Purgatory Golf Club

We've all had our moments with the vicarious nature of the Golfing Gods. We've prayed for absolution for our transgressions, we've tried to do what's right (except we probably haven't practiced enough). But will we ever be delivered to Golf Heaven?

Well, it's only a little stretch of the imagination to tell you that the road to that mythical place goes through Purgatory, a breathtaking Ron Kern-designed test less than a half-hour northeast of Indianapolis between I-69 and Rt. 37.

But what would you expect from Purgatory? Most of us have a negative connotation for such a place, but the owners of Purgatory Golf Club are explicit (and a little tongue-in-cheek) when they say, "Purgatory is where souls gladly pay for their earthly mistakes to gain entry to heaven. The name is fitting because it conjures up images of overcoming obstacles to reach eternal happiness. The game of golf at Purgatory is a game of strategy to overcome the bunkers and tall grass. Staying in the fairway brings you the happiness of a lower score."

So Purgatory can be a good thing, in fact, a very good thing. Golf Digest ranks it among the 100 Greatest Public Courses in America. GolfWeek picked it as the #1 course in the entire state of Indiana. And, interestingly enough, Golf For Women Magazine has picked it as one of its Top 50 Courses for Women the last three years running, attesting to the care with which Kern designed the forward tees of between 4,500 and 5,700 yards, not as an afterthought, but to create a similar challenge to the one he throws at those who play the longest golf course in Indiana from the 7,754-yard Purgatory tees.

It's those back tees, the bragging rights that go with being the state's longest course, and just the name Purgatory that has some folks thinking this course is just too hard. Sure it sounds difficult, and some architectural experts say it even looks demanding, but those same course critics also say Purgatory is visually tougher than it plays. Remember that previous definition from the owners? If you can overcome the 125 bunkers and the tall fescue grasses that border the trouble, Purgatory's a positively playable place. And the variety of shot options is remarkable.

The first important decision is to pick the right set of tees. Recommendations are printed right on the scorecard, with only single-digit handicappers encouraged to play the Blue, Black or Purgatory tees. Middle-handicappers will probably find the most enjoyment from the 6,400-yard (128 sloped) White tees and there are two other tees in front of that offer a fair test for less-experienced players.

For a course with a reputation for length, there's a par-4 on each side that's under 330-yards from the middle tees, and it's the second-shot values that impress Head Professional Jon Stutz. The 11th, named Eden (you used to the theme by now?), the shortest par-4 on the back nine, is one of his favorites for its unique approach over a rock wall to one of the smaller greens on the course, protected by bunkers in the back.

The bunkers are a big part of this Purgatory (or any, come to think of it). Yes there are over 125 of them, and many of them are huge. But if you look at many of them not as visually intimidating, but as positive landmarks to help you better find the generous fairways, you'll likely be rewarded for that affirmative thought. Many of the bunkers aren't on your intended path, but simply serve to frame the holes (though they will prove penal if you stray too far). Something you'll also notice about the bunkers is their consistency. Filled with crushed limestone, slightly heavier than conventional bunker sand, the thickness of Purgatory's bunkers can be better controlled, firmer in the fairways for easier extraction with longer clubs, fluffier around the greens for more control.

Now that you've conquered your concerns over the length of the course and its numerous bunkers, playing it can become the "game of strategy" the owners intended. The people at Purgatory want you to be challenged, but also want you to have fun. That's why they've mounted a yardage book right in the cart, and give you exact pin sheets, not just zones where the pins are cut that day. While every hole is unique at Purgatory, there are some general principles at work that are proven out on the very first hole. A short par-4, "Pride" asks you to swallow yours, promising a wide variety of strategies off the six different tees, with few forced carries, to generous fairways, with larger-than-average greens that are very approachable from just about any angle (except those pesky, and omnipresent bunkers). Some of the greens have moderate to severe contours (thank heaven for those pinsheets?). Add the ever-present, but often capricious and always-changing breezes of central Indiana, and it'ss easy to understand why you'll never go through the same Purgatory twice.

You'll also get a feel, early on, for something else that makes Purgatory a place like no other. Laid out over 218 acres (a third more space than most courses), with no homes intruding on play, you'll find a sense of solitude, that you've truly escaped the distractions of everyday life. The "linksy" style of the course allows for sweeping vistas of the course, and the rolling countryside, but you'll find it almost impossible to play from someone else's fairway. Speaking of those views, another of Head Pro Stutz' favorite holes is the par-4 16th, nicknamed "Blinding Cloud of Smoke", which is handicapped as the toughest hole on the course, not so much for its length as for the eight bunkers that frame the landing area and the half-dozen more that could affect the approach shot. Yet once you leave the green and look back toward the tee, you'll be hard pressed to see any of that trouble, a tribute by architect Ron Kern to one of his heroes, Augusta National and Cypress Point designer Alister Mackenzie.

The par-3s are a shot-maker's delight, requiring the use of different clubs off each of the regular tees. But then again, the breezes and the pin placements make every trip around the track a new experience. The third hole, "The Impenetrable Fortress", has a green that's nearly 60-yards deep. The seventh, "River of Flames", forces either a long over-water carry, or a bail-out short and right. The 12th, "Valley of Kings", has four distinct approach angles depending solely on tee placement. And the 17th, "Hell's Half-Acre", will bring to mind the similarly-named Pine Valley classic, especially if you miss the green anywhere but short-left.

Ironically, for its reputation for length, two of the four par-5s are potentially reachable from the middle tees, including the 457-yard finishing hole, a wonderful risk-reward test of confidence, or desperation, after the previous 17.

Remember the theme of "overcoming earthly mistakes to gain entry into heaven"? How many of us have practiced as much as we feel we should? Before you make your journey into Purgatory, you might avail yourself of their great teaching staff and fabulous practice facility, with 300-yard-plus range, a four-hole junior course, and practice greens and bunkers specifically set up exactly like the ones you'll find on the course (a rarity these days). Just like that "other" Purgatory, there'll be no excuse not to be prepared to defend yourself!

Before and after your trip through Purgatory, you'll enjoy their unique log cabin-style clubhouse with a full-service restaurant and a lounge unofficially referred to as 'The Confessional'. With full food and beverage services on-site, Purgatory is proud of its personalized events for 4 or 144. As they like to say, 'There's room for everyone at Purgatory!"

For more information or to book a tee time or event, visit www.purgatorygolf.com or call (317) 776-4653. Experience Purgatory, home of the 2007 Indiana State Open. You'll likely find yourself a lot closer to golf heaven than, you know, that other place!