Whispering Springs Golf Club | Fond du Lac, WI | Par 72

Whispering Springs offers a nice variety of playable holes, but encourages the player to be more strategic as they try to get around it. The first thing I noticed was that, visually, it felt like you had room to spray the ball around, especially off the tee. And while that’s not totally untrue, the layout puts trouble in places that forces you to be more accurate than you think. Fairway bunkers were a primary deterrent much of the day, especially when combined with a more penal obstacle on the opposite side. Like with many well-designed courses, your eyes were drawn to what the designer wanted. There were plenty of holes that gave you the option of laying back and making sure you avoided trouble, or to be aggressive and hopefully give yourself a very short shot in. I like it when a course gives you the opportunity to play a hole differently from one day to the next, or possibly to amplify the strengths (or manage the weaknesses) of the game you have on a given day, and Whispering Springs has several examples of that. Depending on the tees you play, the course doesn’t feel overly long. None of the par-3s are exceedingly long, as only one surpasses 200 yards from the back tees. Otherwise, the distance gives you a bit of a break. That doesn’t mean they’re easy, though, as trouble lurks for shots that miss their target. Many of the holes, and not just the par-3s, had greens that had some severe ridges or slopes that made even short putts challenging. The pins can be in some pretty diabolical locations, and it seemed some of those were used the day I played. If you weren’t below the hole on many of these locations, you were going to have a very hard time sniffing the hole. I can only image some of those locations in the summer when the greens were quicker. The green on hole #10 is especially memorable, as the far-left pin made for very difficult shots or putts from anywhere besides right below the hole. There is a good amount of water lingering throughout the course. The large pond, with its can’t-miss fountain, strikes you right away as you head to the course. However, the little creeks in certain areas caused me more trouble. In summary, Whispering Springs is a course that offers plenty of challenges, but looks tamer than it seems.

When I look at a course that I play early in the season, I am trying to envision what the course might look like in the summer. Whispering Pines was in solid shape when I visited, especially for April. The greens rolled pretty well, and I imagine they can be very difficult once they speed up. The sand in the bunkers was in great shape, and that was something you don’t always expect so early in the year. The course definitely had some eye sores and places they appeared to be doing work. I would say they were pretty limited in terms of the expected playing area, though. There were definitely some areas of small tress or brush that had been recently taken out and need some finishing touches. Visually, I thought the course lacked a little bit of definition on some of the holes, which made it tougher on a group that didn’t know what to expect. My goal is to get back to Whispering Springs this summer and check out conditions then.

Whispering Springs had moderately-sized range area, with two divided sections. That’s nice if you want to have a little bit of space during your practice/warm-up session. There were a good number of clearly-marked target flags, as well as a few baskets to aim at. The range balls look relatively new, which is always great to see. They did require you to hit off mats when I visited last, but that’s not uncommon early in the year. I am hopeful that as the weather improves, the range will allow players to hit off the grass. The putting green was not too big, and set up on a bit of a slant, so it putted really fast if you weren’t going uphill. This caused my group a few issues early on as we adapted to the greens on the course. As far as I saw, there was no designated chipping area which is a downer for me. When I play, I normally prefer to just hit some chips and pitched and putt a few balls instead of using the range.

The pro shop was a little cramped, but it offered a good selection of necessities. There was a locker room that, while also a bit on the small side, did give the option to change at the course. I didn’t visit the upstairs portion of the building, so this rating is a little bit incomplete.

We may have had one of the slowest carts I’ve ever ridden in on my last visit. I’m not looking to joyride around the course when I play, but this was pretty noticeably tortoise-like. The other cart in our group seemed to be running just fine, so maybe it was just the one we had. The cart always technically worked, so there were no issues with dependability. Despite the noticeable speed deficiency, the cart was equipped with touch-point GPS and electronic scoring, and definitely boosted the rating. The GPS is something you don’t realize how much you miss it until it’s not there and you’re on an unfamiliar track. The cart didn’t have any other frills – no ball/club cleaner or cooler – but it got the job done. It just took a little longer to do it.

I have to make special note to the beverage cart girl that worked the day I played. If it was 50 degrees when we teed off, I’d be surprised. Throw in overcast skies and a moderate breeze, and it was NOT warm. However, the cart girl was all over it. We saw her regularly, and she was always smiling despite being pretty bundled up. I only needed to make one purchase, but she did a great job.

Based on when I played, the value of Whispering Springs was outstanding. It was still early in the season, but the course was in good shape for April, and paying under $60 for 18 holes with a cart on a weekend was outstanding. The price jumps up to about $80 for the same thing in summer. Based on what I saw, I think that’s about right. So it’s a good, solid value at peak time.

There is plenty of challenge lurking throughout the course at Whispering Pines. A good strategy and understanding of the where the trouble is will give you an advantage, because the obstacles have been well placed. It doesn’t feel like the challenge is relentless, as there are some shorter holes that can give you a bit of a break. Many of the green complexes were challenging, too, with a lot of slope that could result in even short putts snapping on you. The course is very playable, but there are plenty of ways to get in trouble if you’re off your game. A lot of bunkers are in play and a decent amount of water, too.

Whispering Springs gives you a lot of options on how to play the course. I enjoy having the flexibility of playing it safe when I need to, or ripping driver if I am hitting it well. Some of the green complexes are especially tough, and while that can cause havoc to your score, it’s fun trying to get creative with your short game and pulling off a tough shot. For the most part, the course is open, which makes it more enjoyable for a wider skill range. This is a course I will try to get back to.

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Connected in Fond du Lac with my cousin and uncle, who had flown in to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay that week. Like with many of my reviews, Whispering Springs is a course I hadn’t played in a very long time. I only remembered thinking the course was nice, and I have a similar opinion after playing it again. The day started off on the chilly side, with overcast skies and into a crisp breeze. As the weather warmed up, my showed some signs of life, but inconsistency still reigned. I will make a point of getting back to Whispering Springs in the summer months to see it in full bloom.