Polk County
Living
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 11, 2016 7A
Spring swing
Polk County offers unique golfing
experiences that everyone can enjoy
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — It’s a sport
built on seemingly contradictions.
A sport that can be both exhilarat-
ing and frustrating. A sport that
embodies an impossible pursuit of
perfection; a game that can be de-
scribed as heavenly and hellish all
within a single round.
That sport is golf.
“It’s timeless,” Dustin Stephens,
owner of Oak Knoll Golf Course in
Independence, said. “It’s probably
one of the only sports that can be
played from the age of 5 to 95.”
Whether you’ve been playing for
decades or picking up a club for
the first time, golf offers a new ex-
perience every time you hit the
course.
Luckily, Polk County has a trio of
courses that provide experiences
as varied as the golfers who play
them.
CROSS CREEK
The county’s newest course,
Cross Creek Golf Course offers a
challenging, picturesque 18-hole
course.
Each hole has four tee boxes
with total yardage ranging from
5,111 to 6,884 yards over the 18
holes.
“We have several tees on every
hole which makes a huge differ-
ence on most of the holes,” owner
Tim Tarpley said. “This is by design
to make it as challenging as a
golfer would like.”
Looking to get some practice in
before a round? Cross Creek has all
the essential amenities, including
a driving range, practice green and
a snack bar stocked with every-
thing from snack foods to water
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Cross Creek Golf Course offers a number of stunning views to take in during a round.
and soda. If you’re brand new,
Cross Creek also offers golf clubs to
rent, lessons to teach you the ba-
sics and has carts available.
“I would tell people that if they
haven’t played the course yet,
they really need to try it,” Tarpley
said. “Most people after their first
time say the course is nothing
like they thought it was from the
highway.”
Every hole may have a beautiful
view, but holes No. 3, a par 4 with
mounds on the left side of the fair-
way and a pond on the right, and
No. 14, a par 3, stand out.
“(No. 3) isn’t a long par 4, so if
you keep the ball in the fairway,
you are rewarded,” Tarpley said.
“The green is protected by a sand
trap on the front left and on the
right side. The mounds around the
back and sides of the green help to
keep the ball from going astray if
you miss the green. No. 14 is prob-
ably the prettiest view on the
course. The green is large with sev-
eral elevated tees placed on the
face of a hill. You get to watch your
ball all the way to the green.”
Cross Creek offers something for
everyone and hopes that golfers of
all skill levels enjoy a unique
course.
“I would tell the beginner to go
out with the frame of mind that
this is not an easy game but to
enjoy it for what it is — a beautiful
walk with friends or family while
hitting a little ball and trying to
find it again,” Tarpley said.
For more information: 503-623-
6666.
DALLAS GOLF CLUB
If you’re looking for a shorter ex-
perience, look no further than Dal-
las Golf Club, the county’s lone ex-
ecutive course. The 2,250-yard par
31 layout features shorter dis-
tances that makes this course easi-
ly accessible for newer golfers.
Just don’t get too comfortable.
Accuracy is key to success. Bunkers
and water hazards await wayward
shots on some holes. On others, a
missed fairway may lead you hit-
ting a recovery shot from another
hole’s fairway.
The ninth hole provides a fun
way to end your round. Elevated
tees give way to a green surround-
ed by water on three sides.
Dallas Golf Club also features a
driving range and has carts avail-
able to rent. For more information:
503-623-6832.
OAK KNOLL
Oak Knoll is the county’s oldest
course, originally founded in 1926.
The 18-hole course is 6,279 yards
from the back tees and 5,263 yards
from the front.
“We are a family friendly style
golf course,” Stephens said. “Our
course is open and flat for the
golfer who enjoys a nice walk out-
side. We have a great patio space
that can be rented out for events or
just used to enjoy some cold bever-
ages after a round.”
Oak Knoll’s variety — from holes
with barely a tree or hazard in your
way, to holes like No. 14, a par 3
that has thick trees lining both
sides of the fairway — makes the
course an exciting challenge to
tackle.
“Our 14th hole is a secluded par
3 that is 119 yards long from the
white trees,” Stephens said. “It is
surrounded by trees with a small
pond on the back left side.”
Oak Knoll has a driving range —
including covered spots for when
the weather doesn’t cooperate — a
practice green and a full bar and
restaurant where golfers can enjoy
a meal and a drink before or after a
round.
Oak Knoll offers lessons for new
golfers. The course strikes a perfect
balance between being accessible
while offering challenges.
“This is a great place to take up
golf,” Stephens said. “We have a
range to practice on. The holes are
open and reasonable in distances.
Plus we’re not surrounded by resi-
dents staring or judging. For the
more experienced golfers, the
course can be fun because the par
5’s are reachable and there are
short par 4’s. Great scores can be
had out there.”
For more information: 503-378-
0344.
For more on the county’s golf
courses and other Polk County fea-
tures, see Explore Polk County on
May 25 in the Itemizer-Observer.
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Oak Knoll Golf Course gives golfers a variety of challenges to deal with.
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Dallas Golf Club, Polk County’s lone executive course, ends with a par 3 where elevated
tees give way to a green surrounded by water on three sides.
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