Golf Course Overview: Horicon Hills Golf Club
Insights From An Insider With James Merkel, Owner
By Brian Weis
Local and traveling golfers love to research courses before playing them, whether it is to gain some local knowledge or to set an expectation before their upcoming round. Below is an interview with James Merkel who shares some valuable insight about the property, its most talked about holes and the signature dish/drink to consume at the 19th hole.
How Does Your Course Differ From The Others In The Area?
* we don't differ from the others ... everyone has 18 holes, fairways, green, a clubhouse, etc.
* our goal is to give everyone those true greens, plush fairways, etc. - but its more than just the golf course - it's the service that we extend to our customers by being a place they want to take their family, friends and clients for a day of relaxation and fun
For someone who has not played the course in awhile, has there been any new changes/renovations to the course or property?
Yes ... with the new ownership being 3 years old, updates include a new and improved irrigation system, new equipment has been put into place to provide better general course upkeep and maintenance clubhouse upgrades and remodeling in always an ongoing process to provide our customers with a great experience
What is your course's answer to Amen Corner? (Describe your best/hardest 3 back/back/back holes)
We asked a number of golfers who call Horicon Hills home and came up with a number of different answers. Holes on the "Back 9" can be troublesome if you let them intimidate you. Our Amen Corner would be Holes 11, 12 and 13.
The key to both holes 11 and 12 is to maintain your drive in the fairway. The length of your drive is not the important part, you must stay within the fairway followed by approach shots which cannot be long. Hole 13 has an elevated tee box which makes it terribly intimidating. Your tee shot can be short but you cannot be long or left/right because you will skip over the green or end up in the pond on the left or the trees which lie directly right of the green.
Getting through holes 11, 12 and 13 may give you a sigh of relief but you must maintain control since holes 15, 16, 17 and 18 can give you problems as well with their water, marshes and contoured greens. You must finish strong.
What is your course's claim to fame, or is there a little known fact that golfers should know about the property?
Claim to Fame is our greens. Greens are fast, true and challenging
What tournaments/events have you (recently) hosted or will be hosting?
2017 - WWSGA Mother Son Tournament
2016 - WSGA Net Partners Qualifier
2015 - WPGA Junior Championship
Besides golf, what other amenities do you offer if a golfer wants to spend most of the day at your facility?
We host Friday night fish fry. A raised deck which overlooks the course to enjoy beverages and food all day long. Occasional music on the deck is always enjoyed by everyone
Signature sandwich or drink?
Our Sandwich Menu is one of the best in the areas. Our Friday Night Fish Fry offers our customers a wide variety of options for portion size and pricing.
Contact Course
Horicon Hills Golf Club
3000 S. Main Street
Horicon, WI, 53032
920-643-2000
www.horiconhillsgolf.com
Revised: 02/03/2020 - Article Viewed 16,074 Times
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About: Brian Weis
Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.
All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.
On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.
Contact Brian Weis:
GolfTrips.com - Publisher and Golf Traveler
262-255-7600