Cloverleaf Golf Course

$10 (cart included), played on Friday, July 2012 at 6am

I like courses with history. I like family owned courses. I like quirky courses. I like a good bargain. You get all of these at Cloverleaf. Cloverleaf is a tail of two courses. The front side is short and wide open with bunkers and water protecting many of the postage stamp size greens. Many of the par 4's are driveable for a long ball hitter (but, that is not the way to score on this course). Put away the driver on the front 9. Play a 3 wood or hybrids off the tee, and you will be rewarded. You will need to collect that reward on the front, because the back 9 is a totally different 9. Very narrow, tree-lined, with forced carries over water hazards on most of the holes. Although Colverleaf's "signature hole," is the 13th, 120 yard Par 3, "island hole." It is the 170 yard Par 3, 7th hole that struck me as one of the most well designed Par 3's I have ever played. A kidney shaped green, slanted right to left, with bunkers protecting back right and front left, and a 15 ft. dropoff long, back left. The tee shot must be played over the front right bunker, high, soft, and with a fade to hold the green. Long left over the green is dead (which is where I landed after hitting the green and rolling off). Overall, Cloverleaf is a great front 9 for beginners to learn on, a great back 9 for beginners to learn how tough a course can be, and a great challenge for the seasoned golfer in course management and patience.