Review of the Month - March 2024

The purpose of the Review of The Month feature is twofold. Top100GolfCourses has always aimed to salute and encourage those who are putting admirable effort into reviewing the world’s great golf courses. Moving forward, we are also looking to learn from these experts! We’ll be chatting with the month’s star authors and discussing topics such as golf in their area, what they like to see in a strong course review, and of course dig a little deeper into their own winning review.

March 2024’s Review of The Month comes from Aaron McElherne, who helped Top100 readers locate a gem in his home state’s heartland, the Tournament Club of Iowa.

The aptly, and intimidatingly-titled Big Creek makes frequent appearances. Any wise words on incorporating do-or-die features such as this into a course routing?

On some pieces of property the designer has no choice but to include a do-or-die feature. A good designer will get the best out of them and highlight them when presented with the opportunity. In other instances the property was chosen specifically because these features are present. I’m unsure which situation is the case for Big Creek at Tournament Club of Iowa, but I’m the type of player that loves these sorts of challenges. They add beauty, intrigue, drama, and excitement to a course.

For me, every memorable track has that one feature that gets you every time. I could be having a terrible round, and then when I come to the big obstacle, I sort of have a chance to redeem myself if I clear it successfully. I can look back at the round and say, “I really stunk it up out there today, but I made that hero shot over the lake”, and that makes me want to keep coming back.

For the Iowa golfers out there who might be reading this Q-and-A, they may have also played in Ames at Veenker Memorial. Veenker has a fine example of what I’m talking about on their No. 11 hole. It’s intimidating, has a chance to tank your score, and yet is one of the most fun holes on the course. It plays straight up hill, over the river and onto a small green. That hole will always give me chills when thinking about it

If these sorts of do-or-die features are missing, I think a course risks becoming forgettable. The inclusion of them makes the course stand out and is worth a few extra points on my course reviewing scale.

Back-to-back par threes at nos. 15 and 16, a relative rarity in course design! Good thing, bad thing, or does it depend?

I don’t think it’s the worst of things…it just feels a little different and a little odd given how infrequently golfers encounter that sort of a set up. When par threes are more evenly spaced, part of their natural defense is that you’re not hitting the driver and your rhythm is thrown off on the tee with a different thought process. You’re not just automatically reaching for the big stick, and your mind sort of does a double take and you’ve got to recalibrate. Doubly true when faced with back-to-back par threes. Mentally, you gotta be ready for anything on a golf course, so I try not to let something like facing back-to-back par threes throw me off, though I could see how some players might not like it.

If my research is correct, this is the only Arnold Palmer design in Iowa. Have you had the opportunity to play other Palmer designs elsewhere? (And, if so, any recommendations?)

I believe you’re correct.

Yes, in fact I’ve played five other Arnold Palmer designed courses: Deacon’s Lodge in Brainerd, MN, The Oasis in Mesquite, NV, SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, CA, Angel Park Palm and Angel Park Mountain in Las Vegas.

Of the five, Deacon’s Lodge was far and away the best.

The Brainerd Lakes area is a popular tourist destination in the upper Midwest that attracts Iowans (and others) who like fishing, golfing, and top-fuel NHRA drag racing. But if you’re only interested in the golf, you could easily keep yourself occupied during a long stay at one of the resorts in central Minnesota. Deacon’s Lodge at Breezy Point is no. 17 in the state as ranked by Top 100 Golf Courses, but there’s also four other top 40 courses in the area. They all cater to upscale summer resort guests and are all very nice.

SilverRock in LaQuinta, California was a must-try on my golf trip to Palm Springs a few years ago, but I can’t say it’s any better than other great courses in the area. I rated it a 3 in my review from the round I played there in 2019. However, I did greatly enjoy the post-round trip to Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant a few miles away. I highly recommend you make a visit. The staff were super attentive, the drinks were strong and the King’s memorabilia and trophy collection filled almost every inch of the building.

The Oasis in Mesquite was just OK. I’ve always enjoyed Wolf Creek the most out of all the Mesquite courses, and The Oasis doesn’t really compare (go rewatch the Golf Channel’s "Big Break Mesquite" if you want to see more of The Oasis). I used to play Wolf Creek six to eight times a year, but it’s getting more and more expensive, so maybe it’s time to revisit The Oasis. When I do, I’ll provide a full review of it.

Angel Park’s Mountain and Palm Courses have been in my regular rotation here in Las Vegas, where I’ve lived since 2014. The course management and staff have some issues and it’s never in the type of amazing shape you’d want from an Arnold Palmer course. It feels more like an overcrowded municipal. It’s a shame that this Arnie facility (there’s also a lighted driving range, a lighted par three course, and the first natural grass putting course in the country) is run the way that it is. I can’t recommend it to Las Vegas visitors looking for a game of golf. The recent change in management from Troon to Arcis hasn’t helped. They didn’t do loyal regulars any real favors with their new player’s card, and non-residents are routinely charged upwards of $200. Not worth it at all.

You emphasize the Tournament Club as a gem. Des Moines is not necessarily a well-known destination for golf...any other underrated spots that you'd like to highlight?

The other course I love playing in the area is Honey Creek in Boone. It has a lot of similarities to Tournament Club of Iowa: woods, elevation changes, beauty. Don’t let the unimpressive little clubhouse fool you, because this course really dazzles. Especially on the back nine.

Otter Creek in Ankeny is also nice. It’s a links-style course that was always in my rotation when I was living in Central Iowa. It was awarded Course of the Year by the Iowa Golf Association in 2016. Neither it, nor Honey Creek make the Top 100 Golf Courses state of Iowa list. So, they would certainly qualify as underrated. I’m sure if the list was expanded, beyond the 20 ranked currently, they’d make the list.

It’s harder for me to recommend private courses (access issues, haha) but I was always impressed when I was invited to the Ames Golf and Country Club. It was always in immaculate shape and the trees have matured nicely in the last 25 years.

One course worth mentioning that isn’t rated, probably because hardly anyone gets to play it, is Talons of Tuscany Golf Club. It’s an ultra-exclusive private club in Ankeny. It’s owned by billionaire Dennis Albaugh, who made his fortune selling pesticide and fertilizer. In addition to the 19-hole golf course, he also has a garage on property that houses the country's best collection of Chevy convertibles, he’s got almost 200 cars! Oh, and he also ran three horses in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Sounds like a fun guy to know! If any of your readers got a hook-up and want to invite me for a round of golf on his course, let me know!

Now that you're a celebrated "Review of The Month" winner, let us know what factors you appreciate in a strong golf course review!

As much as I like writing reviews for this website, I also enjoy reading them. The lengthier the better. I like ones that give me a lot to pore over as I scope out new courses to explore. Tell me your whole story. Break down why it’s great or awful. Tell me why it deserves the extra half star in your rating. And do it in your own style. Besides the guidelines listed for all reviews there are no rules against showing your personality and making your review as much about you and your experience as it is about the golf course. Paint me a picture that makes me want to play it or avoid it. Let me live vicariously through you. I like seeing the emotion in other peoples’ reviews. Golf is too much fun to talk about in terms of numerical measurements alone.

What's one course that you're excited to write a review for in the upcoming year?

This might be the year I finally break down and play Bear’s Best here in Las Vegas. It gets high marks on the Top 100 Golf Courses list of Nevada courses (no. 22), and everyone I’ve talked to who has played it says it is nice. I haven’t tried it yet because it’s pricey. And also, because I wonder how close Jack Nicklaus can truly replicate his best holes on a desert landscape that’s vastly different from the dozens of places around the globe where he’s built courses. We’ll see. I’ll be sure to share my thoughts once I play it.

I know you asked for one, but here’s a second:

I’m planning on playing The Glen Club in Glenview, IL this summer when out that way on a family trip. It’s a Tom Fazio built on a former naval air station and ranked no. 38 in the state. Many of the Illinois courses on the Top 100 Golf Courses list are private courses, but this public track is ranked fairly high. Plus, it’s close to our lodging in the northwest Chicago suburbs. Will be a nice treat, and my hook-up at Ivanhoe isn’t around anymore so I’ve got to try something else.