Make no mistake about it, Wisconsin hosts some of the most prestigious public golf courses in the nation, even GolfWeek says so.
From resorts in Nekoosa to Lake Geneva, down to classic havens in Green Lake, public golf courses dominate the Badger State and offer a multitude of choices for golf lovers around the state.
Recently, Golfweek shared its 2026 rankings of Best Courses You can Play list. The course list, which includes all 50 states, featured 15 public courses within Wisconsin, with most courses hosting free play for non-members hoping to tee off.
Golfweek acknowledges best courses: Golfweek ranks the best public-access golf courses in every state
Situated along the scenic Wisconsin River, on the outskirts of Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa is a hot spot for public golf courses, coming in with four, the most on the list.
Three of Nekoosa’s public courses registered into the top-five on the state-based list.
Golfweek’s rankings included in this list were based on ratings from hundreds of panel members, who scored each course in 10 different areas and then averaged them all to create the hierarchy.
KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960.
* indicates new or returning to the rankings
Wisconsin’s best public-access courses1. Kohler Whistling Straits (Straits)
Mosel (m)
Whistling Straits’ Straits Course at Kohler in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Kohler)
2. Sand Valley (Lido)
Nekoosa (m)
Note: Lido is a private club within a popular resort that welcomes limited outside play.
The 14th hole of The Lido Course at Sand Valley in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.
3. Sand Valley (Sand Valley)
Nekoosa (m) – book your round today
The 12-hole Commons course at Sand Valley has opened in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.
4. Sand Valley (Mammoth Dunes)
Nekoosa (m) – book your round today
Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Sand Valley/Evan Schiller)
5. Erin Hills
Erin (m)
The lit Drumlin putting green at Erin Hills in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Erin Hills)
6. Lawsonia (Links)
Green Lake (c) – book your round today
Lawsonia Links in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Lawsonia Links)
7. Sand Valley (Sedge Valley)
Nekoosa (m) – book your round today
Sedge Valley at Sand Valley in Wisconsin (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
8. Kohler Blackwolf Run (River)
Kohler (m)
The River Course at Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Destination Kohler)
9. Kohler Whistling Straits (Irish)
Mosel (m)
10. SentryWorld
Stevens Point (m) – book your round today
11. University Ridge
Madison (m) – book your round today
Golfers compete during the first day of the WIAA boys golf state tournament on June 8, 2026, at University Ridge golf course in Madison, Wis.
12. The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
Sheboygan Falls (m) – book your round today
13. Kohler Blackwolf Run (Meadow Valleys)
Kohler (m)
The Meadow Valleys Course at Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin (Courtesy of Destination Kohler)
14. Washington County Golf Course*
Hartford (m) – book your round today
15. Geneva National (Arnold Palmer)
Lake Geneva (m) – book your round today
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Reporter Alfred Smith III at alfred.smith@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @AlfredS_III.
This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: GolfWeek ranks Wisconsin’s top public golf courses for 2026