The Legend at Merrill Hills (private) | Waukesha, WI | Par 72

The Legend at Merrill Hills – the oldest of the four clubs under the Legend umbrella – is the epitome of a classic parkland style golf course. Large trees frame nearly every fairway with green, rolling hills as far as the eye can see. The course goes up and down and moves left and right, keeping players on their toes with holes that always seem to be different. Playing a round at Merrill Hills will make you feel like you played 18 unique holes, just under a similar backdrop. The course is a classic par-72 setup – two par-5s and two par-3s on each side – and has six teeing options (seven, if you include a junior tee setup) to allow for all skill levels to find a great match for their game. There isn’t really a whole lot of figuring out at Merrill Hills. The golf course is there in front of you, and it’s just a matter of executing the shots. The greens are a little trickier, as there is a subtleness that I failed to adapt to.

You know you are at a private club the second you step onto the Merrill Hills property. It’s almost like a green overload! The conditions are impeccable, with no real areas that scream for attention. The areas below and around the many large trees are excellent, making it possible to find and play a wayward shot with the likelihood of a grassy lie. The fairways were in outstanding shape, though not quite as fast as I would expect. Around the greens, the aprons were soft and almost spongy (in a good way), making it easier to feel confident over what will likely be a delicate chip shot. The only negative on that would be that I felt like it discouraged you from putting from just off the greens. The greens themselves rolled very nicely, and though they were challenging to read, they were fair. The speed wasn’t so fast so that you felt like you didn’t have a chance, but staying below the hole might save you from developing some extra gray hairs. The tee boxes were great, and I don’t recall one not being level, though I didn’t take the opportunity to check out some off the tips boxes that were separated from the main teeing areas. Finally, the bunkers – I had way too much experience in them during my visit. The biggest thing, and all you can ever ask, if that they were consistent. The sand was a touch on the firm side, and a little on the more sand side of the spectrum. This is what you expect when you play a private course.

Merrill Hills created a new, larger range area that is away from the clubhouse. It’s a bit of a haul from the clubhouse, so take a cart, if they allow it. The range offers plenty of space to handle a lot of players, as well as the ability to host lessons away from the crowd. There are several targets, and a very flat space that will help you lock into your yardages. In between the range and the clubhouse is a short game area that will help you dial in your pitches and chips. At the top of the hill, just off the patio, there’s a medium-sized putting green. The green is on a pretty good slant, so the speeds are exaggerated a bit. It will help you realize that being above the hole is not somewhere you want to be on the course. Finally, there is also a putting course on the property, so if you’re looking for more than just some putting practice, you’ll have your chance.

The property itself is away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding urban areas, so the clubhouse absolutely feels like a retreat. The clubhouse is modest from the parking lot, but you feel the elegance once you step inside. You know you’re in a private club. Head down the stairs and the more laid-back areas of the bar and pro shop remind you you’re here to play golf. The pro shop has quite a selection of merchandise, including bags and shoes, as well as a good selection of Legend-branded apparel. The bar has a nice menu of elevated bar food, and it comes in a nice to-go container if you want to just take it onto the course. However, if you have the time, you should absolutely take the time to enjoy their patio area and the views of the golf course. Be aware, on busy days, you might have some trouble finding a parking space.

I didn’t take a cart for my round, but I did use one to get back and forth from the driving range, and these things are very nice. They have the plush leather seats that provide, dare I say, a luxurious ride, and they can move. They are equipped with touch-screen GPS, USB ports, plenty of “storage” space, club cleaner – basically everything you could possibly want.

I encountered a lot of smiles from the staff in my visit to Merrill Hills, which is always a great thing to see. Everyone I saw was polite and helpful. We utilized the junior caddie program, and I couldn’t have been more impressed with the job my junior caddie did. If you’re up for walking and want to support a deserving cause, you should definitely check it out.

Obviously you cannot play unless you’re with a Legend member, but the going guest rate is $100 to walk 18 holes. There’s an additional fee if you want to ride. Included in the price is a comfort station between the 9th and 10th holes, which allows you to grab some light snacks and sodas, and also has beers available for purchase. Range balls are also included with your greens fee, which doesn’t feel so small these days. If you want to hit 200 balls before your round, they’re included.

Merrill Hills challenges every aspect of your game. It starts off the tee, with large trees framing many of the dogleg holes, looking for a player that can not only hit it straight, but work the ball either way in some instances, to leave yourself in the best position to attack greens. The trees could also test your ability to control trajectory as well as shot shape if you happen to get out of position. So while the course isn’t especially long, getting out of position will take away any advantages you might have perceived from the scorecard. Play around the greens is no gimme, either. The slopes of these quick greens can make chipping and putting a challenging task.

A course that requires accuracy off the tee usually means that failure to do so results in penalties or punch outs. Punch outs is the name of the game at Merrill Hills, so it can make for a long day if you’re crooked off the tee. However, the course is fair, and the overall tranquil vibe paired with a course that is in top-notch condition makes for an enjoyable round.

There are a lot of great holes to choose from, and I had some good vibes from several, but I think I liked hole #18 the best. The par-4 finishing hole is straight and slightly downhill, making it play a little shorter than the card says. The approach shot is the show stealer, as you come back to the clubhouse and all the amazing landscaping. It doesn’t hurt that I got up and down for par there.

The par-4 7th hole measures well over 400 yards from the two back tees, and the last half plays uphill to large green. Like the rest of the course, it’s a very fair hole, but one that requires quality shots. Getting off the tee is very important, as the hole is long and has large trees on both sides. The fairway goes slightly uphill from there to a raised green, which has a ridge in the middle. There’s nothing tricky, it’s just tough.

There are no bad holes on this golf course, in my opinion, but there is a bad spot. It lends to the age of the course, where tee boxes weren’t located far from the prior green. The proximity of the 15th tee to the 14th green is quite small, and we nearly got hit by an approach shot that missed the green by about five feet. It just feels like a spot that could see some issues.

I got to enjoy my first trip to Merrill Hills with a couple of Legend Club members, including one that had grown up playing the course. Things got off to a great start, as I nearly holed out from just off the green to save my par on #1, and I made birdie on the third hole. From there, it was pretty up and down, with my short game routinely letting me down, both on and off the greens. The beauty of the course and classic design made a strong impression, and I hope I can get back to Merrill Hills again soon.