Saddlebrook is a Course That Makes Golf Feel Like Fun Again

The front nine is more open than the back, on our par-71 course at Saddlebrook. The last nine has a shady parkland setting with picturesque tree-lined holes. Ours is a course with lots of ponds and lakes to add a few adventures with water to your round.  We have five par-3s at Saddlebrook that vary in length from 130 to 190 yards and that give you a chance to improve your score. Get off to a relaxing start on our first hole, a straightaway par-4, measuring 382 yards from the back tees and 265 from the front. There are bunkers on the left and on your second shot, you’ll be hitting past a pond that runs down the left side of the green.

The 5th hole is a par-4 that measures 380 yards from the back and 277 from the front. “On your drive, you need to avoid the bunkers,” says Matt Nikirk, assistant golf professional at Saddlebrook Golf Club. “A pond comes into play on the second shot.” But the real excitement here is the intriguing greens complex. It’s what we like to call our “volcano green” which has a gradual slope taking you up to the putting surface. “The green is about 7 to 10 feet above you at one point,” says Nikirk. “It’s surrounded by three to four bunkers cut into the hillside.”

The 13th is a popular, short par-5 (475 from the back tees and 430 from the front). “There is a narrow fairway with out-of-bounds on both sides,” Nikirk  says. “It’s a risk reward hole because players often try to make the green in two. But if you go to the right, it’s tough to make par.” So better leave your driver in your bag on No. 13. The 18th is considered our signature hole. It’s one that many players consider to be among the best finishing holes in Indy. It’s a straightforward shorter par-5 (475 yards from the back tees and 415 from the front). If you play it right, you can turn it into a birdie or an eagle hole; this final hole is definitely where a lot of money is made or lost on a round. “It’s definitely risk and reward on your second shot if you try to go for the green,” Nikirk said. “That’s because you’ll have a 200 yard shot to the green across a pond. It’s definitely the most discussed hole on the course.”

Distances, ratings and slopes at Saddlebrook Golf Club: 6,038 yards (70.0/124); 5,443 (67.8/121); 4,586 (68.1/116). Click here to view our scorecard and here to book your tee time at Saddlebrook!