A central meeting place (USA)

[Peter Zarlengo]

What are some of the better public courses in Indy that make it an appealing choice?

[Darren_Kilfara]

Many thanks for the advice and suggestions so far. A few follow-ups from me:

--Driving 90+ minutes from an airport to get to a destination isn't ideal. Probably rules out options like the RTJ Trail and Pinehurst. (It might also rule out Kohler, which is what started as our first choice but looks like an awkward combination of poor value for money, logistical difficulty and uncertain apres golf options.)

--John, we're talking about a group of 10-12 golfers, here - getting access to a private course is rather more difficult for that many than it is for one or two, no? (We are looking at public/resort options first and foremost.)

--Can others chime in with more information about the public golf options available in the Indianapolis and Denver areas? Those two seem to be the most promising options of what I've seen so far.

Cheers,
Darren

[Darren_Kilfara]

Actually, more information/suggestions re: public golf in the Chicago, Houston and Dallas areas would also be welcome...

[mike_beene]

Re Dallas.There is an Embassy Suites just North of DFW in a safe area next to a Bass Pro shop.Cowboys and Grapevine Municipal are 5 minutes away.So is Bear Creek,36 holes on airport property in a wooded ,rolling area that doesn't get much notice but is pretty good.Within 15 minutes is Texas Star.You want think you are on the plains at any of these courses.

[redanman]

Denver is hard to beat for depth and breath of good public courses under $50, but it is altitude golf and it is 2 hrs from SF and LA, but 4+ hrs from Atlanta, PHL, NYC and more from Boston.  You will need to drive up to an hour or more with the new airport's location.

[John Kavanaugh]

I thought Brad was kidding about Brickyard Crossing but if you have a bunch of cheap friends that don't even want to have to rent cars I doubt if you can beat it.  I've never played there (why would I) but think the holes inside the Indianapolis 500 would be great for interest factors.  I can't believe the place even has a hotel and an upcoming film festival to go with NASCAR and Formula 1.  http://www.brickyardcrossing.com/

I'm sure Denver has the more interesting public golf led by Murphy Creek which is on the correct side of town for airport access and will host the 2008 Publinx.

[Andy Troeger]

Indy has quite a few courses in and around the area.

Probably the best public options in and around the city.
Brickyard Crossing--SW near the airport.
Trophy Club--NW
The Fort--NE
Prairie View--N
Purgatory--NE

There are quite a few others that I have not seen and don't know that much about that might be fun, such as Heartland Crossing. Also there are courses within an hour or so of the city that might be worth seeing on one of your middle days, such as Rock Hollow in Peru or Otter Creek in Columbus. If you can get on Wolf, Crooked Stick, or another private they're all pretty solid as well, but I understand the limitation you have there.

The advantage of Indy over Chicago again is most likely going to be price. None of the courses I mentioned are over $100 and some (Trophy, Fort, Rock Hollow) I think at times are significantly less.

[John Kavanaugh]

Here is a link to Murphy Creek where you will find green fees ranging from $31 to $40 depending on the day of the week.  I did not know that Golfweek had voted it the 7th best public course in America....Sometimes those raters get it right.  http://www.golfexperience.com/murphycreek/

[John Kavanaugh]

Denver is hard to beat for depth and breath of good public courses under $50, but it is altitude golf and it is 2 hrs from SF and LA, but 4+ hrs from Atlanta, PHL, NYC and more from Boston.  You will need to drive up to an hour or more with the new airport's location.

Murphy Creek is 19.2 miles from the new Denver International Airport.

[Doug Ralston]

Or Evansville IN. There is Sultan's Run, French Lick, and who knows, someone might get on Victoria National *wink*

Also, there is a Doak nearby, Quail Crossing, how could you resist?

But of course you are not considering Lexington, KY.

Doug

[John Kavanaugh]

Evansville would be a great choice except for the fact that a plane flight will cost approx $100 more than to a major airport.  When talking Evansville never forget Cambridge by Liddy.

I have heard enough things about Darren that I would be happy to set up an outing for him and twelve of his buddies at Victoria National...It ain't gonna be cheap.

[Gary Slatter]

Chicago, Cog Hill.  
Good food, cheap flights, very good golf.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Actually, more information/suggestions re: public golf in the Chicago, Houston and Dallas areas would also be welcome...

For Houston:

Some public courses you could look into...

Redstone Tournament Course, High Meadow Ranch, Blackhorse, Augusta Pines, Memorial Park, River Ridge, Traditions-Cypresswood, Timber Creek, Waterwood National, among others.

I could also likely host at Champions.

Feel free to send me a message if you have more questions.  I could also assist you with information about Chicago.

[Mike Nuzzo]

There is a very very cool cottage at public Blaketree National north west of Houston - about an hour.
If I had a group of guys I'd go there for a day - very, very secluded - you'd have the place to yourselves.
http://www.blaketreegolf.com/golf/proto/blaketreegolf/
It was routed by C&C but finished by the owner - some gaffaws here and there.

Then head to Waterwood - which I haven't been yet.

Then like Kyle said there are a few others in town for fun.

Houston is very easy to travel in and out of for me.
What season?
It is very hot in the summer, and humid.

[Tim Leahy]

Vegas baby! Cheap flights from anywhere, hotels for days, good golf if you shop around a bit and ENTERTAINMENT.

[Darren_Kilfara]

I have heard enough things about Darren that I would be happy to set up an outing for him and twelve of his buddies at Victoria National...It ain't gonna be cheap.

Whatever you heard about me, it's all lies, all of it...wait, oh you mean...oops, sorry! Never mind...

[ed_getka]

Chicago gets my vote. That puts Lawsonia, Erin Hills, Whistling Straits, Cog Hill all within range. Lawsonia wins the value component hands down.

Another choice would be Michigan, although the flights there are going to be more expensive. Fly into Grand Rapids and you have Angels Crossing, The Mines, and the company of Joe Hancock. Or caravan up to Traverse City area and you have High Pointe (Tom Doak's first course), Arcadia Bluffs, and a few other courses that are escaping me at the moment. The Boyne complex has some great package deals, but I don't remember how far they are from TC.

[Doug Wright]

Chicago gets my vote. That puts Lawsonia, Erin Hills, Whistling Straits, Cog Hill all within range. Lawsonia wins the value component hands down.

Another choice would be Michigan, although the flights there are going to be more expensive. Fly into Grand Rapids and you have Angels Crossing, The Mines, and the company of Joe Hancock. Or caravan up to Traverse City area and you have High Pointe (Tom Doak's first course), Arcadia Bluffs, and a few other courses that are escaping me at the moment. The Boyne complex has some great package deals, but I don't remember how far they are from TC.

Ed,

I'd agree with Chicago. However, the Michigan trip isn't a direct flight for anyone and takes all day.

I'd also recommend Denver (Darren I live there). There are 4-5 decent public courses within 20 minutes of the airport and several more within 45 minutes.

Phoenix is a great option when the weather's right.

[Andy Troeger]

Having played Black Mesa today I'd have to say that if you could fit that one and Paa-Ko Ridge in on days when you weren't flying in and out that you could do pretty well here. Add in the UNM course right at the airport and fill in the rest of the trip with Cochiti, Santa Ana, and/or Sandia and you'd have a pretty good few days at a pretty good price. Not quite as convenient as Denver from the east coast though, but for quality of golf I don't know that you can beat Paa-Ko and Black Mesa for under $100 each.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Chicago gets my vote. That puts Lawsonia, Erin Hills, Whistling Straits, Cog Hill all within range. Lawsonia wins the value component hands down.

For my group (which isn't generally so gung-ho as to drive great distances to play golf), Whistling Straits, Erin Hills and Lawsonia aren't really within range of Chicago - and I know that Lawsonia wouldn't be their cup of tea as a golf course, either. Pity...

Doug, what would you recommend in the Denver area? Does the public access golf scene get above "decent" and into "very good"? (It does seem to fit the bill as far as cheapness goes!) In particular, one marquee course to headline the trip would go a long way in selling everyone on it. I quite fancy that trip if only because *I'm* willing to make long drives and am not averse to heading NE out of Denver for a day or two.

(By the way, Phoenix was our last trip destination as a group. It was a bit distant for the East Coasters but otherwise worked rather well.)

Cheers,
Darren

[Darren_Kilfara]

Having played Black Mesa today I'd have to say that if you could fit that one and Paa-Ko Ridge in on days when you weren't flying in and out that you could do pretty well here. Add in the UNM course right at the airport and fill in the rest of the trip with Cochiti, Santa Ana, and/or Sandia and you'd have a pretty good few days at a pretty good price. Not quite as convenient as Denver from the east coast though, but for quality of golf I don't know that you can beat Paa-Ko and Black Mesa for under $100 each.

FWIW, Andy, we investigated that exact trip last time around (when we settled on Phoenix), but it was way too difficult to get the East Coasters in and out. Multiple-stop flight schedules make things exponentially more difficult!

Incidentally, I think it's fair to say that the average GolfClubAtlaser is *far* more willing to go out of his or her way to play great golf courses than the average golfer - don't you think? That factor should not be minimised in plotting a trip for one's non-GCA friends, I've found. (I'd love to get my gang up to Bandon, but from the noises I've gotten when I've raised the subject in the past you'd think I was asking them to travel to Cape Kidnappers...)

Cheers,
Darren

[Andy Troeger]

Darren,
The flight issues don't surprise me in getting here. I would imagine its possible to do, but Southwest is the big airline here and from what I can tell they tend to be hit and miss in the NE.

I agree with your second premise, although trust me the New Mexico courses are much easier to access than Bandon! (Well...Pinon Hills in Farmington might not be). Still, if not for the 75 MPH speed limit here in NM I don't know if I could take how spread out things are from each other!

But admittedly, when I have friends from the midwest come out to visit I might not tell them its 1.5 hrs to Black Mesa and just start driving and remind them once they start complaning that its too late. Once they get there...they'll understand. Paa-Ko Ridge at 45 minutes is a beautiful drive around the mountain, so that one's cake  

[Andy Troeger]

Or Evansville IN. There is Sultan's Run, French Lick, and who knows, someone might get on Victoria National *wink*

Also, there is a Doak nearby, Quail Crossing, how could you resist?

But of course you are not considering Lexington, KY.

Doug

Doug,
French Lick and Sultan's Run are wonderful, but they are in the middle of absolute nowhere in terms of getting there. Great trip though.

I have a group of friends that do the Lexington trip every year from South Bend. I went the first year they went (would have liked to have continued going). The golf was solid but not spectacular, although I think since we had a group of high school kids along that we were searching value over quality. Played Lakeside, Gibson Bay, GC Bluegrass, and Kearney Hill.

[Doug Wright]

Doug, what would you recommend in the Denver area? Does the public access golf scene get above "decent" and into "very good"? (It does seem to fit the bill as far as cheapness goes!) In particular, one marquee course to headline the trip would go a long way in selling everyone on it. I quite fancy that trip if only because *I'm* willing to make long drives and am not averse to heading NE out of Denver for a day or two.
Cheers,
Darren

Darren,

I don't know what your and your colleagues' tastes are in golf courses so it's hard for me to know whether you would find the Denver courses I mention to be "very good" or "decent" or if there's even a difference. I do think that you and your group would enjoy playing these courses. I'm at a private club but I don't hesitate to play them regularly.  If I were planning a trip into Denver to play public courses it would go something like this in order of my preference:

1. Riverdale Dunes (Pete/Perry Dye and Doak)
2. Fossil Trace (Engh)
3. Murphy Creek (K. Kavanaugh)*
4. Green Valley Ranch (Perry Dye)

*If you're OK with venturing a bit farther afield (say 45 minutes from the airport) I'd send you to GC at Bear Dance (homemade design but really well done foothills golf) south of Castle Rock  probably as #3  before Murphy Creek and GVR. Also Vista Ridge (Morrish) north of town in Erie,which I haven't played but have heard is solid.

How many rounds are you playing (ie are you playing 36/day?) as some of these courses are pretty close in proximity and you could easliy play two of them in a day depending on the time of year.

[Andy Ryall]

Having grown up in Boston and lived in Detroit and presently Minneapolis, I would highly recommend the Twin Cities as there are a number of high-end courses within 30 - 45 minutes of MSP and either downtown.  

Some of my favorites include -
The Legends Club - Prior Lake (20 min)
Chaska Town Course - (Co-host of 06 US Am)
Troy Burne - Troy, WI (30 min)
StoneRidge - Lake Elmo (30 min)
Willinger's - Northfield (45 min)

All range from about $40 (Willingers) to about $85 and are well maintained and challenging.  Of course, the Brainerd courses and Giant's Ridge are also within 3-4 hours driving time.  Ideal times are between May 15 - Oct 1.