KEY's Magazines Ranks 10 Milwaukee Area

MILWAUKEEAN Jerry Slaske calls himself an "avowed golf fanatic." It's an understatement. "I live for golf," he concedes.

During the typical golf season, Jerry plays more than 90, 18-hole rounds. Call him the connoisseur of courses and heed his KEY recommendations if you're looking for an enjoyable and affordable day on courses around the Milwaukee area.

His top 10 area golf courses based on layout, conditions, test of golf, and cost are:

Nagawaukee (Pewaukee):
Huge undulating greens, well-manicured and managed. Front nine is OK, but back nine makes the course. If it weren't such a great value, it would rank farther down the list.

Washington County (Hartford):
May look innocent, but you'd better have your "A" game or you"ll go home with a failing grade. Immaculate conditions, tough greens. Its only weakness is that it's pricey to play regularly in peak season.

Whispering Springs (Fond du Lac):
Could be the best value on the list. Great layout, well maintained, and fun to play. Requires brains with just a bit of brawn. Its only weakness is that it's 65 miles from downtown Milwaukee.

Brown Deer (Milwaukee):
One of the great traditional public courses in the country. Site of PGA tour stop "U.S. Bank Championship" so conditions are tremendous. Hundreds of mature trees, deep rough. Get off the fairway and you might as well get off the course. Just over $30 to play with Milwaukee County card.

The Broadlands (North Prairie):
Links style course. Interesting layout. Well-maintained. Love the par 5s. Some long walks between holes.

Ironwood (Sussex):
Play the original 18. Tough greens. Good test, particularly 7, 8, 9, and all of the back nine. 18 is a wonderful finishing hole.

Morningstar (Mukwonago):
Most challenging and fun course to play in the area. Wonderful views, but keep your mind on your game because you have to be long and/or accurate. Carved out of former quarry, the elevation changes are dramatic. Conditions could be better and cost lower.

Fire Ridge (Grafton):
Nothing particularly stands out, but nothing to be critical of either. Challenging layout, well maintained, near country-club conditions. Tough to score on. Near Lake Michigan so could be a lot cooler than other courses on list.

Rock River Hills (Horicon):
A gem of a course situated on the scenic Horicon Marsh. Short, but don't let your guard down because it could eat up even the best. Great value, but a bit of a drive. Three of the four par 3s are excellent, particularly 13. Only drawback is clubhouse staff.

Kettle Hills (Richfield):
Play the original 18. You'll use every club in the bag and it will wear you out. Challenging and interesting. Conditions could be better, especially the fairways.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the courses in the area. There are many more that are less expensive and there are many more that are more expensive. "These are simply those I play most often because I think they provide the best test and value," says KEY Milwaukee's connoisseur of courses.