
Brute Course
Grand Geneva Resort


About this course
The Brute at Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, opened in 1968 as part of what was originally the Playboy Club resort complex. Robert B. Harris designed the course to challenge players with significant elevation changes and strategic bunkering across rolling terrain characteristic of southeastern Wisconsin's glacial landscape. The property sits on high ground overlooking Geneva Lake, and the routing takes advantage of natural contours and wooded corridors that define individual holes. The course measures over 7,200 yards from the championship tees and earned its name from the demanding length and shot values Harris built into the design. Several holes play uphill or require carries over ravines and wetlands, testing both distance control and course management. The layout features narrow landing areas framed by mature hardwoods, and the green complexes incorporate subtle undulation that rewards accurate approach play. Grand Geneva has hosted various regional amateur and professional events over the decades, though the course is primarily known as a resort amenity serving guests and members. The property underwent ownership changes after the Playboy era, eventually becoming the Grand Geneva Resort with expanded lodging, dining, and conference facilities. The Brute remains the resort's championship test, complementing a second eighteen-hole course on the property and serving golfers who visit the Lake Geneva area for its combination of recreational golf and resort amenities in a setting that has long attracted visitors from Chicago and Milwaukee.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in WI
Quick facts
- Location
- Lake Geneva, WI, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1968
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Robert B. Harris
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,085 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.8/136
- Course Vaults score
- 7.2
Getting there
The journey to Grand Geneva Resort begins at either Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) or Milwaukee's General Mitchell International (MKE), each roughly an hour and a half by car through the gently rolling farmland and lake country of southeastern Wisconsin. Private arrivals often favor Lake Geneva's own Aire Airport, a discreet general aviation facility minutes from the resort gates. The final stretch traces the shoreline of Geneva Lake itself, where the road curves past grand estates and wooded bluffs before ascending to the resort's hilltop perch - a sweeping, 1,300-acre sanctuary that has drawn Chicagoans northward for generations.

FAQ
Common questions about Brute at Grand Geneva Resort
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Brute at Grand Geneva Resort has a Course Vaults score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 52 logged golfers.
Brute was designed by Robert B. Harris.
Yes. Brute at Grand Geneva Resort is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Brute is 72.
Brute plays 7,085 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Brute is 136.





