State of the Week: Wisconsin

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Where are we? This week we take a trip to the cold, blustery Midwest to visit Wisconsin. Currently, the Wisconsinites are battling well-below freezing conditions and depression after the Green Bay Packers' disappointing loss to the New York Giants in Sunday's NFC Championship game.

But in a few months time, the PGA TOUR pros will get a welcome respite from unbearable summer heat when they head up for the U.S Bank Championship in Milwaukee, a tournament that's been held in the state since Dave Stockton won in 1968. No matter what season it is, there are many reasons to visit America's Dairyland...

Wisconsin History: How Wisconsin got its name -- always one of the hardest ones to pronounce and spell back in elementary school, at least for me -- demonstrates the diverse history and population of the state. An American Indian word for the river that runs through the state was transcribed by European visitors to the area as "Miskonsing". Later, the cursive script "M" in this word was misread as an "Ou" and thus was accidentally written as "Ouisconsin" for the next 150 years.

When American soldiers and lead minors began moving to the area in droves after the War of 1812, the U.S. government converted the name to its current form. The state formerly known as Ouisconsin became a part of the United States on May 29, 1848 as Wisconsin, the 30th state.

Deason/PGA TOUR

The clubhouse at Whistling Straits

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More: The American Club

Wisconsin on the course: We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the Straits course at Whistling Straits as one of Wisconsin's premier golf courses. Home of the 2004 PGA Championship, the 2007 U.S. Senior Open and future host of the PGA Championship in 2010 and 2015 plus the 2020 Ryder Cup, the course has a links feel since it abuts Lake Michigan. Grassy hills, big pot bunkers and a flock of Scottish blackface sheep complete the feeling that you're in the United Kingdom, not within viewing distance of America's dairy farms.

The course was designed by Pete Dye after Herbert Kohler, he of bathroom and kitchen fixture fame, gave the legendary architect a nearly unlimited budget. The 7,514-yard doozy is the second longest course to host a major and is one of four associated with the American Club. Which brings us to...

Wisconsin resort: Whistling Straits, part of the American Club resort, features the infamous Straits course plus the lesser known but still challenging Irish Course. Also affiliated with the resort are the Meadow Valleys and River courses at Blackwolf Run, which has hosted the U.S. Women's Open and the World Championship of Golf.

Whew. If all of this talk about championship golf and four of the nation's best golf courses is making you tired, kick back and relax at the Midwest's only AAA Five Diamond resort hotel. Naturally, the resort has a world-class spa, enjoyable during both the temperate summers and freezing winters.

In fact, here's a unique way to wile away the cold winter hours -- Kohler's Original Chocolate Pedicure at the spa features a cup of hot chocolate plus a chocolate milk bath for your feet and a hot fudge mask. As if you haven't already consumed enough with the cheese curds and beer (but it all sounds very worth it)!

Wisconsin off the course: Located just an hour or so from Chicago, Milwaukee is the state's biggest city and can hold its own as one of the Midwest's best. It sits on Lake Michigan, thus expansive bridges border the nifty downtown area perfect for shopping, sightseeing and relaxing. If looking for a little shopping and interior decorating adventure outside the city, head about 45 minutes north to Sheboygan and Kohler, Wisc., home of the famous appliance and sink fixtures company.

Of course, no trip to Wisconsin would be complete without visiting some of the state's most popular attractions. If you go to Wisconsin in October, you'll find a trifecta of fun activities. The state, where 42.6 percent of the citizens have Germanic roots, hosts some of the nation's most thrilling Oktoberfest celebrations. Catch a Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field, where the seats have been sold out since 1960 despite the stadium playing host to some of the coldest games in NFL history (see: fans, diehard). And, if you're still in the state by the end of October, the University of Wisconsin in Madison has arguably the most fun Halloween celebration in the nation.

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One of the farms near the Whistling Straits course.

WISCONSIN GUY

More: Jerry Kelly profile

Wisconsin eats: Picturesque farms with their red silos, big barns and black-and-white spotted Holstein cows are what spring to mind when thinking of Wisconsin. And, for the most part, that's what you'll find. So, of course cheese curds, cheeseburgers and anything else smothered or covered with yummy Wisconsin cheese is a must. In case you've never been lucky enough to try a cheese curd (the name curd makes them sound much worse than they really are), it's a fried piece of cheesy bliss. Throw in something else Wisconsin (with its aforementioned Germanic roots) is known for -- native Miller Brewing Co. and other local beer breweries -- and you'll have the perfect waist-expanding, guilty-pleasure meal.

For those looking for a healthy alternative, try the fresh fish at a restaurant in one of the small towns bordering Lake Michigan. In the river-striding town of Manitowoc, Wisc., for instance, stuff yourself silly at the Courthouse Pub then walk it off by trekking it over to the waterside Maritime Museum. It may seem like an odd place to find a museum with gigantic battleships, but the landlocked state played an integral part in submarine building during World War II.

Wisconsin golfer: Jerry Kelly has so many ties to the state it's hard to know where to begin. The two-time PGA TOUR winner grew up in Madison, where he now serves as the volunteer assistant golf coach for the University of Wisconsin. His wife's brother Jim Schuman, a former Nationwide Tour player, is the current coach at the university and also instructs Kelly. However, though he won the 1992 Wisconsin State Open and was a runner-up at the 2006 U.S. Bank Open Championship, he's never won that long-standing event in his home state.

Wisconsin fun fact: You might not realize it, but you already know the state's nickname and official state animal (adopted in 1957). It's called the Badger State, better known to sport's fans as the mascot for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rumor has it, however, that the nickname was not derived from the animal but rather the lead miners who worked the mines in nearby Illinois and made their temporary houses in caves forged in the hillsides. Because these resembled badger dens, the miners who lived there were mockingly called badgers. The nickname eventually was applied to all Wisconsinites.

Next week: Take me home, country roads...