Detailed description of Gambit Golf Club, CLOSED 2015
Gambit Golf Club is an 18 hole semi-private golf facility located in Vienna, Illinois.
The course offers a championship layout routed through rolling meadows and woodlands in southernmost Illinois. The par 71 Richard Osborne design offers golfers of all abilities a challenging, yet pleasurable golf experience.
The term gambit means to take a calculated risk for a greater reward, and each hole at the Gambit Golf Club will present every golfer with that opportunity. Enjoy the wonderful vistas from their well-manicured bent grass greens or work on your game at their spacious practice range.
They are located in Vienna, Illinois at Exit 16 of Interstate 24 between Marion, Illinois and Paducah, Kentucky; making the course easily accessible from all directions. They are also located two hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, two hours south of St. Louis, Missouri, and only 20 minutes from the gaming boats in Metropolis, Illinois.
Par for the course is 71. From the back tees, the course plays to 6546 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 4725 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 7, a par-5 that plays to 595 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 11, a par-3 that plays to 154 yards from the back tees.
Watch out for # 2, a 398 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole is # 11, a 154 yard par-3.
The course closed on December 31, 2015.
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$21 (cart included), played on Monday, September 2009 at 6am
Played here 9-21-09 while visiting a friend in the area. Excellent golf course by any measure. Well designed, taking full advantage of the terrain variation: no two holes look remotely alike.
I played the Gold tees, 6102 yards, 69.0/120, which seemed very fair. A fair amount of water, well integrated into the design. Design is by Richard Osborne, who I had never heard of before, but he did a really great job here. Too many good holes to mention them all, but I will cite #15, a 482 yard par 5; water down the entire right side and a sizable bunker on the right, paralleling the water, from about 150 to 225 off the tee. The hole finishes with a little dogleg to the right. The risk/reward: a good drive will put you into the tempting position of crossing the water to the green, which seems reachable...but that green is awfully close to the water, with a very steep bank...come up even a few yards short, and the bounce is backwards...think it over! (I admit it, I wussed out and played safe into the fairway and wedged into the green on my third shot...but I was really tempted!) Conditions were excellent, and the medium sized greens putted moderately fast and true: several of the greens have significant contour, but are not unfair, as we see on some courses.
Price was only $25 for seniors, including cart, which is excellent. Course is NOT walkable for most of us, especially seniors; just too much up and down. A big plus: NO houses anywhere on the course. Pro shop is small, but well stocked, there is a snack bar with friendly staff, and a very nice "learning center," which includes an indoor putting green and three driving stations (into nets), and a video simulator. Pretty good set up. There is also a steakhouse in the same building, which has a good reputation locally. Unfortunately, it is closed on Mondays, so we did not get to check it out.
I liked this course, and would play it regularly if I lived anywhere near. Call before you go there, as they do a lot of outings and leagues. Well worth the visit!