Course Spotlight: Indian Oaks DGC, Marengo, IL
An argument could be made that Northeastern Illinois has some of the best disc golf courses in the state. Recent additions like Fel-Pro RRR and Walnut Hollow have added to that prestige, but for many years the best course in this area was Indian Oaks, aka ‘Marengo’. This course still ranks at the top, with a great combination of open, wooded, distance, and short technical shots. You will have to use every tool in your arsenal if you want to score here. According to the UDisc.com website, “The course has an 18-hole layout with 18 concrete tee pads. Currently there are 22 total holes, with 5 more in the plans to be installed. Long walks out of the woods are where new holes are to be installed. This will give us 18 total in the woods and 9 out in the open.”
Holes one through three meanders through an open portion of the park, taking you up and down some moderate elevation, and then you’re off into the woods, the heart of where most of the challenge lies on this track. Hole four is a fun but technical 164-foot dogleg left ace run, protected by big boulders and guardian trees. It’s a tight pull, and any miscalculation and you will find yourself being kicked off the fairway in one of many possible directions. Scoring here is paramount because up next you must face hole five, quite possible the hardest par 4 in all of Illinois. Sitting at only 495 feet, the challenge is shaping your tee shot to land in the middle of the ’S’ shaped fairway to give yourself a good look at yet another tight shot that needs to navigate well placed guardian trees and land on a very small and protected green. Like many of the holes in these woods, one small error can lead to big numbers by the end of the hole. Legend speaks of one man, Fred Vroman, the designer of this course, who was able to skip one in from way out to bag an eagle, but that is only legend. For me, four feels like a birdie, and a bogey feels like par.
You can expect more of this kind of golf as you traverse the woods. There are many iconic holes, like hole 7, a tight, and technical par 3 with a unique carved tree in the shape of a big screw, a not-so-subtle metaphor for what this hole has in store if you don’t play it perfect. Or hole 10 which is a super fun, touchy, must finesse your way onto the green shot over a valley while moving from right to left. And of course, there is the ‘Kraken’ hole 12. A fallen tree was carved into a beautiful massive squid monster and navigating its tentacles to reach the basket a mere 149 feet away isn’t as easy as it sounds. So many times, I’ve run that hole for an ace, only to be left with a very long putt for birdie. There is no real ‘safe’ route, so it’s do-or-die my friend. If you’re very brave, and have a big arm, there are stories of people who execute the spike hyzer to avoid the creature, but that is beyond my skill level for sure.
Once you get out of the woods, Marengo gives you some wonderful open holes to really them the rip. Hole 14 is a great example of risk versus reward. Sitting at 477 feet, this par 3 has the option to hurl your disc up high and far over a very large wetland with very tall grass and trees. If you can clear all this, as well as avoid the other massive trees on the other side, you can find yourself looking at an edge of C1 or inside C2 putt for a birdie. The conservative route is to play to the corner of the wetlands, then approach from about 250 feet and take a nice easy par. This hole has certainly made or broken players in tournaments. I have taken both routes, but I find myself leaning towards playing it safe these days.
You will finish the course with a couple bigger bomber shots, as well as a very tight, low ceiling tunnel shot, with a mando in play on hole 17. This is another hole that can kill a great round with just one bad kick. Park the tee shot, and you’re still faced with a edge of the hill death putt. Hole 18 will challenge you as well as you must get through a very thick wall of brush and trees to get to the green, or you can take the longer but safer opening, but that usually adds at least one stroke.
Overall, the original 18 at Maregno are meant to challenge you on every shot. You must maintain laser focus and execute clean shots and putts to score here. Whenever I start to feel like I’m playing the best golf of my life, I like to come to this track and test my mettle. By the end, I feel humbled again and I’m reminded that disc golf, while easy to learn, takes a lifetime to master.
At the opening of this blog, it was mentioned that, in addition to the relatively older holes 19 & 20, there are two new holes, 11a and 11b, with plans to add five more in the woods. I have only played these new holes a couple times, but they are certainly designed with the same philosophy that permeates the entire course; hit your lines and give yourself a chance on your second throw or you have no chance to score. Specifically, hole 11a has two pin positions, with the long sitting at 614 feet. Right now, after you play these holes, you are tasked with a very long walk back to hole 12, but with the addition of the five new holes, the course should flow perfectly. I look forward to seeing what challenges Fred and his team have in store.
Marengo also has some wondeful eating establishments, so after your round you can stop in and support the local business with some libations and eats. If you haven’t already, you need to come visit Marengo and see for yourself what all the hype is about.
