Sun Willow: My Home Course

A Squandered Drive

Greg (name withheld for privacy) and I were on the 10th, talking about how it has to be one of the hardest holes on the course, whatever the handicap rating says. It’s a little dogleg left with water on both sides, plenty of trees, and an uphill approach to a green that can really punish a miss.

Then Greg hits his best drive of the week. A beautiful 300-yard baby draw, just past the pond on the left, leaving him about 80 yards in. Couldn’t have placed it much better.

He takes his time, checks the distance with his rangefinder, and talks out loud through the shot he wants to hit. This is when he’s either feeling really good about a shot or wanting to try something crazy.

He proceeds to excavate enough turf to start a small landscaping business.

The chunk of grass goes farther than the ball, which dribbles to the right about ten yards, slowly bouncing right into the water. My brother and I sit there for a long couple of seconds, trying not to burst into laughter. Then his wedge goes frisbeeing through the air a good 40 yards.

We lose it as Greg’s expletive-filled self degradation begins in full.

Right Club, wrong person.

The round I keep coming back for

Most rounds here involve less airborne equipment.

The layout mixes straightforward holes with a few that ask more interesting questions, particularly on the approach. My biggest wish is for more variety in the yardages. I’ve recently switched to the blue tees, though for my game there’s still plenty of driver-wedge. A little more variety would give the middle of my bag something to do.

Conditions are consistently better than you might expect at this price. In my regular rounds, the greens and fairways are generally excellent. You’ll find the usual worn patches around the cart paths, but the surfaces you’re actually trying to play from are well looked after.

As serious as you want to make it

Part of what keeps me coming back is the crowd. You’ll see scratch golfers with swings you’d happily trade yours for, alongside weekend warriors in jean shorts having the time of their lives. I fall somewhere in the middle, usually in a comfortable T-shirt and athletic shorts, making my way around on my Finn scooter.

You can take your round seriously here without feeling like everyone else has to.

Pace has slowed lately. The good prices probably don’t help keep the tee sheet empty, and it feels like the post-Covid golf crowd is still growing. The staff, though, are consistently friendly and relaxed, and booking through the website is easy.

Final Approach

Sun Willows also has a little bonus: catch the right moment on the 12th green or 13th tee and you’ll get a low flyover from a plane coming in to land at the airport. You’re directly beneath the final approach. Pretty neat even if you aren’t a plane enthusiast.

Where it fits in your trip

I play here almost every week, so there’s no mystery about whether I’d come back. Would I build a trip around it? No. But if you’re passing through town and need a third round, this is the kind of course I’d point you toward. Well-kept, welcoming, and priced right.

Just keep a firm grip on your wedge.