Four Lakes Country Club Review

As we close up our time in Elkhart, we had the opportunity to golf Four Lakes Country Club this week.

We drove past Four Lakes a few times during our stay in Elkhart. One of the times we decided that we would stop in a see if there was an available tee time.

We were able to get the first tee time of the day for the following day. Otherwise they would have been booked until after 11am. It seemed to be a busy course and we thought getting the first tee time would work well for us.

We figured since we often play just the two of us, we would be able to play a three hour round if there is no one in front of us.

Checking in at Four Lakes is straight forward. Guy at the counter takes your money and tells you your tee time and off you go. Because this is a Country Club, the starter assumed we had played here before, so I needed to ask a few questions that got us going in the right direction and off we went.

The last thing we heard as we walked out the door is you should be first off the tee.

We got up to the first tee and we were greeted by an older couple. I asked if they were joining us or teeing off after us. The gentleman said: “Option three. We just pulled up and want to go.”  

I offered to let them join us, but he declined. 

So….we teed off.

The course was in great shape and we were looking forward to a great morning of golf. As soon as we drove off to our tee shots the older man drove up to the forward tees and hit. Then as soon as we drove off from our second shot the man was lurking right behind us and hit again. This happened again on the second hole. I decided that he wanted to either hit me with a golf ball or play through. So, before we walked up to the second green, I told him to play through. He said: “Thank you.” I said: “I didn’t really have a choice did I?”

We had read on some of online reviews of Four Lakes that this course had a “good ole boy” feel. I usually let those kind of statements disappear into thin air. But this man brought that comment right back to my mind. I think I even said to Kathy: “He must own the course.” 

Believe it or not it took a couple more holes to shake him off. My brain said it was fine….but the rest of me was a little worked up.

As I said, the course was in great shape.

And after the fourth hole I started to enjoy it. The course had old oak trees everywhere. They were beautiful. Gentle giants. Lush green trees were the main event at Four Lakes. They were there to make sure you wanted to play in the fairway. If you didn’t it seemed to be ok. The trees were all large and old. There were not many low branches. All of the branches were reaching for the sky. So, the many times that I found myself under one, I just hit a low shot towards the green. It seemed to work more during this round of golf than the many other times I found myself punching out of the trees, only to find another tree smacking my ball backwards.

The first thing we noticed about the course were the tee boxes. There were plenty of tee boxes to accommodate every skill level player. The best part was that the forward tee boxes had a marker post with the yardage and other info on it. That is a rare thing to see. Most of the time there is only one yardage marker at the blue or white tees. This made Kathy very happy. It also made each set of boxes feel like they were part of the course. Or part of the competition. Not just added in front of the white tees.

The fairways and greens were in great shape. You can see that great care is given to Four Lakes. Making it welcoming to it’s members. The greens were lightning fast. Among the fastest I have ever played. The Starter at the clubhouse warned us. He told us to play the front of the green. The ball will roll off if you land the green without a lot of backspin.

He was right. There were even a few times that I putted off the green. 

This course was a fun course to play. I would have given it a birdie and tell you not to miss out on this course. But, sadly, I think overall it was a par. There are other course within 20 minutes that are as nice. They are not as crowded. And, you will feel welcomed from everyone you meet. However, if this the only option you have, you will like it.

We will play in the Elkhart area many more times over the next years. But, I will find other courses.

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting

Written By Marc Festa

COURSE REVIEW SCORE CARD

Course: Four Lakes Country Club

Type: Semi Private

Date Played: 29 August 2023

HOLE	PAR	SCORE	COMMENTS
1 – Tee Time Availability	4	4	Course stays booked.
2 – Cost of Green Fees	4	4	Comparable to other courses in the area.
3 – Condition of Tee Boxes	4	4	Set up and clean.
4 – Condition of Fairways	5	4	Full and clean cut blue grass.
5 – Condition of Greens	4	3	Very fast bent grass greens.
6 – Length of Course	5	5	The course from the back tees plays at 6,541 yards but also features men, ladies, and senior tees to challenge all caliber of golfers.
7 – Hazards	4	4	Very little water.
8 – Starter/Marshal	3	3	Starter is in the Pro Shop who offered us a couple of tips when playing the course.
9 – High Handicap Friendly	3	2	Informational markers on the forward tees.
OUT	36	33
10 – Practice Area	5	5	Chipping and putting area.
11 – Locker Rooms	3	4	Restrooms in club house, but weren’t open until after 10 a.m.
12 – Pro Shop	4	4	Basic shop with all your needs.
13 – Location	4	4	Close to Elkhart, Indiana.
14 – Rental Equipment	4	4	Club rental available.
15 – Restaurant/Food Cart	4	5	There is a restaurant but not open before 10 a.m. No food cart on the day we played.
16 – Club House	4	5	The club house didn’t open until after 10 a.m. No bathroom available before that time.
17 – Parking	3	3	Plenty of parking.
18 – Customer Service	5	5	Nice service.
IN	36	39
TOTAL	72	72	PLAYER: Marc F.   ATTESTED BY: Kathy F.