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Golf Iowa

There are emeralds lying atop the rich soil of the Great Plains, 9 and 18-faceted gems waiting to be found and enjoyed. They lie alongside Iowa’s creeks, ponds and rivers, woven into the fabric of her gently rolling hills…and we call them golf courses.

The Hawkeye State has nearly 400 quality and championship golf courses across the state. Each is endowed by nature with a pristine beauty, accented with a variety of trees, including various towering pines, adding vertical texture to the landscape. Some of the courses are venerable, going back to the early 1900’s, while others are fresh designs made by the latest and greatest minds and technologies available.

Golf is big enough in Iowa that there is a magazine for it. A few years ago, Pioneer Communications’ CEO Jim Slife, the publisher of that magazine, informs us that there are "over 400,000 golfers playing on our nearly 400 courses and spending over $500 million annually on golf related purchases." Obviously, Iowa’s residents take the game pretty seriously. Understandably so, Championship courses in Iowa tend to be rather picturesque places, and where better to start a day than in such lavish verdigris beauty?

In most every metropolitan area of the state, one finds several courses. What may be more surprising are the quality small-town courses. With an active Golf Association (The IGA) and PGA presence, both adults and juniors are constantly and actively involved in the sport.

One example of quality is the Wakonda Country Club in Des Moines, IA. A champion private-equity 18-hole course with a 74 rating which ranked 2nd in the Top 10 courses of Iowa, the picturesque course offers up classic links designed in 1922 by William B. Langford, ASGCA. One would have to look far and wide to find a prettier, more serene landscape on which to play the game.

The Finkbine Golf Club on the University of Iowa campus is another award-winning leader. Boasting over seven thousand yards, they enjoy a course rating of 73.9, and a slope rating of 132. With a fresh coat of L93, this Bent Grass course is lively, slick and attractive.

The golfers of Iowa have seen to it that visitors to the fine state have ample quality selections available to them. Whether you fly into Des Moines or drive through Cedar Rapids, happen to be visiting relatives, staying over for business or passing through the state, there are several courses you won’t want to pass up. There really are gems to be found amidst the cornfields and gentle hills. Take a little of your time while you’re in Iowa and treat yourself to a pleasant surprise. While no one thinks of Iowa as a great golf vacation destination, some of the courses may give you reason to wonder why you didn’t play there long ago Golf Iowa. It’s not just for cornshuckers anymore.