The Bog

Getting To Know: THE BOG

An Insightful Interview With Ted Osmundson, PGA General Manager

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Ted Osmundson who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Accolades:
*2013: WSGA State Amateur Championship
*2004-11: Ranked in the Top 10 Best Overall Golf Courses in all of Wisconsin by Golf Digest
*2004-11: Rated 4.5 Stars by Golf Digest's "Places to Play"
*2004-11:Highest rated Milwaukee area Golf Course by the WSGA

Course/Facility/Amenities:
*Championship Public 'Daily Fee' Golf Course *Arnold Palmer Signature Design since 1995
*297 acres of wetlands: woods, rolling hills and wildlife habitat *Bentgrass tees, greens and fairways
*5 sets of tees for all levels of golfers
*117 bunkers & 10 water holes that come into play *Excellent 40,000 sq. ft. Practice Center teeing area; with chipping and bunker areas
*10,000 sq. ft. clubhouse designed for golf outing and banquets

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
THE BOG is a:

*Arnold Palmer Signature Design
*5 sets of tees for all levels of golfers *Fast and true greens- "better than most country clubs"
*Quiet and tranquil out in the wilderness & the bog *Located only 25 minutes from downtown Milwaukee *Supreme customer satisfaction *Overall excellent amenities (course, clubhouse, range) *Great internet 'specials' through website within 4 days!

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
*Buy a yardage book for $5 to see the course layout and trouble areas to avoid. The Bog has a few holes that have blind shots.

*Use the putting green before you play to gain a feel for the greens- which tend to be quick, yet true.

*The Bog provides practice balls, so use them at the Practice Center to warm-up and also take a few shots from the practice bunkers- there are 117 bunkers throughout the golf course.

*Finally, choose the set of tees which best suits your group's level of play. The 'green' tees are best for most golfers and still provide a solid challenge at 6351 yards.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
THE BOG continues to receive a variety of top awards and rankings from local, state and national publications and associations annually since 1996.

In 2013, THE BOG will be hosting the Wisconsin State Golf Association (WSGA) State Amateur Championship.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
What to pick?: #2, #6, #12, #14, #16, #17, #18??- many Signature/Favorite holes at THE BOG, but I think #12. This hole can either reward you with a birdie or hurt you with a double bogie.

#12, par 4, only measures 348 yards (back tees), 318 (gold tees), 306 (green tees). If you can play #12 the way the hole is designed: hit an accurate tee shot over a portion of the bog, and between multiple bunkers, you will find the fairway. Then, you will have a tricky wedge approach shot, demanding a precise yardage to the green/pin over a stream. The green is wide, but is only 12-15 yards deep. Don't be short (stream) and don't be long (long rough & woods)- you must be accurate choosing your approach club and yardage to the green.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It? See above :)

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Signature Food:
1) The 'Bog Dog' - All beef 1/4 lb. hot dog served with short peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, pickle relish, grilled and served on a toasted sub bun. Served with beer battered fries.

2) The Bog Signature Cheese Burger- 8 oz. certified black angus burger grilled to perfection. Topped with pepperjack cheese and creamy ancho chipotle sauce. Seved with beer battered fries.

Signature Appetizer:
The '19th Hole Nachos'- Seasoned ground turkey, a blend of Mexican cheeses, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, sour cream, piled on top of home made tortilla chips, sided with home made salsa. (1/2 order & full orders available)

Signature Drink:
The 'Arnold Palmer+'- vodka, lemonade, iced tea served with a lemon.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
The Bog's-PGA Golf Professional, Chris VanPietersom, shot a smooth 64! with 10 pars and 8 birdies from the Gold Tees in 2008. He says he still lost the Nassau that day...

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7221
Slope: 143
Rating: 75.3

More Information
THE BOG 3121 County Road I; P.O. Box 80079
Saukville, WI, 53080
262.284.7075
www.GolfTheBog.com

Revised: 05/01/2012 - Article Viewed 37,212 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.