Nakoma at Nakoma Golf Club

Nakoma Golf Club sits on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin, occupying rolling terrain that Tom Bendelow routed in the mid-1920s. Bendelow, a prolific architect of the era who designed hundreds of courses across the American Midwest, created a layout here that works with the natural contours of the land. The course features moderate elevation changes and tree-lined fairways typical of parkland designs from this period, with several holes playing along ridgelines and through wooded corridors.

The property reflects the residential golf club model common to established neighborhoods in mid-sized American cities during the early twentieth century. Over the decades, the course has undergone various updates and modifications while maintaining its essential routing and character. The design emphasizes strategic placement off the tee and approach play into greens that incorporate the site's natural slopes.

Nakoma serves as a traditional private club for the Madison community, with a membership that values both the golf course and the social aspects of club life. The facility includes dining and event spaces that complement the golf operations. The course remains a fixture in the local golf landscape, representing the enduring appeal of Golden Age design principles adapted to Wisconsin's terrain and climate.