Rock Spring Park--> Alton, IL

[CEValkyrie]

Holy smokes! I was not expecting this course to be so freaking sweet. Souix Passage is 7 miles away and i'd pick this course 100/100 times to play before SP.

There was a half inch of snow on the ground when we pulled in. I cannot wait to get back and play it when it's dry. The one major negative I have about this course are the natural tees. It was very muddy and hard to get good footing while throwing on this very challenging course. The course is located in an awesome park. I am not kidding when I say this. There is not 1 hole that is played on flat ground. Every fairway has some type of hill. It was pretty difficult hike. If you have a cart there is no way you are going to use it on this course. There is a good assortment of holes and many death putts with huge drop offs behind pins. There is quite a bit of rough on the course as I started the day on hole #1 losing baby blue. I nearly cried. I did go back after we finished and got very lucky to find it under a log with heavy schule around it. I spent 30 minutes looking. Short & Long tees. Both are dirt. This is a must play and will go into my top 10 IL courses.

[tjdub26936]

I completely agree with Brett, this course is great!  I played it this morning (5/24/09) and the tee pad were in good shape, a thin layer of wood chips on top.  Finding the first hole was difficult, it's near the "top" of the park next to a small shelter.  There IS a lot of rough, and it was pretty overgrown.  But the main this was the HUGE amount of storm damage.  Dozens of downed large trees, some right in front of the tee pads, and lots of fallen limbs and debris.  Some of the limbs were piled up, but it didn't look like there had been much cleanup.  Hopefully, the park district cleans it up soon.