Davenport Country Club (Pleasant Valley, IA)

#70 GOLFWEEK TOP 100 CLASSIC COURSES 

Davenport has risen from golf obscurity to architecture darling over the past few years. Tom Doak’s decision to include it in his Confidential Guide as the gourmet choice for Hugh Alison has brought out all the aficionados to see the course for themselves. It sits on an incredible piece of property and the “retro build” that Ron Forse and Jim Nagle did in 2014 has 

reestablished it’s spectacular setting. Props must be given to Bob Lohmann who redesigned the eighteenth and made it into arguably the best hole on the course.

(The 545/518 yard par five second plays from one tilted rolling fairway over a creek to another tilted rolling fairway. The ability to hit off an uneven lie is the key to position oneself for a short iron third and decent shot at birdie.) 

Davenport is less than a mile from the Mississippi River and has some cool landforms that are surprising to folks not from the area. A limestone canyon cuts through the property within view of the clubhouse and three of the best holes on the course use it in grand style. The par three tenth is the focal point as players smash long irons, woods, and even drivers to the green that sits on the other side of the ridge. A long trestle bridge connects the two ala California’s Bel-Air  and it’s at that moment you realize this isn’t going to be your typical round of golf. 

(The 392 yard par four third turns gently to the right. Notice how the left side of the fairway offers a flat lie while the right side dips into the rough. The line of charm naturally drags one’s eye to the inside line but gravity conspires to allow a good lie from that angle.)

This is my first C.H. Alison course, and the biggest thing I noticed about his architecture is he prevents the ball from progressing forward. He does this by incorporating the landforms that act as ramparts or bumpers. At the third, most of the right half of the fairway slopes towards a depression. If your ball hits in this area, it instantly heads to the rough line. At the fourth, trench like ripples catch your drive and prevents it from moving forward, resulting in a longer approach from an uneven lie. The approach on seven must carry the hogback feature short of the green otherwise it gets kicked away. This feature shows again at the tenth where a short shot gets kicked to the rough. Its the exact opposite of speed slots and kick plates. There are many drives that are angled to a sloping fairway and if you don’t hit the correct shot shape or more importantly the right line, then the ball gets buffered and sent to a disadvantaged spot. It’s a different kind of architecture and these features have an accumulative effect that don’t add full shots but rather partial shots dependent on one’s skill level. 

(The 426 yard par four seventh is regarded as an all world hole. The right fairway is 30’ lower than the left, so the player drives his ball into the valley knowing his approach will likely be from an uneven lie to a semi blind green…
…a hogback short of the green will kick the ball into the rough or possibly keep it in the fairway and have it roll down the hill. A lower shot can use that same feature and carom onto the putting surface. It’s a most unusual hole!) 

(The 523/498 yard par five ninth plays alongside Spencer Creek the entire length of the hole. A hillside full of trees deters bailing to the left…
…the built up green is hard to hit in two shots and even challenging with a wedge from an awkward angle from the left. Note the trestle bridge in the background. There’s also metal steps that climb up to ten tee.) 

(The 210/185 yard par three ten plays across the valley to an uphill green on the far right side. I love how the fairway is forty yards long so the weaker player can play it like a par four. The trestle stretching across with the valley below makes this a complete blast. It’s my favorite hole on the course!) 

(The 169/152 yard par three fifteenth has a beautiful bunker that makes the hole visually pop. The green slopes to the front left and it feels like a fade would be the shot of choice. Many times the ball is above the cup and making a smooth downhill stroke is key.) 

Davenport has three good stretches. (1-3,7-10, 14-18) The final five holes get the most attention because most matches are won or lost here. Interestingly both fifteen and seventeen are par threes. The landforms are well suited for a finale and you’ll see plenty of fireworks as players navigate their way around the hazards. The sixteenth is annually voted as one of the best in Iowa. 

(The 426 yard par four sixteenth demands a perfect drive between the limestone wall on the right and Spencer Creek to the left. It was here that Sam Snead lost the 1951 Western Open when he hooked it into the water.) 

(The 181/171 yard par three seventeenth plays back across Spencer Creek to a green graded into the saddle of the hill. It plays longer than it’s listed yardage with several pin locations demanding great shots to get close.) 

(The eighteenth used to dogleg awkwardly to the right and play uphill to what is now the practice putting green. Bob Lohmann thought it would be best to take it left of the bunker and have it play along the creek and the limestone wall…
…the green was pushed up and is front by water with a lone bunker guarding the right. Not only does the limestone wall make for a spectacular setting but the trestle bridge in the background ties it to the ninth and tenth…
…at 424 yards there is plenty of opportunities to find oneself scrambling to secure a four. Several people in our outing loved it and said it was their favorite hole.) 

It’s great to see a place like Davenport start to receive the love it deserves. Tom Doak went out of his way to say it is one of the most overlooked courses in the United Stated and that it has a better piece of property than both Country Club of Detroit and Milwaukee Country Club, two Alison courses where he’s consulting. The only negative I’ll comment on is the bunkering. There’s several holes where Forse and Nagle didn’t redo them and they’re quite bland. (These holes are mainly on the front) Regardless, Davenport is fantastic! I give it an 8 (excellent)(worth a weekend visit). 

(Another view of the par three tenth.) 

[Davenport hosted the 1936 and 1951 Western Open, a tournament many considered to be a major back then. In 1936 Ralph Guldahl won by three shots at -10, then in 1951 Marty Furgol won by a single stroke also at -10. While it is too short for today’s men’s tour, it is the the perfect length for the ladies.]