Bristlecone Pines

I play golf exactly once a year — it’s expensive, frustrating, and incredibly time-​consuming. But on the right day, it can be nice to walk a well-​maintained course enjoying the weather and swinging a gigantic club at tens of glowing white orbs of destruction.
The staff at Bristlecone Pines is top-​notch — friendly, attentive, and helpful. The pro shop staff was incredibly helpful when I needed to switch my clubs to left-​handed. The folks who drive that glorious drink cart around are godsends (pro tip: stellar Bloody Marys here), and the bartender in the lounge is efficient and quick with a joke.
Since I admittedly do not play much, I cannot compare the course to much else. But — it is playable for a novice, there are four different tee boxes depending on your ability, and it’s a short drive (20 – 25 minutes) from downtown Milwaukee should you need to take a «sick day» from work and hightail it out of the city. There are some challenging holes where the fairway can seem to drag on for a mile, and there are plenty of water and sand hazards to avoid.
I suppose the ultimate measure of a place like this is «would you play here again?» Sure. The price is right, the course is nice, and if the swing isn’t that great, there’s always those Bloody Marys.

Nice un-​Country Club feel. 3 courses to play, two in Waukesha County and 1 in Madison. The courses are different and challenging in their own way. Bristlecone plays the fairest in my opinion compared to Brandybrook (Wales).
New chef at Bristlecone is doing a nice job in improving the menu and relating with members.
The membership is almost full.

Used to be one of my favorite courses, until they jacked the rates in a vain attempt to take it private. Nonetheless, exceptional layout, long from the tips, and very well kept. Problem is now at $ 80+, I can go a bit farther to say, University Ridge (Madison) and play an absolute gem!
I haven’t played BC Pines for a year now, and the last time was fall. All I can remember is «for all that money, you don’t even rake the sand traps?»
Nice restaurant, courteous staff, and range balls included… if I remember right. Lots of big houses, line many of the fairways, cuz that’s who they want to make it private for.
Maybe I’m just a wanna-​be country club hack pissed off that I can’t afford to go here every week!