Crooked Creek maturing
into excellent course

Once a nice break from the city courses of Lincoln, Crooked Creek Golf Club is now a must-stop on the regular circuit. The maturity of the greens and fairways at this course, located three miles from Lincoln’s east edge, allow you to think about shots, rather than conditions.

Working around water hazards is expected at a place named Crooked Creek. You must manage water and water/tree lines on six holes, and manage ponds on four others. But the course allows for some simplification, even at 6,307 yards long, by managing your tee shots.

Most of the water holes look hard yet play easy. No. 8 and 11 are well sculpted among the few mature trees that come into play. It looks as if windows are cracked open to allow you clear looks at the green.

Crooked Creek is also friendly in other ways. It isn’t big on trees, which are still young or non-existent, its greens are true and tend to slope back-to-front, catching quality iron shots.

Following its current trend, Crooked Creek will only get better. The ponds will fill up and the trees will narrow the margin for error.

It’s a great find in the Lincoln area.

A closer look
The par 5s at Crooked Creek in Lincoln characterize the course, but not necessarily with enormous length.

No. 5 (only 422 yards long) has an oh-so-slight bend to the left coming into play on the second shot (unless you are willing and able to hammer a long drive to the corner of a very narrow fairway.)

An overhanging tree forces a draw from those who want to reach the green in two, but it’s simple and smart to play for birdie by reaching the green in regulation.

No. 9 is 501 yards but uphill all the way to the back of the green. The second shot can be a blind one up the second half of the hill, and it’s the toughest rated hole on the course. No. 13 is 510 yards long, with a creek (crooked, no less) that appears as this hole bends to the left. A perfectly placed tee shot is on the most right edge of the fairway, bettering but not clearing your view for the next shot.

A lot can happen at No. 18, a par 5, 537-yard hole rated the second-hardest on the course. It’s a nice finishing touch (fifth in handicap) that you can easily play into a birdie or par with two solid shots.

No. 3 and 14 are shorter doglegs with water at the bend, and they require more discipline than anything else. The tee shot on No. 11 is downhill to the edge of a creek to a clearing in the trees.

All are testament to the variety Crooked Creek features.