The Bull at Pinehurst Farms Golf Course Review

Introduction

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms is lauded as “Wisconsin’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course ranked in the Top 100 You Can Play, by Golf Digest.”  That’s a lot of qualifications.  I promise by the end of this review, I’ll give you a much more concise description of the course and a clear idea of whether or not you should travel to Sheboygan to check it out.

Practice Facility

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms has nice practice facilities, but the layout is not very convenient.  Getting to the range requires a decent ride.  Halfway to the range, you’ll find the short game area, which is decidedly above average.  It has a bunker, a large green, and room to hit everything from chips to mid-range pitches.  The putting green is big enough for a couple foursomes and is a minute walk from the first tee.

Amenities & Customer Service

I’ll start with the good: The Bull has a nice restaurant and bar with a great porch area and view.  The pro shop has very little in the way of clubs but does have a large selection of logoed merchandise from quality brands like Iliac and Adidas.

The customer service, however, is poor.  When we pulled up to the course (mid-morning on a weekend), there was no one at the bag drop.  When someone did appear, they stared at us while we loaded our bags onto the carts.  The attitude of the staff in the pro shop bordered on surly, and the starter was rude when pairing our group with a single.

To be clear, I’m not someone who needs rose petals thrown at my feet.  I’ve been a muni golfer my whole life, I change my shoes in the parking lot, etc.  That said, expecting people in customer service roles to make an effort isn’t asking a lot, especially when paying a $150 green fee.

Course Conditions

The conditions at The Bull matched my expectations for a $150 round.  Their greens were in good shape – smooth, consistent speed, and a minimum of scars.  Similarly, the fairways and tee boxes were well manicured.

The rough at The Bull wasn’t terribly long, but it was thick.  I find this combination to be optimal – you can find your ball easily, but there’s a clear penalty for missing the fairway.

Beauty & Scenery

Don’t judge the beauty of The Bull too quickly.  The first four holes are wide open and built among a housing development.  They’re nice enough, but far from special.

The course makes a turn for the better on the fifth hole when it heads into the thick woods.  Most of the remaining holes weave through the trees and take advantage of significant elevation changes.  We played the course during the very early fall, and it was beautiful.  I imagine that a few weeks later, with the color change in full swing, it would be breathtaking.

Tee Shots

Driving at The Bull fluctuates between very exciting and very dull.  In spite of the numerous forced carries on the back nine, most of the tee shots are forgettable.

That said, the ones that are tough or interesting are very tough or very interesting.  #11 is a wild hole that forces you to choose between a wide fairway on the left over a sliver of water and driving it over a lake to a small landing area.  It’s a good hole because even the conservative line requires a quality shot.  #14 and #16 are similarly thought provoking because of the angles involved and the opportunity to hit less than driver.

Approach Shots

Most of the difficulty of The Bull resides in the approach shots.  Nine of the approaches (more, depending on your angle) have a forced carry, and there are few good bail out areas.  The par 3 sixth (above) is a good example: hit the narrow green or you’re in a deep bunker…or worse.

This is balanced somewhat by the fact that the fairways are wide and don’t give you many tough lies to play from.  That said, if you’re not setting up the correct angles, these approaches become even harder.  I made four birdies at The Bull, but the approach shots were tough hole after hole.  For a high handicap player, I think a round at The Bull would be very long and frustrating.

Green Complexes

As if the forced carries were not enough, the greens at The Bull are smaller than average and generally narrow.  Add to this the fact that most are elevated with shaggy surrounds and you have a recipe for frustration unless you are a high quality iron player.

Sixteen greens are defended by bunkers, most of which are fairly deep.  If your bunker play is not sound, be prepared to pull out your hand wedge.

Once you make it onto the greens, you’ll find The Bull to be rather tame.  There aren’t many severe slopes or ridges, though there are a handful of two-tiered greens.  If you’re able to hit some greens in regulation, you should walk away with a couple birdies.

Conclusion

The PR geniuses hired by The Bull used eighteen words to describe it.  Here are my seven: “Good, not great.  Tough.  Fun in spots.”

Is it worth the drive and your hard-earned money?  In a state that is embarrassingly rich with excellent golf, I’d say no.  The Bull doesn’t have the cache of Erin Hills or the Kohler courses down the road, nor is it fun like Sand Valley or SentryWorld.  It’s not a bad course, but you can do better.

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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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