tee box, confident that you have a good chance of hitting the green. Most of the holes measure well under 150 yards from the farthest “tees”, so there are a lot of opportunities to hit a great shot. The lone par-4 is drivable for longer hitters, and a chance to make eagle is always fun. Mainly, I enjoy the outstanding condition and beautiful aesthetics of the course.

It’s tough to pick out a favorite hole at Pioneer Pointe. All the holes are aesthetically pleasing, with large greens and well-conditioned. However, they’re mostly par-3s, one a pretty narrow range of yardages, minus a few outliers. If I had to pick one, I would go with hole #5, ‘Boomerang’. Another large green, but a portion of it is blocked from view, depending on where you tee it up. There is a lot of hazard area in front and down the left side, but visually I like how this one sets up for my normal shot shape.

‘Punch Drunk’ is the 10th hole at Pioneer Pointe, and of the 12 par-3s, it stretches out the farthest, measuring 225 yards from the ‘tips’. Anytime you’re looking at par-3 well over 200 yards, it will present a challenge for most. This hole also presents O.B. on the left side, trouble on the right and a bit of forced carry, depending on where you tee up your ball.

Hole #7, named ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’, is one of the longest holes on the course, making it one of the most difficult ones. The reason it finds its way on my ‘worst’ category is the green, which I would classify more as unusual and unnecessary than I would bad. It’s a saddle style green, to the extreme. It has a large dip down and back up in the middle of a very long green. In my last round there, the pin was in the middle of the big dip, making it an unusual pin to get to. It’s kinda fun and offers a unique challenge, but it feels more like a mini golf green than a real course.

I took a day to play both of the Madison-area’s new short course options, pairing Glen Golf Park with Pioneer Pointe on the same day. I had only play Pioneer Pointe one previous time, but what I remembered still came through. A really well-maintained course that is fun to play due to its large, contoured greens.