Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa - The General Course

First take of the course - Whoa, very scenic, unique holes. I was very disappointed when my first putt stopped 10' short. Every green was like velcro. That didn't improve on the North or South. The carts are crappy, gas w/ no GPS. One tee box had a bush growing right in front of it that you had to hit over. Most tee shots are set up for a big draw. We were told the North course was aerated, but we didn't want to play the General again so we looked, they were not aerated. We stayed on site in a villa. The carpet was real worn. The hallways and stair cases were about 2' wide. The shower was tiny, water pressure terrible. NO INTERNET. We called the hotel about the internet, they told us to follow the directions that weren't given. We explained the network wasn't even listed. Then they said well, we are having problems with it, then.... that's actually something to do with the owner, we aren't a part of the villas. But... we booked the villa through the hotel. Only 1 range for all 3 courses. $13 for a large basket of junky balls. We played Aldeen on the drive home. Sunday morning with an electric cart w/ GPS and fast greens, $60. My favorite course for the trip.

My group played four rounds and the pace of play each day was absolutely terrible, twice over 5 hours. There was never a ranger anywhere in sight. That alone ruined our experience. The North, South and General all offer challenging layouts and fast greens. Unfortunately, the tee boxes and fairways are poorly maintained in many areas, and the sand traps are in total disrepair on many holes. Also, the carts do not have GPS, nor do they have coolers, club washers or club covers for inclement weather.

we played 4 different courses on our trip out to Galena: Wolf Hollow in Lena, the General, Eagle Ridge North, and Eagle Ridge South. The greens on the General were the slowest of the bunch. Not what you expect when you pay $135. Very depressing to hit a putt that goes half way to the hole.....uphill had nothing to do with it. we mentioned to the club cleaning guy at the end of the round; he says he hears this all the time. they refuse to do anything about it. go figure. I won't go back.

The Good: The crown jewel of the Eagle Ridge Resort, Roger Packard & Andy North's track has more of an northern Michigan feel than western Illinois. Rugged design has impressive vistas and elevation changes, with some eye-popping Par 4's and Par 5's. Fantastic course conditions and excellent, large undulating greens. Very nice clubhouse with locker rooms and a full gourmet restaurant. Superb staff will get your day started off great and monitor pace of play. Guest and replay rates are very good.

The Bad: Fairways can be a little too moist. No driving range or short game practice area on-site is a huge minus given the quality of course. No GPS. Too many forced carries and small targets for the mid-high handicapper. Rates at nearly $150 for public play is a little steep. Par 3's aren't overly memorable.

The Verdict: "The General" is a Top 5 public golf course in Illinois. One could argue with better practice facilities it could be the most complete golf experience in the state.

Best Hole(s): The Par 5 6th is mesmerizing with a theater of woodlands engulfing the hole. The Par 4 #13 is an absolute brute with a great view of the Galena territory in the background.

This course is supposed to be the cream of the crop. When you pay $135 to play golf you expect high quality treatment from the starter, rangers, on course beverage/food cart, yardage indicators, etc. When we booked our tee time, the starter neglected to inform there was a play day ahead of us to the sum of 8 4-somes. We never would have played. It took 6 hours to play 18 holes on a course that had one drink cart who quit that day and did not have a ranger on the course to monitor pace of play. We watched all day as the playday searched in 4 foot grass 30 yards off the tee on a hole to hole basis, leave trash on the course, damage the course, etc. I will never play any course at Eagle Ridge in Galena, IL again. I highly recommend Lacoma golf course in East Dubucque, IL and Woodbine Bend Golf Course just west of Stockton, IL. Everything you expect for your dollar is accounted for at these clubs.

Truly a gem, The General course is cut through the beautiful, rolling hills of Galena. Spread out nicely, the course really takes advantage of its landscape. It's hard to believe you're even in Illinois while on this course. Conditions were good but not excellent and for over $100 a round I would expect pristine. None-the-less the course is beautiful.

One of my favorite courses! Challenging with incredible scenery. A must play if staying at Eagle Ridge.

I have heard people refer to the General as "gimmicky" with some of the holes being a little extreme with elevation and a few blind tee shots. I am not a golf course design expert, but I think it is a beautiful course with some spectacular views/holes. It's a little costly but deals can be had if you stay at the resort or look on Golfnow. The General can be challenging but not overwhelming. And if you find the general too tough, head to the North course, which has some great views of Lake Galena and tends to eat a few less golf balls. Both courses are definitely worth playing and gorgeous in the fall!

Great views and vistas with very challenging holes interspersed with manageable holes. When you are done you will feel a satisfaction if you shot a decent score. Greens are quick with a lot of undulation so get your ball in the correct spot and your score will benefit mightily! Flat lies are basically a rumor so learn to play with the ball well above or below your feet or else! One of our favorite layouts.

GW Johnson

Played the course as a single on a Friday AM - teed off at 9 AM and played behind a twosome. Played two balls and sometimes three when time permitted. Greens were incredible! Rolled like a pool table top - took a little getting used to but i adjusted quickly. The conditions were great, and the views outstanding. The rate was reduced by 30% because i was staying at the resort and was $100 as a result. That's kinda pricey for me but i had a $75 gift card so it was much more palatable. I would love to play the course again, but probably would play twilight so that the rate isn't so expensive.

The General is a fine example of outstanding golf. Even though it rained the day proceeding our arrival, the course was in great shape (cart path only). I have played several other notable courses in Illinois including Cog Hill & Weaver Ridge and The General continues to amaze and impress, truly earning its status as a Top 100 course. The greens roll fast, but true, and generally speaking have less break than you would think. The elevation changes often with most holes playing significantly uphill or downhill. A special note of interest: the carts are basic and do not include GPS or a ball/club cleaner (which I would expect from a course of this caliber). Definitely a course to be enjoyed by the straighter hitters as hitting in the rough will often result in a lost ball or an unplayable lie. Very challenging tee to green, but with four levels of tee boxes I believe this course could be enjoyed by the intermediate to expert golfer. If you are a beginner or consider yourself a novice, definitely add this to your bucket list, but do not attempt to play until you get better!

We called to see if we could get out earlier and they were very accommodating and got us out 1 1/2 hours early. Tee boxes on par 3s were a little rough but this late in the year it's understandable. Overall a great experience.

We got a great price through Golf now and drove all the way from Chicago to play this course. It was worth it. A course that gives the impression of being a brute, but any level of golfer can enjoy this course if they choose the right tees.

I gotta say, they spent a few bucks with the heavy equipment carving some picturesque terrain into an awesome visual display. And that may be the toughest part of the course, ignoring the scenery long enough to concentrate on your golf shot. (I birdied 3 holes, got pars on 5-6 more and still shot 94!). So if you stay on the course it's not very difficult, but most stray shots will never be seen again.
11 and 14 get all the ink, but I just loved #17. Iintimidating drive, tough up hill approach, and tiered green. 9, 10, and 18 are also pretty driving holes. Like I said the views will 'drive you to distraction!'

All of the Eagle Ridge courses are fantastic and fun to play, but The General remains the crowning glory of Galena. I played The General many years ago and finally made a trip back specifically to play this course. Known for its difficulty, The General provides tremendous experience from all of the tee boxes. However, if you are visiting Galena and are not a serious golfer, stick to the North and East courses because the General and the South courses are far more difficult. The views are stunning, the greens rolled perfectly and were very fast which I enjoy (some may not) and we played early so the round was fast. No hole is alike with undulating fairways and dense brush, but if you are able to hit the fairway you are left with a chance at par, but birdies are rare. Some holes plunge hundreds of feet down into the forest, some bend around some water and through limestone bluffs. We played at 7am and morning sun was just spectacular...bring your camera and your A-game, you'll need it. This is truly one of the best courses in the Midwest, and perhaps the country. The General is well worth the price and it is a round you will never forget. This is golf.

The General was a great course with lots of variety in holes. Only complaint was that greens were a little slow. Oh and plan to bring a couple extra balls

Great mix of left to right and right to left holes as well as downhill and uphill shots. Greens roll very true and hold really well. Some of the tees were a bit over used but overall this is a great golfing experience.

this course is very challenging. the views are awesome i'm looking forward to golfing here again this was my 1st time playing this course.

Spectacular course from start to finish. Great elevation changes and superb conditions. Very challenging course with no two holes alike. Bring your camera as most holes are worth a photo stop.

Target golf for the thinking player, in every aspect, from tee to green. Not for the faint of heart. Keeps you thinking, from the #1 tee, to the 18th green. Fantastic.