Far Oaks Golf Club

Far Oaks is one of my favorite golf courses in the St. Louis metro area. Great design, challenging and an enjoyable course to play. The staff is friendly and the price was outstanding at $33. They have made some significant changes to the grounds like a new drainage system, paved parking lot, starting to fix some of the bunkers, however, there is a lot more that needs to be done to get this course up to the standards of an Annbriar, Gateway National or Spencer T. Olin.

Overall, the condition of the course was in good shape for late March. The greens were aerated about 2 weeks ago and they are healing nicely. They putted really well. The fairways were in great shape also. Some of the tees do need some attention with some bare spots on them. They have fixed the large, left-side, fairway bunker on hole #3. They also have worked on the left-side, greenside bunker on 12, with newly laid sod around it. Overall, the bunkers are not in good shape. They look rough around the edges; they are not raked on a regular basis and the sand seems to be a mixture of sand and dirt. Your club generally gets stuck in the sand, not sliding under the ball. The fairway bunkers on hole #12 had grass and weeds growing in them. This is totally unacceptable.

They have been cutting trees down and trimming branches around the par 3, 8th hole. I think mainly to improve airflow to the green. I think this was also done because some limbs were overhanging, blocking your shot to a back right pin. They are doing some excavating in the fairway, in front of the 17th green. Seems very unusual, but they leave the excavator machinery right in the middle of the fairway, when it is not in use. I would move it to the side. The right side of the #1 green is still a quagmire. Just a pile of dirt which is unsightly. They are also having an erosion problem off the left fairway bunker of hole #10. Dirt and mud spreading down into the fairway.

They also need to improve their yardage markers. I would paint the cart paths with a blue, white and red stripe. To help speed up the pace of play, especially if it is cart path only. They do not have any yardage markers on the par 3, 6th hole. I don’t understand why courses don’t fix this. Just common sense.

Definitely worth the money and easily top 10 course I’ve played. And it’s January. Can’t wait until summer time to see this track really flourishing. Amazing staff, amazing track, and the locals have golf etiquette!

We had a great day of winter golf. Course was great seeing through all the trees without the leaves. Far Oaks is awesome year round.

Jim Greenwald

Granite City Illinois

We played yesterday and it was awesome. 42 degrees not much wind. It was great winter gold seeing everything through the trees without their leaves. Far Oaks is a great place.

Jim Greenwald

Granite City Illinois

Always a good course to play. One the area's best.

2nd time playing. Wished my game was up to the challenge. Course was in great shape. My only complaint was the practice green seemed to be cut much closer than the actual greens, so practice was faster than play. But a minor nit. love the course and layout,.

Great and challenging layout. Probably the best maintained course I’ve played all year. I can’t wait to play it in the spring.

This was my first time playing here and I was very impressed. Although the fairways were dormant, they were in great shape and free of leaves. The greens were fast and true. Everything was well kept up. It was remarkably idle when I was there, so buzzed through in 3 hrs. I would definitely return.

What I originally booked was a Hot Deal of $28. My cost for the round was $0, as I had Golfpass credit to apply. Not sure what the normal fees are.

Autumn trees really added to the ambiance of this course. Was told 3 seasons are great views as well. Greens were in good shape but fast! Tee boxes were good as well. Fairways were yellow because of the grass they use but trimmed nicely and easy to hit from. Very pleasantly surprised and will definitely go back!