Circle City Chili Dipper- Indy Golf Thread

[Bob Cat]

Have played all of them but Harbor. All solid. All fun. Love a post-round cocktail on the deck at Glendarin.

[DrOldSchool]

Snuck over to Hylands today and it's in solid shape, though 10 is still on a temp green. They removed trees to the right of 4/5, making 5 a much easier hole IMO. Not sure if it was a business decision or if Mother Nature was involved.

 

I know some of you like to fish - take your rod and reel out and cast into the fairway pond on 18 if you go there. Not sure what kind of fish they were, but they're huge.

[mckennwa]

I played Purgatory this afternoon. I don’t know if it is due to the rain or a conscious decision but that course is getting some of its old teeth back with some of the rough being super long and thick. Otherwise the place was is very good condition.

[DrOldSchool]

> @mckennwa said:

> I played Purgatory this afternoon. I don’t know if it is due to the rain or a conscious decision but that course is getting some of its old teeth back with some of the rough being super long and thick. Otherwise the place was is very good condition.

 

Three of us played Purgatory early Sunday morning. Still wet and dewey. I think we spent half our round hunting for balls one-two bounces off the fairway it was so lush and thick. They're redoing #6 green which had a lot of winter damage, but otherwise I agree it was in solid shape. The devotional deal they had was a steal.

[Bob Cat]

Played Chatham Hills today. New Dye track in Westfield. Beautiful place. Indy Open is there tomorrow and Tuesday.

[NC_Indy]

How did you get on to Chatham? I live five minutes away, inquired about membership but 20k initiation with no junior offering was a bit to much. Looks absolutely gorgeous.

[Bob Cat]

I was invited into a fortunate situation, NC_Indy. Hope you get a chance to play it someday.

[DrOldSchool]

Anyone want to play the Purdue courses on Sunday 6/2?

 

Looking for 2, and we're playing both courses that day but if you can only play 1 that's cool. Kampen in the AM Ackerman PM.

[Chillidipper1]

Is anyone looking to play Sunday morning? I am in town for a basketball tournament and would like to get out. I will be staying in the Noblesville/Carmel area.

[Symphonize]

Heading to Fort Wayne area for golfing memorial day weekend. What are your favorite/the best courses up there within an hour of town? Looking to play one or two good courses. We might be staying up in Angola one night so if that was the case would probably try to play Glendarin Hills

[Bob Cat]

First of all, budget lodging can be found at Pokagon State Park in Angola IF there are any rooms or cabins still available.

I'm not sure where you're from but Indiana has a very nice state parks system.

 

I've not been to Glendarin this year but it's always been a beautiful, fun track for me.

 

If in Ft Wayne, you might check out Autumn Ridge on the N side.

[Symphonize]

We have places to stay in Fort Wayne and Fremont right outside of Angola. I’m from Chicago area but lived in West Lafayette for 6 years and Indy for 2 years until last fall.

 

Autumn Ridge looks nice, will definitely check it out. Hopefully the weather works out

[DrOldSchool]

Glendarin is a must. Noble Hawk is solid too.

[HoosierHacker89]

how are the courses inside the loop this year? I drove by riverside the other day, and it looked pretty solid. I've got mixed reviews for this course in the past.

[mckennwa]

Pleasant Run is in great shape and it’s greens are almost getting too fast for some of the slopes out there.

 

I haven’t been back to Riverside after the disappointing last few years. However they are planning to close that course after this year, so I wouldn’t expect too much. South Grove will be closing in a few years also.

[DrOldSchool]

> @mckennwa said:

 

> I haven’t been back to Riverside after the disappointing last few years. However they are planning to close that course after this year, so I wouldn’t expect too much. South Grove will be closing in a few years also.

 

Why are they closing? I have yet to play either one.

[mckennwa]

https://www.ibj.com/articles/73928-citys-oldest-municipal-golf-course-to-close-at-end-of-season

 

They’re redeveloping that park.

 

 

[Bob Cat]

> @mckennwa said:

> Pleasant Run is in great shape and it’s greens are almost getting too fast for some of the slopes out there.

>

> I haven’t been back to Riverside after the disappointing last few years. However they are planning to close that course after this year, so I wouldn’t expect too much. South Grove will be closing in a few years also.

 

Played Pleasant Run yesterday at noon. Greens were running true but I wouldn't qualify them as "fast"... although 7 was a %$#@!.

[mckennwa]

I was out there on Monday as well. The greens weren't as fast as a week or so ago, but they were still very nice. What was really slow was the pace of play, the worst I've ever seen it there. We teed off at 11:15 and quit after 9 as it took 2.5 hours. We usually walk that course in 3.5 or less.

 

When I said the greens were almost too fast, I meant specifically numbers 6 and 7. Imagine those greens being just a bit faster.

[DrOldSchool]

Purgatory lived up to its name this morning. If you missed wide, the tall stuff was waist deep at best, if not chest deep and thick. Wasn't even worth looking. Lots of courses have that stuff grown up right now given the weird rain pattern we've been in. Hylands even had it the other day - not as tall as purgatory but thick.

[NC_Indy]

> @DrOldSchool said:

> Purgatory lived up to its name this morning. If you missed wide, the tall stuff was waist deep at best, if not chest deep and thick. Wasn't even worth looking. Lots of courses have that stuff grown up right now given the weird rain pattern we've been in. Hylands even had it the other day - not as tall as purgatory but thick.

 

Was the tall stuff as tight as it was the first couple years it opened or like it has been the past few years but just grown out? I really didn't enjoy it when it first opened. The three foot high crap on the rims of bunkers and two yards off the fairways quickly went to feeling like the conditions were unfair rather than just punishing. They cut it all back quite a bit and have been burning it out but I feel like they overdid it and it was kind of just thinner rough the past few years where you could reliably get a six iron on the ball. I really like the middle ground where it's not right off the fairway but it's punishing enough that you have to play a wedge out if you miss it bad enough to get into it.

 

 

I've been playing Pebble Brook quite a bit this year because it's so close. For 30 bucks it's a perfectly fine course. Conditions are just so hit or miss. If you catch it when they have mowed the rough the North course is actually pretty decent (I hate the south, I just really don't like the design decision on their "greenside" bunkers). Greens have been great this year, rolling true and quick probably because they can mow them short reliably with all this rain. Got out one day after they had just mowed the rough and shot noticeably better. The other four times I've played the rough has basically been a one stroke penalty and I've shot noticeably worse. Pace of play can really quickly drop when everyone is looking for balls in 8 inch rough right off the fairway.

 

 

Played Fox Prairie and it's again a pretty good course with a bit more uniqueness if you can get on for 30 bucks. Greens are a little beat up, lots of people that don't own a repair tool that play out there I guess.

 

 

Played Gray Eagle with some friends when we found out the sale didn't go through to the development property. Anyone know what happened there? It was not in very good shape, even with less rain than we've been getting the past week the rough was still crazy high in some places and the greens were really slow. Almost seemed like they cut staff and just didn't care to replace them. Was really surprised about the shape it was in for a Saturday morning.

 

 

Have been out to Bear Slide as well a few times and Prairie View one this season so far. Bear Slide was great as always. It doesn't do great with water but they work their butts off keeping it in good shape even with all this rain. Prairie View seemed to handle the water pretty well when I was out there and it was in pretty good shape.

 

Has anyone been out to Trophy Club this year yet? I really enjoy going out there and just haven't made my way yet this year.

[DrOldSchool]

I moved to Indiana in 2015, so I'm not sure what Purgatory was like when it first opened. I have seen the rough closer to the fairway thicker, but the tall stuff has never been this high/thick since I've played it. Usually its been pretty wispy when it gets long, but not like this.

 

I've played Trophy a couple times, and am playing it again on Tuesday. It was in solid shape, even when wet. I always like to use my GolfNow discounts out there, can get on for $0 or close to it with those at a hot deal time.

 

Not surprised to hear that about Gray Eagle. RN Thompson gonna RN Thompson in terms of neglect. I drove past it Saturday around 1 and it was dead from what I could see.

[54putts]

 

> Played Gray Eagle with some friends when we found out the sale didn't go through to the development property. Anyone know what happened there? It was not in very good shape, even with less rain than we've been getting the past week the rough was still crazy high in some places and the greens were really slow. Almost seemed like they cut staff and just didn't care to replace them. Was really surprised about the shape it was in for a Saturday morning.

>

I was told they couldn’t get approval for rezoning the property so the sale fell through. Sounds like it’s just going to remain as is. When I first played it in 2016 it was in decent shape. Haven’t seen it return to that since that season and now have given up on it. Same for Ironwood. I wish someone would buy these RN courses and return them to respectable. The layouts aren’t bad at all and the locations are convenient.

 

 

[DrOldSchool]

Here's a convo topic.... what hole gives you trouble very time you play it? We've discussed toughest holes around town in the past so I'm not thinking that per se, but more just holes that you just struggle on for whatever reason.

 

A couple from me that made me think of the subject as I played today... 1 & 7 at Trophy Club. Not the hardest holes out there (I would argue 13 is the hardest), but I average at least a stroke over par on both of those holes since I started using TheGrint to track my rounds (so 2.5 years worth - 14 rounds).

 

Hole 1 it's the approach that gets me more than the tee shot - the green is well protected and has a lot of slope. I usually find the chipping areas more than the sand, but I've foul balled it on both sides as well.

 

It's usually the approach on 7 as well. My prevailing miss is left off the tee, so the water doesn't come into play as much for me from the tee. But without it being firm (and it's frequently soggy even well after it rains) and having some wind help I usually have to go over at least some water to the green if I hit a good drive, and I find the water or trap alongside it frequently on approach, though I hooked one OB over the cart path on my approach today. Green is pretty sloped too, so if you hit it in the wrong spot it makes for a tough putt.

 

I'll try to think of others...

 

[NC_Indy]

Number 11 at bear slide always gets me. Obviously more than anything it's just mental but I take something less than driver, usually a 4 iron, and in my mind I think I'm hitting a 4 iron it should go almost exactly where I want it to. I think I've been in the right position maybe once of the 20+ times I've played it. I clip that dang tree on the approach shot 75% of the time because I leave my iron out to the right off the tee. Then it's a small green with full rough and a big hill. Downhill lie in the thick rough chipping onto a narrow green or a bunker shot to a narrow green.

 

I think 18 is probably the hardest hole out there and that gets me often but 11 shouldn't be hard and I make it hard every time.

 

Edit: Number 12 at Plum Creek also. Again instead of playing smart and hitting something in front of the bunkers off the tee and just making it a three shot par five I go driver every time because I know if I take something less and I still end up in the rough I'm going to be mad at myself. The lips are strong on the bunkers so you still have to play something high lofted out but usually I'm then left with a worse angle into the green protected by the water and sand than if I just went 3-wood 6 iron pitchy wedge in. It's another one of those holes where I make it much harder than it is.

[DrOldSchool]

I was thinking about 10 at Bear Slide. It's so different from the Blue than from the whites. It's a hole that from the tee should meet my eye as it turns R to L going down the hill. From the blue tees though I frequently find myself in the pine trees on the left that protect the 15th green, which means punch out before going for the green. From the Whites I can hit it down the hill (which I can't from the Blue), but I rarely find that fairway for whatever reason. And when I am in go position I miss the green frequently, and have washed a few in the creek that crosses. Lots of doubles on that hole that are only exacerbated when I also miss the 11th green after clipping the trees on the approach.

 

 

[mckennwa]

I played Ackerman Allen at Purdue yesterday. Can't speak highly enough of the conditions. One of the best conditioned public venues (and rivals many privates) in the state of Indiana. It's also a very challenging but playable golf course too.

 

Playing Kampen on Friday and expect much of the same (except for the easy playability part.)

[54putts]

12 at The Fort always gives me trouble. It doesn’t look like it should be excessively difficult. Can’t really point to a certain feature or hazard that makes it tough for me but I almost always double it or worse.

[54putts]

Commenting on the Bear Slide holes you guys mentioned, that course has some of my favorite holes in town while also having my least favorite. I despise 2, 10, 11, and 17. I love 1, 4, 12, and 18.

[DrOldSchool]

Another one for the list... 6 at Plum Creek. This is the hole closest to Hazel Dell Rd, dogleg right to a slightly elevated green. I always seem to find myself near the 2 bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway. Even slinging a draw today I started too far right and wound up between the traps. That rough is always a little juicy and thick, makes it tough to get an iron through to find the green. Been in the bunker that protects the green too often to want to recall and visited it again today.

 

7 is the hardest hole at Plum in my opinion, but 6 always gets me as well.