Northwoods GC
A fall day view of a hole at Northwoods Golf Course
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Rating Index Rating
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3.9
615 Reviews (615)
5 Stars
130
4 Stars
258
3 Stars
133
2 Stars
58
1 Stars
36
Conditions
3.7
Value
4.1
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
4.1
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.5
84.7%
Recommend this course
488 out of 615 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.2
10 Reviews (10)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
2.8
Value
3.2
Layout
3.8
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.4
StaffFriendliness
3.9
50.0%
Recommend this course
5 out of 10 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
44 Reviews (44)
5 Stars
18
4 Stars
12
3 Stars
8
2 Stars
4
1 Stars
2
Conditions
3.7
Value
4.0
Layout
4.2
Pace
3.9
Amenities
3.5
StaffFriendliness
4.1
81.8%
Recommend this course
36 out of 44 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
This P.B. Dye design delivers a well-regarded layout with memorable features like a stone retaining wall and a creative blind approach shot. Affordable rates and friendly staff make it a solid value for golfers in the Columbia area.

About

Holes 18
Type Public
Par 72
Length 6800 yards
Slope 122
Rating 71.9

Northwoods Golf Club is one of the Columbia area's premier public courses. P.B. Dye, son of renowned course architect Pete Dye, designed the layout, incorporating some of his father's signature features. The golf course is player friendly enough to appeal to any skill level but there are some challenges in store as well. Mature trees line most of the fairways and there are a few strategically placed bunkers that come into play. You won't come across much water on this golf course and it's not terribly long either. It's gentle enough for beginners to approach with confidence. The golf course's signature hole is the par-4 14th, which features the famous Dye railroad ties bordering a lake that hugs the bunkered green. Northwoods G.C. also offers a practice facility with a lighted driving range and putting green.

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Northwoods Golf Club - The Spur Course
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Course Details

Year Built 1990
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye P. B. Dye (1990)

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Golf School/Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes

Food & Beverage

Bar, Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2015 #10)
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Reviews

3.9
615 Reviews (615)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
Drinks 12
Watching the Game 7
Course Challenges Include:
Bunkers 29
Water Hazards 24
Undulating Greens 18
This course/club is great for:
Locals 33
Beginners 16
Advanced Golfers 14
This Course's Location is:
Convenient to the City 37
Worth the Drive 9
In the 'Burbs 7

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

value

Not the best course, but a good value to work on your game. I like the layout; however, the greens can use some work.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

It is what it is!

Still disappointing. Just couldn't pass up the price. Greens need a lot of work.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Friendliness Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Good Bones but needs a lot of TLC.

The course has good bones but needs better conditioning. The greens either had a blight or were not maintain well. Lots of bare spots on them, which is too bad since they were well contoured and designed.
The layout of the course itself was very interesting with no two holes alike, but its needs better maintenance, since in many spots it was either bare or very shaggy. One hole in particular is the 12th with a unnecessary blindshot over water. The vegetation in the water is completely overgrown to a height where you can't see the fairway or if anyone is front of you. A very lazy way to make it a challenge.

Now the pace of play was good for the front nine about hour and a half but the back nine came to a grinding halt due to the foursome in front of us came from the clubhouse. Either they were finishing their after a break or were sent out the back. Either way their pace of play was unacceptable. They needed to learn course etiquette and a ranger would have been helpful in moving them along. They would all watch each other hitting their shots instead of setting up their own shots. It took an hour and a half to play the next five holes after playing the previous nine in that time. After that we bailed, and went back in. We past the foursome who were in front of us for the 1st nine already approaching the next green.

It was very frustrating but we had enough of the slow play. I will not be going back there anytime soon.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 9
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Poor weather
Used cart

Nice Course, Greens Need Work

I played this course when it was soaking wet and I was still impressed. The fairways and tee boxes are in great shape. The only negative I can say about the course is the conditions of the greens. They need some work. Overall I enjoyed the course even in the rain. It just seems like the course lost some funds. Play this course when it's dry.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Worst course conditions I've ever played.

Haven't played on a course so poorly kept ever. Fairway looked as if it hadn't been cut in a week or more. The greens had been covered in sand and had large spots of dead grass. The cart path has gotten so bad that I could hardly drive the cart on it. To add insult to injury it was my birthday. I've been playing that course for years, but do not plan on going back. It's a shame. Course has potential.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a year
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Expect a course that u paid 16$ for

At 16$, you can't beat the price but the course is in rough shape. The grass is burnt. It's like playing on hay some places. The greens make it real difficult with large areas missing any grass. BUT like I said, 16$ and if you're as terrible a golfer as me, the course doesn't really matter.

Conditions Poor
Value Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Nice design in disrepair

Course is nicely designed, but in horrible condition. Cart paths are a potholed mess. Could be a great course, but needs serious investment.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Don't waste your money on this dump, they should pay you to play that garbage course!

This is the worst course I have ever seen. It used to be a very nice course about 10 years ago, what a dump it is now. The tee boxes are nicer than the greens. The greens had bare spots, holes and hole circles all of them. It was so bad I did even bother finishing the 18 holes. I stopped at 10 and left.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

Yikes!

Played in a foursome on a Saturday. Once we saw the sign on the "pro" shop door saying no water on the course, then another sign by the carts saying "No coolers", we should have stopped there. A decent course layout, but probably the worst greens I have ever seen. And if you're in a cart, stay OFF the cart path - they're treacherous!! Save a few bucks, and go to a nice Par-3 course.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

A little rough in spots

The course is ok it used to be a lot better taken care of. The hazard areas were over grown to the point that the shot was blind cause you couldn't see the fairway that you were trying to reach. The greens were spotty the parts were there was grass was very nice but the were big spots of dead areas on the greens. They have NO drinking water on the course and nobody coming around selling drinks so take your own water/drinks.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 10
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

needs upkeep

this was not my first time playing the course. each time you would expect some improvements, but the greens are the worst I have played in the Columbia area. the greens are being hand watered which is not working at all. the price that is advertised on golfnow is not worth it. do not pay the price being asked.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Early tee time

I found a $7 on golf now teeing off at 6:45. I was the first one on the course and played in 2 hrs and 20 min. Fareways were in good shape but greens and bunkers were not so good. Bunkers were washed out but that might have been because I was ahead of the grounds crew. Greens had quite a bit burnt out parts so putting for score was nearly impossible.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

poor condition

Course has a great layout. Unfortunately the greens are in very poor condition. Sand traps are compacted for the most part.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Good weather
Used cart

I Do not reccomend this coarse.

I have been using Golf Now for several years and this is the first time I was disappointed. I paid $22 on line with tax and fees $26, this was supposed to be 48% savings. When I got there it was a municipal coarse and the rate was $20, already paid more than just showing up. The coarse was in the worst shape of any golf coarse I have ever played. Some of the greens were more dirt and sand than grass.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

greens poor, fairways not defined

If you live nearby and don't care where you play on that day...then go

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Course needs work

Very hard to justify the price of $25 per person. This course has great character, but just hasn't been kept up. The greens were patchy at best, and typically threw up dust from the approach shot. Fairways were green but barely, with very thin grass that makes it very difficult to get a good lie. I was a little taken back when the clerk was telling me "they just aerated the greens, that's why we can offer a discounted rate." Well, let me tell you it wasn't a "discounted rate," especially for the conditions. And for her to tell me that told me all I needed to know.....they have no idea just how bad it is. Which, is more the pity given the great potential. Not trying to run the place down because a little TLC can go a long way but it's just not being taken care of.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Go ahead and shut it down.

The overall course is laid out fun, but the greens are 100% dead. The tee box and fairways aren't too bad but the greens make this place miserable. It's like putting across the mountains watching it bounce and jump to the hole.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Fair
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Not too great

I played here for the first time yesterday, I was very excited to check it out and go play 18. Once we got there things weren't looking as good as I thought they would. The greens were in terrible conditions, the fairways were ok and the cart paths were absolutely horrible.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging, Fair Layout

I booked a discount afternoon round with the understanding that the greens were being aerated. Just wanting to work on my swing, I played single and really enjoyed the course. When I finished my round, the superintendent (I believe) asked me about my round, apologized for the greens and encouraged me to come back. I really like the layout of this course, elevation changes are unexpected in this particular area and add to the challenge. I didn't three-putt once! I look forward to returning soon.

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

Horrible Greens

Greens were in very bad condition. Putting turned into all 2-3 putts due to bad green condition. Fairways ok. Overall, a decent practice course, but certainly not anything more.

Conditions Poor
Value Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
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