Lives
Greenwood, IN
Handicap
5-9
Age
45-54
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
Once a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

4.1
4.1
Total 44 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

44 Reviews
5 Stars
14
4 Stars
22
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
43
Not Recommended Courses
1
Helpful Votes Count
23
Not Helpful Votes Count
6
First Review
08/15/2013
Last Review
10/15/2021

Reviews Map

Reviews

4.1

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Woodland Country Club

Played On 09/21/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Really wonderful facility, course and amenities

Got to play here (finally) for an outing. Really solid course and conditions, very much indicative of a private club in a major metro area.

Old school course (Bill Diddel, with Pete Dye dabbling) but still very challenging and by no means obscure. A bunch of tough par 3s, strategic bunkers and hazards, plus devious fall-off areas everywhere.

Property isn't wildly hilly or anything, but has some natural features, and architecture does a wonderful job of accenting subtle elevation changes. The course does a great job moving fairways over humps, creating fall-off areas near greens, etc.

Greens were outright deceptive; we got within striking distance all day, but slight movements and hidden features served up massive disappointment for our scramble team. You need to play here a lot to understand the greens.

I've played almost every private course in the area (not all, but I'm trying!); what stands out here is the Top-to-Bottom challenge. What I mean is, this place tests your tee ball, your approach and your putter. I think it really stands out above many more "heralded" tracks that trade on prestige and conditions, but end up presenting a boring golf course. Woodland might be a sneaky best-in-class type of place. I loved it and will give it serious consideration as future member.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Brickyard Crossing

Played On 09/17/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Consistency matters - one of the best

Played on a Friday in Sept, weather nearly perfect. With sunlight getting sparse later in the season, we teed off just barely in time to finish.

Course bears many of Pete Dye's trademark challenges: misdirection off the tee, bunkers and hazards in just the right places and greens are deceptively nuanced to make you consider throwing a putter...

Roger Penske has authorized some changes, things like adding some pot bunkers where there were only normal bunkers before, getting greens more consistent, etc. Nothing dramatic from 2 or 3 years ago. It was a very solid course before, still is now.

I've reviewed this course before, my attitude remains about the same. This is hands down one of the best courses in the Indy area. There may be more "exclusive" places; Indy offers better Pete Dye courses than here. What doesn't happen very often (in Indy) is a top-shelf presentation with top-shelf staff/amenities (esp. when considering a public track).

The course conditions are best-in-class all over the place; the tees and greens fully grassed, no blade out of place. By any measure, the fairways and bunkers are upper echelon material. The rough is Kentucky Bluegrass, long, and no easy place to score from, but at least it's dense, consistent and well understood (versus your average public course which is a crap-shoot). If you score poorly at the BY, it's no one's fault but yours; the course is right there for the taking.

There's a solid reason the Brickyard makes the Best of List for the region. If you've never played, make the jump and come see what a top-shelf facility delivers for public access. It won't disappoint.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

White Heron Golf Club

Played On 07/11/2021
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Incomplete / No Grade !! But worth your time.

Played on a Sunday with a good sized group for my father's 80th birthday celebration. Staff was friendly, place wasn't too crowded; we had cloudy weather that held off on rain until we finished. A little breezy made club choice a bit tricky.

My review says "incomplete" because I've only been here twice, both times it's been kinda water-logged. We teed off at 830a and with a tropical storm having been through in the previous 7 days, I think they were still getting caught up on maintenance. There were some areas not mowed and swampy, and they were almost unplayable. The greens were indicative of this moisture and were pretty slow; fair, well grassed, but slow. There are a few areas and tee boxes in bad shape, either thin on turf or depressed, too beaten up. Fixable though.

I like the layout, if a bit quirky. Plays a lot like a Robert Trent Jones course, so a lot of tee boxes pointing you at a bunker or trouble & asks you to hit a tough shot. Approaches were generally pretty forgiving, with bunkering a bit away from the putting surfaces (but there's plenty of water). Sand was pretty fair, fluffy stuff. No real complaints there (they still didn't have rakes out due to covid restrictions I believe).

The property has some gentle elevation changes, nothing dramatic, but it does add some variety. First hole is a placement tee shot guarded by a hazard on most of the left side; short but kinda dangerous if you get loose. That's a theme for the course you can say.

My favorite stretch is 12-15, all good golf holes, highlighted by tough drives and protected greens. Fifteen has the dreaded bunker-in-a-green feature, so try not to screw that up!

My sister lives in the area, I'm hoping for another visit when it's dry. I shot 80, had only 27 putts because I just nailed them to beat the break out and got it to the hole. (Fun fact, they have a metal cup insert that makes a great 'ding' sound!). Watch the weather, and if it's not been too wet, you should have a better go round than we did.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Reliable quality, great price

Played on a Saturday morning, weather was good, not much wind, sunny. Course was in good shape, they drain very well out there, so the recent tropical storm hadn't knocked too much off the conditions.

Lots of grass everywhere, not a lot of trees. Solid turf in just about all places; greens are very consistent and a bit grainy. The white course's greens had been punched more recently so those tiny bunkers had their say while you were putting.

The courses all use lots of pot bunkers, mounding and waste areas to frame the holes and fairways. This can sound daunting, but the reality is pretty wide landing areas and big greens. If you're picking good lines off the tee and hitting your approaches on/or about the right distance, you can get around and score well. They get a lot of play and they take care of the course, so it's a very reliable place to tee it up.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

The Links at Heartland Crossing

Played On 05/28/2021
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played

“I’m Back Baby!!”

Got to play this SW Indy course for the first time in a long time; the place had fallen into serious disrepair and it was “I’m considering walking off mid-round” bad a few years ago. This meant utter garbage tee boxes and huge patches of sand and/or dead grass at multiple different places throughout the course. New owners probably got it on the cheap out of bankruptcy, so good for them.

They’ve really pulled a 180 out here and it’s frankly great to see. The course is a Nick Price design, and initially it had more sand than most FL courses I’ve played. It also stretched out pretty long if you played the Price Tees (like 7600). The design was tough and a bit unique for the area.

They’ve really put some care into the place and now it deserves to be back in your Indy-area rota. Tees were nicely grassed and leveled; fairways were fully grown in and rough was fair. I can see small areas they’ve let go to more long-ish heather, which is likely saving them some maintenance costs. The robust amount of bunkering has been trimmed by maybe a few, but thankfully the character of the place has been maintained. They’ve been nicely refilled with quality sand, so no longer is it a doomsday when you go in one (getting out is all on you, player!). Greens were in great shape, fully brought back and very fair.

The course starts out with a long Par4 with a great big 2-tiered green; you’ll want to be on the right level or it’s three putt city. The second hole is a nice short Par3 which plays over a pond to a tricky green. The third is a gettable Par5 with a skinny green surrounded by fall-off areas. So right out the gate you get a good mix of tests with all 3 hole layouts. They don’t use a lot of pure template holes, but really more like an homage to the classics (so there’s a “Short”, a “Cape”, a “Himalayan”, etc with a twist). The back nine is one of the better tough layouts in the area; I really love the stretch from thirteen through fifteen, with the tough uphill Par5 thirteenth to kick it off. You want to choose clubs wisely here!

You’ll need to bring your sand game still, as there’s a lot of strategically placed bunkers; the wind is usually blowing out there too, so the course can chew up your score in a hurry. But with some pretty generous landing areas, you can score well if your approach game is on.

I’m glad to see the place get the attention it needed; we paid weekend rates of $49 and it’s definitely punching well in that weight class with other Indy courses. Don’t bother reading the old reviews, just come out and see for yourself: It’s back, baby!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent

Erin Hills Golf Course

Played On 05/29/2020
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing

A Giant awaits in Wisconsin

Those of us a certain age will remember the movie “The Princess Bride” in which Pro Wrestler Andre the Giant takes to the screen as the gentle giant Fezzig. His size reminds you that he’s not to be taken lightly. Erin HIlls is a lot like that, subtly showing you a gentle side or sight line, with some serious bite waiting kinda quietly off to the side. If you stay on the good side, the course can be a pretty pleasant place to be.

As host of a US Open, the course has the chops of any private course in the country, and looks ready for tournament play. We played in late May, right after some of the Covid-19 shutdowns were easing. Weather was pretty great, windy, with no rain and warm enough temps for shirt-sleeves. Normally a walking-only place, they had recently implemented forecaddies and pushcarts to accommodate health concerns. I think it was a great idea.

We met up with some other GolfAdvisor.com Local Advisors and we all came away with top-notch impressions. I especially liked how the course has a slow-play reveal to it, like they’re tempting you to crane your neck straining to catch a glimpse. From the road, you appear to be simply driving over gentle farmland terrain, and even the entrance and parking lot offer very little glimpse of what’s in store. Inconceivable!

But after check-in, as you roll around the barn, there’s the range and your first look at the giant called Erin Hills. As range’s go, it’s massive, with a big curved tee box feeding into a giant bowl of greens. And of course, you can now feel some wind; get used to it.

They’ve got several tee boxes, so choose your normal distance. We played the Green/White combo and that felt about right; I could have just as well played the Greens, they weren’t too much longer. In general terms, the tee boxes were all immaculate, level, fully grassed. The fairways all densely packed (they’re switching from fescue to bentgrass by overseeding right about now). And the greens were almost artificially dense with perfect grass, not out-of-control fast, and not too undulating to handle with some caution. Sand was optional to play from, but in great shape, if a little fluffy and prone to fried egg lies. The Giant though, he does have some bite out there....

The course moves back and forth over the gentle ridges, not riding between them very often. We talked after about the course being approachable off the tee, but much meaner on your approaches to the green. Often elevated, often guarded by bunkers and longer fescue, you need to get the ball in the right places to avoid the big numbers. There are some areas to run-up, so the short hitter can get lucky. But with the wind blowing, you better be ready for a Fezzig headlock if you’re headed uphill. And even meaner is the longer fescue (which in May, wasn’t at it’s mid-season length). You can get lucky in there or just absolutely screwed. Aim accordingly.

The property is indeed gigantic; the course has a vista view in almost any direction and offers you some truly memorable shots. The website touts the opening three holes a primer: a nice handshake par5, followed by a shorter par4 with some blind shots and a tough green, then a brute par4 third hole. They’re not wrong! Holes three and four have similarities, but I loved them both anyway. Beautiful raised tee box, bunker-framed fairway, and elevated greens with The Giant’s mean streak lurking for wayward shots. The infinity green par3 sixth hole looks like the flag is perched at the end of the earth, and the green is huge. The eighth hole is a wonderful par4 with a up-and-over blind tee shot, leaving you with a varied look at a guarded green. The downhill par3 ninth hole is gracing the magazine cover of a national publication this month; it’s gorgeous too.

The back nine is just as pretty, and pairs very well with the front. The Tenth is a tough into-the-wind par4, then followed by a seemingly tame eleventh par4, it could be driveable (Hello, my name is Erin; I’ve come to eat your Titleist). I said “could be”. Twelve is one of the harder holes on the course, with fairway nestled between 2 ridges and a green that only offers rewards to good approaches. I parred it once and doubled it after trying to tame the fescue. Fifteen gets the beauty queen pin-up title as it’s really gorgeous: another shorter hole with trouble lurking. Think shorter not longer.

We didn’t get the full tour, with some of the property shut-down still, but the pro shop staff were great, the pub staff too. We spent an hour chasing daylight off playing the putting course, which is the best-and-only way to visit a great course (in my humble opinion, think Pinehurst, et al). As you wish!

It’s a truly great facility and if you’re coming to a great golf state like Wisconsin, it’s in your top 5 or you’re doing it wrong.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good

Lucas Oil Golf Course

Played On 05/15/2020
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing

Fun, quirky track, still growing up a bit!

Took the drive down to Lucas Oil GC, way down in English, IN. Drive is about 2.5hrs. We’re coming back in July for a golf trip, so we wanted to take a peek.

I’m not the club historian, so I’ll be paraphrasing some; local legend Forrest Lucas (just guess his company’s name?) bought formerly called Old English CC and kinda saved it. He’s put money into it since, Michael Hurdzan has design credit and get this, they have Bermuda grass tees and fairways. In Indiana. But, yah, it works.

The course has been re-worked some, and the front 9 is a little gonzo: it crosses the street a few times, goes under a bridge and over a few more. Good chance you get lost once unless you’re following someone. All the newer holes are still kinda growing up, the rough is pretty rough, and you can lose a ball in it easily. The Bermuda was still waking up in mid-May, so I expect it to be better in July when we come back. Tee boxes were mostly level, but did have some weak spots/growth. The fairways were in pretty good shape (like I said, still waking up some). The bunkers didn’t have rakes (thank you shutdown) but we popped a few out to test them, and they were in good shape, sugary sand. Greens were very consistent, but with recent rain, they played grainy and a little hard to figure out.

The front Nine starts with a par5 around the lake, and with a decent tee ball, you can turn the corner and should have a good look for a 3rd shot approach. The second is a solid par3 up the hill and an early standout. Holes Five and Six are a tough 1-2punch, Five being a long-ish par3 and Six an ever-tightening par5 with a nasty slick green (gonzo moment on this hole is a ball being lost thru the roof of old rotting shed and having no idea how to get to next tee box, bridge was out). Eight and Nine are short and gettable par4s.

The back Nine seems less re-worked and much more hilly. The Tenth is a nice open hole and you’ll get a look at the Course’s rental homes on the right. They have 2 homes, with capacity for up to 20. The webpage has more info. From there, you bounce up and back across a ridge a few times. The Twelfth hole will probably eat your lunch, but just hit one out right of the trees, nothing too long and you’ll be fine. Fourteen is a par3 bomb down the hill to a big green with all kinds of slope; I suggest you go play the back tee, the view is sweet. Seventeen is the number one handicap and it’s a demanding 220yd tee shot (or so) with a beach-towel-sized landing area. Your approach has to cover a big holler to a tilted green. Good luck! The finisher Eighteenth is a great elevated tee shot, we all bombed our tee balls over the trees and had a great look into the green (no eagles were realized today my friends).

Coming back this July, we’re going to play a LOT of golf out there over 3 days, and I’m sure we’ll get to know ball placement and the greens much better. I enjoyed it and if you want to take a drive, see something new, the Luke is a fun, quirky course in a nice setting.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good

Broadlands Golf Club

Played On 10/02/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Aptly named, great fun

Played a few weeks ago after work, it was sunny and windy. First time here, so I had some need to drive up from the tee to figure out where I should aim. Greens had been punched and sanded, so they were a challenge I never got all that comfortable with; they were in good shape considering, but I just couldn't get the ball slammed into the hole. I'm sure they play much better in season, they were contoured well and smooth.

The course is named well - many tee boxes are elevated and the expanse below is pretty tree-free and there's a lot of room out there. The fall off areas and the fescue areas can be nasty though, so finding fairways really helps (stunning viewpoint I know...). I really enjoyed the vistas - picking a good line meant you could give the driver a rip.

Course is well grassed all around, the bunkers were fair - some hadn't been raked, so they were crusty, but I raked and redropped and they were fine (you might say this time of year I get a lil' loose with the rules!).

On the front, I really enjoyed the stretch of holes 2-3-4. Number 2 is a par 5 with a great picturesque tee shot and cool bunkers. The 3rd is a short par 4 that dares you to take on the bunker and the water behind it. The par 3 fourth was dead into the wind and from my tee it was a hard 5i to get to the green.

I think I preferred the back 9 better; really the closing stretch from 14 to the house is solid golf. Fourteen plays long to an angled green, par is a good score. Fifteen and sixteen play back and forth, from elevated tees again, with a shared space between fairways. The par 5 sixteenth was my favorite hole on the course. Seventeen is a blind tee shot dropping over the hill and the approach is to a narrow green. Eighteen finishes with a par 3, which works well on this course; the hole plays over a chasm and the green is perched over there waiting for you.

Great place, really wish I had caught it with less wind and in-season to see the greens in all their summer glory. Love the property and they use the elevations and vistas well.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Remington Golf Club

Played On 09/29/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Better than last time

Like an old friend, this is my home course of-sorts in Kissimmee area. Hadn't been here in a while, course was getting pretty neglected. I hear the owner is renovating Kissimmee Bay, so more play is coming this way and they're spending some more cash on the course.

The tee was back-logged so we teed off a little late. Tee boxes are a bit chewed up in places. Fairways were in fair shape and the greens were fair, firm, no overly fast. Bunkers were just ok, some worse than others.

We ended up playing the front 9 twice, it was too backed up, too slow to think about swinging to the back. #1 opens up with a mile-wide fairway to start your day. I like #4 and #5, both tough holes. #9 can be a challenging finish to the front if you get loose on your 2nd and 3rd shots.

I enjoy playing here, would be great to see them continue improvements.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate

North Shore Golf Course

Played On 09/28/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Solid SW Orlando choice

Jumped off the plane and teed off within the hour, so I was a little rusty!

Hadn't been here in a while, so wanted to give it a ride. I enjoyed it. Course was in good shape. Tees were somewhat chewed up, but fairways were good, rough is bermuda and pretty consistent. Greens are big, firm, no overly quick and fair. Bunkers were ok.

Both sides open up with short holes, #1 a drivable par 4 and #10 is best done with a shorter club off the tee for placement. All the par 3s kinda play over either water or a waste area; I liked them all. Par 5s are fun too. Overall I would say the tee shots are the most challenging, it can be a little hard to pick a line. #18 is a tough finisher, long hole.

We got a good deal online and I enjoyed the day. Would be happy to play here again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Indiana's Bethpage Black...

Played a 1pm tee time on a hot day from the whites. Course was pretty empty, so we could take our time.

I"ve never played Bethpage Black in NY; but I know that sign "Warning: The Black Course is an Extremely Difficult Course...". So while I can't make a first person comparison, I can tell you the Kampen Course can easily warrant its own version of the famous warning sign.

This place ain't for the fair of heart. I've played nearly every Dye course in Indiana and hand's down this is Dye's at his meanest. Tons of misdirection off the tees, trouble left and right, and lots of bunkering to catch your eye (and wayward shots). Add in dense fescue and waste areas and you should be getting the picture.

I've played here a handful of times and the lines off the tee are the hardest thing to get right. Once in the fairways, you'll see how much room you have. So experience is huge. What will rapidly destroy your score is the long fescue that surrounds a bunker - so if the bunker doesn't grab you, you're probably hosed by the fescue your ball found instead.

The course is 20 years old and the turf is all-around top notch, tees are level and lush, the fairways are first rate and the greens are a perfectly trimmed patch of green carpet. (Though oddly not very fast today.)

The routing is fantastic - Not an overly hilly property, there are some subtle undulations and hills to enhance the framing. All the par 5s are great and there are some great quirks like the split fairway on the 7th and the daunting tee shot of the 8th (there is some room out there). I love the Alps-style 15th hole, followed by a great par 5 on the 16th.

You will use every club; do yourself a solid and pick a good tee-ball line. Oh and practice hitting out of the sand with at least half your clubs. And one more note: if you're in the deep fescue, just punch out to the fairway in the shortest path possible: you can't squeeze extra yards out of that stuff. I should know!.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Hickory Stick Golf Club

Played On 09/07/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Tropical Storm don't bother me none

Got a decent deal on GolfNow and the weather looked to be sparing the southside, so we played Friday at 2. Weather was kinda rolling in short waves of spitting rain on the front. Rain gear off and on.

Course was in solid shape; tees, fairways, closest rough all grassed well. This course has always drained well, so the recent spat of rain we've had in central IN hasn't swamped this place. Bunker were ok, obviously with rain they hadn't been treated, but played fair. The greens were really in great shape, smooth and pretty quick/consistent. This course has always had some pretty sketchy looking crabgrass in the out-of-the-way areas, so if you spray the ball, don't count on your lie being very good. (I'm ok with this - golf isn't about perfect lies all day). I do think they're letting a few more areas go to tall fescue, low/no maintenance areas and I think that's a great ideal; save on maintenance cost. But you will lose a ball in there.

I think they blend holes well together out here: some short, some long. There are a few tee shots that favor draws, some a cut. Starting with a fairly flat piece of land, they've created some mounding and some fall-off areas. I've always found that if you tee ball is going where you're aiming out here, you can score.

I like how #1 starts off with a scoring opp if you hit the green in reg; if you miss, good luck. #3 is an Alps-like hole, which is always a little fun. #5 can be a demanding hole any day of the week, starting with the tee ball - can you hit the fairway?

Today I did get treated (abused?) by something I'll probably never see in person again: my partner aced #4 from 191yds, then followed that up by peeling off 4 more birdies in a row! I was up 2up on him at the 4th tee and by the time we reached #9, I was down nine shots! Incredible. He's still smiling.

The weather got tropical and windier on the back and we were leaking some oil coming in. I managed to get focused and actually played better than the front. I think the finishing holes here are a real test: Par 5 sixteenth requires 3 good shots for most, the par 3 seventeenth is long, tough and the par 4 eighteenth dares you to take on the aggressive line off the tee. This stretch can trash your round, especially if the wind is in (and it usually is).

This place is always pretty solid and I like playing here a few times a year. They have minimal trees and in the fall this a favorite.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Innsbrook Country Club

Played On 08/24/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Wonderful Club

I was fortunate to have an invite to play from a long-time member. We had a weather delay, which allowed for lunch in the Member's Grill, which was a good feed, great service and a nice view of the 9th green. The clubhouse, men's locker room and overall vibe is pretty vintage. The course dates to 1919 and while the facilities have been updated, the nostalgia remains. I liked it.

The course is in phenomenal shape; dense turf everywhere, nice level tee boxes and really solid greens. More on those later. Worth a comment is the status of the bunkers: it is refreshing to see sand and actual grooming being done. I realize golf courses might be challenged regarding maintenance costs, but far too often I see just dreadful bunkers. Not here, they were fantastic (even in light of the moisture).

The course has the unique routing of six par 4s, six par 5s and six par 3s. Merrillville isn't particularly hilly, but the routing does a good job of working across the creek multiple times and kinda maximizes the use of the small elevation changes. There's a hint of Donald Ross in this place, with the canted greens (stay below the hole) and many tee boxes are just a short walk from the adjacent green. They recently renovated the cart paths (which are mostly kept to the side, not infringing play, with some crushed paths to complement the tarmac).

The greens were flawless; a little slower than normal due to rain, but still quick, true. The bunkering and routing are pretty much right in front of you, the course mostly asks you to choose a good line off the tee (not a lot of hidden features). There are a few holes that dogleg enough that you can go for a hero shot and cut the corner (but you do so at your own peril, there's some trees out there waiting in deep rough). Of note is a few brutes in the Par 4 department; six par 3s means some "extra" yardage out there and they found on a home on multiple par 4s over 420yds (from the Blues). Swing away! You get some respite with a few shorter par 5s, if you're in the fairway.

I really like the stretch from 3 to 6, the sixth offering you a chance at glory if you can carry the creek, setting up a shortish 2nd shot into a par 5. Eighteen is a risk/reward finisher with a nasty green: pray for a 1 putt.

I was a miserable hack today, but still had fun (when I occasionally got it together). Really great course and facilities, easily a candidate for your membership dollars if you live in The Region. Looking forward to another visit soon.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Salt Creek Golf Club

Played On 08/18/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Weekend Golf Trip Review

Ok - spent 3 days at the resort, so I'm going to try to be as comprehensive as possible.

First things first: I've played here before, and I've never seen the place "dry" but this is because of when I've played, so I don't fault the course for that. We had a hot and dry July then it rained off and on for a few days leading up to our trip. So we had a wet course and cart-path only the whole trip, which I understand, the weather necessitated it. I've decided to group my thoughts in a tiered format.

The Good

I like the routing, if a bit narrow due to trees. The course is short, kinda quirky and requires some precision off the tee. The greens were in good shape, especially considering the amount of water they endured. The par 3s all play pretty tough and hold their own. The front plays through a flatter routing, and brings in the creek a few times, offering some risk/reward holes. The Par 5s are all pretty gettable, so that's fun. The back moves across more interesting landscape and I enjoyed this more (even if I played it worse).

The Kinda Bad

Water water everywhere...the place just doesn't drain well, period. We had a hard rain Fri night, so I understand the challenges, but the drainage needs something done (tiles installed, fans, tree removal). Holes 13 and 14 are seriously challenged, they need to cut some trees down, get some airflow going. The tee shot on 15 is getting crowded too, which is too bad, it is a nice elevated tee-ball that floats in the air for a while - but plugs upon landing.

The Kinda Ugly

There are a lot of bare spots in the fairways that pre-dated our trip and the recent rain. With the amount of moisture, we played ball in-hand and that was needed to find fairway grass on a lot of holes. The rough was lot of crabgrass and random stuff that, due to the weather, hadn't been mowed, which added to it's unpredictability (around the greens were much better though). The tee boxes were pretty chewed up too; they need leveled and sanded so maybe they can drain better. The bunkers were non-starters; not treated, no sand and we didn't even try to play from them, I told my guys to take it out (rake and re-drop wasn't helping).

The Rest

The staff was all very nice and professional; they did a great job accommodating our group from set-up through finish (including getting us out around the weather). The rooms we stayed in (condos) were great, roomy, full kitchen ,and perfect for hanging out. The resort has a restaurant and bar on-site that do a great job. (One of my fav places to get a Bloody Mary.) We had almost no wind and minimal bugs (which is rare). The greens got mowed each day, pins moved.

The Lowdown

We purchased the unlimited golf package, and when you play that game you know you might be sacrificing some quality to get there, so I didn't have expectations of county club chic all 3 days (not at this price anyway). If we had caught the club a few weeks earlier, it would have been drier I'm sure, and likely would have improved our trip. I'll play here again if I'm in the area (we camp down here once a year or so) and I know it's been dry for while. I think they should get some renovations in improve air flow and drainage then the rest of the challenges mentioned would be more easily met.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Sandy Pines Golf Club

Played On 07/25/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Make the trip, it's worth it

Played on my way back to Indy from Chicago. I had tried once before, but we got bumped off by traffic (making me late) and a couples' night had the front, so I didn't get to play the whole course. I was glad to get a full 18 in this time.

This place is fantastic. Both times, they've had a good crowd going (in no small part due to the restaurant being great too). The land north of Lafayette and south of Merrillville is flat, mostly cornfield and easy to drive by. This place is maybe 6 miles from the interstate, but feels a world away. As far as I can tell the community is all-in on Sandy Pines, and for good reasons; it's like a little golf island in the cornrows!

The course is a bit quirky (in a good way) and the more you play, the better you'll be at aiming your tee shots. It's not overly long, but while it may lack in some distance, it makes up for it in fun. There are several bunkers guarding the "garden spots" and the green complexes are top-notch and quick. The sand in "Sandy" is one of the primary defenses. You're going to use every club in the bag.

The tees, fairways, greens, rough and bunkers were almost all in mint condition. All are well-grassed, tees were level and the greens were legit-fast, so be prepared. There are a lot of bunkers, and naturally not all were in perfect shape (lazy people golf everywhere), but most were well-sanded and groomed.

The front opens up with an easy par 4 to get you going, then introduces you to the great Par 5 second hole: off the tee choose your line over the bunker wisely; the same for the approach down the hill if you're going for the green. The seventh is a big, brawny par 5 with two greens - a longer one to the left and another, shorter to the right. Pretty sweet.

The back nine challenges much the same as the front, offering risk/reward shots and a few more quirks. The flow between front and back is pretty seamless, even though they were built at different times. A few more classic features make it cool too: some new sod-faced bunkers, a few driveable par 4s and even a nice beach bunker on seventeen. Throw in the pine trees, and you can easily fool yourself into thinking you're much farther south.

The restaurant was hopping both times I've been here, and I've enjoyed both meals I've had. They have a few outdoor seating areas too. The staff have been great both trips. While you're waiting to tee off, see if you can bomb in one of your putts on the Matterhorn putting green (you'll see).

I wish this place was in my backyard, they'd have my money for a membership for sure. I hear they're adding some tees to beef up the length, which will kick up the difficulty if you want. It's not needed to have fun out here though. This is a top-notch place in NW Indiana (aka...The Region) so don't just zone-out and drive by the exit: make a plan to visit Sandy.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Golf Club of Indiana

Played On 07/14/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing

A solid central Indy course

Played Saturday morning, weather was pretty nice, a little breezy.

This is a really great course & establishment. With a plantation feel to the clubhouse, solid turfgrass, mature trees and a creek snaking around the course I wish I lived closer because I'd be here a lot.

Surrounded by cornfields, they've crafted a great course here. The place is well grassed, the greens are huge & fast (took me a while to get that speed down) . The tees could stand to be leveled some, but it's not a distraction; the bunkers are in great shape. We got stuck behind a really slow twosome (a 20 minute par 3 wait comes to mind); I think eventually the ranger got them to speed up a little.

I'd say some local knowledge will help you get around a little better, but I still had a blast. Most holes kinda dog-leg, and there's a few lines off the tee that are risk/reward (over bunkers, etc). With the greens being so big, you need to get your approaches right. The par 3s are a little feast or famine; a couple are long, a couple are short and I like the mix. The par 4s blend longer holes with some scoring holes. The place is flat-out fun.

The clubhouse has nice porch area and an old-school vibe. They've got a really nice double sided range & practice facility. The carts are upgraded with charging ports & the seats are The Goods! I guess they've recently added an annex building for events, etc.

Great place, I'll be back. You should definitely visit too.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent

Buffer Park Golf Course

Played On 07/13/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Quite possibly the best 9hole course you'll play

Played Friday afternoon - it was a little hot, but ample sunshine and a little breezy.

This course is almost always in perfect shape; they spend their money wisely and it's a reliable way to part with your money. Tees, fairways, rough are all fully grassed. Bunkers were in great shape, greens were solid as well. There are a few strategic bunkers to get you thinking off the tee. I like the routing, the site was formerly landfill and they use some elevation changes to keep it interesting. I think they blend challenges with some easier holes well.

The par 5 opener sports a massive fairway, which helps you ease into your round. Most of the landing areas are pretty generous: the par 4 fourth is a short, gettable hole so fire away. The fifth can be a tester off the tee, but don't let the tee box point you in the wrong direction. No matter which tees you're playing, I think you should go up the back tees on the par 3 sixth; from there the holes is one of the best short holes in the Indy area. The last two home holes are a great tests; have fun getting your approach to the back of nine's green when the flag is there. Par on this one feels great.

For the money, you can't get much better. The consistency in conditions makes this a great and reliable way to spend time on the course, usually under 2 hours.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
2.0
Indiana Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wish they'd spend money on it

Played in an outing Tue. Weather was awesome, windy, but great.

I don't play here in stroke play, only in outings over the last few years. A few themes have emerged from year to year....

I like the layout: there are some fun and challenging holes out here, requiring placement tee shots, some narrow approaches and the bunkering is fairly placed. There are a few holes that will definitely challenge your game. The par 3s hold up well. I like the green sizes, elevations, even if a little slow. The staff is always nice, the facilities are fair, clean.

The regular problems are persistent: tee boxes haven't been leveled in a while; the fairways and greens routinely have burned out spots. Bunkers are usually in C-minus conditions. The rough is generally pretty consistent, so actually a plus. The range is a strip of green carpet with scrub grass around it, so only for a few loose swings.

I think they've got too much in cart paths/asphalt. They definitely are mowing and maintaining too much grass (around tees, unused areas, etc). They have areas of heather on the course, they should definitely consider more. They can stand to have some tree management too, nothing crazy, but to improve a few site lines. They have 27 holes, run a lot of outings, perhaps not surprisingly. I think if they took the 27h budget to just 18h, they could really make the place a solid Indy-area choice.

I just would like to see them achieve their potential. There are a lot of courses in the area that will be better for comparable money.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

I like the course, but would never pay $95!

Played the Ackerman course on a Sat morning, had almost perfect weather. I never had the chance to play the old course before the redo, so I won't discuss the changes.

Course is very well grassed, appears to have grown in well. Tee boxes, fairways and greens were in solid shape. The "hills" moniker is fairly accurate, as the course kinda weaves back and forth over a ridge. Front 9 plays pretty close to one another so watch for errant shots. Layout is fair - I don't see a whole lot Pete Dye in this though. There's not much trouble left, most of the tee boxes point you right down the middle, and the greens are kinda big, some undulation, but not overly quick. The bunkers seemed easy to avoid. The bunkers were in pretty bad shape really. I only hit 2, but none had been raked and all were pretty thin on sand.

The rough is bluegrass, and where it was thick, it was mean; otherwise it was playable. There are some fun holes, requiring some know-how to place your tee shot (9, 11 are fun). From the whites, the par 5s were gettable, made it fun. #6 is a tough par 5, fun. Par 3s are just ok, nothing too remarkable.

They've got a set of championship tees that are a mile long, likely only useful for college teams. I think the blue tees showcase the course the best, but even with this it looks and plays like a 50$ course. We only got here today because we got a deal and hadn't had a chance to play it. Had I paid 95$ I would have been pretty disappointed; the Kampen course across the street is worth the money, and is easily the better course. This track needs to reconsider pricing and settle in as the "little brother" course. Next time in Lafayette I'll play Kampen.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Royal Hylands Golf Club

Played On 05/19/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Indiana Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Outing review - quick thoughts

Played an outing here, so it's a bit of a struggle to really get my thoughts right (always playing in fairway, no bunker play, etc).

Really cool place though, lots of humps, bumps and hills, with some weaving in between trees. Conditions were pretty good and some fun holes that will require you to know where you're going/how far to hit, etc.

I'm playing a regular round here in a few weeks, so I'll post a more thorough write-up after that.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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