Weekday golf a pleasure at Quail Creek

NORTH LIBERTY -- Quail Creek Golf Course is hopping on this Thursday afternoon in mid-June.

There is a group of three ahead of me. A foursome behind me. A few holes back, there's another foursome and another and another. I end up skipping a few groups ahead and settle in with a couple of 14-year-olds from North Liberty.

Dylan Ney lives just off No. 3 here at Quail and his game shows it. The kid whupped me on No. 7, a 161-yard big-water par 3, tied me on No. 8 (only because he went over the green) and clipped me again by a stroke at No. 9.

His playing partner, Nick Helmer, was pretty good, too. Great swing that will only get bigger when he grows.

I had a great time listening to their back and forth. It reminded of my days of goofing and golfing at Lacoma in East Dubuque, Ill. Only Dylan and Nick had impeccable golf etiquette. We openly taunted each other and back swings were particularly treacherous.

Quail Creek is located in a high-traffic area. It's not far for anyone in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. That could be part of the Thursday afternoon appeal. Or it could be that Quail is a sweet nine-hole course with a lot going for it.

I have to admit, I'd played Quail just once in my nearly 10 years in Cedar Rapids. The thing that struck me that time was the chain-link fence that encased the course. This time around, it's not as big a part of the aesthetic as I remembered. The only time it struck me was on No. 2, when I pulled a drive left off the fence before it hit some big condo-looking building.

I really liked No. 1, a 534-yard par 5 from the middle tees. It's a pretty big dogleg to the left with a nice landing area for the fade. The second shot is downhill. What I didn't see was the stream that cuts off the green. Second shot went splash, I presume, but I pitched close for a par.

Quail Creek's greens are fairly uniform in the bowl shape, making them inviting but also giving them plenty of undulation. The greens are perfect, so a putter with a deft touch will enjoy a true roll.

No. 7 is a tough enough hole with a big-water carry, but I had no idea the middle of the green was about 10 yards wide until I walked up to it. It was a long and narrow green with humps and slopes abound. I fluffed a 7-iron into the water, so I didn't have to negotiate much from the drop area.

There are only three real doglegs in Quail's layout, but the course is mounded, including several tall-grass bunkers that will add at least a shot to your round, and has plenty of landmarks that grab the eye.

Built in 1969 and designed by Robert Johnstone, Quail has aged well. There are no sand traps and trees aren't a factor unless you go find them, but water dances into play on six holes. Between the grass bunkers and regular rough, there's plenty of penalty for a missed fairway.

My round picked up on No. 6, a 428-yard par 4 that has the world's widest (and maybe shallowest) green protected by the stream that touches so much of Quail's layout. This is when I met up with Dylan and Nick.

They waved me up to where they were sitting on the bench in the shade. I drilled a drive that left me about 105 from the pin. They were very complimentary.

As I drove up to my ball, I noticed a Titleist maybe 40 yards behind me. It was Dylan's. A nearly 300-yard drive from a 14-year-old.

Nice ball to you, Dylan.

The lowdown

Toughest hole -- I was going to go with No. 7, Quail Creek's signature par 3, but there is plenty of room to bail out right on this 161-yarder. I'm going with the card and say No. 6, a 428-yard par 4. From the tee, it's fairly wide open, maybe some trees if you yank it left. The fun starts on the approach. The longer you drive it, the better off you're going to be, depending on how confident you are with the accuracy of your 7-iron and down. The green is wide and shallow. If you fly it, you have an up-and-down for the ages, with the stream that protects the front. If you leave it short, you're in the stream. The green is so wide, it's almost like a little fairway unto itself. I hit a drive within 110, pitched on and missed the birdie putt.

Easiest hole -- No 2. is an innocuous 365-yard par 4. You can get in trouble with a pull, bringing out of bounds and the fence that surrounds Quail into play. There are trees on the right and left for wayward approaches, too. I pulled my drive off the fence, fluffed a 7-iron under a tree and chipped just off the green for a bogey. This is one I definitely want another crack at. The tee shot is everything here and I didn't give myself a chance.

Overall impression -- Quail Creek's best feature is its greens. Most are bowl-shaped and come with the undulation of a wave pool, but not in a hokey manner. These are classic golf, the kind of greens you find at more expensive courses. Bottom line is if you're a good putter, you'll enjoy the challenge. If you're not, well, you might or might not enjoy the challenge. I found enough water to balloon to a 45, 9 over, but I putted well, so I consider it a minor victory.