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Andy Troeger

Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #25 on: November 03, 2005, 06:20:01 PM »
John,
  Make the drive to Rock Hollow, even with having to drive through Kokomo for you, its worth it! Played West Chase a few times, the back nine especially is good fun.

John Nixon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #26 on: November 04, 2005, 09:09:47 AM »
OK - just for fun I'll put out my  ranking of the central Indiana courses I've played. I can't assign specific places to the courses, but I can group them roughly from favorite to least favorite. Money is most definitely a factor in my ranking - those marked with a * are those I consider best in cost-to-quality ratio.

Cat. 1:
The Fort
West Chase
*Bent Tree (a/k/a Hanging Tree)
Bear Slide

Cat. 2:
Harbour Trees
*Fox Prairie
Plum Creek
*Eagle Creek - Sycamore (would be Cat 1 if it were in good shape. A good value if you walk. They rape you on cart fees)
*Coffin (Another Cat 1 would-be)

Cat. 3:
Legends of Indiana
Indiana Golf Club
*Smock
*Sahm
Winding Ridge
Sunrise (9 holes)

Cat. 4:
Saddlebrook
Pebble Brook - South
Stony Creek
Brookshire (would jump to Cat. 2 if it were maintained properly and some egregious bunkering changes were reversed.)
Mohawk Hills (9 holes) - a great value if you live in the adjoining Mohawk Hills apartments. You can play for free during the week. Which I did for 3 months once  ;)

Cat. 5:
Riverside
South Grove
Morningstar
Thatcher (9 holes)

I seem to recall that someone had been starting work on a new Indiana University course - it was either Tim Liddy or Ron Kern. My apologies guys; who was it? I look forward to that - it's one of those wonderful sites that should be able to inspire a very nice course.

Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #27 on: November 04, 2005, 09:32:16 AM »
...... I'd also add in Morris Park CC and Sand Creek CC (at least some of the original parts of it) as well.

Andy, I am curious about Sand Creek, having seen it (although it was designed before my time) while working with Killian and Nugent.  It was by far their best course IMHO, and it always had great ambiance. I know that Leon Howard added nine holes and I am just wondering how the course is holding up?
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Mike_Cirba

Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #28 on: November 04, 2005, 10:25:10 AM »
What?!?!

No discussion of Limberlost GC?   :'( ;)

Andy Troeger

Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #29 on: November 04, 2005, 02:19:29 PM »
Jeff,
I'm sure there are others that could give you a better update than I, but here's my take based on a couple plays. To my knowledge of the three current nines, the Creek is from the original course (Killian/Nugent), the Lake is a mixture of old/new, and the Marsh is all new. I think a few of the original holes were bulldozed when it was re-done.

Every comment I've heard period about the course is that it was better before the re-design, and some really dislike the course now because of how much better it was originally. I never played the original, so I can't say.

I will say the Creek to me is by far the most fun nine to play. It has the ambiance you remember. The original holes on the Lake have some of that as well. The new holes on the Lake I don't care for at all. There is one weird par five with a partially double fairway and another odd dog-leg par four. The Marsh is what it is, the holes are nice enough but completely surrounded by houses. The houses dominate all of the new holes and the ambiance is gone.

I still think its a good course, but the Creek is far superior to the other nines in my opinion.


Mike,
Limberlost is a quaint old par 70 course that maybe measures 5500 yards. It was probably built at two times but two different people. The one half of the property is fairly featureless save for a large ridge that runs through it. Otherwise the whole thing is mowed at one height save for tees and greens...no telling where one fairway ends and the other begins. Biggest difference on the other side is that there are a few more undulations and trees.

It might be a fun course to play if there weren't others out there. Otherwise its exceptionally dangerous, as I mentioned in another thread a ball flew about 3 inches past my ear on the fly.  :o Rather scary. Doesn't attract a highly skilled group of golfers by any means.  :o

Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #30 on: November 04, 2005, 02:27:29 PM »
Andy,

Thanks.  Since I wrote that I went to their web site and discovered what you said for myself.  From the hole diagrams, it was obvious that there was some mix and match, and that the new holes were different.

It would be hard to recommend going to play, but the original holes were very, very good, with lots of alternate routes, mid length par 3's that offered birdie chances, etc.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Andy Troeger

Re:Indiana--Underrated/overrated
« Reply #31 on: November 04, 2005, 02:36:37 PM »
Jeff,
  I agree. I know I actually enjoy playing the course (as long as the Creek is included, and then the Marsh being preferable to the Lake), but those who saw the original tend to be much more critical based on knowing what they once had.

#3 Creek (dogleg right with somewhat of a double-fairway and the chance to drive "safely" left or go towards the green) is a wonderful hole. I also enjoy the par three 4th with the pond then to the right with a difficult green, probably one of the medium one-shotters you were remembering.