Davenport Country Club

I have been working to play all the top courses in Iowa, and Davenport is one that has alluded me, until now. We played in the 2nd group off on a perfect June day. It was such a treat to play this restored CH Alison classic!

The property Davenport is built on is hilly, with creeks coming into play on several holes. The course is one of the most scenic I've played in Iowa, and the back 9 is arguably the best 9 holes in the state.

Davenport is not for the faint of heart. The greens are true and fast and require precision to be successful. The slopes are subtle, but create massive breaks. Dialing in speed is the critical aspect of putting at Davenport.

The course is fairly forgiving off the tee. I used one ball all day, which isn't unusual, but I wasn't playing well, so one could have expected a lost ball. The challenge is really in the approach game and around the green. It sounds cliche, but stay below the hole!

Take some time if you're fortunate enough to play Davenport to visit the locker room. There is some significant history with this course, including hosting multiple Western Opens. If you're into golf history you'll see some memorabilia from these and other significant tournaments.

I can't recommend Davenport CC highly enough. It ranks among the best I've played anywhere!

I traveled over seven hours to see Davenport Country Club and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It’s not at all what I expected to see in Iowa; rolling hills, rock walls, and bodies of water are abundant. Crossing the Mississippi and pulling up to DCC’s elegant clubhouse gave me that little kick of energy I needed after a long drive.⁠⁠

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Midwest hospitality was on full display at Davenport. A few members asked for my name when I arrived and prodded me with questions about how much I was enjoying their club at least five times throughout the day. I’ve never felt more welcome as an outsider. For once, it actually felt like they wanted me at their private oasis. ⁠⁠

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The course exceeds expectations. Each hole challenges you to find the green in a different way. You can feel its varied terrain make the transition from field to former riverbed. Its par threes are unique and never ask you to pull the same club as the prior. The greens might make you feel like you’re having an off-day, but it's probably just rare that you’ve seen putts this engaging. You’re asked to look at the tilt of the entire golf hole to get a sense of how much a putt will break. It’s often about twice as much as your eyes tell you, but I can promise you it’s hard to find greens this fun. ⁠⁠

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Built on rolling hills along the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa is one of the great, classic golf courses designed by the master architects of the 1920’s. DCC features sharp elevation changes, meandering streams, ponds, towering oak, maple and ash trees and extremely challenging, undulating greens. All of the features that make Alison courses so distinctive are showcased here.

Totally restored in 2015 to Alison’s original concept.

This golf course is under-appreciated by people that rate golf courses, possibly because of its location outside the main population centers of the US. But the lucky 250 members who play here regularly and the frequent visitors from the golf professions know all about it. Fall and Spring are its showcase seasons and it should be on every serious golfer’s bucket list if you are interested in the work of the master architects.