Monday, March 30, 2009

Big News! Lawsonia Update!!!

Finally, after 60 years as a public course, and probably the only one in the USA that didn't have beer, Lawsonia Golf Course is going to have beer service. It's about time. If they had started doing this a long time ago they wouldn't be have gotten into the financial bind they were and we might not have had to go through all these development issues. I don't know if they are serving hard liquor but they are going to have a beverage cart. It will probably be the Baptist version of a nun so you get beer and a lecture.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting that not that many years ago, Jeff Penkwitz who ran the course kept telling the management that they needed to bring beer and wine to Lawsonia to stay competitive. You know what got for his forward thinking and 10 years service? Fired by the know it all that also brought this fine development mess to the ABA.

Anonymous said...

I'll drink to that! For anyone who has ever been on Lawsonia the 'no alcohol' rule is a joke. All you need to do is walk/drive around the course and look in the waste containers, the woods, the tall grass, etc., and you would be amazed at the number of beer cans there are for a non-alcohol venue. Hopefully it's not too late for them to realize the additional (and much needed) revenue to stay operational.

Paul Higgins said...

Yes, alcohol will be served from a beverage cart. It will also be sold at the restaurant.

No hard liquor--we're licensed for beer and wine only.

It became increasingly obvious that many people were flagrantly violating the "no alcohol" policy. While this isn't a new idea for Lawsonia, it has taken some time to have a board of directors receptive to the idea.

We're hoping to open the Woodlands course in just a few days.

Paul Higgins said...

Oops. I meant to write that we hope to have the Links course open in a few days, not the Woodlands course.

Anonymous said...

O.K. about Jeff Penkwitz...c'mon people, he could'nt run his business. Long before him, golfers were begging for liquor. At least they now have beer. Kudos to current management.

Slicer said...

Doesn't matter to me, the last thing I need to make my game anymore challenging is a few beers. I guess if your liver is already pickled and few beers won't affect you, go ahead.

Anonymous said...

It seems extremely unfortunate ABA/GLCC did not do this YEARS ago. Yes, it was suggested, but they put their heads under the grass and ignored direct suggestions. It certainly would have been reasonable to try BEFORE they destroyed the place!

Anonymous said...

Let it be known that no dancin' be permitted while under the influence of spirits either before, during or after the playing of golf. Nobody wants this to escalate into a problem. I am sure that the ABA kindly appreciates your cooperation.

Golf Bum said...

$695 for golf clubs, $48 for a box of balls,$85 for greens fees,$300 in weekend hotel bill, $100+ for meals & drinks, $100 for the wife to get flowers on Sat while I'm gone with the guys (re-entry present) $50 in gas to and from Schaumburg (damn gas guzzler SUV)and now I gotta pay $5 for a beer, plus I gotta tip the cart girl!! Sure liked it better when they had a "No Alcohol" policy!!

Anonymous said...

poor you "Golf Bum"..... sounds like the recession is really gettin' to ya

Anonymous said...

If we now have to pay for beer at "resort pricing" versus "over the counter pricing" shouldn't the greens fees go down as a means to offset this scale tipping policy?

Golf Bum said...

You’re DAMN RIGHT the recession is hitting me hard, it’s not fun anymore, just a constant damn day by day struggle. it's a lousy time to own your own business. 37 years in business and it's never been harder.

Trust me... If business was better, I wouldn't be wasting my time on this stupid blog.

Anonymous said...

Amen. Amen.

Anonymous said...

Boys, boys! Let's not argue over the price of beer on the golf course. Hopefully they will something besides Sharps and O'Douls. It would be wise of them to provide Wisconsin beers and not that swill that comes from St. Louis. If we have to pay $5 for a beer, at least make it a Capital brew or something good.

As long as I can still wash my balls for free, I will be happy.

Anonymous said...

I think I was introduced to Jeff at his restaurant-JTSkewers with his girlfriend or wife Theresa..Had just finished 18 holes at Lawsonia(very hot day). Great course, but even as a Christian, I was dying for a WI beer..But was told to go up the road to Jeff's restaurant...I was bummed.. His place was top notch, great bar , great food..And was made to feel like I had known these "folks" for years--Kudos to Jeff and Theresa and staff---So sorry to hear it changed hands, my wife and kids and I will miss that stop on our next trip thru Green Lake....

Anonymous said...

You all do realize that the cost of having that beer while golfing is not the $5.

The real cost is the sound of the bulldozers around you this summer while you play golf, destroying the natural beauty next to the Woodlands and Links, much of the wildlife going away, all in preparation for a much stronger presence of autos and homes in the future, all because the current management allowed the financial crisis the ABA is now in.

The Lawsonia everyone loves will never be the same, alcohol for sale or not.

It's so depressing, I think I'll run over to the Pro Shop and start my day out with a few beers!

Anonymous said...

Amen to that - except it won't be just "this summer"- it will be every summer for the next 20 or 30 years. In an earlier post, Paul Higgins said that Woodlands is opening later than Links - is that due to Lindenwood Development? I heard the Woodlands course was changed to accomodate the "Estates of Lawsonia" lots and roads.

Paul Higgins said...

We've been opening the Links course before the Woodlands course for years. It has nothing to do with Lindenwood.

We did re-align and upgrade two holes on the Woodlands course a couple years ago partially to accommodate the development but also because they were encroaching on the lot lines of the Christian Writing Center, which is owned by another American Baptist organization. We felt it was a bad idea to have our golf course on someone else's property.

Good Beer? said...

I couldn't agree more with the post above about having some good local Wisconsin brews for sale at Lawsonia. I heard an ugly rumor that they were only planning on the usual, Bud, miller, miller lite, Coors lite brews, etc. No offense, these are fine for folks who like the lighter flavored brews. But for a decent full bodied beer, Wisconsin is hard to beat and is full of good breweries. Many can't supply outside their local area, but those that can supply include; Capital, New Glarus, Liene's, Sprecher, Central Waters in Marshfield. It would be great to talk with the guys at Fox River Brewing in Oshkosh as well, see what they could do for Lawsonia.

Angel Cabrera' said...

Wow, first of all, it is a GOLF COURSE, not a tavern or brew haus! Be glad that they will finally have beer and enjoy both a brew and the gorgeous setting.
If you want craft beers...go to a microbrewery. If you want fine golfing...come to Lawsonia.
Strange sense of priorities here.
Now, let's open this blog up to those who want to piss and moan about what type of wine Lawsonia will be offering. Hopefully it will be something 'special'...just don't cut your nose when you're sniffin' the screw off cap!

Anonymous said...

Angel, what does an Argentinian know about good Wisconsin beer? Keep your opinions to something you know about! Why don't you go play with your putter and your balls.

Angel Cabrera' said...

Sincerest apologies to whomever I've offended...sounds as though you may have already dipped into a box of the new Lawsonia Shiraz...Soft on the palate, hard on the wallet!
Alas, you will not see me playing the course in my green jacket unless they serve Cerveza Quilmes...my drink of choice!

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