Big Run GC
A view over the water of a hole at Big Run Golf Club.
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Rating Index Rating
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3.8
926 Reviews (926)
5 Stars
266
4 Stars
339
3 Stars
157
2 Stars
96
1 Stars
68
Conditions
3.5
Value
3.9
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.1
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.3
78.2%
Recommend this course
679 out of 926 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.5
33 Reviews (33)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
12
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
3
Conditions
3.5
Value
3.8
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.8
Amenities
3.1
StaffFriendliness
3.6
69.7%
Recommend this course
23 out of 33 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
72 Reviews (72)
5 Stars
21
4 Stars
34
3 Stars
9
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
3
Conditions
3.7
Value
4.0
Layout
4.6
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.4
StaffFriendliness
4.0
81.9%
Recommend this course
59 out of 72 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Big Run's dramatic elevation changes and challenging layout consistently earn high praise from golfers seeking a true test. Noticeably improved course conditions and friendly staff make this a strong value worth booking.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 7028 yards
Slope 142
Rating 74.6
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Big Run Golf Club
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Course Details

Year Built 1930
Fairways Blue Grass
Greens Bent Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Harry B. Smead (1930) Dick Nugent (1986) Ken Killian (1982)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range No
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Dicover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper attire is required.

Available Facilities

Banquet Facilities

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2025 #24)
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Reviews

3.8
926 Reviews (926)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 34
Watching the Game 7
Course Challenges Include:
Elevation Changes 71
Undulating Greens 60
Plays Long 57
This course/club is great for:
Advanced Golfers 61
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 37
Locals 27
This Course's Location is:
In the 'Burbs 64
Worth the Drive 42
Convenient to the City 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great classic course

Always been a favorite hard but fair layout if you haven’t played here before you’re probably gonna three put a few times even though the greens are reasonable speed pretty long Course if you play the Tips or one up, it’s one of the original long courses in the area, it was a long course 40 years ago and the yard is still holds up today although they do have tease now to shorten it up and none of the part fours are overly long just not too many ReelShort ones although they do have a drivable hole.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Response from on 07/06/2026:
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! Knowing you enjoyed your experience means a lot to our team. We can't wait to welcome you back again soon.
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Getting Better

Few years ago when I played here first time, thought everything was great but seemed like the grass no matter how close to a green or fairway was swallowing every ball that went into it, real hard to find balls didn't want to come back but of course I did and now every time I go here it keeps getting better. Perfect terrain for a golf course. #9 has got to be considered one of the more challenging holes around. Grounds crew or new ownership has this place on the right track.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 07/03/2026:
We truly appreciate your support and kind rating. It's great to hear you had a positive experience, and our team looks forward to seeing you again for another round.
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Poor customer service

Was playing yesterday and the gentleman who was in the clubhouse when we checked in was a little upset with me when I asked for a refund for my fourth player who got sick and couldn’t make it even though I already paid for him. So we were playing at pace the whole round and not a single group was seen behind us the whole 18 holes and he checked on us twice to tell us to speed up. It was also 95 degrees outside. Please have some more decorum when speaking to people.

Conditions Excellent
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging course

Outside of the cart paths (which all need to be replaced) the course is in nice shape.

Greens are in great shape!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Big Fun

Course was fine at best. Lots of standing water and muddy bunkers. The guy at the pro shop was very rude, and kept yelling at customers over a PA. It was weird

Conditions Fair
Friendliness Poor
Pace Fair
Response from on 06/29/2026:
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We're sorry your visit didn't fully meet expectations, and we're committed to making improvements that create a better experience for future rounds.
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Nice course

Course is in great shape! Way better than it was a few years ago. Glad citgo bought it and has the money to maintain it.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Very disappointed

Course is poorly kept. Someone needs to buy it and get it back in shape. Trees are way overgrown, even fairway shots have lots of overhanging limbs. The sand is a joke, the cart paths have potholes big enough to swallow the golf cart, very disappointing after some of the positive reviews I read, and the fact that it’s a Sam Sneed course. The layout is really interesting and challenging. But course conditions are atrocious.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Good
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Response from on 06/24/2026:
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We're sorry your visit didn't fully meet expectations, and we're committed to making improvements that create a better experience for future rounds.
Played On
Reviews 83
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
Previously Played

Big Run Big Challenge Little Fun

Played Big Run 50 years ago. Had memory that course was difficult. I wasn’t wrong.

Positives: Course was laid out with Great elevation changes. Very scenic. Every hole required careful calculations on distances due to changes in elevation, not to mention wind was blowing 15-20 mph. Greens rolled true but were also incredibly undulating. Some of the bunkers had sufficient amounts of sand but many were rocks and mud. Grill food was outstanding. They were grilling fresh at the turn from 11:00 to 5:00. Hot Dogs were huge and grilled perfectly! Thank you!

Negatives: Although greens were true, pins were consistently placed on slopes of undulations or very close to corners of green. Putting was very challenging.

Pace of play. 5 hours and 30 minutes. I played in a foursome. Group ahead was 3. No one ahead of them for 3/4 holes. No ranger and threesome had 4 groups behind them waiting for minutes on every shot. It was painful.

Bottom line. Course has beautiful, gigantic trees that line every fairway. The rough was deep enough that if you missed the fairway, your ball was not visible unless you were on top of it. Our foursome lost a considerable amount of balls that were in the rough that we couldn’t find, even though we had many extra minutes due to the threesome in front of us. Add to that fact pins were in tough spots, wind was gusty, holes are VERY long and I hit a bunch of sub par shots and I was pretty miserable by the end of a 5 hour and 30 minute day! Big Run; you’re too much of challenge for a 64 year old. Let me know if you put a set of senior tees in!

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Response from on 06/24/2026:
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We're sorry your visit didn't fully meet expectations, and we're committed to making improvements that create a better experience for future rounds.
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
1.0
Previously Played

Poor staff

I chose to spend part of Father’s Day at Big Run Golf Club with family and friends, hoping to enjoy a relaxing and memorable outing. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from start to finish and ultimately put a damper on what should have been a special day.

The customer service was extremely poor. Rather than being welcoming and helpful, the staff came across as rude, dismissive, and uninterested in providing a positive experience for their customers. Their attitude significantly impacted our outing and took away from what was meant to be a Father’s Day celebration.

The condition of the course was equally disappointing. The fairways and greens appeared poorly maintained, and the greens themselves were in rough shape, making for a frustrating round of golf. It was also clear that many areas of the property have been neglected.

Beyond the condition of the course, there were several safety concerns. The cart paths are in poor condition, and some of the bridges throughout the course appear unsafe and in need of immediate repair. These issues create unnecessary risks and show a lack of attention to the overall upkeep of the facility.

For the prices being charged, I expected a much better experience. Instead, what was supposed to be an enjoyable Father’s Day outing was overshadowed by poor customer service, inadequate course conditions, and noticeable maintenance issues. I sincerely hope management takes steps to improve both the customer experience and the condition of the course moving forward.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Absolutely love the layout of this course. Really awesome area with lots of elevation and challenging holes. It was a pretty picture perfect course. I would give it 5 stars if the fairways and rough were better maintained. The bunkers were also unplayable besides like 2 holes which was pretty disappointing. But overall a really cool area to have a golf course. Payed $50 for 18 for a Saturday 3:40 tee time so a fair price. I’ll definitely be back

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 44
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
First Time Playing

LONG course, but nice

This course is VERY LONG. the "cart paths" are as bad as they get and the guy in the shop is a jerk. Won't be returning.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice track

Very nice, mature course. Only negative is the lack of clearly marked yardage markers. Guess I need to purchase a range finder if I'm going back there.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Response from on 06/17/2026:
We truly appreciate your support and kind rating. It's great to hear you had a positive experience, and our team looks forward to seeing you again for another round.
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Needs work

Great bones, but quite neglected. Many dead trees and cart paths are horrible. Greens and fairways are nice, but don't hit a bad shot as you will be hitting off dirt.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Good shape! Challenging

Course is in good all around shape. Really enjoyed it. I even bought a shirt. Bust out the driver at Big Run!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Needs TLC

I’ve played at Big Run for years, but haven’t been there for around 20 years. In that time it seems like there has been a drop-off in maintenance. The cart paths were broken and bumpy, there were weeds and dead spots on the greens, fairways, and tees, edges were overgrown and undefined. Overall it’s looked better. It’s still a tough course, the greens are brutal, but it needs an overhaul. We have a good rate for twilight but I would’ve been upset if we paid $80 each. Pace was slow too, I just remember it being much nicer in the old days.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

BIG RUN

Good layout. Cart paths are extremely bumpy they need a beverage cart and yardage markers

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
2.0
First Time Playing

Poor Tee Time Management and Staff Etiquette

Course was fine but the tee times were scheduled 10 minutes apart. The tee time behind us tee’d off 3 minutes after our group. We played at a 4:30 pace (not fast but not slow). The course ranger approached us and blamed us for the entire course being backed up on a Sunday at 10:00AM. He then proceeded to watch us for the next few holes.

The group behind us was never in a position to go ahead, otherwise we would have let them play through.

When we finished playing, the group behind us was not able to be seen and finished 25 minutes after us.

We called to advise the pro shop what happened with the course ranger, and they told us to not come back.

Not a bad course outside of the cart paths and bridges needing major repair. Won’t return because of the staff etiquette.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
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Golf Packages

Destination Kohler - Champions' Trail Golf Package

FROM $617 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 2 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn at Woodlake and 3 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River or Meadow Valleys Course) and Whistling Straits (Straits or Irish Course)

Destination Kohler - To Dye Four Golf Package

FROM $557 (USD)
KOHLER, WI | Enjoy 3 nights’ accommodations at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake and 4 rounds of golf at Blackwolf Run (River & Meadow Valley Courses) and Whistling Straits (Straits & Irish Courses).

Shanty Creek Stay & Play Package

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BELLAIRE | Enjoy lodging accommodations at Shanty Creek's Lakeview Hotel or Lodge of Cedar River and golf at Shanty Creek - Cedar River, Hawk's Eye, Legend, Schuss, or Summit Courses.
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