Bent Oak Golf Club Review

We are currently in Elkhart, Indiana, and today is Marc’s birthday! So….of course we have to celebrate his 61st trip around the sun with a round of golf.

Why are we in Elkhart, you may ask? Well, we are meeting up with other Luxe 5th Wheel owners for our annual LOG (Luxe Owners Group) Rally, and this year it is being held in the RV Capital of the World – Elkhart, Indiana. Yes, that’s right – the RV Capital. Home of the RV Museum and RV Manufacturers to include: Aliance, Thor Motor Coach, Grand Design, and our rig builder – the RV Factory.

OK – back to celebrating Marc’s birthday. We decided to play Bent Oak Golf Club, just a few minutes from the Elkhart Campground. Bent Oak Golf Club is an 18-hole course designed by Gary Keaffaber in 1985. And we were not disappointed.

Our day started off a bit chilly, with the temperatures holding around 68 degrees, but slowly warmed up to a beautiful 74 as we finished off the back nine. The cool temps made for a very comfortable round.

At check-in we were warmly greeted by Hunter, who was eager to share his knowledge of the track with us. He told us which holes would pose the most difficulty for us, recommended a couple of suggestions for getting around a hazard or two, and then chuckled as he ended his briefing with the standard – “If you stay in the fairways, you should be fine”.

The first tee is located near the club-house and provides a great view of the front nine, as well as the approach on the 18th hole.

We found the greens to be in great condition, and although it is a public course, it truly had a country club feel without the high costs. Our green fees included the cart rental – which is rare indeed.

There were two things I noticed immediately as we began our round – how green everything was and the spectacular beauty of the mature oak trees all along the fairways. For me, a golf course with mature trees throughout the track provides a sense of history and natural beauty, making the course more attractive and visually distinct. Not to mention, they often help me better judge distance and visualize my approach shots.

Bent Oak Golf Club certainly has its fair share of mature trees.

The trees aren’t the only challenges at Bent Oak. There are water hazards on seven of the holes, and honestly, I felt like I found every single one. Marc, on the other hand, appeared to have dialed in his fade shot and seemed to avoid every water hazard and bunker throughout the day!

Perhaps it was his birthday luck….who knows?

The beautiful views and challenging play for me made this an enjoyable course. The well-groomed fairways and greens, ensured the course was difficult yet friendly.

Based on our golf scorecard – we give Bent Oak Golf Club a Par.

Bent Oak Golf Club offers a high-quality, challenging round of golf in a picturesque setting with beautiful oak trees. For the price, the course condition and layout are an excellent value. We will most definitely be playing Bent Oak Golf Club again!

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting

Written By: Kathy Festa

COURSE REVIEW SCORECARD

Course:  Bent Oak Golf Club

Type: Public

Date Played: 03 September 2025

HOLE	PAR	SCORE	COMMENTS
1 – Tee Time Availability	4	4	We had no problem getting the early morning tee time we requested.
2 – Cost of Green Fees	4	3	High-quality golfing experience with excellent course conditions and professional service at a reasonable price point.
3 – Condition of Tee Boxes	4	4	The tee boxes were in good shape.
4 – Condition of Fairways	5	4	The fairways were beautiful, oak-lined, and in very good shape, thanks to a dedicated and attentive ground crew.
5 – Condition of Greens	4	4	The greens were in good shape.
6 – Length of Course	5	5	Five tee settings: Blue – 6504 yrds; Whites – 6243 yrds; Gold – 5467 yrds; Red – 5219 yrds; Green – 4439 yrds.
7 – Hazards	4	4	Strategically placed water hazards, sand bunkers
8 – Starter/Marshal	3	3	The starter was located in the pro-shop. There was no marshal on the course the day we played.
9 – High Handicap Friendly	3	3	Larger greens, with a versatile layout that balanced challenges with forgiveness for high handicap players.
OUT	36	34
10 – Practice Area	5	5	The course has chipping greens, putting area, and driving range. For the colder months, they offer a golf simulator.
11 – Locker Rooms	3	3	Clean and plenty of room.
12 – Pro Shop	4	4	The pro-shop was a nice size and had everything you would need for a round of golf.
13 – Location	4	4	Easy to find and only a few minutes from where we were staying.
14 – Rental Equipment	4	4	Rental carts were clean and well-maintained. Rental clubs and pull-carts are available.
15 – Food Cart	4	5	There was no food cart on the day we played.
16 – Restaurant/Club House	4	4	There is a restaurant, but we did not order anything.
17 – Parking	3	3	Plenty of parking available.
18 – Customer Service	5	4	Friendly and welcoming staff, who contributed to a pleasant overall atmosphere.
IN	36	36
TOTAL	72	70	PLAYER: Kathy F.  ATTESTED BY: Marc F.