Just about forty miles outside of Iowa City nestled amongst farm land is a little touch of Las Vegas. The Riverside Casino and Golf Resort is a lavish, full fledged entertainment resort. In addition to gaming, the resort provides live entertainment, special events (such as concerts and comedy), a luxury spa, and a championship golf course.
The 7,505 yard course was designed by architect Rees Jones just over a year ago. In that short period of time the course has received lots of recognition. Most notably, the course has become the home of the Iowa PGA. Additionally, Golf Magazine included the course in it's list of "Top Ten New Courses To Play." The highlights of this course include:
- Hole #16 (a.k.a. Big Drop Daddy) is recognized as the longest hole in Iowa. From the longest tee the distance is 665 yards.
- The course is appropriate for all golf levels. It offers five tee boxes, the shortest being 5191 yards and the longest over 7500 yards. The tees are uniquely labeled in monetary increments - $5, $25, $100, $500 and $1000, to reflect the gaming theme.
- A beautiful natural landscape including hillsides, thousands of trees and the Iowa River.
- Carts come equipped with GPS systems.
- An old barn with a blue roof (thus the name Blue Top) remains a part of the landscape of Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. The barn sits just beyond the 14th hole and houses vending machines along with very nice restroom facilities.
- The club offers quality practice and teaching facilities.
Being just the second season for Blue Top Ridge, there are however some minor details that still need to be worked out concerning customer service and operation.
- When staying at a resort, typically one is allowed to bill any activities or services to their hotel room. However, when playing Blue Top Ridge, guests must pay as they play. This is one management issue that should be reconsidered.
- There is no restaurant at the 19th hole (clubhouse). To dine one has to return to the main hotel which is an inconvenience.
- Cost to play ranges from $70-$90 depending upon the day and time of season. Although this is a reasonable price in many regions, this is pricey when compared to other courses in Iowa and the surrounding area.
- The course offers no discount for nine holes. This can be especially negative for a guest who may want to play only nine holes before checking out.
Overall, Bue Top Ridge is a fantastic course and will only grow in popularity.
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