University Ridge Golf Course
About
University Ridge Golf Course is just 15 minutes from the University of Wisconsin campus and downtown Madison. The course's name comes from the defining feature of the landscape, a remnant of the last retreating glacier. The course is perched right where the Wisconsin Glacier stopped, providing the backbone of the ridge that divides the terrain into clusters of hills and valleys. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the golf course with distinctly different front and back nines that make it feel like you are playing two courses in one. The front nine plays across grassy meadows, featuring contoured fairways and generous landing areas. Wind will definitely be a challenge on this more open nine. In contrast, mature trees frame most of the holes on the back nine. The golf course finishes with two of its toughest holes: a long par 3 over water and then another long hole, a par 4 that plays uphill.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 7286 yards | 75.8 | 142 |
| Blue | 72 | 6718 yards | 73.4 | 139 |
| Green | 72 | 6245 yards | 70.4 | 134 |
| Green (W) | 72 | 6245 yards | 76.7 | 139 |
| White | 72 | 5752 yards | 68.6 | 129 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5752 yards | 73.8 | 134 |
| Red | 72 | 5005 yards | 65.3 | 116 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 5005 yards | 69.5 | 124 |
| Junior | 72 | 3813 yards | 61.3 | 103 |
| Junior (W) | 72 | 3813 yards | 62.9 | 110 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 75.8/142 | 396 | 555 | 242 | 467 | 198 | 623 | 429 | 207 | 587 | 3704 | 483 | 569 | 200 | 336 | 398 | 352 | 554 | 250 | 440 | 3582 | 7286 |
| Blue M: 73.4/139 | 376 | 546 | 195 | 398 | 172 | 608 | 379 | 162 | 554 | 3390 | 456 | 537 | 174 | 330 | 377 | 321 | 533 | 192 | 408 | 3328 | 6718 |
| Green M: 70.4/134 W: 76.7/138 | 370 | 515 | 174 | 354 | 169 | 570 | 345 | 151 | 475 | 3123 | 424 | 504 | 159 | 316 | 358 | 312 | 514 | 164 | 371 | 3122 | 6245 |
| White M: 68.6/129 W: 73.8/134 | 355 | 461 | 170 | 332 | 140 | 534 | 325 | 144 | 442 | 2903 | 375 | 462 | 124 | 294 | 322 | 280 | 471 | 155 | 366 | 2849 | 5752 |
| Red M: 65.3/116 W: 69.5/124 | 293 | 428 | 135 | 304 | 126 | 442 | 298 | 83 | 421 | 2530 | 342 | 412 | 95 | 222 | 309 | 245 | 434 | 130 | 286 | 2475 | 5005 |
| Junior M: 61.3/103 W: 62.9/110 | 228 | 305 | 118 | 233 | 124 | 311 | 229 | 79 | 328 | 1955 | 241 | 330 | 78 | 171 | 205 | 173 | 296 | 124 | 240 | 1858 | 3813 |
| Handicap | 11 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
SnacksAvailable Facilities
ClubhouseAccolades
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by xpops4x on 08/03/2025
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Photo submitted by Blake3999717 on 09/28/2024
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Photo submitted by Back9Ben on 09/24/2020
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Hole 14 - So much sand Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 12 - downhill par 3 to a tough green Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 11 - one of the 5 really good par 5s Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 10 - My favorite hole on the course Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 8 - my favorite of the five par 3s Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Hole 4 - a challenging up-hill par 4 Photo submitted by GolferJake78 on 09/02/2020
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Photo submitted by mccordgricegolf on 08/27/2019
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 05/29/2017
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
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Photo submitted by DavidLaDuke on 08/14/2015
fab course
this was a great experience. highly recommend this course.
Great!
I play this course several times each year while visiting relatives. Close to perfect. I travel a lot and play golf a lot and this course is a favorite.
University ridge
This was in excalent course lots of bunkers ruff was thick thou the greens were slower than antisapated the people working outside the club house were very nice
The head gentleman behind the the front desk was not the friendliest when asked about a replay rate he avoided the question because it was late in the day and never answered me thought that was a little less than impressive
Great Madison WI golf
University Ridge is beautiful and challenging. Can't wait to play there again.
Very nice track
Great course difficult course for an average golfer but a great experience
Challenging and scenic course
University Ridge is my favorite Madison area golf course. It combines beautiful scenery with a great hole layout to provide a challenging, yet rewarding golf experience.
Second time will be my last
I waited a few weeks for the greens to grow and I'm back again to try the track out. The greens are in finally but the divots from the players are abundant. My suggestion might be to move the pins as there wasn't much movement from the last time I had played. At one point i was forced to move my ball as a chunk was taken out of the green. Hole number 5 plays 152 from the green tees and the ball marks were equal to a green that has a 100 yard elevation yet there's only a small elevation. Another green on the back side had a strip of yellow grass in the green. Again it's early so they still have months to get ready for people paying over $90 a round. Enough about the greens...lets talk about going 14 holes on a Saturday without seeing a drink cart...I'm not going to go on and on about the service in the Lake Geneva area but everything from the minute you get out of your car to the time you leave is memorable and the courses match the experience. Last review from me on this course...
Favorite in the Madison area
This is my first summer playing at University Rdige and I liked it so much I went back 5 weeks in a row. The twlight tee times are really affordable. I've never be unable to finish a round. I even started after five on a Friday and still managed to get done with 18 playing by myself. The fairways are in great shape and the greens are a dream to play on. High tech carts and really friendly staff make it even more a treat to hit up this course. The course is challenging and interesting. I would play again in a heartbeat. I have a friend who golfs even more than myself and he says this is by far his favorite course in southern Wisconsin.
Variety of play
University Ridge offers a variety of holes, wide, narrow, up and down that make it a fun course to play. They also keep the course in excellent condition.
Maintenance Needed...overpriced
I wish I could give a great review as I gave them a chance to reply to me before I went with this review. They didn't have time to comment back so I'm giving you what I saw. This being my first time I had high expectations as I had heard it was a great course. Let me start with the last guys comments...the greens are un puttable at this time and they're asking for $70 to pay for the cart I guess. They are Chinese Checkerboards and that's being generous...I had a putt take a right turn 12" before the hole. I've been on aerated greens before but never like this. How could they even open unless they haven't played the course they're charging for....maybe the owners are down south yet? Good luck to all that play here as there is winter kill all around the greens too. I've played a dozen courses in the state already and none of them as bad as this one. You might even ask if the sand traps are raked before starting as this didn't happen either. The overall presentation of the holes are great as the back nine plays much differently then the front. Great course but lacks in maintenance for the price. The bar and clubhouse are great although 4 of the 8 beers listed on the menu didn't exist. Again it's only April and maybe by late July the greens will come in but from the comments of prior years I'm not holding my breath. Lake Geneva courses are nearly 10 times better so I guess I'm spoiled with great conditions. I'm taking this off of my "must play again" list as I've seen enough.
UW Ridge in April
The greens are poor. They were very slow and bumpy. For greens that were redone two years ago they are very poor
University Ridge
Course conditions were excellent considering it's late Fall. Play was very light, so no worries of staying on time or waiting to hit. It's a challenging course appears to be top of the line maintained. The staff was friendly, the brat was good, and it was a good round.
November golf
Beautiful course.The greens were a little slow because of aeration,but other than that we truly enjoyed the course.
Always a treat
I try to play this course at least once a year. Usually we come down to Madison in June but June was too wet to plan a visit so Fall it was.
An unbelievable football and golf weekend for the end of October in WI with 65 both Saturday and Sunday.
In every aspect this course is a must play.
the course has a few picturesque holes
I have played a lot of courses of equal condition for less money. Most of the holes are quite nice and challenging. I guess I expected more for my money.
Staff was all business, and not very friendly, except for the starter, who was both friendly and helpful.
It will be a while before I consider playing there again.
Sorry, it's just my opinion, and I have played a lot of courses. I would recommend it ,if you wanted to play some where close to home.
Great day of golf
The course was in good shape, play was fast and staff was great!
University Ridge is a must see course - one of the top courses in the Madison Area
Great course in great shape and great staff too. Course was renewed last year or two and it plays well.
Quality Challenge on a Great Venue
Course was in great late Summer shape. Rough was up and sticky...bent grass fairways were wonderful. Recently revamped greens were rolling true and fast. Sand traps were immaculate. A nice challenge for all levels of golfer. Beautiful setting in the rolling countryside of Madison suburbs. Played white tees and spouse played reds, which was appropriate for our level of play.
Play this course!
Played the last two weeks as a twosome and really enjoyed the experience. The practice facilities are first rate, balls are included, huge practice green, and a practice bunker with green rank this course at the top of the list. Every hole is interesting, well bunkered and most involve elevation changes. Greens are fast but fair, and even playing 36 yesterday we weren't bored. Pace of play was excellent! I can't believe I missed playing this course until this year. Easily as good as Wild Rock, The Oaks, The Brute and Blackwolf Run Meadows courses IMO. 10 handicap.