Eagle Ridge East Course Review

East Course
Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa
Galena, Illinois

Grade: C+
Teacher’s Comments: Not nearly as good as Eagle Ridge resort’s other three courses, but still a nice play.

The East is the poor relation to Eagle Ridge’s General, North and South Courses.

First, it is just nine holes, par 34 and on the short side at just 2,648 yards from the tips. It plays to a 117/33.

Second, I thought conditions were just a little below the other three (although still more than acceptable).

Third, the design just didn’t have the beautiful framing and lines that the others offered. My sense was that it was squeezed onto a tract of land to enhance the sale price of nearby homes.

Finally—and perhaps worst of all—it had been simultaneously infected with the footgolf and 15-inch hole plagues. It was my first experience with either of those heresies and I was not happy with the result.

The footgolf flags were positioned for the most part along the edges of the fairways—and often several of them on the same hole. I found the flags to be a distraction. As I lined up shots, the footgolf flags intruded into my sight lines, drawing undue attention.

The fifteen inch holes had their own flags, with half sized flagsticks. I knew these were not my target, but they still bothered me. Multiple flags on a green is something a player needs some time to get used to. Finally, while putting, the firteen inch holes, with all their yawning whiteness were a distraction while putting.

My golf game is a delicate and unsure thing. I can ill afford such distractions.

The course was quite busy that day, but I saw no one kicking a ball, or putting at the fifteen inch holes, so I wonder—as always have—if the annoyance to traditional golfers really is offset by the revenues generated by the quasi-golfers.

I know one thing, however: I don’t want to play another round at a foot golf course.

All that said, the East is a fun little course that would be a great place to take a beginner or occasional golfer. The longest carry from the tee is about 145 yards, on the par 5 fifth. The longest of the par 4s is about 155.

The seventh was my favorite on the East. Measuring 401 yards it dips down from the tee,  then gently rises back up to to a green nicely framed by trees and bunkers. Twin bunkers narrow the fairway on either side at about 230 out. There also are There is also a particularly steep sided bunker on the front right of the green that I made an acquaintance with.

The third also was interesting, with the right side of the fairway guarded by sheer rock outcroppings. Indeed, rock outcroppings played a big part in adding character to all of the 35 holes at Eagle Ridge.

If you had junior golfers staying at Eagle Ridge, I think that the East would be the place to take them. It also would be a good place to squeeze in those last few holes with your golf group.