DrOldSchool

Elwood is a decent mid-tier value course. The 9's are different, with the front being the older, classic style, and the back newer with more modern touches. The front goes back and forth a bit, but does have some sneaky holes like a 460+ par 4 and 580ish par 5 (from the tips). The back has some nice modern touches as it goes around a small neighborhood, though the houses are not close to play. #10 reminded me of #1 at Purgatory a bit. Really liked the 11-15 stretch of holes.

The major problem here though is field/crabgrass. It has a bit too much of it, especially on most of the tee boxes. Fairways are a little patchy as well, so I wouldn't recommend playing the ball down here. The greens are very small, but in great shape and rolled true. Some had sneaky undulations to them as well. They were small enough that you needed to be hitting the approach shots well, or have your A-chipping game. Sand was hit and miss, some fine others were mud.

It's not ever going to live up to the courses down the road (Purgatory and Bear Slide), nor should it. But it's better than anything you can find in Anderson, or the Tipton muni, and the layout has more character than Fox Prairie or either Pebble Brook course in Noblesville (FP is usually in a little better shape than this though - Pebble was in rough shape recently). It won't knock your socks off, but at its price point, its an enjoyable round of golf and may surprise you a bit like it did to me. Played it as a single in 1:45 as well, which has not happened anywhere else this busy summer.

I was lucky enough to get a invite to play the West-South combination at Old Oakland. If you like doglegs, this is a (private) course for you. Some were subtle, some were 90 degree turns, but almost every non-par 3 hole had some turn to it. Most of them were very tight with mature trees, sand, and some water in play. I felt on some of the holes the neighborhood did encroach a bit, especially where people had chairs and hammocks and such right off the cart path. I did enjoy most of the design though, especially the par 5's which all had great character.

Conditions-wise the course could've used a tighter mow, especially on some tees. The greens, however were super firm, and pretty fast. Had a hard time stopping any club in the bag that flew to the surface. The sand was easily the best I've played in all year though.

If you get a chance to play here, it's worth a go. Bring your A-game though as tight OB , woods, water, and lots of other problems await if you spray.

I honestly cannot remember the last time I walked off a course without finishing, but I was forced to do so at Deer Track today for my own sanity.

The course is in the middle of nowhere, so I understand that they need to cater to whatever regular play they can get. But I've been to many other courses that have leagues and I have never seen them this mismanaged, nor were we treated so rudely by those playing that we decided leaving was the better option rather than spending time in the county jail. These men were obnoxious, rude, and downright disrespectful. I know Covid has made everyone crazy, but jerks are jerks, and if they prefer this clientele I suggest they keep them, and you follow me down the road to much better courses that have some semblance of professionalism and ability to manage a tee sheet/league.

It's a shame because there are other positives and negatives i can say about the course (layout was interesting, but way too much crabgrass). But I was so put off, it's just disgusting. I will not be back.

The Frankfort Commons course has some interesting character in its layout. There are lots of hills and contours on several holes, and some holes are on the tight side if you stray from the fairway. Greens ran smooth and some had sneaky slopes on them. Fairways and rough were a bit patchy though, and not always in the best shape. Some tee boxes were in need of mowing TLC, and some trees could use a trim. Feel like it has potential and it serves its community well as an economical round, but I wouldn't run out of my way to play it. Worth a stop if you're nearby though.

Buffer Park is about all you can ask from a 9 hole track. Solid layout with water in play throughout, narrow fairways, sand, and other problems should you spray. Fairways are fairly narrow but well kept as are the tee boxes. Rough was in good shape too, and was at a good length for a mix of jumper and clunker shots coming out of them. A couple greens had some damage spots, and they all ran noticeably slower than the putting green but were smooth.

Friendly staff in the club house, which is a nice size but pretty bare bones inside. Easily the second best course I've played inside I-465 (Indianapolis - Brickyard is in its own league and the city munis are a significant step down from this). Worth the drive from downtown or the area if you're local or on your way to the airport as a getaway round.

Antler Point is for sale. And it shows. Lots of basic maintenance is ignored. Fairways were longer than the rough is at a lot of courses (unmowed) and thats where there was grass - it's was very patchy. Rough was just as long. Had to hunt for balls in the fairway a few times, let alone in the rough.

The greens were ok. A couple needed small spot repair, and hole #14 was pretty bad. But they rolled smooth and held well. Not very big greens, and some cups had overgrowth suggesting they haven't been moved in a while.

But the biggest problem were the tee boxes. In several cases (especially on the back) the tee markers were on old overgrown boxes that were ankle deep at the lowest and mostly crabgrass to boot. Got to the point that I just found bare patches of dirt and teed off there as you could not swing a driver or tee up where these tee markers were placed.

Add to that trees that were encroaching way too much in play that need trimmed (again mostly on the back), and yeah. It's just not worth the visit. Maybe if you're a local, and play the front 9. But don't drive out of your way to go here.

Like I said to start, it's for sale, and it shows. New owner will need a heavy investment, and it's in the middle of nowhere, which doesn't help. Layout has some potential if they can do some work on the course itself. Especially the back with is very tight at times, and very messy condition-wise right now. But those tee boxes... yikes.

Old Capital is an older course, but still caught my group by surprise. It has a lot of elevation change, and water in play throughout. Some ponds were not visible from the tee (such as hole 4) so pay attention to the layout on the scorecard and your GPS if you have one. Wasn't super tight but wasn't wide open either. Some large trees await if you do spray. A few holes required target shots more than just bombing away, especially when you played back and forth over the creek. But what really caught us by surprise were the slopes on the greens. They didn't look sloped until you got on them, and some (especially on the front 9) really had a lot of slope and break to them. So you might need to play a few rounds to know them and where to hit/miss/play the slope on approach.

The course did have 1 major problem that I cannot stand and that is power lines that are in play on a few holes (you hit approach shots through them). I wanted to drop it down to 3 stars just for that reason, but was impressed enough by everything else not to do so. Conditions wise the tees were a little rough, and a couple greens had some patches that need attention, but overall it was pretty good.

Wouldn't make a long drive to play it, but if you're in the area it's a solid course. Makes in interesting pairing in 1 day with Chariot Run (20 min away) since they are polar opposites in design.

Rock Hollow is in the best shape I've seen over the last 5 years that I've visited. Tee to green they have it looking sharp. Greens were firm, fast, and true.

It has one of the best layouts in the state, with no two holes alike. Lots of risk/reward decisions along the way.

If you have not made the trip to visit the course, do it now. If you've been there before it's time to return. It's well worth the time and trip.

The new Pfau course at IU is in great shape for being open less than one week at the time I am writing. Arguably most courses would want to be in this shape at any age, with fantastic tee boxes, solid greens, and most fairways being in good shape, though there were a few patches here and there that needed to fill in still (nothing major). Sand was well maintained and taken care of – and there’s a lot of it.

The layout is tough. You need a few things to succeed here: your “A” game, a good range finder (phone GPS didn’t work), and some luck. If I had a gripe, it would be that the carts needed GPS or a distance book in the cart (similar to Trophy Club) since it was not always evident on where to go, and where trouble lurked, and how far proper spots were. Such as 16 – you cannot see where the fairway splits from the tee, but can reach the split with a good drive.

You need to be in the fairway to succeed as well. Cliché, I know, but the fairways were pretty narrow, and there is very little rough before your you enter natural areas from which it was very difficult to advance the ball as most lies I had in this were nestled/buried. Approach shots frequently were from uneven lies, even in the fairway. I felt like the ball was below my feet most of the round. Precision on the approach is important, because on many holes there was little-to-nowhere to miss with sand and natural areas right there to grab your errant shots. I say that even though only a couple holes had trees in play, and no water on the course.

The greens have some interesting slopes and breaks to them, and several require approaches to the proper portion of the green, or you could find yourself on a wrong tier or going off a false front. What was also neat about several of the greens is that many were not round – a couple were squares and a few were triangles, and a few were all over the place in design. All were firm, which led to some shots bounding through, even with a wedge. But they putted fast and smooth.

We played the White tee box, and it played longer than the card said. Particularly on the par 3’s, of which 3 play uphill. Several par 4’s would’ve been very long from the blues as well for an average hitter.

The course is definitely unique to any I’ve played in Indiana. It reminded me of a couple courses I’ve played elsewhere: Architects in NJ (the design style) and Tobacco Road in NC (to be fair - it’s not nearly as tricked up as Tobacco Road, but the sand, natural grasses, and green complexes and ways the greens sat elevated from many fairways with lots of rolling contours reminded me of it in the way they looked). The designers clearly tried to mesh older characteristics with modern design trends, and did so with great effect. It’s pretty to look at, but can be intimidating to play. If you spray you will be in for a long and at times frustrating round. Many times, we looked at each other asking where to hit/miss. Even a few good shots didn’t feel rewarded as they ran out through fairways and greens. Perhaps knowing where to go/aim on a future visit will change that.

The price tag is on par with other college courses in the state. It’s well worth a visit. If you are coming from the North via 37/69 allow for extra time due to construction traffic (I literally had to run to the tee because of it). I look forward to giving it another shot in the future now knowing a bit more about it.

Twin Bridges has an interesting layout, with some elevation change and greens that have a decent amount of slope/undulation in them. Used my whole bag playing it today. Really liked holes 2-4. Several holes require well-placed tee shots to get through some openings. Was a very interesting design that I enjoyed a lot. Reminded me a bit of West Chase and Rock Hollow.

Only issue was the conditions left a little to be desired. A few greens were being plugged and patched. And the fairways/rough were not always consistent. Some bunkers were redone, others were a mess.

Well worth a go if you're on there west side of Indy.

Nevel Meade is in solid shape for this time of year (December). Was lucky to get out to test the links style course on a chilly day, and had the course mostly to myself. I could see it being a brute when windy and in firm/fast condition. Greens were winter-slow, and I could see them being a fun test in season.

Layout was interesting, and it looks like aside from building the traps and water on #6 there wasn't much change to the rolling landscape. No trees in play, and only that water feature on #6. Lots of elevation change on the back, and a few blind tee shots along the way, so you likely need to play it a couple times to know your lines. Would recommend it to anyone around the Louisville area, and I'll be back in season.

This course is now known as Butler Falls.

The course clearly is operating on a shoestring budget. Everywhere except the greens show no signs of maintenance or upkeep. It's all hard pan dirt or browned out crab grass. The greens though were green (with some patches of dirt on a couple) and they clearly had not been mowed in days and were shag carpet slow. Cups showed signs that they had not been moved In days either. Sand traps are long gone,. Not sure if it doesn't have an irrigation system or it's broken but it's ugly.

The layout is a bit goofy and it's not signed well. You go here and there and criss cross all over the place to find tees. One tee you cut over a corn field. Another couple holes play with high tension power lines buzzing overhead and adjacent to you.

If they ever sunk a lot of money into it (emphasis on a lot) there are a few interesting holes, such as 14, 15, 16, 18. But it needs lots and lots and lots of help to be playable. Wouldn't even recommend it to learners in this condition.

Memorial Park in New Castle has some of the smallest greens around. Most are pretty flat, with a few very back to front sloped exceptions along the way (like 9 and 13). Its a short course at around 5700 yards, but you do need the driver as there is a 600 yard par 5, and a few drivable par 4's (if you can find the really really small greens). Lots of back and forth, and I wasn't a fan of a couple hole designs, like 18. Conditions are about what you'd expect from a muni in that while things were mowed and firm, the rough and fairways were hardly distinguishable from one another, and the greens were a little bumpy and showed some scarring from recent aerification. . It's a little tricky to get back to off route 3, but not too bad. Would be a good course for learners and locals.

Hickory Stick has an interesting layout, that has a lot of bumps and undulations throughout the course. It's in solid shape for September, and the greens looked/rolled really smooth. Very firm today with the recent lack of rain, and the South wind made it feel like 3/4 of the holes were into the wind.

But... They really messed up today. They had an outing that shotgunned, and arrived with more people than planned. So they were backed up and sent us (and others before us) out to 14 to start, and said it'd be smooth sailing from there until we hit the back of the outing. Ok, no problem. Actually... HUGE problem. Someone did not relay the info that we started where we did to the starter and we wound up turning from 18 to 1 into a few groups. After the starter asked us why we did what we did and was puzzled, he decided to wave us in front of others that hadn't started, and paired us with 2 that were waiting. By the 3rd hole we were 4 groups deep on the tee box, and it took roughly 90 minutes to play holes 1-5 after taking less than 40 to play 14-18. It opened up some once the outing started to finish and we passed a slow group. But still, no excuse for this poor tee sheet/outing management. Makes me somewhat hesitant to return.

Updating my earlier reviews, I was very disappointed in my round today at The Fort. The conditions are deteriorating, with many bare spots all over, thin sand, and what appears to be fungus/disease on nearly all the greens which is causing it to die in large spots. The course gets a ton of play all year, so add the pock marks and unfixed divots and it is getting in very rough shape here at the end of the season, especially for the price point.

The other part that ruined all the fun was the 5 hour death march it became (on a Tuesday in Sept), was the players behind us hitting into us constantly on the back 9 when we had no where to go. No sign of any rangers or anything to do something about it other than to scream, which didn't help. So remember to bring a batting helmet during peak times. And while I've had slow rounds there before (it has that reputation) this was the worst its been, while waiting and ducking.

I'll go back in the future because I enjoy the layout, but between the slow play, deteriorating conditions, and price tag I'm going to wait until next year.

Bear Slide is still one of my personal favorites. Course was in very nice shape for this time of year, though someone had a little too much fun with the sprinklers and really soaked it in front of us. But, they put the work in there and it shows. Well worth the accolades it receives, and worth a go if you're in/near Indy.

It's hard to beat Royal Hylands in terms of value/bang for your buck. I mean that anywhere, not just in Indiana.

The course has a great mix of holes for a parkland-style layout. Some open, some tight, all requiring precision or close to it. Tee shots force different types of plays - cuts/draws, etc. Par 5s are fun risk/reward types. The greens are the real challenge - if you miss in the wrong spot it's 3-putt city. It can be a handful if you're off your game and it can be pride-inducing when you're playing well. Either way you're going to want more when you're done.

Staff is great as well, though I'm not so fond of the new pro - he can go back to Hawks Tail.. But they are good folks overall otherwise, and they have a great 19th hole/mid-point.

If you're anywhere around Indianapolis or Eastern Indiana on I-70 - stop here and thank me later. You won't regret it.

Coffin belongs in a coffin. This course is a dump from start to finish. If you like crab grass, this is your kind of place as it's everywhere, including all tee boxes, "fairways" and rough - of which it was almost impossible to tell between the fairway/rough since neither were mowed and it was all crab grass. If there wasn't crab grass, it was because there was no grass from extensive water damage. The greens are beat to heck too.with almost all of them having large bare patches that were impossible to putt through.

The layout has potential if they took care of it, such as the holes along the river (5-7), and 13-15 which were nice with elevation change. But the course is in such awful shape that I would not recommend getting close to it, let alone playing it if you value your time and money. I paid $35 to ride 18, and it was $34,99 too much for this place. I can't even recommend it to learn upon for beginners in this shape. Run far away from this place.

South Grove is not a course I can recommend. The course is tight, in some cases too tight where trees overhang and could be trimmed without losing their defense in order to be fair, like on 2 and 11. Very back and forth in the layout, with few memorable holes. Tee boxes are basically spots in the grass that are mowed slightly lower than the rough. Fairway hard to tell apart from the rough. Greens were small and not quite as slow as shag carpeting, but it was close. Clientele were not the most considerate to faster players.

If you find yourself there, use a club off the tee you trust to be straight or you will likely be punching out. It's better than its neighbors across the river (Riverside and Coffin) but that's lipstick on a pig. There's better than this a short drive away at Shank and Pleasant Run if you're staying on this tier of course in the city of Indianapolis.

Shank is a decent muni layout. A little bit of back and forth, but there are a few spots where a creek runs through or there's some elevation change that will keep you thinking. Greens are on the smallish side, but not too tricked up for the most part. There is some evidence of poor drainage/water damage on parts of the course. Won't knock your socks off, but not a bad round either, it's worth a stop.