Red Carpet Golf

$16 (cart not included), played on Wednesday, June 2011 at 1:30 PM

Came across this score when talking about old Country Clubs that have gone public. This 1920 Tom Bendelow design (enjoy his playable designs) was originally the roots of the Sunnyside CC here in Waterloo from 1920-1970. They built and moved to their new course, a Leo Packard design at 1600 Olympic Drive in 1970, where they are today. I was told that around 1976, a deal was sealed for this course to become privately owned, but a public course named "Red Carpet Golf" was born. This was probably built as a rolling Link's type layout because the many scattered trees on the inside of the course look about 50-60years old.

The course offers three (3) tee box choices with the Blues @ 6,572yds / 71.0 / 122 to Reds @ 5,754yds / 71.5 / 112 on this Par 36/36 layout. Good grass throughout the course with generous fairway from tee to green. Sand traps were in good shape and well-positioned to protect the mostly round and straightforward smooth greens rolling 8-9.

The Front 9 starts with the Hcp 1 Par 4 at 422yds that is all downhill to the large round green with a large front trap. The #2 is a 222yds straightaway and uphill Par 3 slightly tipped green. The #3 is a 371 yds Par 4 with a narrow landing at 200yd because of the overhanging tree branches; you must hit center cut. The #4 at 471yd sets you up for an easy Par 5 or Birdie if you bang those first two (2) shots to this small flat green. The #6 is an uphill 182yd Par 3 with sand traps on both sides and a tipped green; landing on the front is best. The #7 Hpc 3 is a short 346yd dogleg left Par 4 with a pond 220yds out LH side with trees guarding the corner. The #9 is a dogleg right 470 yds uphill Par 5 that has scattered bushy trees protecting the corner-cutting big hitters, so hit Big or go Safe to the middle.

The Back 9 starts with a 410yd Par 4 with water protecting the front RH side of the green with a small fairway on the LH side rolling up to the green. The #11 is a lovely 155 yds Par 3 shot over the pond with OB down the left-hand side. The #12 Par 5 at 561yds is straight to the narrow raised green with OB down the LH side. The next Holes 13,14,15 are uphill, downhill, uphill 344-371yd Par 4's to flat round greens. The #16 Par 5 has a blind tee shot on this straightaway 508yds, with OB on the LH side, downhill to the flat green. The #18 Par 3 is uphill 202yds to a small green bordered by sand traps, so miss short.

I enjoyed playing here because of pricing and conditions. I ended up paying $18 for easy walking ($15 extra for cart) and shooting 37/37 w/32 putts on this beautiful June afternoon.

$16 (cart included), played on Tuesday, October 2011 at 6am

Great course, friendly staff.