This feature is the next installment of a series of reviews for golf courses in the Kosciusko County area.

LEESBURG – Tucked into the high ground adjacent to beautiful Tippecanoe Lake is the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. The golf course is an 18-hole layout measuring between 5,150 and 5,937 yards depending on the tee.

We had not even stepped onto the first tee and were already impressed with the staff. The cart/caddy staff met us in the lot and got our clubs to a cart, and promptly met us following our round and cleaned off our clubs as we were unwinding. All three members of the pro shop staff on site were very formal and courteous. Assistant golf pro Doug Stidham could not have been any nicer, offering us use of the driving range and head golf pro Matt Funkhouser was equal to the vibe, even tossing in a couple sleeves of balls to use. Not expected, but surely appreciated.

The course itself has endured some renovations, to which Funkhouser was pleased to offer updates.

“We remodeled 20 bunkers, they were old and needed updated,” Funkhouser said. “They were in spots without use. Number five doesn’t have bunkers anymore. Some of those bunkers have been here since 1926. The changes were not just cosmetic, but for function.”

The country club hosts several outings each year, including the growing IU Stan Outing with the Kosciusko County IU Alumni in August, the Mid-Am (Aug. 14-15), the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund Cancer Care Gala in September. The course is also home to the Bob Turner Invite high school golf outing in May and hosts high school duals on occasion.

The gorgeous country club across Kalorama Dr. from the golf course also hosts tennis and swimming activities in the summer as well as the usual compliment of member events.

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Day Played: June 11, 2014 in rainy but tolerable conditions. Mike and Nick golfed the front nine.

Best Hole: The course has only two par-threes, and we found number eight to be the better of the two. Mike put his drive within three feet of the pin and tapped in for birdie while Nick missed his par putt but salvaged a bogey on the return putt. The 144-yard hole itself is smack dab in the middle of the course, with an open view in virtually all directions. Number nine heading back to the clubhouse was also a fun play. At 297 yards, it’s tempting to go for broke. But going uphill to the green, anything but straight and the inclines can be troubling.

Worst Hole: We were warned by a member that number two can be a lot of trouble. Two years ago, it would have been a nightmare; but the green has been leveled out from its original steep incline. Now, the green is low and flat, but the dogleg right is still daunting. Trees on either side, but more so on the right flank make the dogleg tricky. We didn’t have much trouble with about 300 of the 319 yards, but as the rain really started to pour, the green bogged down and made putting very tough. Not the course’s fault, but that’s life on the course outside in Mother Nature’s hands.

Major Hazards: Lots of trees all around! Many of the fairways are lined with trees as the area itself is very wooded surrounding the chain of Tippecanoe lakes. There are several hills on the rolling plane, which add to the math needed to make the correct club selections. We didn’t encounter any water obstacles on the front side, but there is water on the back. It’s an honest course and plays true to its environment.

Tippecanoe Lake Country Club
7245 N. Kalorama Rd., Leesburg
(574) 453-3641
www.tippylakecc.com

Links to our previous reviews:
1. Maxwelton Golf Club