Circle City Chili Dipper- Indy Golf Thread

[Bob Cat]

See below for WITB.

 

I also want to say that I was skeptical of joining up with some random dudes from the web for a round. After all, if they're jagaloons, you're stuck with them for a few hours.

Not the case here! Super good guys of similar ability that play ready golf and just want to have a good time. We're even to the point where we freely poke fun at each other and it's great!

Hope we can get a few more guys on board.

[DrOldSchool]

Ping G400 Driver, 3W, 3h, 4h, 5h

Ping I 6-9 irons

Ping Glide 2.0 46* 52* 56*

Ping ISI Nickel LW 61*

Bettinardi BB39 Putter

Titleist cart bag with lucky Delaware towel

Money won from Bob Cat and marmooskapaul

[Wgoforth8605]

Taylormade M3 440 w/ hzrdus black 6.5

Taylormade M3 3wood w/ tensei 65 S

Taylormade M4 4iron-SW w/ fujikura Atmos red 7 S

Callaway x series 58*

Taylormade Bigfoot hi toe 60*

Cleveland blade putter w flatso 3.0

[Bob Cat]

Paul, we gotta destroy that lucky #$%! Delaware towel.

[marmooskapaul]

Delaware Destroyer is going DOWN this year!!!!

 

Driver

5 wood

hybrid

some irons

wedges

putter

and a special place for Doc's donations!!

[DrOldSchool]

 

[marmooskapaul]

Hey Doc! You ever recover your dental crown???

[DrOldSchool]

I'm assuming it's somewhere in a wastewater treatment plant by now.

[HoosierHacker89]

Paul I'm glad you've been so descriptive for your clubs. Very informative! Being a fellow short knocker I understand the importance of that darn 5 wood. I use it way more than I'd like too.

[54putts]

TM 2016 M2

Ping G25 3W

Srixon H45 3H

Callaway 2018 X-Forged

Callaway MD Forged 52-58

Bettinardi QB #6

Snell MTB-X

[HoosierHacker89]

Sadly, I was informed today that Pete Dye passed away.  I know that he had been diagnosed with dementia sometime ago and as a mental health nurse I have taken hundreds of clients with dementia over the years. Its not pretty, and I am sure he is in a better place at this time. I would like to take this time to commemorate him the best I can (since I can't go play one of his courses).

What is your favorite Dye course? Here in Indiana we are so blessed to have the Dye trail and so many great tracks to play even around Indy its impossible to pick just one.

I am going to go with a less than conventional answer and say Sahm is my favorite Dye course. Its not even really a "Dye course" in the purest form, but I love seeing it and comparing it to his later work. I play Sahm often and I love the course so it gets my vote. Those greens just get me as I read and putt them incredibly well. I love how walkable it is, and I was my home course when I lived in Castleton. Lots of good memories.

[Bob Cat]

Don't think I've ever played it. Let's get that one done next year, HH.

 

Oh, Brickyard.

[Mob]

My brother and I have an annual golf match vs. my 2 sons (age 20 and 18). We were in Naples, FL over Christmas and played Naples Grande and Tiburon. The bet was that the losers had 2 get a temporary tattoo of the winner's choice. My brother and I won, so the boys are both getting large tramp stamps. The best part of this is that they both live in a fraternity house at IU with communal showers. They are both dreading going back on Monday. I am putting the tattoos on this Sunday. Hope they last a few weeks, so everyone gets to see them.

[Pigator5]

I’m going to have to go with Mystic Hills as my favorite. Even though it wasn’t in the best shape and it’s now Jim Irsay’s, it was probably my favorite Pete Dye layout.

[Bob Cat]

^ I didn't realize Irsay bought it. Hopefully he's keeping the course and not expanding the helipad?

[Pigator5]

Yep, supposedly they are renovating it and possibly putting a hotel across the street. Started last year and there hasn't been any publicity on it. I assume it might be private once it opens back up.

[HoosierHacker89]

This is great! Tramp stamps build character. I love hour parenting style. I bet Sunday is going to be a sweet time for you applying those things!

[DrOldSchool]

The idea of a frat house with community showers.... jokes just write themselves even without 2 dudes with tramp stamps.

[mci711]

Has anyone been to X Golf in Carmel? I live in Chicago, my wife is from Indy and when we visit her Grandpa this month we were going to try and find a simulator to play a round with him. If not there, then any other recommendations? They live in Carmel so that area.

[Bob Cat]

Have not heard of X Golf but there's a TopGolf in Fishers if that helps.

[DrOldSchool]

X Golf opened around Thanksgiving last year. Haven't been to it, but it's probably the best you'll do around Carmel.

[HoosierHacker89]

I am going to start a new series for this thread focusing on specific courses around Indianapolis. I would like to start a discussion talking about strengths, weakness and your overall impressions of the course. We can discuss specific holes, greens, pin locations, hazards, clubhouses, ranges, and customer service.

I wanted to start this series off with a strong course, so today we will be discussing the Trophy Club located in Lebanon, Indiana. It is just off 65 on highway 52 about 30 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis.

The trophy club plays from over 7,300 yards from the tips, and the wind is the biggest defense on the course. Trophy Club open in 1998 and it was designed by Tim Liddy.

My favorite hole at the trophy club is #14 which is an awesome par 3 that can be 130-200 yards depending on which tees you play. No room to miss much of anywhere and its is just picturesque.

The best part of the trophy club is the price. You can get on under $50 bucks most of the time., and I don't think that price can be beat for value anywhere is town (1a. Trophy 1b. Royal Hylands hard to pick).

[Bob Cat]

Doc, did we play Trophy last year?

[DrOldSchool]

We did at some point BC, not sure when.

Trophy Club is one of my favorites to play. Average ~10 rounds a year on it the last 3 years (and already played it once in 2020) even though it's about a 45 min drive (no traffic) from my house. I think it's the most challenging course around Indy, and my scoring average on it is a bit higher than everywhere else I play with that amount of frequency. Usually play the Blue tees, second from the back. I would probably be hitting Driver-3W all day from the tips, and the Whites bring a lot more trouble into play. The challenge of the course is in the approach shot out of the time.

Course is usually in solid shape with the exception of the bunkers that are usually very spotty, especially when wet. They have a clubhouse that can host small events, though I am not sure how much they do on that side of business. Turn shack isn't always open either, so you have to stock up in the club house a lot.

 

Some thoughts on each hole...

1: Always gets me. Drive is relatively benign unless you spray left/right. It's the approach that's tough with the green being surrounded by deep traps and slightly elevated leaving very little room to miss. I've hit in the farm field right of the cart path before as well. Tricky deep green, with a false front and it falls off on the back 1/3rd or so. Since I'm usually approaching with a hybrid or 6i at best holding the green can be tough.

2: Love this hole. If You bomb you can try to cut the corner. If you lay back off the tee the closer you are to the water then you have a chance to get up the hill on/near the elevated green. I usually play to the left side off the tee though lay back on my second leaving the 80-100 yard wedge. Green slopes towards the hills and can be receptive. Tricky if you get above the hole in season when the greens are running.

3: Another risk/reward hole. If you can cut the corner and get to the top of the hill it's a flip wedge. Otherwise you have a slightly uneven lie. Closer to the left side = shorter shot. Huge green with that deep pot bunker guarding it that usually is just mud. Seen all kinds of numbers on that hole.

4: Tough long par 3, with long narrowish green. I primarily play right to left so the green should set up for me, but I have a tough time hitting it. Lots of junk left if you miss. Wind usually favors pushing left as well.

5: Arguably the easiest hole on the course. Drivable from the whites for even mid-length hitters like me since the wind usually helps. From the blues it's just find the wide fairway and hit a wedge in. Green has a bump on the front right but otherwise it's not as tricked up as others.

6: Number 1 handicap hole, again fairly friendly from the tee but the design of the green, like an inverted saddle requires a precise approach. Nowhere to miss, even if you miss on the correct level.

7: Big hitters can cut the lake and leave something short in. But the fairway again is pretty generous left of the lake, but it leaves a tough approach with no room to miss. Green has a lot of slope with a spine that runs front left to back right. Good place to hunt golf balls.

8: Another longish par 3 with a huge green. Water right and traps above the green left. Front of the green slopes to the water, back is a little flatter.

9: Another fun par 5. Fairway splits around a trap though it's hard to see the right side. Also a hidden pond on the right side from the tee. Second shot leaves decisions on where to lay up. I like to try to play to where the carts park if I'm 200+ out since the green is so narrow from the direction of approach (this leaves depth). Green is also elevated from the fairway. Fun hole, probably my favorite.

10: Big hitter can drive it, even from the Whites I've gotten close since the last 50 yards funnel towards the front, and you can cut a little off over the traps. Block it right off the tee though and you leave a blind shot. Also cannot miss the green long or you're way way below the green surface. Green slopes pretty hard middle to front. Another hole I've seen a wide range of numbers.

11: Another fun par 5. I've been on the front in 2 before, and I've also putted from the right side fairway down to the green. Second shot makes the hole again, have to decide what side to play on - left you're blind on your 3rd but closer, right you have to get up the hill or you're bling. Too long right gets you in an awkward chipping area. Huge green but aside from the false front not too much on it.

12: Nice short 4 with water right. HH and I pulled ~250 balls from that lake a couple years ago. I try to play short of the bunker left with a hybrid off the tee and then hit 9i-PW to the green which again has a spine that falls mostly towards the water, but also to the deep chipping area left/behind.

13: I think this is the toughest hole. Big drive has to challenge the left side or risk going through into tall stuff. No room to miss again with a stream and trap right and woods behind and a chipping area left. Very pronounced slope in the green through the middle that also runs to the right side, so being on the right level and under the hole is key.

14: As HH said a fun par 3 with the stream left and a huge green. It has a few different little bumps in it that makes any putt tricky.

15: Decision is on the tee this time - left leaves a little shorter shot but brings that wall bunker into play. Right means you have to carry the bunker that guards the highly elevated green, and I've found it more than a few times. Tough chipping area left as well.

16: Been debating the best way to play this hole. A good drive in the shortish par 5 puts you in position to go in 2, but there is no good miss as the green basically has a wall in it on the front right. If the pin is on the front a short miss is ok, but if it's in back it's a tough chip. Last time I tried hybrid-hybrid-wedge and thing that is a better option. Especially with my prevailing miss being left, which brings the stream into play. But that wall is the difference, have to fly it or you're basically screwed if the flag is middle-back.

17: Deceptively long par 3 with huge green surrounded by bunkers. Always plays longer than it says.

18: Keep it right you can cut distance off on the very wide fairway. Very tricky green with the front half running hard off the front and back half running hard to the right. Stay below the hole and it's scrabble, above and it can be laughable.

[HoosierHacker89]

Sean thank you for your insight and details on each hole. I have a horrible memory, so i'd say about 50% of the holes stay in my memory. Trophy Club requires an A game from the opening drive until the final putt. It really is the best test of a person's golf game around Indianapolis that I've played (I hear Wolfrun is a pure bear). I always enjoy a round at Trophy Club, and I wish it was closer. I'm a good hour away from south of Greenwood.

As I see it strengths: Cost, outstanding layout, customer service, can ALWAYS get on, tough, use every club in the bag, lots of great par 3s, nice views.

Weaknesses: location is far out, 18th hole is mediocre of quality of course, sand is always needing attention, doesn't go back to club house after 9 and the snack shop is closed often.

I like the greens a lot. I feel like they putt well, and they are deceptively fast. They break a little less they they look majority of time. That double hump on #6 green is unreal. Its like something from a putt-putt course. #17 at hickory stick is a par 3 that has something similar to a lesser fashion.

Tim Liddy did great with this course. Trophy is a must play for anyone either in Indy or the Chicago Region.

[fishinbrad]

Hey all - New guy here. Live just east of Indy in Greenfield and have a pretty flexible job, so I’d like to get out some more during the week this spring and summer. Don’t have a “home course”, but wanna try and meet some like minded folks! Found this group from one on FB that I belong to.

[marmooskapaul]

 

Hello Fishinbrad:

Once weather gets better you should be able to join up with some of us. Royal Hylands and The Fort are both short drive for you. I go to RH quite a bit. Look forward to meeting you. welcome!!

[fishinbrad]

Sounds great! Royal Hylands is a really nice track. Played both there, as well as The Fort last year.

[Bob Cat]

Welcome to the board and group, Brad!

[DrOldSchool]

Welcome aboard, Brad. @marmooskapaul is probably your closest regular poster neighbor on the board, but all of us travel to play all over the area, and I work in Muncie so I/we play around there as well.
I concur with the others that Hylands is your best choice out that way. Hawks Tail in Greenfield is ok, has a couple quirky holes on it and is an older layout that has been in decent shape for the most part the couple times I played it - you can also usually find it cheap on GolfNow. Not a fan of Arrowhead, it has a goofy back 9. Plan to hit a few others over that way this year that I haven't been to yet like Antler Point in Rushville and Westwood in New Castle.