Beautiful day at the Amana Golf Club

[Psyclone]

I haven't golfed in anything other than a best shot for what must now be 10 to 20 years. And the best shots are just once or twice a year. So today was a big deal for me. A chance to play my own ball at a beautiful course on a perfect day.

I started out well considering this is a rather unforgiving course. They have a new color GPS system on the carts, but there is no substitute when you don't know the course.

It seems like chipping is the most difficult aspect of the game when you don't play. I felt pretty good on the front nine, scoring a 50 with one par which I was happy with considering my lack of play. My worse hole was a 7, yet I thought I struck the ball really well. Struck a tree pretty well too.

My back started hurting me on the back nine and I struggle home to a 55. But my 105 was good enough for second best in my foursome, all people who play regularly. So I felt pretty good. I like these days off. That was so much fun, I want to go do it again tomorrow. But it's back to work for me. :sad:

 

[joefrog]

So jealous of you. Friends and I golfed Amana last fall on a Thursday and Riverside on a Friday. I highly recommend both. Amana is just beautiful, each hole is pretty much a private hole. Riverside is very hard. Iowa has some great hidden gems around if you just look for them.

 

[Psyclone]

So jealous of you. Friends and I golfed Amana last fall on a Thursday and Riverside on a Friday. I highly recommend both. Amana is just beautiful, each hole is pretty much a private hole. Riverside is very hard. Iowa has some great hidden gems around if you just look for them.

Riverside lost a lot of their course to the floods. For the longest time only 9 holes were playable. I think they have a few more open now.

 

[thunderdave]

I played Riverside last Thursday, I think they have a total of 13 holes open right now.

 

[chadm]

I played Riverside last Thursday, I think they have a total of 13 holes open right now.

That explains why you were bragging about shooting a 81. Didn't add the last 5 holes.:cute:

 

[erikbj]

I just made tee times for next thursday at the Harvester (a little pre-tailgait get together). Pretty excited first time over there.

 

[thunderdave]

That explains why you were bragging about shooting a 81. Didn't add the last 5 holes.:cute:

I wish, we shot 3 under as a foursome.
Toughest course I've played in quite a while.

 

[jamesfnb]

The latest issue of GOLF magazine rates the best Iowa courses as:

1 - The Harvester, Rhodes
2 - Blue Top Ridge at Riverside, Riverside
3 - Spirit Hollow, Burlington
4 - Amana Colonies, Amana
5 - Tournament Club of Iowa, Polk City

Harvester is my personal favorite. Tournament Club of Iowa is a little overrated in my opinion but still a nice place.

 

[jamesfnb]

I'm playing River Valley in Adel tomorrow and Briarwood in Ankeny Friday after the big ISU victory over the Jackrabbits to celebrate. Hopefully I get to Harvester before the snow flies

 

[Covenant Clone]

The latest issue of GOLF magazine rates the best Iowa courses as:

1 - The Harvester, Rhodes
2 - Blue Top Ridge at Riverside, Riverside
3 - Spirit Hollow, Burlington
4 - Amana Colonies, Amana
5 - Tournament Club of Iowa, Polk City

Harvester is my personal favorite. Tournament Club of Iowa is a little overrated in my opinion but still a nice place.

I would have to add Bos Landen in Pella as one of the better courses in Iowa. It is difficult but an absolutely beautiful tract.

 

[cybsball20]

I have yet to play Harvester when the winds WEREN'T 40mph plus... I am sure it would be alot more fun... I LOVE Blue Top Ridge, if you are driving the ball well it can be very easy. If you aren't, good luck... Bos Landen and Amana are nearly similar, same architect and builder... For a while, Bos was kept up better, now it's Amana... TCI is a great course, bad management...

 

[price26]

The Bos has seen better days, it is in fairly decent shaped. I played it 7 or 8 times this summer while in Pella, it is not a bad course by any means.

I played the Amana colonies course several years ago with my uncles. It was a really nice course then, I don't know what it is like now. We actually had a couple deer come out on one of the holes and stand there while we all teed off.