Bent Tree Golf Club
Westfield, IN
The course originally opened in 1989 under the name Hanging Tree. At the time it was the best public course in Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis. Based on trying to expand their appeal and to avoid and possible political correctness issues, the club changed their name a few years ago to Bent Tree. Also over the last few years a new regime has taken over to try and re-establish it as a premier layout in the area.
With water on fifteen holes and over eighty bunkers, it has plenty of penalties waiting to be inflicted. But the course is very strategic in nature and has several solid if not excellent holes. The one thing that has really held the course back over the years is the level of conditioning. When compared to the top courses in the area today, the course has waned from mediocre to ordinary. The current regime is trying to change this impression on the consuming public. And after not visiting the course for several years, I can say the layout was in much finer condition than I remember it. The only things I noticed were some minor patches of poa grass in the bent grass fairways and some barren spots in the rough. The course was being maintained at a fast and firm setup which really accentuated the positives of the course in my trip around.
The course was designed by Ron Kern. A water-filled ditch ran across the site about 250 yards from the road. Six holes run back and forth across the ditch, including the opening trio along with the ninth, tenth and final holes. But this simple back and forth layout on these holes allowed Kern to use the remainder of the well flowing terrain and develop some excellent variety the rest of the way around the course. The opening nine holes snake around in a semi-circular fashion and then wrap back around to the beginning of the course for the first loop. The second nine then runs in a clockwise direction around the perimeter of the site while using the ditch, a few small ponds and some wonderful terrain movement to provide a thrilling conclusion to the round.
With many public access courses, the green complexes can often be about as dramatic as a sitcom season finale. Fortunately, Bent Tree has a solid combination of putting surfaces that range from subtly concave to wild double-tiered bootquakers. The green on the second hole is one of the best as it was situated within a bowl and has a steeply sloping green with a second tier that towers over the lower section of the green. A ring of bunkers around the outside symbolize the audience in this mini-amphitheatre where a comedy of errors or a tragic death sequence is often the result of someone being on the wrong part of the green. The opposite can be found on greens such as the fourteenth where everything flows away from the middle and no putt is perfectly straight unless struck sharply.
The second green
Holes of note:
Hole 5 – 452 yards – The toughest hole on the front side is a slight downhiller that runs past the edge of a pond to the right with the preferred angle of approach on that side as well. The green has a slightly uphill slope into it with subtle run-offs to the right and left.
The approach to the 5th
Hole 6 – 482 yards – From the tee two options exist, go left and play safely or try to carry the bunkers on the right and land on the plateau so a shot at the green is possible. If the carry is successful the green is in range at just over 200 yards and steeply downhill. For those that lay back they will be left with a downhill lie that will make it difficult to stay on the narrow green. A bailout area exists to the right. The green runs off of a spine in the middle and slopes towards the water on the left and towards the fairway on the right. A wonderful risk-reward hole.
The tee shot on the 6th, if the bunkers are carried
You are left with this shot from a flat plateau
Hole 8 – 175 yards – Perhaps the best par three on the course with a wonderful green setting exposed to the wind. The tee shot goes from one nob to another across a shallow valley. The deep bunkers on the left are the true danger. A steep slope from back to front also has a twist towards the left side making any downhill putts nearly impossible to keep close, let alone make. All of the terrain runs away to the right, so anything hit this way is in true danger, unless you are lucky enough to find the lone bunker on that side.
The 8th green
Hole 12 – 387 yards – The ditch is used in a refreshing manner on this hole as it runs straight through the middle of the hole. The fairway is across the water and gives the simpler approach into the green with trees and water on the inside of the dogleg to the left. Bunkers on the outside are merely a minor hindrance unless a large slice is hit. If one mishits their tee shot and gets wet, they can drop in the fairway short of the ditch and have a two hundred yard recovery left of the ditch and trees to the green in the distance. Such a recovery is possible, but is dangerous as the green slopes slightly from front to back.
The tee shot
If you are successful you have this approach
If not you can hit to the green left of all the trouble
Looking back down an unusual hole
Hole 13 – 528 yards – With the natural run of the terrain going from left to right and towards the ditch along the outside of the hole, it is important to stay along the left. The creek then cuts diagonally through the hole near the green and presents a problem in deciding whether to lay up or attempt to carry over the vegetation and water. If the carry is successful a clear opening, if not then an intimidating pitch is in order.
The hazard crossing the hole
Hole 15 – 422 yards – In my opinion the hardest and perhaps the best hole on the course. The fairway has some tumbling that must be cleared on the tee shot, then the second must clear a finger of the pond near the green that stretches across the fairway. The green is angled with the higher side being on the right and nearer to the water. There is some space to land short of the green just over the water if needed.
From short of the green
Hole 16 – 334 yards – A trio of bunkers on the right are placed as a carry hazard in the direct line of charm from the tee to the green. If these are successfully mastered a short pitch to the longish green is open to the player. For those with weak swings or hearts the left side is wide open but provides a less than appealing angle over a long waste bunker.
Looking back down the hole shows the strategic design
Hole 18 – 505 yards - Two mounds on the left side can be used to get extra roll down the hill if the player is lucky. This will then setup a second over the ditch and to the target beyond that is in the midst of thirteen bunkers. Another of the excellent set of par fives at Bent Tree
The view if you want to try and get home in two.
Or if you lay up short of the creek.
Today the course may seem short by modern standards, tipping in at only 6550 yards from the back markers, it is more than enough for the mortal golfer and provides a fun and challenging ride around the Westfield farm land. If the course ever overcomes the stigma of bad conditioning then it could become one of the must play courses in the Indianapolis area while also being one of the best values in the region.