Venango Valley Inn and Golf (Venango, PA)

Located about forty minutes south of Erie lies the historic Venango Valley Inn and Golf Course. Most of my blogs are about the golf but this one is about a dream I have. Venango is up for sale, including the Inn, for roughly 2.3 million dollars. If I was a serious prospect as a buyer, what changes would I make? What would I keep? It is an interesting perspective and one that differs from playing. 

Venango is kept in excellent conditions and that’s the main reason why it draws golfers from Erie and throughout western Pennsylvania. The rough is maintained at a playable length, and considering most of the customers are recreational golfers, might be the most important aspect. It all adds up to a fun round of golf and an opportunity to shoot a low number. 

(The 173 yard par three second is bracketed by sand but has plenty of room in front for beginners to run the ball on.) 

I played here on a late Saturday afternoon, early evening. Typically during that time frame, courses are in a lull, but here, many couples and families were showing up to play. With this type of following, the course has to adhere to a less defensive form of architecture, but still keep interest. Introducing Paul Erath. Erath worked with Arnold Palmer at Latrobe and his greens are the lifeblood of Venango.

(The fourth is only 319 yards but a large tree front left adds enough interest to make par a good score.) 

The course plays uphill and then back downhill to the Inn. The greens have a low profile in front but they slope with the terrain. The entire green can pitch to the side but a few ridges will make bowl areas where the putt breaks opposite of the hill. This trick gives each green multiple pin positions where the golfer will need to hit a superior shot to have a good birdie opportunity. 

(The downhill 505 yard par five fifteenth is reachable in two but a creek and pond deter most from giving it a go.) 

(The 325 yard par four seventeenth plays to a skyline green with a false front. Rear pins are just as precarious since the putting surface falls away in the back.) 

As I was walking around, I was scribbling notes to myself. There are a few holes where a chainsaw was the suggestion, but usually I was looking to add a bunker to make a green or particular shot stand out. Sometimes I saw a bunker and thought it was not placed in a good spot. But then it occurred to me that my ideas would make it more difficult, and because it’s not,  is the exact reason why it’s so popular. 

(I wish all creeks looked like this. The clean lies make it aesthetically pleasing, but also entice one into trying a shot they usually wouldn’t attempt.) 

People always think they’re going to shoot their best round at Venango. When a course is kept in this good of shape, and the hazards are at a minimum, people’s expectations increase. And while it’s a definite possibility they will shoot their best round here, that increases the pressure on hitting good shots, making putts, and getting off to a good start. One of the comments I read stated his golf association has their best turnout here, and I’m sure that’s true for many groups traveling here. 

(The uphill 408 yard par four fourteenth is the most difficult on the course. The view of the countryside reveals just how much uphill it plays.)

The Inn was built in 1838 and houses a restaurant that is very popular with the locals. The pro shop is inside at the check in desk. The bar is quaint with photos and sketches of Hogan, Palmer, Jones, and Nicklaus. It seems like the perfect place for drinks and food afterwards. 

(The 460 yard downhill par five eighteenth offers the perfect opportunity to steal a stroke back. The well bunkered green is not without defense. It seems like all popular courses close out like this.) 

I imagine someone local will buy Venango and keep one of Western Pennsylvania’s best kept secrets alive. The Meadville Tribune awarded it as the best course in the area. All the memorials decorating the tee boxes reinforce the popularity and love folks have for it. It’s a first class operation and they proudly point out the excellent tee boxes they have for women. I give Venango Valley a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

A woodcarving statue of Arnold Palmer on the first tee. 

Prairie View Golf Club (Carmel, IN)

Prairie View is Robert Tent Jones Jr course laid out in the bend of the White River. It’s an upscale design that delivers on everything you you would expect. It’s in exceptional condition; it’s landscaped with prairie grasses throughout; and it challenges both off the tee and into the green. 

(The 433/415 yard par four ninth is a stout finisher.) 

This is my fourth RTJ2 course. I find his architecture to be loaded with decision making. Many of his holes dogleg but they do in a bending type of way, usually with the inside line being heavily bunkered. The player must know his yardages, and be confident with the line he’s picking from the tee. If the opportunity is there to cut off part of the leg, and falls within his carry point, then one can be aggressive. There’s usually plenty of room to avoid the inside line, but playing conservative always makes the hole play longer. A good mid to long iron player may not ever need to challenge the inside line and take his chances from a further distance in the fairway. 

(The 215/194 yard par three fourth is a difficult hole. The direct line is intimidating but the bailout is sloped enough on the left to propel it on the green. I love the walk path through the grass.) 

(The 401/388 yard par four sixteenth doglegs to the right....
....this is the view from the inside bunker. Look how seamlessly the green blends in with the prairie grasses and sand.)

One of the tenants of good architecture is reconnecting the golfer back with nature. RTJ2 design style excels on that principle. The way Prairie View mingles with the high grass gives one a sense of place. The colors and texture change with the seasons, making a round of golf an enjoyable experience every time. 

(The 433/399 yard par four seventeenth doglegs to the left. Note how the green has false front cutting in at the left side just past the bunker. The bunker is, in fact, several yards short.) 

(This is an early morning photo of the eighteenth green. The 549/527 yard par five has a shallow creek that fronts the green. It’s a good last birdie opportunity.)

Prairie View is considered one of the top ten public courses in Indiana. The only criticism I have is the lack of river views which is literally just beyond the trees. I didn’t even know it was there until I saw a satellite overview. I give Prairie View a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play). 

The Fort Golf Resort (Indianapolis, IN)

The Fort is that rare combination where high quality architecture meets modestly low price. In my travels, I’ve found only three other courses who met that criteria; Pacific Grove, Rustic Canyon, and Punta Borinquen. If The Fort was a couple hundred miles north in Wisconsin, Kohler would be charging a few Benjamins, but as is, only a few Jacksons is all that’s needed. 

(The par three fifth demands a well struck shot. The view across the valley is quite spectacular, especially when you glimpse the tee boxes of the next hole and the glorious drive to come. 211/192/154) 

Before I played here, a few people told me you won’t believe it’s a Pete Dye course. There’s no split fairways, or railroad ties, or even a water hazard! Instead it’s a natural course laid out upon bold landforms that roll up n down the countryside. It has scope and scale that makes everything seem further than it actually is. There’s plenty of short grass surrounding most greens, giving golfers many different options to save par. In a way, it’s a friendlier version of Pete Dye, but the required shots are just as engaging as any course I’ve seen of his. 

(The opening hole starts off friendly enough. The right side of the fairway will gather your ball to the center, and the hillside behind the green will keep it level with the flag. However, get too greedy with the front left pin  and you’ll find yourself ten feet below in the bunker. 381/370/340)

(The short par four second is a good birdie opportunity if you can avoid being lured left. The fairway is a good thirty yards wide. A few tricky pin positions exist, but overall, every location is accessible. 323/311/293)

(The par four fourth is where the fun begins. 
It’s plays slightly downhill, but second shot has an obscured view of the green depending on pin position. A huge hill pushes out into the second halve of the fairway and hides a third of the green. It’s possible to use the down slope to aid the ball onto the green, but where it finishes is a bit of luck. A four is a terrific score. 479/438/381) 

The Fort has a very good pace to it. It’s not a test of survival but rather an examination of differing shots. There’s holes that encourage attacking and holes that demand cautious tactics. It’s not an overly difficult course, and if one plays to his strengths then realistically every hole can be parred. 

(The short par four tenth has a nifty green perched above the fairway. It’s a narrow drive but players are granted the freedom to hit any club off the tee. Find your favorite yardage and attack. 311/295/288)

(The par four fifteenth has a green that sits in a low area so only the top of the flagstick is seen from the fairway. As the picture shows, there is mostly short grass surrounding the putting surface.  Even with its long length, par should be a capable score. 471/448/413)

Indianapolis is a great city for public golf. There’s some really high end quality courses, and The Fort is recognized by many to be the best. You’ll love the challenge from six, eleven, and eighteen tee. They are terrific driving holes! In my view, any golf trip to Indianapolis must include The Fort. I give it a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

(As you emerge from the trees, the eighteenth tee produces a wow moment! A large ravine spreads out before you, dominating the landscape. While it seems like a long carry, in reality the drive needs to challenge bunker at the turn otherwise it’ll be a long approach into the green. It is an awesome finishing hole. 474/426/390)

[This used to be Fort Benjamin Harrison US Army Post. When they decommissioned it, the state of Indiana petitioned to make it into a state park, and they acquired over 1500 acres. Pete Dye only charged $1 to do the course. The hilly topography is very unusual for central Indiana. It’s a really wonderful area to explore.]

(The view from six fairway looking back at the tee box. It’s 190 yard carry from the blue tees. In the Fall, it’s probably a glorious kaleidoscope of colors.)

Purgatory Golf Club (Noblesville, IN)

                   Golf Digest 2005/2006

                  Top 100 Public Courses 

                 #87 Purgatory Golf Club 

Don’t let the gimmicky name mislead you, Purgatory is a serious golf course. It can stretch out to 7754 yards and has 125 bunkers protecting it. It’s large hills are covered with fescue and heather, giving it a links look and feel. 

(The 156 yard par three sixth demands a confident strike from the tee to secure a par. There’s very little room to bail out and any pin on the left limits the short fairway option. If you want more length, there’s three other tees to choose. 231/212/183) 

Indianapolis native Ron Kern designed Purgatory in 2000. Kern is a second generation architect, although he considers himself third generation due to his time with Indiana legend Bill Diddel. Known mostly for his regional work, Purgatory was Kern’s first course to gain national attention. 

(The 170 yard par three twelfth is a beautiful hole. The green unfurls across the hillock with bunkers positioned to snag a poorly struck shot. Fairway short right and back left give players a place to bailout. 235/202/184)

Kern benefited from an owner who was willing to go all in on the links motif and transform a flat piece of land into a hilly, tall grass lined, bunker sprawling course. It’s very intimidating but it’s very playable. Kern gave it plenty of width, and the player is encouraged to turn his shoulders and give the ball a mighty whack! 

(This is the green complex of the mighty thirteenth. From the tips, this is the longest par five I’ve seen. At 741 yards, I’d say it would be a legitimate par 6 hole. It extends from one end of the property to the other. It’s also the flattest portion, so Kern used it all on one hole. From my tees, it was a respectable 528 yards.) 

The green complexes are the most challenging part. They are large, and are sectioned off with ridges and mounds. The yardage needs to be correct on the approach shots to avoid putting over these features. With all the bunkering, one must be confident with hitting the appropriate club. 

(There’s ample room to run the ball into the green at the 430 yard par four fourteenth. 

469/454/436)

(The 396 yard par four tenth is one of the few holes that looks like a parkland course. The massive green is well bunkered in front, and sports several good hole locations. 473/449/424) 

The over abundance of sand traps is what makes Purgatory different from other faux links courses. Sometimes one wonders why this or that bunker is where it is without realizing that there are six tee boxes on each hole. When Purgatory first opened up, it had the unique distinction of having the longest and shortest set of tees in Indiana. The ladies tees are a tad over 4400 yards. This differential gives Purgatory a tremendous amount of flexibility. It also brings all the bunkers into play, even if that means giving senior and female golfers an opportunity to drive over a trap twenty yards in front of them. It’s an engaging round of golf for everybody, and is one reason why Purgatory was selected as one the best female friendly courses in America. 

(Missing the fairway will leave approach shots like the one above.) 

The only negative lobbied at Purgatory is the lack of a first rate short par four. It seems like length was the sole consideration for many of the holes and if there was a bit more variety then it would be a more thorough test. The long irons and hybrids will see a lot of action. 

(The 457 yard par five eighteenth looks like a for sure birdie hole on the card, but as this view shows, there’s very little room to land a long shafted club. A dual fairway offers players several avenues to the green including carrying over the central bunker complex. It’s an exciting finish especially for the state tournaments that are held here. 543/524/484)

Purgatory hosts plenty of local and state tournaments, and a few national ones too. It obviously has the length to combat the best players but it really shines providing the everyday golfer with an enjoyable round of golf. I personally think it’d be a blast playing a round where you rotate from the tips to ladies tees. A true top 10 course in Indiana, I give Purgatory a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play).

(Note the slope of the green to back left location. The tee is right of the picture, and a nice draw will catch center of green and work it’s way back there.)