Rice Lake Golf & Country Club

I took the just over 2 hour cruise south of the Minnesota border on I-35 to Rice Lake GC to meet a fellow golf advisor and friends. The day was perfect and the course turned out to be a hidden gem in my opinion. The front 9 starts out with 3 daunting holes including #2 a picturesque par 3 with a view of Rice Lake in the background. The course winds around a plot of land and provided many interesting angles and challenges to all of us unfamiliar with the layout. The greens were firm and fast and you were definitely penalized if your distance control was off. Rice Lake has a few quirks with a handful of sharp doglegs that the first-timer doesn't know how to attack the angles. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and can't wait to try it again. The staff was very welcoming and followed all Covid protocol and they have a nice sized restaurant on site as well. As an avid golfer, I would encourage anyone looking to play in the northern Iowa area to try Rice Lake and if you are like me, a 15 minute drive away is Diamond Jo's casino for some legalized sports betting if you need to satisfy those cravings as well.

Rice Lake Golf & County Club came to me highly recommended as a hidden gem in North Central Iowa, and it didn't disappoint.

Rick Lake is an old school golf course, built in 1922, according to the course website. At just over 6200 yards from the back tees, it seems short, but it plays longer than the yardage thanks to some well placed hazards that force you to make decisions on laying up, or going for it.

The layout definitely includes some golden age design elements, such as a split fairway on 10, and several risk reward holes for the player willing to take on doglegs.

The greens are really fun. They have quite a bit of slope, and carry enough speed that getting above the hole is treacherous. If you are hitting your ball in the right spots though, the greens roll true, making one putts a real possibility.

Overall the course condition is very good. While not immaculate, you can see that the club ownership really cares and invests in their course. Everything is consistent hole-to-hole and very fair.

If you're anywhere in the North Central Iowa area, I recommend giving Rice Lake a shot. They do have stay & play options associated with the nearby casino as well. It's a great value and I know you won't be disappointed!

Favorite hole is the par 4 10th. While short on the card, the split fairway off the tee makes you position your ball. The right fairway seems to give you a better angle to the green, and will yield a legitimate birdie chance!