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I live in the Midwest as does the group of guys I golf with. But fortunately, one of us has a place in Grand Junction. Lakota, halfway between Denver and Grand Junction, is a treasured golfing destination for us each summer. Most of the tee boxes are carved out of the sides of the canyon walls. Plunging tee shots, spectacular views. It’s a challenging course but the experience of playing it shouldn’t be passed up. The staff has always treated us great and Lakota is the best value we’ve found in the entire area. I’m selfishly hoping that doesn’t change.

Spring in Southern Illinois can be wet and cold. That makes it difficult to find a course. Eagle Creek has the answer. We played there April 15 after two weeks of rain and the course was in very good shape. The rolling fairways were drained and bright green. The greens were okay but rounding into shape. Eagle Creek is a challenge off the tee. Holes work both left and right and some of the dog legs are severe. Our group had a blast. Great value. Check it out.

The country club of Old Vincennes was a championship caliber course in it’s day. Massive mature trees, hills, creeks, elevated greens. Now the bunkers are all grassed in, the cart paths are best avoided, and the tee boxes and fairways are not tightly manicured. But our group had a blast playing there. Off the tips the course is all the challenge you want and its humbly priced. The greens are very playable and the grandeur of the layout still shines through. Finally, the owners and staff are making an effort to bring it back and they deserve our support. We will be back.

Our group plays Hickory Ridge a half dozen times a year. We always enjoy ourselves on the generous fairways and rolling hills, and we’ve landed some great deals using Golf Now. Most tee shots are fairly forgiving, but a handful require an accurate shot between stands of mature timber. Greens are large, nicely contoured and always well maintained. The staff take Covid seriously and made use feel safe. This a beautiful course well worth the drive.

If you’re playing golf in southern Illinois or Indiana you need to play Cambridge. Links style wrapped around Beacon Hill in the northern suburbs of Evansville, this course is a solid fair test of your skill. Wind will be a Factor. Water will be a factor. Greens are sculpted. And deceptively difficult. My group travels -an hour and a half to play this course several times a year. Great value.

Our group travels a three state area: Illinois, Indiana , Missouri, and plays scramble format. Sultan’s Run set up perfectly for us. Lots of dramatic elevations changes. 3 of the 4 par 3’s are plunging downhill shots. The basic format on the par fours is elevated tee box to downhill doglegging fairways lined with trees. Spectacular views. And the fairways are more generous than tight and the greens, while elevated, are large and fast. The course is a fun, fair challenge. The staff had everything well prepared for covid-19 social distancing. They made us feel safe but not at all inconvenienced. As seniors we paid $45, making Sultan’s Run a treat well worth the money. We will be back.

When a husband wife team bought this course in 2019 several greens were all but ruined. They did the work themselves. Now they staff the pro shop, they mow, they wash the carts. And they have a gem of a golf course. While a few places remain under repair along the tree lined fairways that didn’t detract from this compact, character-filled little course. Elevation changes, water carries, sculpted hill top greens. Our group had a blast. We will be back.

Carved out of a hillside in the outer suburbs of Evansville, Cambridge is a wonderful dish of links golf. Native grass hills flank the holes and over ten bodies of water provide plenty of challenge. The wind always blows. Great shape throughout. Bustling. Top notch club house. It’s among our groups favorite in southern Illinois. Great value.

Our foursome travels an hour to play Ironhorse several times a year. The course layout is generously open but also offers some fun water carry risk reward shots. Wind is often a factor. The course has always been in good shape. Great value. One of our favorites.