I played Whitetail Ridge in Yorkville for the 1st time in 2009. This course has only been open for about 3 years, so it is still in the maturation process, but the layout (especially parts of the back nine) provides a lot of promise once the rough edges are cleared away. The course is "friendly" off the tee, as most holes have wide fairways that will allow for the wayward drive to not be severely penalized. But there is plenty of trouble as you get closer to the hole to make it a challenge for all skill levels.
The front nine is set in a valley with some nice views of the countryside (there is not a lot of development out this way). The 1st hole is a downhill par 4 that provides a nice visual to start the round. And the 4th hole is a tricky little par 3 over a pond to an elevated green. But the most memorable hole on the front side is #8, a par 4 with a water hazard that protects the right side and cuts into most of the fairway about 100 yards from the green. This hole would need to be played a few times to figure out the best way to attack because the view from the tee is a bit misleading, although it's all right in front of you.
The back nine is totally different, much hillier as a few holes run up and down a ridge (Whitetail, I assume). #10 is a par 4 that runs right up the ridge to a green with a severe drop off to the right. #11 is a downhill par 3 with a lake to the left and a huge green that has 3 putt written all over it if you're in the wrong spot. And that brings us to holes 12 & 13, my 2 favorites on the course. #12 is a slight dogleg right with the approach shot over a creek, and #13 is an uphill dogleg left par 5 framed by trees with a narrow opening to the green, a great looking hole. The other hole that stood out for me on the back was #17, a downhill par 3 to a green surrounded by water (it actually has 2 different tees that presents totally different angles to the hole).
Although this course is part of a housing development, I really don't remember any holes where you need to worry about an irate owner should you spray a shot. The greens fees were reasonable, they have a good twilight rate, the clubhouse was awesome, so although it is a bit of a drive from home, I will definitely be back to see how the course matures in the coming years.
Mr Z rating
Layout - 7
Playability - 8
Conditioning - 8
Aesthetics - 7.5
Amenities - 8
Value - 8.5
Total Score - 78.25
What a difference a few years make! I played WhiteTail Ridge recently and it is a big difference from 3 years ago. The fairways have filled in nicely and the rough edges from the previous visit have been smoothed out. New review will be coming soon, but I have changed the ratings to reflect new opinion...
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