
Walnut Creek
Marion Indiana and Grant County Indiana Golf Courses, home of the Walnut Creek Golf Complex
The most asked question “Which Golf Course is the Best?”
Walnut Creek is a public course located along I-69 at the Gas City exit 259, the first exit south of Marion. We are part of a trail of great golf courses along the I-69 corridor. Walnut Creek is a favorite golf stopping point for Michigan golfers looking for just the right place to spend a few days golfing. Our course is proud to be named Indiana’s most inviting course that you don’t have to be an expert to play as written in Midwest Living Magazine. The Walnut Creek and Club Run Complex is a great place for a golf vacation with stay and play packages offered with many hotels. The two challenging courses are located side by side so that you don’t have to drive to another location to play the 2nd 18. Our area has several local attractions and restaurants to make any golf trip complete. Having received the Indiana Hoosier Hospitality Award, the staff is well versed in the local area and are anxious to make any golf trip memorable. This Indiana golf course has enjoyed the same ownership since 1970. Walnut Creek was first opened as an 18 hole course July 4, 1970. It was a Ballinger dream to become a favorite course of the north-east Indiana area. Not long ago, Golf Digest raised the normal 3 or 3 1/2 star rating to a 4 star rating helping to solidify the dream!
It seems the most asked question is:Which is the best course?
– That is hard to say, depending upon what you like; either could be the best course for you. Walnut Creek is the most played because of a couple of reasons. First is the fact that we staff the Walnut Creek Clubhouse more hours than at the Club Run Golf house and we do not duplicate the proshop inventory at Club Run and only stock the consumable items and some logo items. (A cart path ties the two courses together so the second clubhouse is not necessary on a lot of days) The second reason is familiarity; our members know Walnut Creek well enough to play it blindfolded so it yields few surprises to them. Walnut Creek is a fairly typical 70’s layout with long tees and large greens. It does offer a variety of teeing areas and can be stretched out to just over 6900 yards. With the elevation changes it does play quite difficult when you play it all of the way back. Our longest hole is # 11 with a 620 yard par 5, but it plays mostly down hill. I would tell you that it is more forgiving than Club Run so that if you spray the ball a little you will not lose as many strokes or balls. Club Run typically is the harder of the two courses; even though most people play the blue tees at only 5791 yards. Club Run is much more of a shot maker’s course. It features more doglegs and lay-ups than does Walnut and because we tried to make it as natural as possible it does eat more golf balls. There are a lot of subtleties and the first time you play Club Run you may not place your ball in the best position for the approach shots to the greens. In tournaments where we play over the full 36 hole track, normally the scores are about 3 strokes higher at Club Run. When we designed the course part of our premise was that the game in the past few years has focused too much on strength and not enough on shot making ability. It was our theory to build a little shorter course but not make it so easy that it was not a test of golf. On Club Run, the 60 something can compete with the 20 somethings on a more level playing field. Club Run takes the strength factor out of the game. The two courses complement each other very well. For instance, when visiting golf professionals bring their amateur friends and play 36 holes, the amateurs play very competitively with the professionals at Walnut Creek. However, the golf professionals will usually prevail easily at Club Run.
It is my feeling that many people think Club Run is too hard, I guess you will have to find that out for yourself. As far as maintenance, they are both maintained very well. Perhaps the newer grasses provide better fairways at Club Run but the greens are seeded from the same variety of bent grass and play very similar. Club Run has enlisted more passion than Walnut Creek ever did, it seems to be a love hate relationship with some making the decision that Club Run is the only course to play period!
Our Mission is to provide an atmosphere and a facility that will promote friendly golf competition, good fellowship and inspire a mental retreat, contributing to the positive physical and emotional health of our players, our staff, and the community as a whole.
- Create an Enjoyable Personal Experience
- Be Genuine to each Individual
- Build Community
- Have Fun
Some of the local attractions:
- I-69 Speedway
- Ivanhoe’s Drive-in
- Mississinewa 1812 Battlefield
- Home of Jim Davis and Garfield the Cat
- Home of James Dean and the James Dean Museum
- International Quilters Hall of Fame
- Christmas City USA. and the Walkway of Lights
- Gas City Historical Society Museum
- Israel Jenkins House Underground Railroad Site
- Cumberland Covered Bridge
- Indiana Wesleyan University
- Taylor University
- Ivy Tech Community College
Walnut Creek Scorecard
Front 9
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 36 |
Handicap | 9 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 13 | |
Black - 72.1 / 121 | 388 | 425 | 585 | 230 | 320 | 165 | 580 | 400 | 360 | 3453 |
Purple - 70.8 / 119 | 370 | 410 | 570 | 200 | 320 | 165 | 565 | 400 | 360 | 3360 |
Blue - 69.2 / 116 | 355 | 390 | 550 | 175 | 300 | 155 | 535 | 390 | 340 | 3190 |
Silver - 68.5 / 109 | 325 | 310 | 470 | 145 | 250 | 155 | 413 | 280 | 250 | 2598 |
Back 9
Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 36 |
Handicap | 4 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 12 | |
Black - 72.1 / 121 | 425 | 620 | 140 | 430 | 402 | 545 | 372 | 345 | 175 | 3454 |
Purple - 70.8 / 119 | 410 | 595 | 140 | 405 | 310 | 530 | 360 | 345 | 175 | 3270 |
Blue - 69.2 / 116 | 390 | 565 | 130 | 375 | 290 | 500 | 350 | 330 | 155 | 3085 |
Silver - 68.5 / 109 | 317 | 425 | 125 | 280 | 260 | 412 | 320 | 252 | 88 | 2479 |
Club Run Scorecard
Front 9
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
Handicap | 10 | 14 | 2 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 6 | |
Purple - 73.0 / 127 | 383 | 155 | 548 | 298 | 519 | 323 | 306 | 161 | 300 | 2992 |
Blue - 70.2 / 122 | 357 | 134 | 507 | 272 | 519 | 323 | 271 | 150 | 280 | 2813 |
Silver - 68.0 / 117 | 331 | 131 | 465 | 252 | 466 | 299 | 226 | 134 | 265 | 2569 |
Orange - 65.1 / 112 | 266 | 102 | 417 | 188 | 363 | 248 | 192 | 81 | 243 | 2100 |
Back 9
Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 |
Handicap | 13 | 3 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 7 | |
Purple - 73.0 / 127 | 397 | 450 | 156 | 429 | 540 | 352 | 192 | 389 | 329 | 3233 |
Blue - 70.2 / 122 | 377 | 423 | 150 | 374 | 461 | 352 | 174 | 338 | 329 | 2978 |
Silver - 68.0 / 117 | 370 | 397 | 130 | 324 | 433 | 352 | 152 | 312 | 308 | 2778 |
Orange - 65.1 / 112 | 292 | 337 | 107 | 257 | 354 | 237 | 118 | 269 | 159 | 2130 |
An afternoon or evening at the Driving Range with the family is about as good as it gets. I am thrilled at the number of families that come out to the range for some quality together time!
Golf is a great first date, or second, third, fourth— well you get the point. The Walnut Creek Club Run Driving Range is a great place to unwind and relax. Many prefer to hit a bucket of balls instead of playing a round of golf. The range is located between the Walnut Creek Golf Course and the Club Run Golf Course. Tee off over the Walnut Creek valley and enjoy the spectacular view. The range is a great way to enjoy some private time while either releasing frustrations or just having fun with your own personal golf accomplishments! Bring your group out for a range party! We have packages available for group outings.
Range tokens can be purchased in advance at the Walnut Creek Club House
Each token is $3.50 and gives you approx. 30-35 balls.
Famous Walnut Creek Pencil Tour