The Oaks Golf Course

Please contact this golf course for any Golf Wish Gift Card acceptance restrictions. Designed by Greg Martin, the 6,736-yard course is par-3 strong. Six varied par-3s are mixed with 5 par-5s and 9, rather than the standard 12, par-4s to yield a par-71. Bent grass fairways, tees and greens give the tract a country club feel, as does its thick rough and true-rolling putting surfaces. A short downhill cart ride takes eager players to the course's first set of multiple tees. The scarlet 6,736-yd. tees are, according to the scorecard, for 0-4 handicap players, the 6,260-yd. black for those with a 5-16 handicap, the 5,592-yd. white matches to 17-30 handicaps and the forward green offers 22 handicap-plus players 5,071 yards. Forced carries are a part of several holes, so pick the set of tees that best fits your game and enjoy the round. This review is from the 6,260-yd. tees. Designer Martin starts golfers with a gentle par-4. At 353-yds., this nearly level, slight dogleg right hole is the course's No. 14 handicap. While a small pond sits in front and to the left of the first tee and the Koshkonong Creek (that winds its way throughout the layout) crosses near the tees they, however, do not pose a threat to the vast majority of players. A lone fairway bunker to the left is a good target for golfers playing a controlled fade. The green at No. 1 introduces a characteristic of The Oaks that occurs in a majority of its putting surfaces - a definite ridge, or crown, that runs across the width of the putting surface about halfway back from the front edge. This crown makes these greens appear much less deep than they really are. Believe the indicated yardage and do not rely on your depth perception when selecting a club for an approach shot, as under clubbing will be a common mistake if sight is used as the only indicator. This type of green design also means an uphill putt usually results when a shot stops past the pin, so take enough club and do not worry about having a tricky downhill putt. Besides the opening green, holes No. 2, 3, 6, and 13 are good examples of this ridge-dividing putting surface design. The 2nd hole is the trac's shortest par-3 at 140-yds. A small pond, like at No. 1, enhances the beauty of this tiny test and also like the 1st hole, should not be a problem. Players leave the trees that decorate the first two holes when they move to the tee for No. 3 as they get ready to face back-to-back par-5s -487- and 526-yds., respectively. Both offer wide fairways. Dangerous sand bunkers lurk on both and golfers must avoid these deep McKenzie-style hazards that are rimmed with extremely deep rough or face near-impossible recovery shots. The uphill 4th hole is especially tough and two more deep bunkers sit on the right near the green, ready to capture weak approach shots. The tee and the green of the 149-yd. par-3 No. 5 are two of the highest points on the course. When the wind is in your face, add at least two clubs from the tee and when the pin is back left, or right, add yet another club. Only professional golfers are capable of two putting this monster green with any regularity if the pin is back and the first putt starts from the front portion of the green. The toughest par-4 on the 3,146-yd. front is the 6th. Rated as the No. 4 handicap hole for men and No. 2 for the women, it plays downhill and requires an over wetlands carry with the second shot to a green that sits 434-yds. from its elevated tees. Few pars here and many double-bogeys. The par-3 No. 7 is another hole sporting wetlands that must be crossed, but as they sit near the tee they are less of a problem than the pond and the conspicuous sand bunker that rests to the front left of the green on this 192-yd. hole. Golfers should be sure to make par on the 8th hole, a par-4 of 390-yds., where a tiny creek runs under its fairway just in front of the green and is exposed on both sides, as the 9th hole, a par-5 which plays to only 492-yds., is a real handful. A tee shot to a blind landing are begins the uphill journey. Once on the fairway and safely away from the out-of-bounds that lies left, golfers are faced with an uphill second shot to a thin sliver of fairway constricted by dense trees and a large sand bunker of the left and high mounding and deep rough on the right. Finally, at the 100-yd. marker, the green is revealed. It sits still higher and is protected by steep, dropping slopes to the left and back. A par here is like a birdie on the course's other 17 holes. The 3,114-yd. par-35 closing nine opens with a downhill par-3. Pin positions located on its green's right side demand tee shots that are high enough to clear tall trees that partially block the hole's right side. Holes No. 11 through 17 are all fairly level. An abundance of sand bunkers and well-designed green sites supported by mounding, however, make these holes challenging. Nos. 11 and 12, at 415- and 380-yds. respectively, are straight par-4s where the trac's thick rough must be avoided if pars are to be made. The layout's fifth par-3 in 13 holes is No. 13. It measures 161-yds. and ends with a large, very deep green with a middle crossing ridge. Consider your club selection carefully here. The 14th hole is a tough No. 1 handicap beast that is as pretty as it is treacherous. Big drives need to stay shot of a wetlands area. Approach shots are then aimed over wetlands at a green surrounded on three sides by dense mature trees. Nothing short of two well-struck, accurate golf shots will find this 403-yd. hole's putting surface in regulation. While most of the tee shots at The Oaks offer wide forgiving fairways, No. 15 is the opposite picture. The tee for this 481-yd. par-5 sits among trees and the only way out is a laser-like drive though a chute formed by these trees. Complicating this No. 11 handicap hole is a split fairway near the green. Sand bunkers divide the short grass and second shots aimed left will find a narrow landing area that offers a third shot to a thin, but long green with sand on the right. The right route means a wider landing area, but this direction means golfers must carry the aforementioned sand to reach the putting surface. The dogleg right 16th hole plays easier that the scorecard indicates. It is the layout's No. 5 handicap, but it is open for most of its 405-yds. and rewards aggressive play. Another hole that rewards aggressive play is the long 211-yd. par-3 No. 17. Any strong tee shot that stays slightly left will avoid its only hazard - a sand bunker as big and deep as a small quarry that rests to the right. Golfers head for the safety of the clubhouse with a sweeping, left par-5 of 492-yds. Stay right on the first two shots and do not flirt with the water left side, unless your aim is to reach its elevated green in two. By staying right and placing the ball short of a crossing creek, players will have a comfortable approach to a green fronted by water and sand.

Scorecard View the course scorecard(s):

Tee Times Accepts Advanced Tee Times: Yes Advanced Tee Times Booking: 14 Days	Food & Beverage Restaurant: Snack Bar, Lunch, Dinner, Banquets Bar: Full Bar
Practice & Lessons Driving Range: Yes Practice Green: Yes Chipping Area: Yes Lessons: Private, Group Golf Pro: Shaun Finley	Rentals & Fees Rental Clubs: Yes $$ $ = Under $15 $$ = $16-$30 $$$ = $31-$50 $$$$ = $51 + Electric/Gas Carts: Yes $$ $ = Under $10 $$ = $11-$20 $$$ = $21 + Pull Carts: Yes $$ $ = Under $5 $$ = $5 + Caddies: No GPS: Yes Green Fees: $$ $ = $10-$50 $$ = $51-$100 $$$ = $101-$150 $$$$ = $151 +
Pro Shop Week Day Hours: Dawn - Dusk Week End Hours: Dawn - Dusk Products: Apparel, Equipment, Accessories, Other	Policies Dress Code: Yes Soft Spiked Shoes Only: Yes Reciprocal Program: No Discounts: No Private Outings: Yes

           

         

1444 N. Farnsworth Ave., Suite 204
Aurora, IL 60505
Phone: 630.375.2009