Honey Creek Golf Club

Honey Creek is a Central Iowa favorite that has come highly recommended to me. Upon playing it, I can see why it is so beloved.

First off, it's an incredible value. I played on a Monday and paid $32 for 18 holes with a cart. That's an outstanding bargain for the quality of the course you get.

Honey Creek is a well kept facility that plays over a wooded piece of land, with significant elevation change on the back 9. The front 9 plays over the flattest part of the property, and is definitely the easier of the two 9s, so get your scoring done early and then hold on for the back 9. The back 9 starts off pretty benignly with a straightforward par 4, before it tumbles down into the valley starting on #11. Holes 12-16 run along and back up the valley and feature significant visual intimidation and a lot of target golf. Holes 12-16 is one of the most difficult stretches of golf I've played in Iowa.

Overall I really liked Honey Creek, though it is a bit more target golf than I typically enjoy. The condition of the course was very good, with a little brown around the edges, but green where it mattered most. The greens were slower than they looked, but rolled true.

I will add that hole 16 is not a great hole with a mostly blind tee-shot to a very narrow fairway, then an approach to a green with no room for error. Also, hole 14 is currently under construction, so it is playing as a very short par 3.

My favorite hole on the course is #11. I just love a par 3 with a significant drop from tee to green.

I love this course. The front nine is very different than the back. The front nine is challenging, but the back nine is a show stopper. All holes are different and the view is great.

Beautiful staff, great course an all around good place to play. A bit of a drive but well worth it!

Was very excitedly pleased, great course. Best value in the area. I will definitely go back and play again.

Beautiful course, tough back nine. Loved every second of it, favorite course near Des Moines.

This has been my favorite course in central Iowa since moving here 12 years ago. The course is tough, but fair. It has all the challenges, which makes it fun! The back nine gives the feel of playing in Colorado. Awesome!

I am regularly play in Honey Creek and course is always good shape. Just need full service club house for food and drinks.

Staff was friendly, course was in great shape. Staff even watered the greens during the hot day. Course is well taken care of and we will be back to play again

Good to get back to playing golf in Iowa. Moved to Arizona and missed getting a chance to play this course. Conditions were nice. Not a lot of people playing so round went very smoothly. Greens putted nicely and held well. Love the challenges of the back 9. Always a good time playing Honey Creek.

Front nine is pure golf and sets you up for a spectacular
back nine. Will definitely play again.

Pretty darn nice. First time and it was a nice time despite the showers.

Overall, here's the thing. This should be a really fun and challenging course. It's sad that they don't have a course guide available for you because you might not have a good first round here without one. You'll realize this within the first two holes. Looking back, at least half of the par-fours and par-fives likely require less than driver off the tee. Our experience would have been so much more enjoyable knowing this, or at least having some general guidance along those lines.
A simple description on each hole on the scorecard would solve that ... and help first-timers here enjoy what really is a fun course.

We joked after the round that this should be called the "Don't" Course. In terms of DOs and DON'Ts, there's a whole bunch of the latter here. You're greeted at the clubhouse by a giant sign prohibiting outside coolers or beer and that they'll be confiscated (Obnoxious, considering no on-course beverage cart service was provided). There's another sign on the first tee telling you not to urinate anywhere on the course other than facilities. There's another sign telling you not to start on Hole 10. In the men's room, there's a list of 23 rules and policies for the course. On the scorecard, there's more USGA rules.
Uhh, are we allowed to have fun or play golf, or are there rules against that, too?!

good pace of play fun course they paced the tee times so you don't push a group and you don't get pushed

This was the second time I've played Honey Creek and my second review of this course. I must say this course still gets a five-star review because of the fun and challenging course layout with excellent views, especially on the back 9.

A few friends and I decided to play hooky and hit this track on a Friday morning. I started out with a Bloody Mary, which was pretty standard made up of your store bought mix and some vodka. Nothing special but it still hit the spot.

The front 9 is pretty straight forward with not much elevation. Fairways are wide open, the rough is about right and the greens rolled true. Going out I was +8, not typical for someone with my high handicap.

After 9 I stopped in the small clubhouse for the typical course hot dog. They also had a few other types of dogs and brats on the roller, and everything else you would expect in a smaller club house.

The back 9 is a different story than the front. Lots of elevation change and views that are sure to distract you. My round fell apart coming in but it didn't matter because the course here is so beautiful. Again the fairways are wide open making the course very fun and playable. I also felt the bunkers were strategically placed and came in to play a bit more on the back 9.

The pace of play throughout the round was excellent, the cart was speedy, the staff was friendly and the beer was cold. If you are in the area, you must play this course. Once you hit hole 11, you'll forget you’re in Iowa.

Course had small amount of winter kill still present on greens. However, this would not stop me from coming back or recommending this course to others. Great, unique design with views like no other course in the state! Last but not least, the staff was accommodating and pleasant to work with. This course is a gem.

I hadn't been here in years but it was once part of my territory for work. I usually only had time for the front nine which is relatively flat and good for walking. Always was in good shape.
Monday I rode so I could play the back nine which is in a valley...WOW, spectacular on a Fall day. Even though they were aerating fairways the plugs were very small and didn't affect play.
The 11th part 3 has an elevation drop of 60-80 feet with a view of the next 3 holes. Twelve is my favorite with a par 5 over a clear stream and up the north side of the valley. After that you begin your assent on the south side of the valley with the holes terraced on the rocky slope. Like playing in Colorado instead of Iowa.
Cudos to the members or the staff for filling divots. They have sand available and use it. I have always said; if your players are not filling them, send a kid out with a sand/seed mix on a Gator, especially the tee boxes.
The clubhouse doesn't really match the course but I don't care as long as the golf is great and a value, which Honey Creek is. Take 30-40 minutes to drive there from Des Moines and you won't be disappointed.