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The Preserve at Oak Meadows
Played On 10/09/2018Promising but still needs a few tweaks
The renovation of the old Oak Meadows and Maple Meadows East 9 was very well done but could still use some improvement. The course layout was excellent--the first hole is similar to the old Oak Meadows first. The next few are variations of the Maple Meadows East 9. Then back to the Oak Meadows with some pretty significant changes. The overall look is fantastic with brush and sloughs throughout the course.
I have two complaints:
1. I've played this course twice this summer and both times it was "cart path only." The old course flooded a lot and this new one remains very "soggy" after any sort of rain. As such, hitting irons off the fairway requires a very precise strike, not unlike hitting out of fairway bunkers--too penal for a shot in the middle of the fairway. The carts are equipped with GPS but this is useless because most holes have one path (instead of one on either side of the fairway). To make matters worse, there are no 200, 150, 100 yard stakes so if you don't have your own rangefinder or GPS watch, it is impossible to know relevant distances.. Not a lot of sprinkler heads with yardages either. EASY FIX. At minimum, add yardage stakes to improve pace of play when it is "cart-path only." Overall, I would avoid this course after any rain--it remains a flood plain.
2. When I played today, the greens had been sanded--like really, really sanded--like putting out of wet sand-traps sanded. Really annoying. This was not noted on website; most better courses offer reduced rates when this is done--TPAOM did not--disappointing.
SUMMARY: Very nice renovation. Two suggestions: place yard maker stakes when it is cart-path only (which seems to be often in my experience), offer reduced rates when greens are sanded (or use less sand)
Carriage Greens Country Club
Played On 08/08/2017Pleasant surprise
I had sworn off this course 2 years ago after a bad experience with a rude (IMO) starter and horrendously slow play. I decided to give it a second chance and was pleasantly surprised by course conditions and pace of play. We started at 7A and finished at 9:40A on a Tuesday morning. They "reversed" the 9's; I preferred the original set-up but this was not a big deal.
There are a couple of holes that could be improved. The par 3 2nd hole is so severely sloped that if played from above the hole, it is difficult not to putt the ball off the green. Needs to be stimped a bit slower. The 3rd hole is strange with a 200 yard tee shot and then 90 degree dogleg--plays hybrid then hybrid for me. The 14th hole has a "hidden" stream at about 240 yards--odd for short hole (not really "risk v. reward") so better to lay up. The 15th (par 3) has a large tree on the right of the green that partially obstructs the green--also odd and should be cut back IMO. The 16th has a tree directly in front of the tee box--really odd and should be cut down completely.
Liked the drivable par 4 9th and par 3 5th holes. If I recall they changed two of the holes from short par 5's to long par 4's. Both are very tough par 4's now, especially the 8th hole which required a good drive and a hybrid for me to reach.
Overall nice job guys. Tremendous improvement.
Willow Crest Golf Club
Played On 10/28/2016Nice course ruined by abysmal pace of play
There is a lot to like about this course -- tee boxes, fairways, and greens are all in good shape. The staff is friendly and professional. It is a fairly typical "resort" course that can be played by all levels of golfers.
There were two problems with our round. First, it was "cart path only" due to rain two days earlier. The problem with this is that on many holes, paths only exist on one side of the fairway slowing pace. Moreover, some of the paths lead directly into the line of subsequent drives (e.g., holes 10 to 11) adding an element of danger which is already present due to the general wayward shots hit by majority of golfers. Both my son and I were nearly hit (ball coming within 10 feet of where we were standing or riding). The course needs to add paths on both sides of fairways.
Second, the pace of play was abysmal. Over 5 1/2 hours to play 18 holes on a weekday. The course should consider adding additional tees and strongly encouraging golfers to play at appropriate tee boxes. The group of seniors ahead of us played from back tees and none of them could carry drives beyond 190 yards. I know this for a fact because we watched every single drive all of them hit due to slow pace. On a longer par 3 on the back 9, all hit driver off the tee and none reached the green. Seriously. Faster pace means better scores, happier golfers and more rounds of golf--everyone wins. Right now, everyone waits.
Carriage Greens Country Club
Played On 07/02/2016Nice little course
Tees-good
Fairways-excellent
Greens-OK
Layout-fun
Beware of collateral golf ball damage. Lots of "fore" heard around course. Pace of play was fine.
u000007080916,
Thank you for the great review! We are happy to hear you found the course fun and in excellent shape. We look forward to your next visit!
Best regards,
Carriage Greens Management
Blackhawk Trace Golf Club at Indian Lakes Resort - Woodland Course
Played On 03/28/2016Cool little course
Played this early in the season--course was in decent shape although greens had just been aerated. GPS was excellent. Wide open similar to most resort courses--water on a few holes including signature island green par 3. No rakes in bunkers--very wet sand. No ball washers or water on the course.
Thank you for your review and feedback of Indian Lakes Resort. We are thrilled you liked the course layout and GPS amenity. Please come back and see us again very soon!
Limestone Springs Golf Club
Played On 03/07/2016Great course
Great course--great value
Fresh Meadow Golf Course
Played On 08/04/20155 Hour Round on a Tuesday Morning?
-The clubhouse staff was terrific.
-The starter/ranger needs help.
-The course is in decent shape with the exception of the 17th green which had just been aerated.
-The concept of allowing a faster group to play through or having a ranger move slower groups along is non-existent on this course which led to a ridiculously long round (I've played this course in 3 hours in the past when it wasn't busy)
-The starter needs a young assistant as his vision is suspect. On the 2nd hole, he drove directly in front of me during my back swing. Perhaps that is not too egregious except for the fact that I chipping 5 yards off the green and he was driving the cart over the fringe and edge of the green. I have no idea why he was driving around since he didn't speed up the group in front of our group (20 minutes putting--I timed it) or encourage them to allow faster groups to play through.
-It is more or less a free-for-all with people hitting from random fairways
-I think this course would be very enjoyable if on-course management was improved
ThunderHawk Golf Club
Played On 09/08/2014More transparency please...
Beautiful and very difficult (penal) course that appears well maintained. The only (but significant) problem was that when we showed up, we were told all the greens were sanded down (virtually impossible to putt) and the 18th fairway was undergoing construction. I would have liked to know that at the time of my reservation. We did receive a break on greens fees but frankly, I would not have made a reservation if I knew this. Additionally, given the layout (narrow fairways with minimal rough and undulating lies--easy to lose balls) and price point, a course like this needs GPS on the carts.
White Birch at Brighton Dale Links
Played On 09/06/2014Wow
This course far exceeded my expectations on many levels. It was exquisitely maintained, beautiful and fun. It was also (in my view) a little too difficult for the average golfer--230 yard par 3? Really? A par 4 (#9) that few people could reach in regulation even with two good shots. But overall, a very nice experience and highly recommended.
West at White Pines Golf Course
Played On 07/21/2014Solid Course
Pros: Teed off before 7 AM on a weekday and completed round in less than 4 hours. Fairways in excellent shape.
Cons: A few greens still in very bad shape. Sand traps so-so. No water or beverage carts to be found.
Comments: Mature course with tree lined fairways making straight drives mandatory to score on this course. Smallish greens.
Overall a very nice experience and great value
Fresh Meadow Golf Course
Played On 04/17/2014Still recovering from winter
I played solo and skipped one hole and two 4-somes in front of me. Was wide open after that and finished in 2.5 hours. Still pretty torn up from bad winter. Greens were mostly OK but low lying areas were dead. Bunkers are in good shape. New practice area is much improved. Usually pretty busy.
Maple Meadows Golf Club - West Eighteen
Played On 9/3/2013Solid Course -- Well Maintained
Maple Meadows is a nice 18 hole prarie style course. Front nine is easier than back. Well maintained with excellent greens. No blind holes or steep doglegs--everything is more or less in front of you. A few deceptive drives that penalize slices severely (i.e., lost ball even when land in right fairway) due to steep inclines.
Aldeen Golf Club
Played On 8/4/2013Exceptional Course
I am from Hawaii and have played some of the best courses in the country. Aldeen is an fantastic course and exceptional value.
Need to be straight off the tee. Par 3's are relatively easy. Greens are challenging. Pace of play was very good--finished the round in less than 3.5 hours which was a record for me for a course around Chicago on a weekend.
Overall highly recommended.
I couldn't agree with you more....carpath only ruined the round all around, and I was constantly being three clubs plus my range finder....got annoying... Also you can't use your GPS watch because the course has not been updated...really?!
The greens were in horrendous shape and no one told us not was it specified on the website...terrible
Not a ranger in sight toove play along either