Indian Lakes Resort - East Trail Course
Chicago Golf Course Review - May 7, 2004
Indian Lakes is a premier Chicago golf destination situated just 20 minutes southwest of O'Hare International
Airport in Bloomingdale. featuring unique accommodations and amenities befitting a top notch property. This
newly renovated resort features two championship golf courses, a 4,000 sq. ft. full-service spa featuring Vichy
Shower massage, complete fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, volleyball, tennis and diverse
nightlife options, along with a huge practice green and hitting net for pre-round warm-ups. A small pro shop
compliments a great range of resort facilities and amenities - too long of a list to mention here. For a great
cache of photos plus text outlining what this resort has to offer, visit our Resort Listing page, with a link to the Indian Lakes web site, by clicking here.
The East Trail Course
The course is well-marked with 200, 150 and 100 yard plates located on the fairways and sprinkler heads are
marked. The ProLink GPS system on each cart provides accurate distance to the various hazards and to the
pin and the club protectors on cart are always much appreciated. The property is kept in immaculate condition.
Tee boxes, fairways, greens (all bent grass) and the bluegrass rough are well groomed and perfectly maintained. Tee boxes are well marked.
Our experience at the East Course took place during one of the more blustering days of spring - storms
threatened throughout our visit, but never dampened our spirits. The East Trail is such an enjoyable layout that
it would be hard to imagine having a bad time on the course. Designed by Robert Bruce Harris with slope
ratings of 117, 114 and 106, the course plays 6890 from the black tees, 6524 from the golds and 5031 from
the forward tees. Water comes into play on two holes, but players will find the enormous, well-mounded sand
bunkers to be the main hazards. The use of bunkering - strategically placed on the fairways and used
protectively around the greens make many of the holes a challenge to players who have difficultly with accurate shot placement.
The par 4, 409 yard opening hole offers players a great chance to warm up with lots up landing area up to
approx. 225 yards where the first of many of the large fairway bunkers on the course introduces itself. Balls hit
too far right off the tee may find a tree or two between the ball and the green. The #1 handicap on East Trail is
the second hole - a 508 yard par 5. A slight dogleg left is masked by two massive bunkers. Big hitters may be
able to carry the second bunker at 249 yards but the safe bet is to place your teeshot about 10 yards right of
those bunkers at 210 yards. This nice landing area will give you a good look at the pin which, aside from being
a good distance away is well-protected by sand. A carefully placed lay-up will provide you with a birdie chance
, but be happy with par here. #3 is a nice par 4 with lots of landing area while #4 is the first of the four par 3's on
the course. The green is slightly uphill and is guarded by large bunkers in front. Tee shots on the fifth are hit to
a fairly open fairway that begins a climb to the green at about 220 yards. Two monstrous bunkers protect the
small green. The is to sixth hole (#3 handicap) is 345 yard par 4 that offers an expansive landing area off the
tee but then challenges your shot making ability at about the 100 yard marker, where the fairway narrows
considerably and is protected by four large bunkers. Number 7 is a pretty little 158 yard par 3 over water. The
green is quite large and mis-hits that don't find the water, may end up in one of the bunkers flanking both sides.
The eighth hole is a interesting dogleg right. Tee shots will have to carry at least 175 yards (ideally 200) on the
left side of the fairway in order to get a good look at the pin. Water can come into play on the left and sand
protects the right side of the fairway as well as the right side of the green. The closing hole on the front nine is a
sweet 433 yard par 4. The two bunkers on this tree-lined fairway are on the left side and begin at 217 yards.
The approach shot will be to a large green that slopes to the front with two bunkers left and one right.
While the front nine on East Trail feels wide open, the back nine plays a little closer with large oaks and willows
lining many of the fairways and giving them a narrow feel. The tee off on the par 4, 418 yard #10 is to a landing
area that begins 122 yards out. A slight curve to the right occurs on the climbing fairway with an approach to a
small green. #11 is the number 2 handicap. A good tee shot would be between 205 and 225 toward the right
side of the fairway (to avoid a stand of trees on the right just near the forward tees). An expansive bunker on the
left should be avoided to have a good set up for an approach to severely bunkered and small green that slopes
toward the front. Long tee shots on number 12 may end up in a treed area. This severe dog leg left is well
bunkered at the turn and there is a very narrow approach to a large uphill, sloping green. This is a hole where
smart play will be rewarded. The thirteenth is another well-bunkered par three. The green is slightly concave
which can afford some interesting pin placements. #14 - a 346 yard par 4 has an elevated tee and a fairly
straightforward fairway with bunkering on the left (which takes 240 yards to fly) while #15 is the last of par 5's.
Bunkers come into play near the green, but this 491 yard hole should otherwise offer a chance to pick up a
stroke. Hole 16 is a 333 yard par 4 with a slight dogleg right. The uphill approach narrows at about 100 yards.
The final par 3 is number 17. At 140 yards, this hole will test your shot making abilities. Three greenside
bunkers and one bunker in the center of a very small fairway protect a large, sloping green. The finishing hole is a 398 yard par 4 that should provide an experienced golfer with a birdie chance.
The East Trail course at Indian Lakes Resort is interesting, challenging and yet very playable. The back tees
demand some serious carries that can test the skills of serious duffers while the middle and forward tees make
the course playable for intermediate and novice golfers. Chances are that all levels of golfer will test their skills
in the sand on this course. Indian Lakes Resort offers numerous Stay & Play packages which include unlimited
golf as well as accommodation in newly renovated deluxe guest rooms. For more information on East Trail Golf Course at Indian Lakes Resort visit our information page by clicking here.
|
