Forest Hills Golf Course

If you are looking for a storybook-like location for a golf course, look no further than La Crosse, Wisconsin, a riverside community along the banks of the Mississippi River - in western Wisconsin. There, you will find the Forest Hills Golf Course (600 Losey Boulevard; La Crosse, WI; 608-779-GOLF). It is situated in a valley like setting - bordered by railroad tracks (used by Burlington Northern Railroad) on one side and by a series of rugged bluffs, notably Grandad's Bluff, on the other. As the course's website (www.foresthillsgolf.org) explains, Forest Hills "will amaze you with its beauty and challenge you with its design."

Simply put, Forest Hills - opened in 1898, originally as the La Crosse Country Club -- is located between the 'rocks & the rails.' It's also worth noting that the geographic nature of Forest Hills is as much 'forest' as it is 'hills,' thus the name. The entire course is filled with trees, while the back nine is quite hilly.
"This course has a little bit of everything," says Josh Larsen, pro shop manager at Forest Hills. "The setting and the beauty of Forest Hills makes this course very special. We are located in the middle of town. It's a little gem of a course."

As for the course itself, it is one of the most enjoyable parkland golf courses that you will ever play.

Currently, the first hole appears rather benign - just a 158-yard par three. But, the opening tee shot is to a raised green which is guarded by a sand trap, which acts as a sentry for the putting surface. A par at the first is never a guarantee. Then, the next five holes are five of the nine most difficult holes on the course. The second and fourth holes are classic, short par fours. While both holes measure less than 400 yards from the tips, wayward tee shots on both holes will prove costly. The second hole is short, but straight uphill. Large, leafy trees line both sides of the second fairway, while two fairway sand bunkers are strategically positioned to snag well-struck tee shots. At the second, you are tempted to hit a driver, but a solid three wood is the prudent choice. Just focus on hitting it straight, which would be great. The fourth hole is a left-to-right dogleg. For the right-handed player, a power fade off the tee is the ideal way to go. If your tee shot at the fourth veers too far to the right, don't be surprised if you get a double bogey or worse. The degree of difficulty of the second and fourth holes increases dramatically when the tee shots miss the fairway. At both holes, accuracy is more important than distance. In retrospect, the first six holes at Forest Hills give it a 'lion-like' opening, while holes seven through eleven are somewhat 'lamblike.' Those five holes are not pushovers, but birdies are possible on each of them. The 12th hole is the second par five on the course. Both par fives - the 6th and 12th -- rank 1-2 in the course's handicap rating. Very few golfers will be able to 'get home' in two on either par five, but birdies are possible with accurate approach shots. While it is fair to say that Forest Hills 'opens like a lion,' the course also 'closes like a lion,' as the last four holes are the most scenic, dramatic, and difficult holes on the course. The 15th is the most scenic hole. It is a short downhill par four to a green which is guarded by a small pond. Make sure that your tee shot finishes short of the 'drink.' You will only need a wedge to reach the raised green after a solidly struck tee shot. The 16th has the most dramatic tee shot at Forest Hills. This 193-yard par three is played to a raised green in the distance. The backdrop behind the green is a canopy of big trees that sit at the base of the aforementioned rocky bluffs. It is fun to follow a well-struck tee shot as it soars into the background of the green, leafy trees. The 16th is often played into a strong breeze, so it's important to hit enough club to reach the putting surface. This hole is truly good enough to be included in the mix across the state of Wisconsin at Whistling Straits, site of three PGA Championships. Without a doubt, a par at the 16th is a very satisfying result. The 17th is the most difficult par four at Forest Hills. The tee shot is downhill while the approach shot is uphill to a raised, narrow green. To get a par at the 17th, be prepared to get 'up & down' as hitting the green in regulation is no easy feat. The 18th is another par three which is located 'on the other side of the (railroad) tracks,' close to the clubhouse. Like the 8th and 9th holes, the 18th is played along the railroad tracks. If a train comes along, don't bother to wait for the caboose to go past since most passing trains are long and slow moving, but not very noisy. Just like at Chambers Bay in Washington State, the site of the 2015 U.S. Open, the sound of the passing train is part of the atmosphere at Forest Hills.

Right now, the distance from the back tees is less than 5,500 yards and the par is 68, but the par will become 71 in 2016, as the course is currently going through some renovations and reconfigurations.

"In 2016, the first hole will become the 10th hole and the 10th will become the first. We will take the current 13th hole, now a par three, and replace it with a 400-yard par four," explains Larsen. "The 14th will be a new 380-yard par four. Then, we will combine the existing 14th and 15th holes and create a monstrous 570-yard par five. The 18th will also become a great little 285-yard, risk and reward par four finishing hole. And, the current 18th hole, a par three, will be our '19th Hole.' So, if you and your buddies are tied after 18 or you need to figure out who's buying the first round, this par three will be a great tiebreaker."

Every golf course seems to have a unique story and Forest Hills is no different. Every time that you play there, you are invited to enter the '6 Pack Challenge.' There's a tear-off card attached to the scorecard where you are encouraged to record your score on the course's six par-three holes. At the end of the round, submit your score - along with your name, phone number, and email address - in the pro shop or at Grandad's Bar. At the end of each week, two weekly winners will be announced - one based on a low score plus one random winner. All weekly winners are then eligible for the drawing at year's end where there will be a grand-prize winner. Just for entering the '6 Pack Challenge,' you receive 50 cents off your first draft beer at Grandad's Bar. How's that for customer service! Everybody's a winner at Forest Hills in the '6 Pack Challenge.'

So, next time your travels bring you to Wisconsin or Minnesota, check your schedule and see if a road-trip with your golf clubs to La Crosse is possible. I know that you will be pleasantly surprised by what you will discover. You might come to the conclusion that the Forest Hills Golf Course is truly perched in a storybook-like setting and worthy of a story in your own words. By the way, don't forget to play the '6 Pack Challenge.'