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Rating Index Rating
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4.8
410 Reviews (410)
5 Stars
333
4 Stars
57
3 Stars
14
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.5
Layout
4.8
Friendliness
4.8
Pace
4.3
Amenities
4.7
95.6%
Recommend this course
393 out of 410 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.9
9 Reviews (9)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.9
Value
4.9
Layout
4.9
Pace
4.5
Amenities
4.6
StaffFriendliness
5.0
100.0%
Recommend this course
9 out of 9 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.9
30 Reviews (30)
5 Stars
27
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.9
Value
4.6
Layout
4.9
Pace
4.4
Amenities
4.7
StaffFriendliness
4.9
100.0%
Recommend this course
30 out of 30 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
The Brute delivers an immaculate, water-laden layout with fast greens that consistently reward precise shot-making from tee to green. Exceptional amenities, friendly staff, and outstanding value make this resort course a compelling destination between Milwaukee and Chicago.

About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Par 72
Length 7085 yards
Slope 136
Rating 73.8

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa was ranked in the top 10 northern U.S. golf resorts by Conde Nast Traveler. The resort boasts two championship courses, the Brute and the Highlands. The formidable Brute Course stretches to over 7,000 yards. It is considered one of the toughest golf courses in the Midwest. The layout wanders across rolling terrain, incorporating a variety of elevation changes that range from subtle to dramatic. There are 68 bunkers strategically placed along the massive, undulating greens. The course is aptly named since it will relentlessly test your skills. It is more challenging than the Highlands, which is a links course designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye. In addition to the two courses, Grand Geneva Resort & Spa also has a practice facility complete with a driving range and putting and chipping greens.

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The Brute at Grand Geneva Resort
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Course Details

Year Built 1968
Fairways Bent Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Open: 4/01 Closed: 11/01
Architect Robert B. Harris (1968)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
GPS Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Fivesomes Allowed No
Walking Allowed No
Dress code Appropriate golf attire.

Available Facilities

Meeting Facilities, Banquet Facilities, Spa

Available Sports

Tennis

Accolades

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12 rounds of waived fees
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Reviews

4.8
410 Reviews (410)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 9
Patio Dining 8
19th Hole Scenic Views 7
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 15
Bunkers 12
Plays Long 11
This course/club is great for:
A Weekend Splurge 11
Group Getaways 9
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 9
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 12
Worth the Drive 11

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Taking on the Brute

Completed 18 holes in 4 hrs on a Sunday afternoon!

Amazing views on every hole and if you are on the fairway- no bugs, but I learned quickly don’t waste your time looking for your ball in the wooded areas

Look forward to playing this amazing coarse again soon!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Icevski’s

Really enjoyed the round. Super friendly staff great course and pace of play was around 4h on a Sunday!

We are coming back very soon to play again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great condition and fun layout

Played after 3pm so had a great rate. Pace of play was good, friendly staff and nice amenities. Course is in great condition. Oh, keep your approach shots below the pin :D

Only complaint is the need for drop zone on 17. It's a forced carry over water unless you're hitting a wedge off the tee. If you rinse one, there is no proper drop zone.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 46
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

You won’t find much better

What a great golf course. The layout is fantastic with Hills,Curves,Trees,Water and Sand. The fairways are real nice and the Greens run true. One of the top 3 courses I have ever played. I will definitely play here again several times. The staff is friendly and the carts have GPS with ball and club washer

Top of the line place

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 46
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Fantastic! Challenging and dramatic.

Great condition, excellent routing, large and re greens. Bunkers could use a little TLC, this did not detract from the course. Truly enjoyable.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Can't go wrong, worth the drive

This course is fantastic, the staff is friendly and the conditions were impeccable. It is worth the drive if you have to make it.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 16
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great course, great conditions.

Friendly staff. Terrific course. Challenging is an understatement. Treat yourself to this Brute...it's amazing!!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

This course if a “ brute”

Great golf challenge: tilted fairways, hidden greens, uphill lies, sloping putts, it gives you everything you want in a brutish golf course. Fun to play, tough to score. Enjoy!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 768
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Tee it forward on The Brute

I played The Brute years ago and got, well, brutalized! About 7-8 years wiser, I moved up a box to the golds and had a fantastic and fun day. A lot of the par 5s played very short (too short), so I'm thinking the course staff should consider a combo tee to balance things out.

Some holes are downright terrifying from the white (championship) tees, notably the ninth and 18th, both squeezed by water. More water hazards lurk elsewhere. I found the stream rolling through the first fairway. My playing partner rinsed one on the 9th, which has water on either side of the fairway off the tee. If you can play The Brute without losing the ball, and break 90, you've had quite the day.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 14
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

One of the best around

Beautiful course well maintained. Golfed it years ago and they continue to make it better every year.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

1/2 hr drive

Took day off of work. 69 degree day , course was in amazing shape. Staff was great , well worth vacation day.

If you can do Monday-Thursday it is well worth the money. Way better than any other local golf course.

Looking forward to next vacation day ......

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 34
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

You’ve earned it!

There are 2 courses here. We played The Brute. What an interesting, challenging and visually beautiful course. If you work hard and take care of your family etc etc.....and deserve an occasional treat for yourself T it up here.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

The Brute is a modern classic design

The Brute is carved into the rolling woodlands of southern Wisconsin. The 1968 Robert Bruce Harris design is a big-hitter's course, with some forced carries, tough fairways to hit, and plenty of woods to avoid. Elevation changes make for lots of fun, though. Greens can be large, but often very firm and elevated and difficult to stick close to the pins. Do not start to count up your score until you hole out on 18, as the last two holes are maybe the toughest on the course. Great practice facilities and excellent staff and pro shop.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 105
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Chicago Milwaukee Advisor
Previously Played

Great course when you find a good deal.

Played the brute today. Course is cool with its huge greens and huge bunkers. Stuff you are not used to seeing. Staff is very friendly and inviting, and driving range is very nice also. Tee to green course was a in very good shape they have taken out some trees on some holes especially #2 which has made things a little better more golfer friendly. Greens were slow and a little fuzzy. The highlands seem to be fast all the time and the brute always seem to be slow, doesnt make much sense. Wish they kept them the same. The sand is too soft as always and they have really raised their prices on bev cart (buy at the bar its cheaper). Course is very nice but for the regular price save your money way better courses to play for a better price.

Conditions Good
Value Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Poor weather
Used cart

Rain was not going to stop me

I made a morning tee time with the weather man being dead wrong again. Rain and cold drizzle hampered the day but not my spirits on enjoying my round. The golf course was wet and slow with several balls plugging and no role from fairways hit...so it played long.
The course was fair, challenging and enjoyable to play at every turn. I would go back with a fall deal but can't afford the peek season.
The only negative was the number of reminders to fix divots, ball marks and staying on cart paths the GPS gave. I was frustrated by the number of times I had to touch the GPS screen to get things going again.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

Destination Kohler - Champions' Trail Golf Package

FROM $617 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn at Woodlake and 3 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River or Meadow Valleys Course) and Whistling Straits (Straits or Irish Course)

Destination Kohler - To Dye Four Golf Package

FROM $557 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake and 4 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River & Meadow Valley Courses) and Whistling Straits (Straits & Irish Courses).

Shanty Creek Stay & Play Package

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BELLAIRE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Shanty Creek's Lakeview Hotel or Lodge of Cedar River and golf at Shanty Creek - Cedar River, Hawk's Eye, Legend, Schuss, or Summit Courses.
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