Coldwater offers host of challenges

AMES -- The damage was visible from the driving range. And, of course, there aren't too many driving ranges that will survive three weeks of submersion in floodwater.

Unfortunately, flood damage was the dominant feature at Coldwater Golf Links this early July day.

Water touches much of Coldwater, a classic links-style course that opened in 2002. It has at least five good-sized ponds, and Squaw Creek winds through much of the course. From the Tripp Davis and Associates Golf Architecture (Coldwater's architects): "The course makes use of considerable wetlands on the property, blending itself into the natural environment."

It's a miracle Coldwater is open. It's a huge tribute to course superintendent Brian Maloy and his staff, but there's still a lot of work to do. When Coldwater was built in 2002, a floodway needed to be moved (uh oh).

Many of the fairways are pocked with muddy dead spots. I never played out of one. I considered it ground under repair and took a drop. I was forced to do this numerous times.

Nos. 7 and 14 had tee boxes moved because of flooding, but all the holes remain open. Every green seemed to be in terrific shape -- again, a tribute to Coldwater's ground staff.

After No. 1, the course takes you across Squaw Creek to the next seven holes on the front nine. The obvious landmark is Jack Trice Stadium, which looms across the street from Coldwater. Each of these holes had some water/mud on nearly every fairway. You cart back across Squaw Creek for Nos. 9 through 18. There were a few holes on the back unaffected by the water, with Nos. 15 and 16 coming to mind.

The theme holds on either side of the creek. Coldwater is a links course through and through. It holds to that style more than any course I've played in Iowa, including The Meadows in Dubuque and Centennial Oaks in Waverly. Seriously, the only trees you'll find are along the edges of the course. Where Coldwater lacks trees, it more than makes up for it with native grasses, which bit me once on No. 12.

Bentgrass tees, fairways and greens attest to the commitment to excellence here.

A portion of the land for Coldwater, a 6,787-yarder with a par 71, was leased from Iowa State. The remaining was farmland.

Coldwater also has a relationship with the agronomy department at ISU. Coldwater employs ISU students throughout the year in various capacities. I imagine it's a pretty good resume builder for a turf management major.

If the wind kicks up at Coldwater, it is Carnoustie-like. And the wind, with no trees and very few hills (or even humps), probably picks up quite a bit around here. The lack of hills, however, makes Coldwater walkable to those who prefer.

Another links feature are the platforms and landing areas you need to hit at Coldwater. If you miss, there's rough, traditional rough that you and I know and love. And then there's the native grass. You saw that at the British Open two weeks ago.

With Coldwater, Ames has three 18-hole golf courses, joining Veenker Memorial and Ames Golf and Country Club. That's a lot of golf for a town with a population of just more than 50,000.

I wish I would've had a chance to play Coldwater when it was in game shape. You can see there's a really beautiful, challenging golf course here that's in some stage of flood recovery.

The lowdown

Toughest hole- Coldwater Golf Links doesn't waste any time getting all up in your grill. No. 2 is a torturous 425-yard par 4 with a naturally undulating fairway and a green that slopes slightly from back to front. Avoid trouble right and long on the approach. Off the tee, way right is deep woods, but that shouldn't come into play. I pulled my approach long and left and finished with a double.

Easiest hole- No. 12 is an easy, breezy 328-yard par 4 that is a birdie waiting to happen. There is some risk if the pin is placed on the far right side of the green. A pair of "spectacles" bunkers guards the right side. Just bomb a decent tee shot and take those out of play. I hit one of my only decent drives of the day, leaving myself just 50 yards to the pin. I finished with a par.

Overall impression- Coldwater Golf Links is Iowa's most dedicated links course. It's design is unyielding to Scottish links style, with its flat, treeless design and extensive use of native grasses. There also is lots and lots of water on the course. Floodwaters hit Coldwater hard this summer. I'm not sure how long the recovery will take -- a lot of fairways were left with mud patches and dead turf -- but when Coldwater gets it going again, you'll want to be there, especially if you're a fan of links-style golf.