New chapter tees off at Whitetail Downs Country Club

Lori Kaye Lodes

Contributor

June 1, 2026

CRIVITZ – For nearly four decades, De Smidt’s Golf Course & Country Club has drawn golfers down Shaffer Road outside Crivitz for its scenic fairways and challenging play.

Now operating as Whitetail Downs Country Club under new ownership, the course is entering its next chapter with Co-owners Jim and April Schrubbe, Dave Boesch and Brittany Boehnlein leading the way.

Jim Schrubbe said the group’s focus is on preserving the course’s family-oriented atmosphere while gradually introducing new ideas and amenities.

Though the ownership transition officially took effect May 1, the new team said honoring the legacy established by longtime owners Charlie and Colleen De Smidt remains a top priority.

“We aren’t getting rid of their name right away as we want to have a great relationship with them and want to show we’re working together,” Schrubbe said. “That being said, there are factors that come into play, forcing us to use our new name more than anticipated.”

Schrubbe said the course has a long history in the Crivitz area, originally established in 1964 as Hi-View Golf Course.

He said it was purchased in 1989 by the De Smidt family, who spent decades expanding and developing it into a destination course known throughout Northeastern Wisconsin and beyond. 

Schrubbe said the original nine holes remain an executive par-29 course, featuring rolling terrain that appeals to both beginners and experienced golfers. 

In 2000, he said the course expanded with a championship par-36 back nine, personally designed and built by Charlie De Smidt.

Those two distinct layouts are part of what makes the course stand out, Schrubbe said.

“The course is unique,” he said. “It’s almost like two completely different courses and two different experiences. The front [nine] is challenging but fun, and then you get to the back nine. It’s also very challenging, but it’s more picturesque and more outdoorsy. It’s a gorgeous property – [it’s common] to see a turkey or deer on the property while playing.”

Schrubbe said the back nine opened July 1, 2000, and features separated fairways and four tee boxes on each hole to accommodate golfers of varying skill levels. 

Together, Schrubbe said the two nines create what he describes as an immersive golf experience surrounded by nature.

“It’s amazing what the [De Smidts] have done with the property,” he said. “It’s a gorgeous and very scenic golf course, and it feels like you’re immersed in nature.”

Schrubbe said the course’s natural beauty also inspired its new name.

“Downs is a term for rolling hills, and there are some there, and it adds challenges to holes,” he said. “[And] every time we go there, we see deer. I recently cut part of the course and had to steer about 10 deer away. Every year, we see fawns on the course.”

Across the property, Schrubbe said golfers encounter snow-white sand bunkers, crystal-blue ponds that come into play on five holes and flowers throughout the landscape.

Schrubbe said the club currently hosts four weekly leagues: a Monday couples league, a Tuesday men’s league, a Wednesday Stableford league and a Thursday women’s league. 

“The course also hosts annual traditions such as the Greater Crivitz Open, member events and appreciation weekends,” he said. “Open to both members and the public, Whitetail Downs currently has between 80 and 100 members.”

Ownership comes from friendship

Schrubbe – who has known Boesch for more than 20 years, after the two played softball and baseball against one another – said the ownership opportunity grew out of friendship and a shared love of golf. 

After stepping away from baseball, Schrubbe said the duo became regular golf partners.

“I was a member of De Smidt’s last year and jokingly picked up the [business] sell sheet and said I thought we could possibly do this (buy the business),” he said. “We discussed it with the owners last year and turned up the conversation in spring. We are super excited.”

Schrubbe – who also works full time as a purchasing manager for a school furniture manufacturer – said he and his wife moved to the High Falls area about three years ago and now live roughly eight miles from the course. 

He said for him, the appeal of possibly owning the course extended beyond golf itself.

“It’s more than just the course,” he said. “It’s the people around the course, whether employees or members. We want great relationships with everyone and really enjoy conversations with people. We love the Crivitz area and want to entrench ourselves in the community more.”

That people-first philosophy is one the new owners said they intend to continue carrying forward.

“Charlie and Colleen made it a family experience, and we’re doing the same thing,” Schrubbe said. “Everyone who we’re introducing is related to us in terms of new ownership and employees – keeping the same employees on and any additional faces you see are family.”

Schrubbe said that includes his daughters helping around the property, from bartending duties to cleaning golf carts and washing golf balls.

“It’s a family environment we’re going to continue,” he said.

Schrubbe said the ownership team naturally settled into roles based on their strengths. 

He said his focus is on customer relations and outside operations, while April oversees administrative and day-to-day management.

Schrubbe said Boesch runs golf operations, and Boehnlein handles interior operations, including bartending and guest interaction.

“We have naturally gravitated toward our strengths,” Schrubbe said.

He said he credits the smooth transition largely to the mentorship and support provided by the De Smidts, leading up to the sale and even after.

“We spent the last month or two with them, and it was nightly,” Schrubbe said. “They enabled us before closing, and we met with all the leagues and met with all their employees before the closing of the deal. That’s irreplaceable, as well as the knowledge and experience they have.”

Schrubbe said they are taking in all the knowledge the De Smidts have shared, noting, “we don’t know what we don’t know.”

“We treat them like another part of my family,” he said. 

Schrubbe said food service is being phased back in at the course, following the recent approval of the new owners’ food license. 

Previously offering supper club offerings before the COVID-19 pandemic, Schrubbe said they plan to gradually bring back menu items beginning with burgers, fries and other short-order fare.

“We’re planning to slowly open the kitchen back up,” he said. “Eventually, we hope to graduate into a full supper club.”

Schrubbe said the dining space overlooks portions of the course and has historically been used during tournaments, leagues and community events. 

Schrubbe said the golf course’s reach extends far beyond the Crivitz area.

“A lot of people travel to the area from Chicago, Appleton, Green Bay and Upper Michigan,” he said.

The ownership team said they plan to continue traditions such as student golf scholarships, with members helping select recipients from submitted applications.

While future improvements are still evolving, Schrubbe said the focus for now is maintaining the course’s quality, preserving its culture and ensuring visitors feel genuinely appreciated.

“It’s the little things,” he said. “It’s an experience you get dealing with regular people who appreciate each other.”

For more, visit Whitetail Downs’ Facebook page.