Ranked 9th for most golf courses per state, Wisconsinites know how to maximize their summers, finding it socially acceptable to take a partial day from work to slide in a round of golf. As a sport, however, it is tough to break into with course fees, brisk fairway etiquette, and a specialized skill earned only through repetition and dedication, which can be difficult for young children, families, and the like. Sil Maly recognized this gap and followed his life happenings into a creative adventure for the benefit of the community, and up grew Harvest Hill Golf Course.
Sil, now in his 90s, was a prominent developer in town during his prime. When a local farmer presented an opportunity to purchase a portion of his land, Sil, a fast-paced decision maker with an outstanding batting average, took no time to decide that this was something he wanted to do. When he asked his parents, farm owners in the area, for a loan, he was met with lines of doubt from his father. His mother gave her classic line of “give me three days to work on him and you’ll have it.” So, three days later, Sil acquired 56 acres of land in what was once the middle of nowhere, 1968.
After surveying the land, his keen eye noted that a portion, 14.5 acres to be exact, sat low to the water table, making it unsuitable for developing residential houses. After building his home on the hill overlooking the lowland, Sil began plotting what he could do. A friend of his was an avid golfer, which sparked the idea to try seeding the land. The seed took well, and so began the initial stages of creating a golf course from the ground up in 1992. After visually constructing the direction of the holes, Sil began to plant trees, trees that now stand multiple stories tall!
This course is not short of entertainment! Sil has become a collector of ancient goods, of which you will come across as you meander around the course. Whether the quirky stories plaqued to the objects came before or after Sil obtained them, all we know is that big fish stories are told here, despite there being no fish in the pond.
With a suggested fee of $3 per person to play this 9-hole course, inflation is definitely not the one yelling “fore!” Sticking to his heart, Sil maintains this as a course truly accessible for all. He encourages visitors, whether new to the sport or not, to use this space as a place of connection, with the ability to learn and socialize at their own pace. To enjoy the mere fact of spending time with others while staying active outside.
His hope is for this course to swing past the test of time in a growing city. Lucky for us, a promising future may be aligned, as numerous family members now partake in the dutiful upkeep, finding joy in the unlikely hobby spearheaded by their father and grandfather.
For over 30 years, respect and care have been put in, and that’s all he expects from visitors.
If you see an old man with a big ‘ole grin riding around on a John Deere, wave him down for a chat. One of his favorite aspects of the course is the people he talks to, however, he claims, “I have a little problem with the social, because sometimes people also want to talk.”