I continued my full day of golf with a stop at what I’ll call a bucket list nine-hole course. All the reviews for Crofton Lakeview Golf Course were positive and the setting looked to be very unique. From what I had read, I was excited to check out the course.

After a sunshine-filled morning it was cloudy with a light rain when I arrived at Lakeview. It was busy on a weekend, but I think the weather worked to my advantage. I paid the $22 to walk and the proshop got me out quickly.

For those who are considering walking, the first thing you should probably know is that it is a difficult walk. The course sits along the Missouri River so the land drops down to the edge of the water. Some holes are downhill, others are uphill and tee boxes are not very close to the greens. Also, be careful if you take a cart. Someone a couple groups in front of me lost control of their cart and slid off into the trees. Oops.

Lakeview is a shorter par-36 that plays 3,180 yards. It has the usual setup of two par-3’s, two par-5’s and five par-4’s. The distance on the par-3’s and par-4’s vary, including a driveable par-4 (the 272 yard 7th) and a long par-4 (the 431 yard 9th). The course’s signature stretch of holes is the 4th through the 6th, the two par-5’s and one of the par-3’s.

The course gets its name from the par-3 5th, which overlooks Lewis and Clark Lake – a reservoir on the Missouri River. The 5th is 173 yards and provides an excellent view of the Nebraska and South Dakota border, which is in the middle of the river. The hole plays downhill at least one club, maybe two and the river is in play for shots going over the green. Looking back from the green you’ll see the Nebraska Cornhuskers logo by the tee boxes.

Overall, I’d say Lakeview is a more difficult than the average short course. The terrain is semi-severe, at least for this part of the country and holes are tree lined. Most shots into the trees will result in a lost ball because of the thick undergrowth. Trying to play to the highest point on each hole and not driving it through the doglegs should help keep the ball in play.

The conditions were good. The tees, fairways and rough were a little dried out compared to most of the other courses I played on this trip. That didn’t affect play though. The greens rolled well and were quicker than I expected after the earlier rain.

Personally, I’d put Lakeview among my favorite short courses. It is a special place so if you ever find yourself close to Crofton, NE or Yankton, SD make sure not to skip a round here. The 5th hole will probably end up as one of my favorite golf holes from 2022.

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