Why Historic Whitnall Golf Course Needs Redesign

Map of potential changes at Whitnall Park Golf Course.

Whitnall Park Golf Course, a historic 18-hole course known for fairways lined with old-growth trees, might be closed for all of 2025. But why?

In simple terms, money and water. First, the golf course needs a new irrigation system. To install it, the course will need to be shut down. Second, Parks officials figure this is the best time to redevelop the course, which hasn’t been changed since it was built in the 1930s.

Milwaukee County Parks is planning a once-in-a-century, $8.4 million redesign for the course, which is the third most popular in the system behind the Brown Deer and Oakwood Golf Courses.

“Honestly, our staff was looking at [the project], as this golf course might not get touched for another 100 years,” Jeremy Lucas, director of strategic planning told supervisors in December.

The golf course remains the same as it was when it opened in 1932, according to Jon Canavan, golf and recreation turf manager. The irrigation system, which is now on its last legs, was replaced in the 1970s and that’s it. Given that the course would need to close to have the new irrigation installed, Parks officials figured that would also be a good time to make some design improvements to the course.

“If we’re going to redo the irrigation system, we’re gonna have to close it down anyway,” Canavan said. “Let’s make this, you know, a nice facility for the next 100 years.”

Design firm Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. has developed a plan for the course aimed at improving playability and circulation, as Urban Milwaukee has reported. It involves moving some greens and reconstructing sand bunkers and tees. But Parks is also planning to add some new practice facilities to the course.

When Parks surveys golfers, the number one request is for more practice facilities, Canavan said. Parks is planning to add a new driving range and putting greens to Whitnall when it redevelops the course. Market research suggests the driving range alone will bring in an additional $150,000 a year for the course, Canavan said.

Golf, in general, is a money-maker for the county parks, and critical to the department’s annual budget. In 2022, golf generated 38% of the department’s total revenue.

Parks is planning to seek funding for the project in the 2025 budget. Sup. Steve Taylor, who golfs at Whitnall Park, told parks officials during a January meeting of the Committee on Parks and Culture that he thought the project would be a tough sell when system has so many other infrastructure needs. He characterized the redesign, though not the irrigation aspect of the project, as potentially a “want” as opposed to a “need.”

Sup. Patti Logsdon, whose district includes Whitnall Park, showed support for the full redesign of the course.

“If we don’t keep up with the infrastructure — if we don’t keep it up to date — it gets pretty bad and it’s almost beyond repair,” she said.