Golf Courses Near Waterloo, IA

Waterloo, a medium-sized city with a small town feel, straddles the Cedar River in northern Iowa’s Cedar Valley. Golf is a popular pastime in Waterloo. The city boasts three municipal eighteens plus a daily fee course and a private country club. Of Waterloo’s three munis, the oldest, shortest and easiest is Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course, a classic layout dating back to 1908 that is easy to walk. Gates Park is the toughest of the three thanks to a few forced-carry shots, while South Hills, a more wide-open playing field, is the longest and most up-and down test. Red Carpet Golf, a privately owned daily fee facility, is a 1920 classic, traditional-style course designed by Tom Bendelow, the designer of Medinah and Olympia Fields. Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen are among the legendary golfers who played here. Note that all of these courses in Waterloo only schedule tee times on weekends and holidays. During the week, all play is walk-up, but call to make sure there are no outings. If you crave still more options, the city of Cedar Falls, notable for the University of Northern Iowa, is adjacent to Waterloo and home to a private 18 and a municipal facility with a regulation 18 and an executive 9.

Waterloo is a quiet town, though it has a number of bars and live music venues in its historic downtown. A cultural highlight is the Grout Museum District, where you will find five museums. Included among them is The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, named after the five brothers from Waterloo who all died on the USS Juneau during World War II. Waterloo also features a number of parks and the Cedar Valley Trail system that delights bicyclists. Families gravitate to Lost Island Waterpark. For gambling action, try the Isle Casino. If you get the urge to go golfing, though, Waterloo’s courses invite you to simply come out and play.