Plum Creek Golf Club

A Plum Experience

When you think of Pete Dye courses, the first inclination is to imagine coastal routings, lots of marshland and yes, all those railroad tie-bulkheads separating land from water. Maybe that’s one of the things that makes Dye’s layout at Plum Creek Golf Club in Carmel, just outside the I-465 loop, that much more special.

True to his Hoosier roots, Dye’s designed a delightful links-style layout in an old cornfield of  what used to be the old Lynnwood Farm, the Percheron horse farm of longtime Eli Lilly executive Charles Lynn. Dye himself walked the property for months back in 1989, before picking the routing, careful to save the venerable barn that had become a landmark for the area, and is still featured on the course’s logo.

Yes, there’s still plenty of water, with man-made ponds and a stream coming into play on 12 of the 18 holes. But no railroad ties, just a gorgeous journey through the countryside, while tackling a remarkably challenging course.

A great test? Ask your local pro, who might have played there in one of the half-dozen state championships held at Plum Creek in the past decade, including the 2003 Indiana Open.

But those “big” events aren’t any more important than the dozens of outings hosted at Plum Creek each year, ranging from small group gatherings of a handful of foursomes to large charity events, to weddings and large social functions of up to 250 guests. All are handled professionally by a banquet staff that serves up over a dozen different beers and a full menu featuring a “killer” half-pound burger by day, and sumptuous catered events with customized menus and all the trimmings for larger groups.

Plum Challenging

But the course is the star at Plum Creek. The par-72 layout measures over 6800-yards from the tips, but is an extremely playable 6215 from the blue tees and a fun 5800 from the whites with forward tees just over 5200 yards to accommodate the entire family. The immaculately-groomed A-4 Bent grass at Plum Creek gives it a private country club feel, and the colorful contours, fairway moguls and strategic bunkering are pure Pete. Yet the course doesn’t seem contrived. It gives the impression it was there all along, just a layer below the cornfi eld and pastureland until uncovered by this architectural legend.

Dye wants to give you a chance to build a little confidence with a short par-4 (only 317 yards from the back tees, if you keep it out of the water right off the tee) to open, followed by the shortest par-5 on the course (that is reachable with two great shots) and the shortest par-3 at Plum Creek (if you can hit the narrow green and keep from pulling left into the water). Speaking of the par-3s, depending on the breezes, you might well hit four different clubs with the variety of carries, elevation changes, and pin placements on the small, but undulating greens. In fact, three of the par-3s are handicapped among the 11 toughest holes. After that encouraging three-hole start, things get tougher in a hurry. The long par-4 fourth also features a fairway bisected lengthwise by a creek, and while the fifth will tempt the big hitters to drive it at just 280-yards from the blue tees and 304 from the tips, it is well-bunkered and can turn a possible eagle or birdie into bogey faster than you can say Pete Dye.

The back side isn’t that much longer, but offers a great risk-reward par-5, #12, that dares you to play over the corner of a lake and sand that horseshoes around the green while offering you an easier way home as a traditional three-shotter. A combination of par-4s, one mid-range, then much longer and much shorter follows to set up a great finishing trio of holes that play around two big lakes.

Plum Creek’s longest par-3, the 16th, plays over a corner of one of the lakes with out-of-bounds left and water right from the tee through the green. There’s also a corner of the lake to play over, or alongside at Plum Creek’s longest par-5, the 17th, before you finish with a stout par-4 that usually plays into the wind, with water on both sides, the right side affecting the tee ball, the left side challenging the approach. This is a course with a WOW factor higher than its course rating.

Plum Fun

There are a number of reasons Plum Creek hosts so many couples and families besides the visiting golfer. Sure, the extremely player-friendly course helps its popularity among all types of players, but the professional staff at Plum Creek treating everyone on site like a member certainly adds to the ambiance. You’ll get a mom-and-pop feel from everyone at Plum Creek, even though they also play host to a diverse group of members, visitors and outing groups. Everything from a single individualized lesson to group instruction packages are always available from the staff of PGA-certified pros, and their large driving range, short-game area, chipping green with a bunker (it’s a good idea to spend some time there every time you visit) and practice putting greens are very accessible and wellgroomed.

Plum Affordable

And here’s the really amazing key to the success of Plum Creek. The absolute top rate is $69, including cart, with all sorts of discounted rates depending on the day and time you want to play. Multi-round passes are also available offering 10-15% discounts. Family memberships start at just over $2000/annually that include not only golf, carts and range access, but a very popular pool and other country club-like amenities. Plum Creek will also help create a customized Stay-and-Play package with a number of hotels in the area.

Plum Special

Value is defined as getting more than you expected for the price. At Plum Creek Golf Club, you get a dynamicyet very playable Pete Dye layout, in immaculate shape, with all the amenities you’d expect at some of Indiana’s finest private clubs, yet with a price tag that’s stunningly reasonable, whether you only visit once in awhile, or make it your home base. And they call that Plum Perfect. Plum Creek is located within a half-hour of downtown Indianapolis in Carmel, just off the Hazel Dell Parkway and E. 126th Street, between US-31 and I-69.

For more information on Plum Creek Golf Club, call them at (317) 573-9900, or one can visit them online at www.plumcreekgolfclub.com.