The Woodlands Course at Whittaker

As every review says, the course layout is so nice. If you played the course 10 years ago, I would rate it one of the best public courses in the area. However, now every aspect of the course is in brutal condition. There's not 1 redeeming quality to this course. They're trying to claim it's from a bug infestation. I truly believe they're putting $0 into it, and taking people's money.

The clubhouse and staff are really great. However, let's all stop giving this course money. I wouldn't pay $15 to play this course.

Sam Schmidt

It looks like no one has tried to care for the course in a while. Fairways were bald and full of crab grass, Greens had debris all over them and many had chucks taken out of the surface. Doesn’t seem to be any daily maintenance being done there. I was optimistic when the clubhouse staff was friendly and a golf cart was brought right to my car but it could not make up for the course. This has the potential to be a really nice course and a fun layout if it was taken care of. The conditions were so bad that we stopped playing after 9 holes. They need to shut this course down for a year and try to revive it.

Played this course a few years back and thought it was a special place. Neatly kept, tough, all-around above average track. Unfortunately that is no longer the case. Tees, fairways, and greens are severely damaged by some kind of turf disease. Especially the front 9. Greens were the only place that play was actually affected due to missing grass and rolling over dirt patches but visually, it’s absolutely atrocious out there…rough needed mowed, bunkers needed raked, entire course needs treatment for weeds. (crabgrass, dandelions, broadleaf/clover) The ponds have a algae problem that has stained the rock shoreline a funky color. By far the worst case of neglect I have ever seen. The entire round I asked myself what in the world they were doing charging those rates, and where is the money going??? Carts had 4 holes posted to stay on path because they were “reseeding” but there was zero evidence of any work being done. Love the layout of this place and will give it another go in few years but only if whoever is in charge now kicks rocks!

The fairways and greens were gone! Appears to be a bad fungus.

I was very disappointed in the overall condition of the course. Most greens have a fungus and fairways are non existing. I won’t play there again.

The course has a nice layout that takes you through the woods and a lot of potential to be a great course, but the condition of it is unacceptable for the amount they charge. Every fairway and most greens has burned up dirt patches. It looks like they do not water the course at all. Bunkers were hard as dirt as well. If the course was in good condition I would return but in the current condition I will not be returning.

Top down this place has fallen completely off the rails. Highly recommend any other course. Nobody has touched this place in months and they’re still hoping for anyone to be sucker enough to pay full price. I wouldn’t play this course for free. Every other review about conditions is true, but worse, and the staff seems pleased to have reeled in another sucker when you voice your complaints.

I will never be back.

Seems like the grounds keeper died five years ago and they haven’t hired anyone to take his place. Sad to see a great course fall apart!

I was so saddened to see this course in such rough shape. It used to be so beautiful and lush. After talking to a few people, they had thought that grass was diseased ? Hard to putt on such uneven greens that are half alive. Also chipping out of the bunkers was a challenge, sand was hard as cement.

Fairways were brown and burnt out (diseased?)

Half way house was closed by 1pm on a Sunday (couldn't even get a hot dog.)

This course use to be a premier course. The conditions were always impeccable. Yesterday was the first time playing there in a couple of years. I had high expectations for the course conditions. I was let down. Tee boxes and fairways had massive burned out grass spots. They seemed to have some disease. The bunkers had weeds growing out of them. The greens were not the typical fast greens that I was accustomed to when plying there. Lucky I paid for a Hot Deal because I wouldn’t pay full price $100+ for those conditions. I would play other courses for that amount. It’s unfortunate, because I use to think it was a treat to play there. I’ll wait til next year and hope that conditions improve.

I’ve been playing this course for a long time. New management is friendly and trying to improve playing conditions. Always a memorable round.

The fairways have some issues with brown patches. Love the layout and got a good deal on GolfNow.

The course is an amazing layout and very challenging. However management has let the course go. Fairways and greens have a disease that is not being addressed. Weeds growing in the rough and many overgrown trees that need attention. Such a shame. On top of it all they still are asking premium prices to play here. You’d be better off at Michigan City Muni. Save you money don’t play here until they fix the issues. Sorry Whittaker but get it together!

Been playing golf here since 1984

If I had too guess based on the current conditions, this place will be closed by next season.

I realize there was a fungus on every green and supposedly being treated currently. Grass not cut or trimmed, weeds everywhere. I spoke with several and they all confirmed the complaints are not uncommon.

Course layout is outstanding, the upkeep is a must however!

This is easily the least maintained course I have ever played (except for the greens).

The fairways were decent, at best. The greens were pretty nice. The tees boxes were not good at all.

My main issue with this course is OFF the fairways. It runs completely through deep/thick woods, and on the front half and most of the back half, they have let all of the natural growth invade what was probably once rough, long ago. They are now left with some pretty tight fairways, about 10 yards of rough on the sides, then THICK woods, on nearly every hole. On top of that, the sliver of rough you do have to work with looked like it had not been cut in many weeks. You also have to tee off (sometimes pretty far) over overgrowth/water/swamp on nearly all holes.

What we were left with was A TON of lost balls and drops on the other side of swamps, 10 foot overgrowth and woods any time we did not hit and stick the tight fairways/greens... My buddy and I hit multiple drives that landed in the fairway and bounced into the rough about 10-15 feet off, where we ended up finding 2-3 other balls in the area, before giving up on ours and just dropping. I honestly don't think I found a single ball of mine I hit in the incredibley long rough... You also need to hit and stick the greens on the par 3's, because it is swampy, 10 foot overgrowth surrounding much of those as well.

The one good note was the VERY friendly staff. Kuddos to them!

Very overpriced, and was expecting much better.

Unless you do nothing but hit and stick fairways and greens, all day, every day, and enjoy overpaying for a minimally maintained course, I would stay away.