I headed to Meadow Valley Golf Club today to add another new course to my list. I am trying to make the push to have golf course no. 1,100 be in a very special part of the United States. More to come on that soon though! Meadow Valley was golf course no. 1,095 for me.

Meadow Valley is about 45 minutes from where I am staying in South Bend. The course is located in Middlebury, which has a large Amish community. You’ll probably see a few Amish buggies on your way to the course. Cool.

In a number of ways, Meadow Valley reminded me of a course you’d find in South Central Pennsylvania. Of course, the Amish presence gave me that feeling, but also the land that the course occupies. Much of the course sits on a flat piece of property with a links look while another part of the course plays into the hilly woods. That also reminded me of that Harrisburg/York area.

Tom Zimmerman designed Meadow Valley and from the looks of things, he has a couple other designs in Northern Indiana. My favorite thing about Meadow Valley is the course’s presentation. The course offers three different vibes. The first four holes are flatter with a links look. The 5th through the 12th are tree lined with some elevation changes. The 13th through the 18th have a wetlands feel with water in play on a number of holes. Quite the variety here.

I played the black tees which are 73.0/131/6893. The green tees are 6,284 yards so some combo tees would be a nice idea. Overall, I thought Meadow Valley was more challenging than the scorecard indicates. The conditions likely had something to do with that opinion though. The rough was thick and the greens were fast. Still, there are a number of long par-4’s including the two closing holes which are 448 and 462 yards.

The wooded holes are probably the most scenic, but also the most challenging. The 5th is a 375 yard par-4 that plays uphill into a group of trees. The tee shot needs to be placed in the perfect spot to allow for a clear shot to the green. The 9th and 10th are quirky par-4’s. The 9th is 451 yards and plays from an elevated tee. Trees pinch the landing area to the left and the fairway slopes hard to the right. The 10th is only 359 yards, but a large tree blocks out most – maybe all – shots from the fairway. Weird.

The green fee was about $65 to ride on a weekend, so Meadow Valley offers a solid value. The course was in all-around great shape. All the turf was lush and the ball sat up. The greens were smooth and fast. Chips and putts just kept rolling. Tough to control. The rough was thick and it was hard to get a club on the ball.

I think Meadow Valley is a borderline hidden gem and worth a look if you are in the area. I wouldn’t want to play every round here though as the course could stand to have a number of trees removed. Meadow Valley has a good set of par-3’s and there are many nice aesthetic touches throughout the property. The stonework, landscaping, railroad ties, and a small waterfall are examples of that.

Course Pictures (click any picture to scroll through the gallery):