SALMON FISHING IN LAKE MICHIGAN

Thanks to diligent stocking and habitat management, Lake Michigan is a mecca for big-water salmon and trout fishing.  Rams fans coming to the Milwaukee area will find opportunities galore to experience this unique type of deep water angling, which is unlike any fishery in Missouri.  Salmon fishing charters are available out of both Milwaukee and Port Washington, which are roughly 15 minutes south and north, respectively, from the Rams’ training camp in Mequon.  Best of all, visiting fans don’t need to bring any gear to participate—the charter captain provides everything.  Typical species targeted included coho salmon, steelhead, lake trout and rainbow trout – many of them in the 15-20 lb. range!  Salmon and trout fillets are fantastic on the grill and travel well on ice in a small cooler. 

PGA-CALIBER GOLF COURSES

Wisconsin has almost 500 golf courses, and 90% of them are public.  The best are within a short drive of Mequon/Milwaukee, including several that have hosted or will host PGA Tour events, and/or PGA, LPGA and USGA majors.  So Rams fans can play 18 on a top pro golf course in the morning, and then watch their favorite pro footballers in the afternoon.  Now that’s my kind of vacation!  Here are some suggested courses near Mequon:

Erin Hills (35 minutes west from Mequon)
7169 County Hwy O
Hartford, WI 53027
1-866-724-8822

Though Erin Hills opened just 1½ years ago, the highly acclaimed links course near Holy Hill has already landed its second United States Golf Association championship. In February, the USGA announced that the 2011 U.S. Amateur will be contested at the Washington County course, which is also being strongly considered for a future U.S. Open, possibly in 2017.  Golf magazine’s “Best New Course of the Year” for 2007.

Whistling Straits (50 minutes north from Mequon)
N8501 County LS
Sheboygan WI 53083
800-618-5535

Open, rugged and windswept terrain defines the walking-only, links-style Straits Course sculpted along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. A Pete Dye masterpiece, Links Magazine listed the Straits as the 7th best of 25 great walks in golf in 2005.  Whistling Straits hosted the PGA Championship in 2004 and will host it again in 2010 and 2015, as well as the Ryder Cup in 2020.

Blackwolf Run (40 minutes north from Mequon)
1111 W Riverside Dr
Kohler WI 53044
800-618-5535

Another Pete Dye masterpiece, Blackwolf Run features two courses which have hosted the U.S. Women's Open and the World Championship of Golf.  It will host the 2009 Women’s U.S. Open.  Named "Best New Public Course" by Golf Digest magazine in 1998, Blackwolf Run has continued to accumulate awards and honors including regular ranking on the list of "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses" by Golf Digest and the "Top 100 You Can Play" by GOLF Magazine. Most recently, both the River and Meadow Valleys courses received the coveted 5-Star ranking from Golf Digest.

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (35 minutes north from Mequon)
One Long Drive
PO Box 112
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085
920-467-1500

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Bull at Pinehurst Farms measures 7,332 yards from the tips and is among the most challenging courses in the state. Stretching out across 418 acres of thick forests and wetlands, The Bull has been cited as one of the top courses in the Midwest by both Golf and Golf Digest.

The Bog  (15 minutes north from Mequon)
3121 County Hwy I
PO Box 80079
Saukville, WI 53080
Tel: (262) 284-7075

Designed by Arnold Palmer, The Bog flows through 297 acres of wetlands, woods, rolling hills and wildlife habitat. In 2006, The Bog was the highest rated Milwaukee-area golf course by The Milwaukee Business Journal.  Playing at 7,221 yards from the back tees, the Bog features a dizzying array of blind tee shots, doglegs and forced carries.  Definitely not for the timid.

Brown Deer Golf Course (15 minutes south of Mequon)
7625 N. Range Line Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53209
(414) 352-8080

Milwaukee’s Brown Deer Golf Course hosts a PGA Tour stop, the U.S. Bank Championship, every season.  The event will be held July 14-20 this year, so Rams fans coming to town for training camp in late July/early August can experience true PGA-caliber conditions if they play here during their visit.  The 6,700 yard course is a classic Parkland-style layout with tight, tree-lined fairways and small greens guarded by multiple bunkers.  Here’s a fun fact: Brown Deer was the site of Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour debut.

BIKE TRAILS

Rams fans who enjoy biking should definitely load up the car-top carrier before driving north.  Some of the Midwest’s top bike trails are in southeastern Wisconsin, right on the way to Rams training camp.  One of the best is the John Muir/Emma Carlin trail complex in the beautiful Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit, about ½ hour southwest of Milwaukee.  These challenging trails (which include ultra-challenging single-track sections) will likely be an Olympic venue if Chicago wins its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.  For a more mellow riding experience, bikers can pedal from Mequon all the way to downtown Milwaukee on former rail beds turned bike trails – the Inter Urban Trail and the Oak Leaf Trail.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit travelwisconsin.com (the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s web site) or call 1-800-432-TRIP (the Dept.’s live-operated, 24/7 toll-free number).