Grand Geneva (Brute)

The name of the premier course at the Grand Geneva Resort is perhaps the best summary of the era in which it was constructed: The Brute. Clubs and resorts were in an arm-wrestling match to create the stiffest tests for golfers at the tail-end of the ‘60s, and Robert Bruce Harris certainly provided a muscular entry here.

Most visitors to the region are aiming to visit Lake Geneva, but at The Brute their ball can find almost every water hazard but. And when there is no drink in the vicinity, Harris is happy to supply large, deep sand traps for collecting misplaced shots. The architect continues to ramp up the extremity throughout the round, so that those who feel assured through the first half will be sweating out the second, and those frustrated through the opening holes may need an extra drink at the turn.

The closing holes exemplify the approach: No. 16 is a par three where anything off the green will funnel down into deep sand, No. 17 features a daunting Cape-style tee shot over the property’s central lake, and No. 18 requires a tight drive through trees and bunkers.