County Opens Public Golf Courses

Brown Deer Park golf course. Photo taken July 23, 2024 by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County Parks opened all of its public golf courses for the season Friday.

The parks department opened thirteen courses across the system, after a soft opening in March for a handful of courses when the weather allowed. The public courses will remain open until fall 2025. Depending on the weather, they can remain open as late as November.

The county golf system includes a variety of courses, from par-three courses like Lake Park up to the tournament-level course at Brown Deer Park.

County Executive David Crowley joined Parks Director Guy Smith at Dretzka Park Golf Course Tuesday to announce the openings. The county executive noted that some of the county’s public courses are among the most popular in the region.

“A lot of that is due to the tireless effort of our incredible parks team,” Crowley said.

Golf is serious business for the county and the parks system, as it generates a significant portion of the revenue the parks department uses to operate each year. The department, in recent years, has had to generate more than 50% of its annual revenue through golf, food and beverage sales, rentals and other money-making services. But golf, far and away, is the most lucrative, generating nearly 20% of the department’s operating budget last year.

“Last year was truly one for the record books,” Smith said.

Golfers played 385,000 rounds of golf, generating approximately $11.5 million in revenue.

“This has helped us invest in new projects, enhance facilities and support critical park operations,” Smith said.

The department has also been making investments in the parks system, with new cart paths, irrigation systems and, later this year, the department will open a new practice facility at Brown Deer Park.

The new facility will include a 23,500-square-foot putting green, a 1,560-square-foot practice bunker and 5,300 square feet of asphalt cart paths at Brown Deer Park. The public driving ranges and putting greens in the county system see heavy use each year.

The department also recently finished a remodel of the pro shop at Dretzka Park.

Tee times are available seven days a week and can be reserved on the county golf system website.

Par 3

Lake Park, 3233 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee

Noyes Park, 8235 Good Hope Rd., Milwaukee

Zablocki Park, 3717 W Howard Ave., Greenfield

Executive

Hansen Park, 9800 W. Underwood Creek Pkwy., Wauwatosa

Warnimont Park, 5400 S. Lake Dr., Cudahy

Regulation

Currie Park, 3535 N Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa

Grant Park, 100 Hawthorne Ave., South Milwaukee

Greenfield Park, 12035 W Greenfield Ave., West Allis

Lincoln Park, 1000 W Hampton Ave., Glendale

Championship

Dretzka Park, 12020 W Bradley Rd., Milwaukee

Oakwood Park, 3600 W Oakwood Rd., Franklin

Whitnall Park, 6751 S 92nd St., Franklin

Tournament

Brown Deer Park, 7625 N. Range Line Rd., Milwaukee

Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.