Noble Hawk Golf Links

$36 (cart included), played on Wednesday, March 2022 at 8:30 AM

The snow/rain has finally left the area long enough to open the course untill the next weather suprise. Conditions are still rough from winter but being able to play a great 1997 Tim Dykstra course in the winter months, is better than shoveling snow. The weekly (M-F) Senior Special is $37 18/cart that includes a Jumbo Hot Dog w/pop before you leave, which is real nice when you're done. Having six (6) tees from Black's 6,817yds / 73.5 / 12 down to Orange @ 3,955yds you can have a lot of choices for the yardage you want to play. I chose the Greens @ 6,411yds / 71.8 / 130 execpt where the Par 4's (4 total) exceeded 400+ yards giving me 6,316yds on this Link's Par 35/36 layout. There is only one (1) hole where the Par 3 exceeds 200yds (#15 @ 222yds) and 210yds is needed to carry the water directly in front of the Tee to Green. The layout is fairly flat but with the meandering fairways that were bordered by a mix of grassy and sand bunkers, challenges your visual carries and landing areas. No GPS on carts or yardage books available so it really keeps your head in the game. The greens (Smaller in size) were fuzzy (as excepted) and the sand traps were very firm but they said in April they will start fluffing and adding sand. The undulating greens were fair in size but very protected by elavation and sand traps. The #3 Par 4 was playing 381yds with a LH sand trap tee-green on this Hcp 9 hole. This is followed up by #4 a 591yd Par 5 with water on the LH side to protect its Hcp 3 rating. Finishing up on #9 is their Hcp 1 Par 4 at 429yds that challenges your 2nd shot with water carry on LH side to a narrow green. The Back 9 starts out with a winding and narrow 390yd fairway to this small elevated green. The #13 Par 5 is one long and tough 596yds / Hpc 2 that has two (2) hidden river crossings with the one in front of the elevated green, a must carry. Now when you get to #15 Par 3, make sure you stop at the Black tee box for that 222yd view of the green with a 210yd carry over the water to a narrow green. The #18 is a 507yd Par 5 that wraps around a pond leftside (9 sand traps) to a small elevated green to finish your round. Was told to come back and enjoy the summer conditions to see what this course can really play like. I ended up shooting 39/41 w/31 putts and having five (5) one putts for Par saves on this 63 degree morning in late March.

(cart included), played on Wednesday, December 2020 at 1:00 PM

When you’re thinking about where to go on your next golf vacation, Fort Wayne isn’t likely to be top of your list. But if you live in the upper Midwest, maybe it should be. There are no less than 25 courses in the area that are open to public play and several of the top tier courses have been packaged together by Great Indiana Golf, which operates out of Cobblestone Golf Club in Kendallville, IN. Here are three “must-play” courses when you're in the area.

Noble Hawk is one of those elite courses and a “must-play” in the area; it too has received its share of recognition. Golf Digest Places to Play awarded them 4 out of 5 stars. Course owner Tim Dykstra thinks that Noble Hawk is one of the most unique courses in the area and after playing a round on it, I think he may be right.

The course is a combination of several golf course styles. Several holes will remind you of a southern course with lots of sand and water. Believe me, having lived, and played golf in Florida for 25 years, there is only so much you can do with sand, water, and palm trees, so having a couple of other styles to fall back on is a good thing. A few holes feature tree-lined fairways, something you find on mountain-type courses. Several holes feature manmade hazards such as ponds, bunkers, and built-up rough like a parkland course. But to me. the overall feel of Noble Hawk is more like a Scottish heathland-style with gently rolling fairways carpeted in Bentgrass fairways, large undulating greens, and a variety of ornamental grasses that add to the challenge and overall linksy look of the layout. In addition to outstanding golf facilities, the level of service provided by the friendly staff is second to none.

Each side has its own risk/reward hole. The 7th is listed on the scorecards at 295 yards but plays downhill. Sand and water divide the fairway and while it is drivable and gives up the occasional eagle, playing for birdie is a more prudent idea. Number 14 is a very narrow but short par 4 that plays 299 yards. An iron or fairway wood off the tee is the smart play. The slope of the fairway will funnel the ball back to the middle and leave a short iron into one of the course’s smallest green. Brains over brawn will yield a better score.

The 13th hole stands out in my memory from my trip to Noble Hawk. I love courses that name their holes and this is one of the best: The Jugular! For most golfers, this 542-yard par 5 is a 3-shot hole. It’s a tight driving hole with trees on either side and is best played with a drive down the right. Choose your layup club carefully and leave yourself a manageable distance into the green. You’ll have to carry a small valley on your approach shot and it’s important to be on the right level of this multi-tiered green. Par is a great score here.

The Best Western Kendallville Inn is the preferred hotel partner of Great Golf Indiana. The hotel is locally owned and was recently renovated. The Best Western Kendallville Inn has all of your typical big-city hotel amenities and a heaping helping of warm, small-town hospitality. They offer a variety of rooms and suites that are perfect for golf groups and couples. Rooms include a microwave and refrigerator, 32-inch LCD TV, high-speed Internet access, and a full breakfast buffet. Be sure to ask about the “special perks” available for their golf visitors. Nearby Fort Wayne offers big-city entertainment, dining, and shopping.

The Fort Wayne area is poised to be the host of a multi-venue golf tournament like they have in Myrtle Beach and Mesquite, Nevada. They have the courses and accommodations to pull it off and with a little participation from local restaurants I’m confident it would be a success. Great Indiana Golf has put together some great golf packages that include some of the best golf courses Indiana & SW Michigan has to offer together with overnight accommodations at the Best Western Kendallville Inn.

$31 (cart included), played on Monday, June 2012 at 2pm

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$31 (cart included), played on Friday, September 2009 at 8am