Played on 10/3/15 at 7:15 am and finished in just over 4 hours.

When I first started playing golf, I chose value over quality since I suck anyways and didn't think course conditions would make any ... Continue »

Played on 10/3/15 at 7:15 am and finished in just over 4 hours.

When I first started playing golf, I chose value over quality since I suck anyways and didn't think course conditions would make any difference. I just wanted to get out and play as much as possible for as little money as possible. They were offering their Player's Card where you pay $99 for the year and you get discounted rates ($20 anytime Mon-Fri and after 10 am Sat & Sun or $25 before 10 am on Sat and Sun including cart). This was a killer deal especially since I could only play Saturday mornings. This is where I pretty much learned to play golf so I must have some kind of an emotional attachment to this course. because I actually think quite highly of Indian Hills, especially in relative to the green fee. I have been playing here at least two Saturday mornings a month and some months play every Saturday here.

It seems like people complain about this course and rate it really low but I think it's fair. Especially for the price. Even if you are not a Player's Card holder, they have email deals all the time.

Course in General - This is a par 70 course that has quite a bit of elevation change. There are few holes where you are teeing off at least 50 feet above/below the hole and two holes with at least a 100 feet in elevation change. It makes the round very interesting.

Tee Boxes - Most tee boxes other than par 3s are lush. A few holes could use some leveling. They do move the tee markers back and forth every few weeks so if you are lucky, tee boxes are in really good condition. Tee boxes were in great condition today except for one par 3 which was quite chewed up.

Fairways - There are some patches where it seems like they just cannot get grass to grow. In one or two holes, these are right in the middle of the fairway and on few holes, they don't really come into play unless you mi sh-t your ball. I don't know why they can't repair these but it has been the same the last 10 months I've played here. However, these patches (they are not huge patches, maybe 10' x 10' at the most) are clearly marked as ground under repair with white circles. Other than these patches, the fairways are lush and in good condition. None of the dead brown grass I saw at Empire Lakes couple weeks ago.

Rough - Considering the limited number of courses I have played in my short golf career, I think Indian Hills has about as many trees as I have seen. The trees are quite close to each other so if you hit near one, it is most likely that you'll have to lay up. Except on a few holes, even if you hit into the rough, you will most likely be hitting on grass although the depth varies by hole. There are some roughs that are wet all the time for some reason.

Greens - For the most part, the greens are slow. I am not sure if it's due to the fact that I play early mornings all the time but they are slow. They do roll smooth and not too bumpy. Last month or so, the 1st hole had an infestation or something but seems to be better now. Even though I was probably one of the first five groups to tee off, there were unfixed ball marks.

Customer Service and Etc. - I don't know if they have one later in the day when they are busier but I have never seen a marshal on this course. Maybe it's due to the fact that I play in the mornings when it's cooler but I have never seen a beverage cart on the front nine. Last time I checked (several months ago before I started carrying a wet towel), half the ball cleaners are empty. They could use some extra trash cans throughout the course. The staff at pro shop are very accommodating. This course is located within a residential area and during the cooler mornings, there are quite a number of local residents walking on the course with their dogs. It may bother some people. Also, on a few holes, the houses are too close and you can hear the entire conversation that's going inside the house. I've once heard a lady yelling and accusing her husband/boyfriend of sleeping with her friend. Unforgettable experience. If you can live with these and feel like spending $30-40 during prime time, give Indian Hills a try.

*** Please note that my review may sound very favorable but if I had to pay more than $45 or so to play here, I would probably choose to spend a little more and I would have better choices. However, this course is definitely worth playing and quite enjoyable when it comes to under-$50 courses.