DrOldSchool

The course opened after the frigid month we've had, and it was in great shape for January. Heck, it was in great shape for most of the year.

Always love going here. The course continues to have its way with me. Even when playing well, one slip up and it's double-bogey time. Especially in the heart of the back 9. 13-17 will give you all you can handle any time of year.

Add in the persistent wind there, and yeah, bring your A game if you want to score. Otherwise, just smile and enjoy a great course as it kicks your butt.

The course has a lot of elevation change, and is fairly tight throughout. I found the GPS in the cart and on my phone disagreed a lot, to the tune of 20 yards sometimes, which made things confusing sometimes. But the layout is great - it's a position course in many places, though you need to/can bomb it in others. Greens are large, receptive and not overly tricked up. There are streams and ponds waiting for stray shots. Irwin likes to keep nature as is on his courses, and this one is no exception. There were some patches on fringes and greens, but overall it was in good shape for October. It's well worth the trip if you're from the Lafayette area, or passing though on I-65.

If you looked up average country golf course in a dictionary, there would be a picture of this place. The course is in good shape, save for a few patchy fringes and 1-2 greens had small bare spots. The layout is rather mundane, with a lot of straight holes, especially on the front 9. The back has a few holes with character, like 12, 13, 16, and 17. On 12 and 17 you have tight tee shots, 16 has a tight approach, and 13 is a nice wedge par 3 over a ravine. The course is not very long either, so it's good for basically anyone. Staff was fairly friendly in the clubhouse. Bottom line, it's not a course you're going to write home about, but if you want a confidence building round on a decently conditioned course, this would do.

Do you like fairways that are full of bare ruts and giant brown/mud patches?

Do you like people wearing a t-shirt and jeans hitting into you all round and never yelling "fore" or apologizing?

Do you like holes that make absolutely no sense in their layout?

If so, this is the course for you.

Otherwise, spend time, money, and your sanity elsewhere. If you do come here because it's cheap or you got lost and you're close by, it's perpetually winter rules given the awful conditions of the fairways. The front 9 is scoreable but the back 9 is just dumb. 15 is one of the worst designed holes I've ever played anywhere. Nothing like hitting a nice drive on a par 5, then hitting a 75 yard pitch shot from/to the fairway just to have a clear shot to the green. Absolutely stupid.

Coming from the midwest, this course is a fun change of pace for me. Always enjoy playing where the pros have played, and in this case it gives you a scorable layout as long as you keep it between the trees. The front 9 is a bit of back and forth, but the back 9 is really pretty, especially the last few holes along the lake.

The greens were rather shaggy when I played in the afternoon, but they still rolled true with good speed. Rough was not very penal. I liked getting brand options with the rental set too.

Overall it's not the greatest TPC course you can play - it does have a muni feel to it - but it is a fun round and a decent value for the price. Not a long ride from the downtown SF area, just beware of surge pricing if using car services. I'd go again anytime I visit the area.

I don't know where to start with this course. The positive is it's in decent shape, except the small greens were rock hard (hough they rolled well, just wouldn't hold a shot), and the sand was basically hardpan. I got around in 1:40 as a single.

But now for reality - this course has one of the goofiest designs I can remember. 6 you need to drive in the sand traps near the green to make sure you're clear of trees or you're blocked out even if in the fairway. 7 you need to hit a high hard fade for right handers as there are large trees blocking the fairway. Hit the left side of the fairway on 9? Congrats, now hit a knee high punch shot under tree limbs that overhang. Hit the fairway on 11? Great, now hit a 150-180 yard shot 75+ feet high over a tree that blocks your path to the green.

But none of these compare to 10, which is the dumbest hole I think I've ever played. It's about 130 from the blue and black tees, Take a look at the attached photo taken from behind the green; the tee is in the trees on the right. You either hit a shot straight up in the air, and hope it holds the green. Or you punch a knee high shot through a trap and hope it holds the green. In both cases the windows are extremely narrow and unless you have a high wedge shot it's just plain stupid.

Beyond that it's a lot of mundane back and forth. If it's busy you may need a batting helmet. It does seem to have a loyal local clientele - let them have it, and spend your time and money on a playable course, like Tri-County.

Played the South course this time, first time this year. Personally, I like the North course better. The South is tight, and you play position a lot, especially on the back 9.

The tee boxes are really chewed up, and some fairways were spotty. Sand is rocky hard pan - they really need a complete overhaul on both courses. Greens were decent though. The course could really use a ranger, as it took us about 40 min to play the first 2 holes, then after we were waved through and one of that group joined us instead we never saw the twosome we left behind again (and we were a foursome). So anyone that was stuck behind them had a long morning, and this course has a reputation for slow play. The GPS on the cart was off all day as well - several times it would say the hole was in the front when it was in the back and vice versa. I do like that the cart has USB ports to keep the phone charged.

All in all, you can do worse, but you can do better too. It's in the league of Fox Prairie and Stony Creek around Noblesville, and I'd pick either of them first. Though I'd play Pebble Brook anytime over Brookshire.

This course has so much potential, it's a shame what it is right now. The layout is a lot of fun with water in play on several holes. But the greens, rough, and tees boxes are all in very poor condition. Several greens have giant patches on them where the are either completely browned out, or sand has been placed and they didn't even mow. The rough is patchy at best. The tee boxes appear to have some sort of disease as many of them are wasting away to nothing. Even the good ones are very brown. The sand traps were basically hardpan throughout as well. The fairways were ok though.

My playing partner and I both agreed this could be up with the top tracks in town if they put some money into it to repair what is going bad because the layout is so nice. The sparse clubhouse and conditions suggest money problems though, so who knows. I'll give it another go next year to see how it's doing. But it's just sad to see what it is now.

Gave The Fort another go today and it was in better shape than when I played and reviewed it this time last year. Still a bit rough around the edges in spots, especially on the front. But overall it's an interesting layout with lots of elevation change. Fairways are wide, and greens are not as tricked up as others around here.

Still, my playing partner and I both agreed - for the price point, we expected a little more and would rather go to others like Prairie View, Bear Slide, or Purgatory over this course. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad course - far from it actually. Top 5 in the area? No. Top 10? Yes. Ultimately, it's just not worth what they charge for full freight when there are better options cheaper nearby.

It is my understanding this course was closed for several years before reopening this year. That said, there is no reason this course should be open right now. Most of the course is weeds. That includes on the greens, where if there wasn't weeds it was brown patches. Fairways and the rough are barely discernible and full of ruts. Sand traps are large overgrown weed pits. Honestly, it needs a complete overhaul from tee to green, which I know is expensive in time and money, but this is no way to seriously revive a course. The layout has potential, though there are a few too many 90-degree l doglegs. But this course is honestly several years from being truly playable, even for $8.

It shows how it used to be a private club from the conditions, layout, and the clubhouse design. Very friendly staff.

The course is in fantastic shape from tee to green. The blue and white tees are hardly different in length, and share many tee boxes (as does the silver and red). It has something you don't get a lot of closer to Indy: rolling hills throughout the course. Many holes are lined with large mature trees as well. #9 has a design flaw that I can't stand personally: a large tree in the middle of the fairway right around where you'd land or roll to if you're an average hitter. Turns what would be a fun, tight par 5 into a goofy hole with potentially a punch second shot up the hill or out from behind the tree. The rest of the course has tight fairways, good rough, playable sand, and greens that mostly run from back to front with a good degree of tilt. The first 4 holes are short, and be careful if you hook off the tee on #4 as you can end up on #9's green like I did.

The course was mostly empty when I played on a weekday afternoon. Deals can be found from the usual sources online, but their full freight price is fair as well. It's roughly an hour from the Hamilton County area NE of Indy, an hour from Fort Wayne, and 45 minutes from Muncie. It's worth a drive for the conditions and uniqueness of the layout through the hills/trees. It would be far more expensive and busier if it were closer to either metro area.

The course is in decent shape, but not great. Many tees have chewed patches, as do several fringes. The low part of the course (holes 6-8) have predictable patchy damage from where water would've puddled during the recent rain.

But overall for this level of course it's not a bad layout with mature trees ready to catch stray drives, and some water here and there that is in play. Lots of the holes go back and forth, but there is some character and elevation change along the way. Some of the greens have some tilt, though there are several that are fairly flat. It does meander through a neighborhood too, and the houses and even businesses do get pretty close at times. Nice service from the staff both inside and out as well, where they greet you with a cart as you park and are fairly easy going inside. The clubhouse could use a renovation as it still shows 1970s style, especially in the locker room.

The course is better than Smock in that same area in my opinion, and this course can be rather cheap via the usual discount websites. It's a decent course overall, especially for that value if you get it.

The course has a nice, classic layout. Lots of trouble in the form of sand or water seem to be in play off nearly every tee. The course is in good shape, unless you spray into areas that have the predictable damage from the recent rain where it would not drain. But the fairways and tees are all good. Greens rolled true and all have a little tilt to them. The warm-up area and putting green was a really nice set up as well. Overall it was a good experience and worth a trip.

Since I started working in the area 2 years ago, everyone said i had to play Players Club. Other reviews are good too. I finally got around to it today, and I have to ask... why does it get such praise?

The layout is very mundane. Lots of straight holes with a couple doglegs thrown in. It has some visual appeal with mounds and sand and water around. But the houses you wind through detract from it as well, especially when you see the entire hole right in front of you all the time.

What I also found disappointing was the condition of the sand and greens. Some of the greens were top dressed with light sand. Would have liked to have been told that, but ok. The problem was all of them were rock hard. Short irons and wedges, even when landing short of the green would just bounce and run to the back or through the green. Only thing harder than the greens was the sand. Hit a short iron into 15 and watched it bounce in the sand like it hit the cart path and go over the green. that wasn't the only rock hard trap as I visited a few and all were a grain or two deep - couldn't dig at all.

I get that it's a nicer and more modern-style layout than the older country courses around Muncie. But I also understand why it was empty in the afternoon on a perfect summer weekday; it's overpriced for what it is, especially in the area. You can do a lot worse around Muncie so by that standard it's worth a go, but you can also shell out half the price and know what you're getting at other courses and have a more enjoyable time.

Said it before and just want to reiterate that this is a great course. One of my favorites around Indy. The course is in great shape, though they did just punch the greens, which did bother some putts I had one the last 2 days when I played with friends. But the speed was good and rest of the course is in outstanding condition. Don't hesitate to play, even while it heals from aerification.

I'm not sure if this course has the smallest greens I've ever played, or if that honor goes to Fall Creek in Pendleton. But either way they are really, really, really, small. When I played they were pretty shaggy and slow too but were in good shape overall.

The rest of the course is your standard old school country course. The fairway is barely discernible from the rough - both look like your backyard grass. The tees were also like your backyard too. This isn't a course you'd want to "play it down" as there are a lot of small ruts and patches throughout the course. I also usually never ever say this - but some trees on the back need cut back a little, especially on 12 and 16. Otherwise it's a traditional layout with gentle doglegs. Most holes from the blues (tips) are still somewhat short, but there are a couple long holes for their pars (4, 12, 17). If you spray off the tee you will find trouble, especially on the back, which makes your approaches to the small greens difficult.

There are worse in the area but there's better too. But the course knows its price point, and if you're around it's worth a go.

The course is easily one of the best in the state in terms of layout and conditions. Starting from the range and practice area, and going through the course it's easy to see how it gets and deserves its reputation. The course is tough, but fair. Keep it in play, and play from the correct tees, and you can post a score here. Spray it and pay with tall grass and water ready to catch the ball.

The only negative was the pace of play. This started from the first tee, when we wound up in the middle of a bunch of twosomes stacked together behind some foursomes. No one paired us up at the outset, or too initiative to pair up on the course (ranger just waved and drove on), so it turned into a 2-3 deep on every tee grind, especially around the turn.

But, overall I wouldn't hesitate to go back. It's in great shape and a lot of fun. It's one of the top 3-5 courses around Indianapolis, easily. Deals can be found online, but you have to look for them in not so usual places.

The course is nothing special. Not bad, not good. Watch out for blind lakes and streams on some holes, which mostly go back and forth.

Two major complaints: 1) the pace of play sucked - just under 5 hours on a Friday late morning/early afternoon. 2) the greens were hard as a rock. If you flew it on the green, it took a huge bounce. If you landed short on most holes, since the greens were slightly elevated, it wouldn't bounce on. Also , the fringe isn't really fringe. So if your ball nestled against it, you needed to blade a wedge to putt, even though you're on the green because the grass/rough was high and patchy behind it.

Don't get me wrong, it was in decent shape for this level of course, and you can do a lot worse around here. But be prepared for a long kinda boring round.

Was lucky enough to play Brickyard, and am looking forward to returning for another challenge. The course has all the traditional Dye characteristics of undulating greens, paneled sand traps, and deep chipping areas. It is in immaculate shape, and lives up to the reputation its earned as one of the top public courses in the state. The final stretch of holes will test your game after a tough round.

The price is a premium, and you're paying somewhat for the novelty of playing inside the race track. It is pretty cool when you drive under to play the 4 holes within the walls of the speedway. It's unreal how expansive IMS is. The staff was a bit snooty, honestly, and could've used a smile or something to calm down a bit. Otherwise, it's a memorable experience and one you have to try at least once, even at full freight, if you're in the Indy area.

I gave this 4 stars because 4.5 isn't an option. What knocks it down to me is that the course appears to get a ton of play, and the fairways are landmines of divots, mostly not replaced or filled with sand. So you can hit perfect drives and not be rewarded very easily. The greens are also a bit pock-marked with unfixed divots.

Other than that, the layout is great, as are the views of St. Louis. Only 10 minutes (no traffic) from the Arch. The fairways are wide and forgiving (other than what I said above). If you spray, there is a lot of tall native grass waiting to swallow the ball. Greens had good speed and rolled true (again, aside from what I said above). Pace of play isn't too bad despite the high play count. Seems to host a lot of tournaments, so be aware when looking for tee times. Discounts can be found on their web page. If you're around, or just traveling through like I was, it's well worth a stop!