Thornberry Creek at Oneida | Hobart, WI | Par 72

Thornberry Creek is essentially two golf courses in one, first taking you through what feels more of a residential Northwoods course – several holes with trees on both sides of the fairway/green – to a more open, linksy, almost resort feel. The course feels open with generous fairways, though there’s plenty of trouble with a good amount of water to avoid. You finish up going back into the woods where you climb to the top of a steep hill for a challenging finish. The course was the host of an LPGA event from 2017-2019, so you know you’ve got a quality, challenging course to take on.

Throughout the years, Thornberry Creek bounced around in the quality of course condition. When I first played it, about 20 years ago, I always thought it was excellent. Then there was a dip, and things you expect from a nice course weren’t always there. I believe the course was sold, and things were restored to the normal standards. Let’s face it – you don’t get a professional golf tournament if you don’t have a course in good condition. My most recent visit came in 2021, after the relationship with the LPGA had ended, but I thought conditions were still quite good. The greens ran very well and the course was aesthetically pleasing.

The practice area is very spacious and setup with well-defined targets. Again, makes sense if you’d hosted a professional event to have a good range. There’s a nice, separate chipping area as well, which I love. You can buy range balls right there on the range, but they’re also included with your round. Definitely take some time to get things dialed in, because that first hole is a doozy.

The clubhouse is grandiose and elegant. It’s set at the top of a steep ledge, so it’s even more impressive from the back side. The pro shop is open and spacious with a nice selection of course garb and essentials for the round. Despite no longer hosting it, there is a large feature showing off their history with the LPGA. A large sports bar area on the lower level fits in with the rest of the building.

Carts ran very well and were clean. When I am paying over $100, I expect a good cart that, at a minimum, has a GPS system included, which these carts did. They have one step better, as they were equipped with the touchscreen GPS that really allow you to plot your way around a demanding course.

Not too much to report on my interactions with staff, as they were limited. I do know that the beverage cart girl did a great job and was very fun. We enjoyed introducing the New Yorkers in my group to what a beef stick was. They are now honorary Wisconsinites.

This is another course that is expensive, but I think is pretty good value. Playing a course that hosted a professional event is worth extra to me, and while it’s no bargain (especially at peak times), there’s value. Range balls were included with my round, which I think should be the norm when you’re paying over $100 for a round.

Thornberry is a tough track that requires a good amount of precision, especially off most tees. Poor shots are often going to be punished, whether it leaves you in the trees to punch out, or in the water. There are certainly some gettable holes, and some of the par-5s offer an opportunity to get home in two, but you really need to hit quality shots.

The course is beautiful, and it’s fun to put your game against a venue that has hosted pros. There are some daunting shots popping up with regularity, so things can get tough. If you can keep your tee ball under good control, you’ll have chances to score. If you can’t, it’ll be a long day. Make sure you choose the tees that are right for you.

The par-4 7th is not a long hole, but it grabs your attention as soon as you emerge from the more tree-lined portion of the course and see all the water waiting. If you’re smart, you’ll play the tee shot on this dogleg left conservatively and still have a mid to short iron in. It just takes solid strikes and solid strategy to handle this hole, but somehow it feels like you accomplished more.

There are several difficult holes at Thornberry Creek, but I went with the one that I think combines the one I feel is difficult with what is enjoyable. Hole #15 is a risk/reward par-5 that seems to have more risk than reward. It starts with a tee shot has water, out of bounds and a large fairway bunker to navigate. If you hit a good one, you’ll have to make the decision of whether to try to take on the water again or lay up. If you play it safe, this should be a fairly routine par, but what fun is that? But go for the gusto and this hole can really bite you.

It’s not a good sign when the first hole of a course is its worst hole, and that is the case here. Nothing worse than a really difficult tee shot to a blind landing area. You can likely get away with less than driver, but any shot that isn’t hit well will either lead to a lost ball or a long, partially blocked approach shot. The green is carved back into some large trees, where you may be greeted by a throng of mosquitos that might make reading your putt an unnecessary luxury. Get past this hole and enjoy the rest of your round.

I hadn’t played the course in many years, so when the opportunity to get back arose, I was excited to get back. I remembered that difficult first tee, but unlike in nearly all my previous experiences, I pulled it off this time. I played with some media members that covered the NY Jets football team that were in town for a Packers-Jets preseason game, and we decided to try the LPGA tees. We had a blast, and the course was every bit as good as I had remembered. I must’ve improved since the last time, because many of the shots I had typically struggled with/feared, I was able to hit this time around.