Our Comments

The front 9 is fairly wide open and the back 9 tightens up and is more wooded. Rough always kept short.

Weak bladder alert! The entire course is ringed with backyards of nice houses. There are no restroom facilities until you're back at the clubhouse at the end of each 9.

Love the design. All holes are fair and makeable in regulation. Water is the main obstacle but you seldom need to play close to the water (although you need to hit over it a few times).

Don't rely on the maps on the scorecard. The 6th green is shaped quite differently. The water in front of the 18th green goes clear across the fairway and even left of the guarding tree. Etc.

We've often noticed the distances on the card at Saddlebrook are optimistic. Feel free to subtract about 20 yards from most.

9/22/03 - Beautiful layout. Very short but difficult. Course management is a must. Neither tee boxes and greens were in prime condition. Nice fairways. Best Indy course for the money

6/2/03 - Fairways and roughs are excellent. Greens have some sparse spots that can affect long putts but are smooth and reasonably fast. They are rebuilding the few old traps on the back side that had weedy sand.

5/10/02 - Carts at 90° after this wet weather! New white limestone sand in some bunkers.

8/17/01 - Saddlebrook is in quite good shape. Our round was up and down, that is, we were 9 more strokes on the back side since we couldn't stay in the tree-lined fairways. The front side is fairly wide open and errant shots are often not penalized.

6/17/01 - Greens are very soft and hold balls well, which is good on the many elevated greens. This also means there were ball marks on Sunday afternoon. Fairways gave lots of run. Most people play from the 5443yd white tees as this is one of the hardest "short" courses anywhere with water on 16 holes and sand protecting all but two greens.

Reader Comments

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6/15/04 - Great course for the money. It is a short course (6100 yards from the back tees), but it provides a good challenge. The staff at Saddlebrook is very friendly and courteous. The fairways and rough are in very good shape. The greens roll pretty well, but quite often the customers make no attempt to fix ballmarks, so some greens have a number of scars. The tee station on #15 is finished, so the hole now plays as intended. Those unfamiliar with this course need to be careful with their shots because there are a number of places where balls can disappear. - Brian Cochran

7/12/03 - They are rebuilding two or three tee boxes on the back side, so the course is considerably shorter from the whites. Except for tee boxes, in fine shape. Greens true but slow. Fun and challenging short course with extra friendly and helpful pro shop staff. - Bob W.

7/9/03 - Saddlebrook is always a fun place to play, but you have to think your way around the course. The staff is always courteous, and it is hard to beat the early bird rate, especially if you are a (50+) "senior". - Joe Smerdel

We've also received reports that Saddlebrook's tees, greens, and fairways are quite pockmarked right now due to the wet, soft conditions.

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6/26/03 - Played 18 holes for $10. Great deal. (Senior rate on weekday mornings) The course is as nice as any on the west side and very playable. The first time ever playing shot my career low round. - Nick

6/8/03 - Was disappointed in the course's condition on this Sunday. The greens were not mowed and the tee boxes were in poor shape. Several of the bunkers are in a state of disrepair. I first played this course 6-7 years ago and was impressed by its condition. You were able to play a course with bent grass fairways for $36. The fee is still $36 but I would be willing to pay more to play on a better conditioned course.

Compare to review below and our review above. It's difficult for superintendents to groom anything between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. Sundays anywhere can show a course at less than its best.

6/2/03 - The price is great and the course seemed to be in good shape. The rough was not punishing and the greens rolled true. The only beef I had was the lack of yardage markers (sprinkler heads were there, but no yardage). I had to guess yardage on a lot of shots between 80-120 yards, even on the par 3's, and mis-clubbed on several shots. Overall I would still recommend it, especially for the higher handicappers out there who don't like 440 yard par 4's. - Chuck M.

3/20/02 - If you haven't played here recently you'll notice some changes - some reconfigured bunkers, the green at the par 3 4th has been redone (Due to vandalism damage last fall - ed). The fairway at #16, which used to be rather wide and forgiving is being narrowed so that if you land in the fairway your approach shot is more likely to be right over that deep pot bunker in the front left side of the green. I always enjoy playing here, and the recent changes have helped. Conditioning is usually very good. - John Nixon

6/22/01 - Great bargain. Played the black tees for the first time - makes for some tough driving holes. Great shape, other than a few fringes. - C. Russell

4/15/01 - Greens were in great shape for ANY time of the year! A little slow just because it is a short course, but in terrific shape. All fairway divots have been recently filled with sand/seed.

7/21/00 - Have played here twice now, starting about 4:30 on a weekday each time, and each time have gotten around in about 4 hours. The course is always busy because it's a nice course that offers a good value. Busy, but not slow in my experience. - John Nixon

6/29/00 - Played here last week for the first time and I have to agree with the comments on the "fairness" of this course in terms of its length - but it does require some accuracy because there is a lot of water as well as some tighter holes among the trees on the back 9. The after 4pm special is a great bargain. There had been some heavy rain for the day or two prior to our round so the course was pretty wet, including some bunkers with standing water, but otherwise it was in very nice condition. We'll be back. - Drophoppy@aol.com

6/12/00 - This is one of my favorite courses in the city, mainly because I think it is a very 'fair' course. Not specifically easy, but fair due to its length. Roughly 5500 from the whites. That is about as short as you will find on a full size course (with par 5s). The real difference is in the Par 4s. They go no longer than 370. That gives most humans a chance to have an approach shot that is a shot iron on every par 4. Even if you only drive 200 yards, you have great approach shots. This course favors iron players. It is short and at time narrow. I can shoot some of my best rounds here by not touching my woods. The course is in good shape most of the time. Great value. You also get to drive your cart under 56th street in a tunnel, what more could you want? - Greg Golightly