Mascoutin's original 18 hole course - the Red and White nines - opened in 1975 and a third nine - Blue - was added in 1999. The three nines are alternately played as 18 holes on a daily basis. When making a tee time, ask which nines are being matched up that day if you have a preference.

Tree-lined fairways and large greens are the trademarks of Mascoutin. The Red and White are relatively flat and make for a great walking experience, while the Blue has some long treks between greens and tees and would be more of a walking effort. The challenges to scoring well are the strategically-positioned sand traps and trees that overhang several parts of the fairways. The Blue nine is the more interesting of the three nines, featuring generous landing areas and a visually-appealing layout. Hole #2 is a dramatic par 4 with a two-tiered fairway and waste bunkers surrounding the lower fairway and green. Play your tee shot down the right side as far as possible for a good look at the green that sits well below the upper fairway. Or you can play to the left, watch your ball disappear over the ledge and hope that it finds the lower fairway and not the aforementioned waste bunkers. Either way, you'll remember this hole long after your round is complete.

During our 27-hole round, we ducked into the snack bar between nines for a couple of $3 make-it-yourself hamburgers and cold beverages to go, which tided us over nicely for the balance of the round. The course staff personnel were friendly and responded to our needs quickly and efficiently. Other golfers on the course - including some of the members - were outgoing and readily offered information about the course and the Mascoutin facility in general.

The Berlin / Green Lake area is a golfing hotbed of sorts. Along with Mascoutin's 27 holes, Tuscumbia CC has 18 holes and The Golf Courses of Lawsonia offer 36 holes, and all are within minutes of each other. If you're in the area, consider planning for a 3 or 4 day golf vacation at these golfing venues.

With its challenging layout and congenial atmosphere, Mascoutin is a hacker-friendly course that you'll want to return to often.

Latest Update: 11/25/2010