The best courses you can play in Salem, Wisconsin
Course Vaults is a golf course logging app where members have logged 6,611 rounds in Wisconsin and rate what they played. These are the 25 highest-rated public courses within about 25 miles of Salem, Wisconsin, ranked by those community scores.

Palmer
Geneva National Resort
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicArnold Palmer
- 5.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.5Value
- 4.5Scenery
- 4.3Facilities
The Palmer Course at Destination Geneva National was one of the highlights of my bachelor trip — and honestly, one of the best overall golf experiences I’ve had in the Midwest.
Written by
@TGUN312
- Driving range
- Halfway house
- Grass range

ThunderHawk Golf Club
Beach Park, IL, USAPublicRobert Trent Jones, Jr.
- 3.0Conditions
- 3.9Layout
- 3.7Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 3.7Facilities
The 2nd hole is where the round really kicks into gear — a par 5 with a split fairway that gives you options off the tee. You can take on a longer carry down the right for a better angle in, but it brings the marsh more into play. A pot bunker guards the front of the green…
Written by
@TGUN312
- Challenging
- Must play
- Hidden gem

Player
Geneva National Resort
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicGary Player
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.8Layout
- 3.2Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 4.2Facilities
The Gary Player Course at Destination Geneva National was my second favorite on the property, and it delivered another awesome experience.
Written by
@TGUN312
- Halfway house
- Driving range
- Restaurant

Shepherds Crook Golf Course
Zion, IL, USAPublicKeith Foster
- 4.3Conditions
- 4.3Layout
- 4.3Value
- 3.3Scenery
- 3.6Facilities
Great conditions with a truly unique and exciting layout. No range but new putting green is right next to beautiful patio that overlooks the course with easy sight lines to the ninth and 18th greens.
Written by
@RayZanz
- Hidden gem
- Friendly
- Challenging

Como Crossings
Hawks View Golf Club
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicCraig Schreiner
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 4.0Value
- 4.5Scenery
- 4.2Facilities
- Halfway house
- Cart attendant
- Driving range
Spring Valley Country Club
Salem, WI, USAPublicWilliam Langford & Theodore J. Moreau
- 3.0Conditions
- 4.7Layout
- 5.0Value
- 4.0Scenery
- 3.1Facilities
Definition of a hidden gem. Langford & Moreau design that just needs a little love and small renovation and they could charge triple. No sand in the bunkers, but it doesn’t make them any less challenging. Must-play for a Golden Age nerd.
Written by
@SadBadgerFan
- Hidden gem
- Must play
- Underrated

Abbey Springs Golf Course
Fontana, WI, USAPublicKen Killiaick Nugent
- 4.3Conditions
- 3.8Layout
- 3.8Value
- 4.3Scenery
- 3.8Facilities
Great conditions and some cool holes. However, thought some of the holes were very basic as well. I’m from Illinois but if I come in to the area, I’d rather play Hawks View for a similar price. Some may disagree with that but I think it’s the better layout
Written by
@KirklandBomber
- Driving range
- Views
- Friendly
Stonewall Orchard Golf Club
Grays Lake, IL, USAPublicArthur Hills
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.0Value
- 3.3Scenery
- 3.7Facilities
- Driving range
- Hidden gem
- Underrated

Lee Trevino
Geneva National Resort
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicLee Trevino
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.8Layout
- 3.5Value
- 3.8Scenery
- 4.2Facilities
The Trevino Course at Destination Geneva National rounds out the trio on property, and while it’s nice to have a third option to mix things up, it was definitely my least favorite of the three.
Written by
@TGUN312
- Cart attendant
- Driving range
- Grass range

Highlands
Grand Geneva Resort
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicPete Dye & Jack Nicklaus
- 2.5Conditions
- 3.0Layout
- 2.8Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.4Facilities
More fun and thoughtful than the Brute, if less scenic. Also were doing work on the first few holes which definitely affected the condition of the course. But a fun, strategic golf course that you can hit a lot of different shots on.
Written by
@Owen Gabbey
- Driving range
- Great value
- Cart attendant

Brute
Grand Geneva Resort
Lake Geneva, WI, USAPublicRobert B. Harris
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.2Layout
- 3.0Value
- 3.2Scenery
- 3.7Facilities
A really hard, sloping golf course with tons of hazards, comically large bunkers, and tight landing areas. Some really cool holes and a few repetitive ones. Great as part of a package, probably not a good value at their standard rate.
Written by
@Owen Gabbey
- Cart attendant
- Challenging
- Driving range

Oak Grove Golf Course
Harvard, IL, USAPublicSteven Halberg
- 3.5Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 4.0Value
- 4.0Scenery
- 3.2Facilities
- Driving range
- Mat range
- Putting area

Bittersweet Golf Club
Gurnee, IL, USAPublicHarry Vignocchi & Jack Porter
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.0Layout
- 3.0Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.0Facilities
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Putting area

Chalet Hills Golf Club
Cary, IL, USAPublicKen Killian
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 4.0Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.5Facilities

Pine Meadow Golf Club
Mundelein, IL, USAPublicJoe Lee & Rocky Roquemore
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.5Layout
- 3.0Value
- 4.0Scenery
- 3.3Facilities
- Driving range
- Hidden gem
- Great value

Foxford Hills Golf Club
Cary, IL, USAPublicTim Nugent
- 3.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.5Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.4Facilities

Oakwood Park Golf Course
Franklin, WI, USAPublicLarry Packard
- 3.0Conditions
- 3.5Layout
- 4.0Value
- 2.5Scenery
- 3.0Facilities
- Driving range
- Grass range
- Putting area

Steeple Chase Golf Club
Mundelein, IL, USAPublicKen Killian
- 5.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.5Value
- 3.5Scenery
- 3.1Facilities
- Pristine

White Deer Run Golf Course
Vernon Hills, IL, USAPublicDick Nugent & Tim Nugent
- 3.5Conditions
- 3.0Layout
- 3.0Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.5Facilities

Bonnie Brook Golf Course
Waukegan, IL, USAPublicJames Foulis
- 3.5Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 3.5Value
- 3.5Scenery
- 3.4Facilities
Fun layout with developed landscape at a pretty decent price. Decent greens and generally well maintained. Can get busy at peak hours but usually can find times near sunset or early.
Written by
@RayZanz
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Must play

Deerpath Golf Course
Lake Forest, IL, USAPublicAlex Pirie
- 3.0Conditions
- 3.0Layout
- 3.3Value
- 2.8Scenery
- 3.1Facilities
Always good to play Deerpath in Lake Forest, IL, a 1927 Alex Pirie design that has been updated by Lohmann & Quitno in recent years. Solid group of Par-3s, some fun risk/reward Par-4s & typically greens that putt true.
Written by
@Btweed16

Prairie Isle Golf Club
Prairie Grove, IL, USAPublicGordon Cunningham
- 3.0Conditions
- 3.7Layout
- 4.3Value
- 3.3Scenery
- 3.0Facilities
- Underrated

Prairie
Countryside Golf Club
Mundelein, IL, USAPublicMichael J. Benkusky
- 3.5Conditions
- 3.0Layout
- 3.0Value
- 2.0Scenery
- 2.5Facilities

Lake Bluff Golf Club
Lake Bluff, IL, USAPublic
- 3.5Conditions
- 3.3Layout
- 3.3Value
- 2.7Scenery
- 2.7Facilities
- Great value
- Walkable
- Halfway house

Arboretum Golf Club
Buffalo Grove, IL, USAPublicDick Nugent
- 3.5Conditions
- 2.5Layout
- 2.8Value
- 2.8Scenery
- 2.8Facilities
- Restaurant
Explore more Salem rankings
How we rank
Course Vaults ranks public golf courses by Course Vaults Score (CV score), a community rating from golfers who have played and rated each course. Only open courses with at least 5 explicit ratings qualify, and this list is limited to public or guest-friendly courses. City pages include public golf courses within about 25 miles of Salem, so nearby suburbs can appear on the same list. Rankings refresh about hourly as new ratings come in; each page shows when it was last generated.
FAQ
Common questions about public course rankings in Salem, Wisconsin.
The top public golf courses in Salem, Wisconsin on Course Vaults are led by Geneva National Resort with a Course Vaults score of 7.8. This page ranks 25 courses, including Geneva National Resort, ThunderHawk Golf Club, Geneva National Resort.
Course Vaults ranks public golf courses by Course Vaults Score (CV score), a community rating from golfers who have played and rated each course. Only open courses with at least 5 explicit ratings qualify, and this list is limited to public or guest-friendly courses. City pages include public golf courses within about 25 miles of Salem, so nearby suburbs can appear on the same list. Rankings refresh about hourly as new ratings come in; each page shows when it was last generated.
Yes. The Salem, Wisconsin list includes public golf courses within about 25 miles of Salem, not only courses whose city field is an exact match. Nearby suburbs can appear when they fall inside that metro radius.
Geneva National Resort is currently #1 among public courses in and around Salem, Wisconsin on Course Vaults at 7.8 out of 10.
This ranking was last refreshed Nov 12, 2026, 3:40 AM EST. The page revalidates about every hour as golfers add new explicit ratings that meet the 5-rating minimum.
