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Driftless Golf

@driftless.golf

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Drifting from World Top 100s to midwest public 9 hole courses and sharing the experiences along the way.
📍Driftless Area
Mike Ihm
@officialtop100

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Cypress Point Club
Designed by Alister MacKenzie
Played July 2021.

Unbridled excitement never leaves until a bittersweet feeling sinks in looking at 16 from the patio post round. Numerous hole breakdowns, reviews, and better photos will be coming out of this perfect place with the upcoming Walker Cup and I cannot wait to watch. Sadly I'm sure it will be a lot of driver-wedge for the long Ams but if they get out of position they'll be fighting for a half/tie. I think this will lead to volatile matches that will be very fun. For the rest of us the golf experience is like nothing else. The separate settings between trees, dunes, and rocky shores cohesively work together and make every shot memorable. The classic Mackenzie camo bunkering is gorgeous and intimidating. Was fortunate enough to have 2 rounds. The 1st to take it all in and the 2nd to get after it. Shot what will probably be the most memorable round of my life, -1 with a birdie on 15 and pars the rest of the way in. The club is very welcoming and merch friendly vs the price gouging course down the road. Tough but fair, truely the #1 course in the world.

@officialtop100 #driftlessgolf #walkercup #cypresspoint #mackenzie #caligolf #top100golf #usga #golfarchitecture #golfhistory #golfpictures #17miledrive #bestcourseintheworld by @driftless.golf

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a year ago

Sand Hills Golf Club
Mullen, NE
Designed by Coore and Crenshaw

A pioneering modern classic whose beautiful landscape and sublime golf will blow away numerous layers of stress. The dunes are so large driving in you wonder how a course is going to work. Once on site you understand the 100s of holes C & C saw all sit in a wavey valley. In todays multicourse site builds I wondered how or why they haven't added more holes. Then we played the tips and the course changed drastically. Then we played the front box (me with hickories) and the course changed again. New tees provide not just different length but new angles and new wind challenges. The back boxes were my favorite but the front boxes are a perfect afternoon round "short course." Not a single hole is even remotely like another. We had a group conversation about 8 favorite holes and it was difficult to narrow down because they all work so well individually and together. The greens have wonderful flow lay on the land perfectly. Maybe the best part, the entire experience is just relaxing and tasteful. No over the top frills, no pretension. Incredible burgers and steaks, all you need accomodations, and a helpful friendly staff that are happy you're here.

#driftlessgolf #sandhillsgolfclub #sandhillsgc #nebgolf #cooreandcrenshaw taken in Sand Hills Golf Club by @driftless.golf

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4

3 months ago

The Old Course St. Andrews

Playing TOC is like putting together a constantly changing puzzle. Luckily I had an experienced caddy (Dougie) who knew where the borders were. If you can keep it out of the bunkers and on the correct green its very scoreable. But one wrong move or bounce and you're standing on the next tee puzzled and wishing you could go back and try again. The tee shot on 1 is the most nerve racking 100 yard wide fairway because of the history you're about to play through. It's all a bit of a blur the 1st time around and walking bits of the course the next day was fun and helped provide more understanding of the strategy oozing out of every hole. The most peaceful, spiritual and somehow nostalgic walk in golf that golfers need to experience. Forgot to take a pic of 10 because of the delicious oies at the turnstand. Ended the round draining a birdie on 18 in front of the ever present crowd and celebrated with a few pints at The Jigger Inn off 17 fairway. The Old Course Reverse sign up just closed and I'm aching to get back and see everything from new angles. 🤞🤞

@officialtop100 #driftlessgolf #theoldcourse #thehomeofgolf #standrews #saintandrews #oldcoursereversed #officialtop100 #scotlandgolf #golfhistory #golfarchitecture #golfpics #roadhole @thehomeofgolf taken in Old Course at St Andrews by @driftless.golf

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3

10 months ago

Oak Hills GC
Clear Lake, IA
Designed by The Shermans
Played May 2026

What sounds better on a hot summer day than a par 30, dive bar, and lake town house? This delightful short course has all 3. I was joined by a retiree as numerous kids were out enjoying their summer with grandpas old bag and clubs. When those clubs break, just use them as rope posts or tree support. I wish more people or cities would build like this. A perfect community asset built by the homeowners. Oh and its for sale BTW.

https://www.iowarealty.com/realestate/details/76352999/518-27th-avenue-s-clear-lake-ia-50428

#driftlessgolf #shortcourse #oakhillspargc #clearlake #iowa9ers taken in Oak Hills Par 30 Public Golf Course by @driftless.golf

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3 days ago

by @driftless.golf

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4 days ago

Flatstick Putting Course (Lac La Belle)
Oconomowoc, WI
Craig Haltom

15 holes on a mounded wavey green that surrounds a nice tree. Some holes can get wild and fall off onto the connected 18th green. Lit up, speaker wired and borded by a great patio. Really fun post round or end of day spot to drop a few Spotted Cows and convince yourself you need a new putter.

#craighaltom #driftlessgolf #puttingcourse #laclabelle taken in The Club at Lac La Belle by @driftless.golf

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5 days ago

by @driftless.golf

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6 days ago

Rock Island Arsenal GC
Rock Island, Il

Locked and loaded. Built in 1897 by Captain Stanhope Blunt, the historical 9 is back after closure in 2018. It was built on an island in the Mississippi River by the lock and dam and is home to a military foundry and armory. The island has a fascianting history that dates back centuries with early native bones having been discovered in areas and since the early 1800s has been in some form of military use. The course was built in a Victorian era of design and honestly I'd love to see some of those features work their way back in. Original maps show rows of cops mixed with normal bunkers as a defense. Left on 1 there are what I will call melted choclate drops already in place. Numerous road crossings, most notably the drive on 2 which has to carry a crossing road while staying right of the dike road. I would like to see OG 9 green brought back, although I get bringing 2 roads and a house into play is not ideal (s/o @design__disasters ). The original 9 crossed 5 roads. 3 tee elevated by the ring road gives cool views of the river. It hosted the 1908 Western Am, a Babe Ruth round and a gutty/hickory event in the past and I could see if being a home of late 1800s/early 1900s golf, frozen in time before Americas golden age. That would be unique and something I'd love to see, unless someone comes in with $40 million and a top end architect to start from scratch 😅. The island itself is a really cool visit even without the golf. The river walk, Davenport House, Rock Island Museum, numerous cemetaries, and Quarters One which is the 2nd largest federal residence behind the White House are all fun stops. The course was updated to 18 holes in 1902, hopefully the reopening will be a smashing success and give way to also reopening the other 9 holes which appear to still be there but overgrown.

#driftlessgolf #rockisland #rockislandarsenal #militarygolf #victoriangolf taken in Rock Island Arsenal by @driftless.golf

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10 days ago

taken in Rock Island Arsenal by @driftless.golf

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11 days ago

Ames G & CC
Ames, IA
Designed by Donald Sechrest

Played the Ames Silversmithing Classic here on a wet misty Scottish day a couple weeks ago. Your classic 70s Iowa course, tree lined with some ponds sprinkled about. They required some smart hickory play to not blow up the scorecard. A nice club just North of the city. I got down a small rabbit hole looking at the OG 9 holer South of the city. The old clubhouse looks to still be there along with a disc golf course. Sadly a few old greens are now Reiman Gardens and houses. Look forward to playing again next year and hopefully in more hickory events.

@thesocietyofhickorygolfers #amessilversmithingclassic #amesgcc by @driftless.golf

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14 days ago

taken in Ames Golf and Country Club by @driftless.golf

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17 days ago

Mapletøn Golf Club
Sioux Falls, SD
Designed by Scott Hoffman

Mapleton-of-fun. Hoffman weaves and layers holes across the Dakota prairie hills and Slip-Up Creek creating strategic variety and expansive views without repetition. Every club in the bag was hit which is always a thrill. I'm a big fan of his bunker styling and the use of the sand pit found on 17 as waste areas throughout adds another texture and color to the layers. Maybe my favorite part of the routing is the numerous crossovers. They create some fun interactive spots between groups without feeling cramped. I'm not sure many architects design better viewing or hang out places better. The firepits and patio behind 1, 18 and 10 along with the comfort station on the pond of 6 and 15 are really cool spots I could sit at all day. The par 3s are 10/10. They have different directions, yardages and shape/shot requirements. The risk/reward par 5 7th is a favorite with the creek framing the right side of the drive and crossing in front and to the left of the green. It leads to a decision of when and how do you want to take on the creek. The driveable 15th is also a nervy tee shot over the pond where a bailout left leads to a touchy wedge or chip back towards the pond. Walkable with easy tee to green transitions and ribbon tee boxes allowing for changes in yardage to present a different course daily. An incredible club and course that I hope to visit often. A great round with a great host.

#driftlessgolf #mapletongolfclub #scotthoffman #officialtop100 taken in Mapleton Golf Club by @driftless.golf

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22 days ago