I’ve started to become interested in visiting more national parks. I wanted to check out Mammoth Cave National Park (which turned out to be pretty impressive!) on my way to Florida and my route took me through Arkansas. I stopped about halfway through the drive to stretch my legs with a round of golf at The Ridges at Village Creek.

The Ridges (an Andy Dye design) is in eastern Arkansas, about an hour from Memphis, TN. The course is located about 15 minutes north of I-40 in a state park and usually ranks as one of the top public courses in Arkansas. The Ridges is also part of the Arkansas/Natural State Golf Trail. I had read nothing but good things and was excited to check it out.

I’m not sure exactly why but it was dead when I pulled into the parking lot. I counted five cars on a Friday afternoon. Pretty much unheard of for golf post-COVID, but maybe things are different out this way. Anyway, I enjoyed the brisk pace – which included plenty of time for me to look for golf balls which I could lose later in the round. Sigh.

There are three nines at The Ridges – East Ridge, West Ridge, and North Ridge. Since I hadn’t golfed here before the proshop made sure I got to see the West Ridge nine, which they said was the most memorable. I started on the North Ridge then West Ridge was my back nine. I didn’t have time to play the East Ridge on this trip so I’m not sure how it compares.

Even on a cloudy day during the off-season, I was impressed with the presentation of The Ridges. It is a scenic course that would be even more impressive when there are leaves on the trees and the turf is green. All the holes are secluded, separated from each other by thick forest. The course was quite hilly, which I wasn’t expecting since the Mississippi River Valley isn’t far away. Overall, I thought the course looked and played like a mountain course. There is a good bit of trouble and many undulating fairways.

I played the white tees which are 72.7/138/6730 and while there are some great holes at The Ridges, it is very challenging. Some long holes, difficult bunkers and tricky chip shots await. If you are big hitter then the tips on the West/East combo play 7,449 yards. The North Ridge nine has a fun stretch of holes – the 6th through the 8th – that stood out to me. The 6th is only 339 yards but it is one of the uphill holes and the green is tucked into a bowl. The 7th is a mid-length par-3 that has a semi-blind shot. The 8th is a reachable par-5 with trouble short and right of the green.

The West Ridge nine also has a good stretch of holes. The 1st through the 3rd were my favorites there. The 1st is a 383 yard par-4 that plays from an elevated tee. It doglegs left and the green sits up on a hillside. The 2nd is a long, uphill par-5 with lost ball trouble all down the left. The 3rd is a short (potentially driveable) par-4 that is only 323 yard and plays significantly downhill.

The cost was $40 and the conditions were solid for this late in the year. The fairways provided some cushion and the greens were smooth and fast. Off the fairways things were more thin. My only complaint is that the sand in the bunkers felt like it needed a refresh.

If you are driving through Arkansas on I-40 then The Ridges would be a good stop. Not a bunch of other good public options nearby so you won’t want to miss this one. To me, it is a borderline hidden gem. The reason I say “borderline” is that I found the course very demanding. There is a lot of target golf and the design seemed to yield a harsh result for an average golf shot.

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