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

Since 1970

Original 18 of 36 holes

Welcome to Walnut Creek

We hope your experience at Walnut Creek is enjoyable. Walnut Creek can be a very long, demanding course (6880 yards). For your enjoyment, may we suggest 0-5 handicap play the black tees, 0-10 handicap play purple tees, 10-20 handicap play blue tees and 20+ handicap play silver tees. The slope rating supports that high handicap players may not enjoy playing a course that is too long for their typical shot characteristics. Markers in the fairway denote the distance from the center of the green.

Walnut Creek

Famous Pencil Tour

(finally on paper)

#1 Par 4 Plays straight-away. The garden spot from the tee is right of center in the low area. Avoid a side hill lie if possible. The green is three tier, hopefully the pin is not cut on the right tier (tough to hit).

#2 Par 4 This is a dogleg left, trees prevent cutting the dogleg. Not too much trouble, however this hole yields few birdies.

#3 Par 5 Plays long with slight dogleg right. The secret is — don’t miss the fairway to the right. The lake begins about 140 yards from the green, but the bank is forgiving and slopes toward the fairway.

#4 Par 3 The tee is beside the rest shelter. Beware of this hole. Treacherous grass pot bunkers on the right about yea deep (three feet or so) and a large sand bunker bounce hazard on the left are only paled by the most difficult putting surface on the course. (Be happy with a bogey!) Most difficult hole for a hole in one. (Odds are 24,000 to 1) Good luck!

#5 Par 4 Tee it high and let it fly. This is not a long hole but trees dividing the fairway produce a dilemma on how to initiate play on this hole. There are two small sand traps directly in front of the green so you must drop your second shot with some brakes on it. While playing number 5, look at the lake on the left between number 5 and number 9. File this information away until you play number 9. This lake doesn’t really come into play on number 5 unless you badly hook your drive, but it really does come into play on number 9.

#6 Par 3 This is a good par. If you hit toward the green, you see little trouble …don’t spray it though. The putting surface is slightly above the elevation of the tee. This is your best shot for a hole in one. (Odds are 15,000 to 1). Go for it!

#7 Par 5 This is a good birdie hole. Don’t let the yardage scare you because it is downhill. There is a large sand bunker in front of the green to grab those wishing to be home in two. If you go for the green in regulation, the bunker doesn’t come into play much because it is about 20 yards out from the green.

#8 Par 4 Don’t fade the ball on this hole. The trees on the right can be jail. Add about one half club to your second shot because you are shooting uphill. This is a large, easy green to hit, but try to be below the hole.

#9 Par 4 This is a good finishing hole. The target area is marked with a directional flag. There is a bushy Washington Hawthorne tree at each edge of the landing area. The best strategy is to use a 4 iron or 5 wood off the tee and land at the directional flag. The lake and directional flag are about 190 yards out from the tee so don’t be long and right of the directional flag or your ball will get washed. Remember not to play too safe to the left or the deep valley and many trees will prevent a shot to the green (5 wood from the tee and 8 iron to the green is my choice). If however if you must win this hole to win the match, then a perfectly executed driver will have its rewards. (Try the driver the second time you play this hole, if you dare!)

Oh yes, the back two thirds of this green does slope to accept the shot so don’t be fooled by the slope if you putt toward the clubhouse.

#10 Par 4 The tee shot has a very narrow opening if you play from the back tees. Many 3 woods are used here to prevent disasters. Andy, our 16 foot Scotsman was carved from a 100 foot white oak tree after the tree succumbed to lightning. The hole is slightly easier but ever so photographed now. This is a long hole so don’t give too much away. The green is curved around the base on the left hand side of the giant Farmington Red Oak. The green is located in what was the town of Farmington. (Platted in 1848 but vacated in 1869.) A par on this hole will give much satisfaction. (Some say that a par on this hole is like a birdie on most holes!)

#11 Par 5 Get out of town! Follow Farmington’s Walnut Street to Mulberry Alley at #11 tee. Look at the yardage– Wow— not to worry, though; this hole is all down hill. A slight double-dogleg or can be played straight. Left center of the fairway is the best location for the tee ball. Oh yes, remember number 7 green? This one is even longer. Thirty-three passes with a riding greens mower, (I know)!

#12 Par 3 Tricky! The yardage seems to be exaggerated, but most people give it a little extra from this tee. You can see the first water from the tee, but not the lagoon guarding the green. Don’t fall short of the green or the ball will disappear. Hit the green and all is well. (Hole in one chance is 17,000 to 1.)

#13 Par 4 A good tee ball is necessary. There is out-of -bounds on the left and water on the right. Your second shot is to a small narrow green. Play conservative here. Many stories are told about the infamous 13 on number 13 by one of the contenders of a county amateur tournament.

#14 Par 4 I play this hole the same way I play number 9– a 5 wood from the tee. The green is driveable but a little left or a little short and then Walnut Creek gets fed again. The creek is out of bounds so a re-tee is the best option. Play it safe… a 5 wood-wedge is the most successful. Try not to be too far right; two sand traps interfere with your par intentions. Easy par—easy 6.

#15 Par 5 Uphill. This hole can be reached in two, but is difficult because it is all carry. The green is small and flat. When you get to your drive position, look to your right and see number 16 green. Make note if pin is on the front half or the back half of the green. Keep this thought in mind as you make your next tee selection.

#16 Par 4 A straight tee ball here is rewarding. If the pin is on the front half of the green, then a loosely placed tee ball will not detract from your second shot, but do keep it between the tree lines. However, if the pin is cut on the back of the two level green, then place your tee ball left center of the fairway to allow a shot to the pin. To get a par you do need to be on the proper half of the green.

#17 Par 4 Again a good long tee ball will reward you. Last chance to use ye-ole driver. Caution– the lake on the right is reachable and no one wants to be hitting off the slope of the dam. A shorter fairway shot is better than a long spray. A lob shot to the green over a small sand trap will often produce a par on the moderately spacious flat green.

#18 Par 3 Don’t let the water bother you on this shot. This is a good hole to get close and make birdie. Don’t be right because few pars result from a miss hit to the right. (Hole in one chance 20,000 to 1.)

Thank you for visiting our course. This is not only our business—-it is our life. Tell us if we did not exceed your expectations, tell a friend if you found our course to be a pleasant experience. This is our original course that opened in 1970. Randy, Sara, and Mindy

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