Nettle Creek CC - Morris

Nettle Creek Golf Club in Morris (http://www.nettlecreek.com/) is a fairly new “prairie links” course that lies in a sub-division on the fringes of Chicagoland (the “super boonies”), although I know a number of people from the southwest suburbs who have made the trip to play this course and liked it. What you’ll find when you get there is a well maintained layout with some nice views of the neighboring farmland, with wide fairways and well-bunkered, mostly flat greens. Although not overly difficult (121 slope from the back tees), the course does force you to keep the ball away from the thick prairie that borders almost every hole. And I mean thick, like “you’ll be lucky to find your ball” thick, and even luckier to hit it out if you do find it.

Although there are homes bordering the course, the lots are big so unless you hit a really horrific shot, you’re not going to do any damage. The nines have been flipped since I last played here, which means that you get to play the number one handicap hole, #2, early in the round. This 400 yard par 4 is a formidable dogleg left with water the entire left side from the tee to around 250 yards out, then a 2nd shot across the water to a green which is protected by more water front right. The next hole is a good par 3 over water to a green guarded by 2 large bunkers, one front right and the other back left, with the back tees playing

to a lengthy 224 yards. The rest of the front side consists of four consecutive par 4’s and a par 5, with #6 the best, a 445 yard par 4 with bunkers on the right side of the fairway about 270 yards out, and a huge evergreen about 50 yards to the left of the green that could be a nuisance to any shots pulled that way. The 9th hole is a short par 3 to a green with steep slopes off the left side that will make for a challenging 2nd shot should you miss that way.

The back nine plays to a par 35 and is about 350 yards shorter, but I think it is the more interesting of the sides. The 10th is a short dogleg left par 5 that is definitely reachable in 2, and the 11th hole has the prairie and out of bounds left, 2 bunkers right and a nice background of trees behind the green. After a long par 3 and 2 shorter, well bunkered par 4’s, the best 3 hole stretch of holes follows, beginning with #15, a downhill par 3 to a large, forward tilting green with a good view of the surrounding farmland. The 16th hole was my favorite on the course, a near 400 yarder with water right and behind the green and a well bunkered putting surface, a tough hole to par, and the 17th is a 420 yard par 4 with a huge grassy mound off the left side of the fairway. The finishing hole is a short par 4

with a pond to the right in play off the tee, and another small water hazard hidden front left to the large green.

Nettle Creek was a 45 mile drive from my home in Lemont, so although I do like the layout, it is not a place that I will make the trek to play on a regular basis. This course is out in the country on the far side of town, so make sure you have good directions or you may be wandering around the back roads of Grundy County. The green fees top out at a very reasonable $52 w/cart, and specials and coupons are readily available, so if you live out this way, I would definitely recommend that you check out Nettle Creek.

Mr Z Rating
Layout - 7
Playability - 7.5
Conditioning -7.5
Aesthetics - 6
Amenities -7.5
Value -8

Total Score - 73