Pics are courtesy Mike Botkin
WHEN YOU LIVE in Carmel and your golfing buddy lives in Columbus, Indiana, choosing courses halfway in-between can be challenging. We often find ourselves playing in Edinburgh or Franklin, but a couple weeks ago we decided to try something different and go to Greenwood.
Of the two courses in town, Bluff Creek Golf Course sounded intriguing. The club is located 11 miles south of I-465 on I-69 and sits on 171 acres. Another attractive feature is the price: $29 for seniors and $35 for adults to ride 18 holes on weekdays (the rate goes up to $42 for both on weekends).
As soon as we pulled into the steeply inclined parking lot situated on the side of a massive hill and trekked upward to a newly renovated clubhouse atop the bluff, the course’s appeal became clear. With the Indy skyline visible above the tree line and the course spreading out below, the view was surprisingly spectacular—a Kodak moment for sure.
Many of the holes at Bluff Creek sport elevated tees, driving the ball down to the fairway below, or greens that are located at least one or two club lengths above the fairway, providing strategic opportunities and challenges.
The most spectacular holes are 9 and 10, both short par 3s. The hole 9 tee shot is straight up to a blind green where the top of the flagstick is all that is in view. Recently updated, hole 10 sports another semi-blind tee shot 70 feet straight down to the green. Both were super fun and very cool to play. Depending on the crowd, trying the shot at hole 10 multiple times can be fun and harder than you expect.
Pics are courtesy Mike Botkin
Bluff Creek was originally designed with a lot of water in play, but the water has been removed and replaced by grass bunkers. Because the course is constructed in the flood plain of the White River, all flatland greens are elevated, which puts a little more pressure on the approach shots.
The greens were supple, allowing my shots to “bite” so the approach could be aggressive. Many greens are domed and undulate from front to back or side to side. Depending upon pin placement and whether you stick your approach shot or just get the ball on the green, a 3-stroke putt easily lurks.
I judge a golf course a lot on the condition of the greens and how fairly they play and putt. According to Bluff Creek’s website, the greens are sand-based bent grass, which provides a smooth surface on which to putt. The green reads are true, meaning that if you read the putt correctly and stroke it on the proper line with proper pace, you will be rewarded. But real precision (and some luck) is required on every stroke, especially on putts of 20 feet or more.
The fairways on this self-proclaimed “country course” are bluegrass, flat and dry with a lot of bounce and roll at this time in the season. The rough is in rugged shape and consumed with crabgrass, which offers its own set of challenges. Most courses have long-grassed roughs, making it hard to put the ball back in play. I must admit, I don’t have a lot of experience hitting off crabgrass. I would say it’s like skipping your club across a hard, slick surface with mixed results. This is just another reason to try to keep your ball in the fairway.
After an enjoyable round with my Columbus-based buddy, we enjoyed the views from the newly expanded clubhouse deck, enjoying the breeze and a cold beverage while watching cartoon-perfect clouds pass by and spying fellow golfers on the holes below. Although it was a little rough around the edges, this is a course I will play again.
