Dale Hollow Lake State Park Golf Course, Burkesville, KY

Course is in great shape for this time of year

Golfers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky need to look no further than their state park system when looking for challenging and affordable golf opportunities. There are three state parks in the southwestern part of the state that could be packaged together as part of a Kentucky State Parks golf outing. Each of these parks has a bevy of lodging and dining options as well as plenty of things to do for the entire family.

Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park has a special course; it’s not located anywhere near the other three courses but if you’re an avid golfer, it’s worth a visit. From the back tees, Dale Hollow plays 7,023 yards with a course rating of 72.9 and a slope of 126, so it’s considerably longer than the others. Like Mineral Mound there’s a considerable amount of elevation change and if you catch the course at the right time in the fall, the views are second to none. I found that Tee 3 at 6,021 yards (69.1/128) provided a great test of golf.

The key to scoring well at Dale Hollow is to hit the ball so that you can see it when it lands. Missing the fairway or trying to cut corners can result in lost balls or at least a long look in the woods. There isn’t a lot of water on the course – it only comes into play on two holes and once you get out on the course. You’re not going to see a lot of other players except maybe the group in front of you occasionally. A couple of bunkers – on #1 and #12 – are under construction as new Billy Bunkering is installed. When I found them, the Zoysia fairways were like hitting off of carpet and the greens held well and a lot of undulation to them.

Dale Hollow has several memorable holes so I deferred to Head Golf Professional Ron Roberts who is retiring on November 1st. Although Number 14 is a dramatic looking hole – you can see it while waiting to tee off on Number 1 – Ron’s favorite is the par 3, 15th. From Tee 3, the hole plays 160 yards and is all carry over a valley from which there is no recovering a lost ball. The green is a lot wider than it is deep but what makes the hole is all of the stonework in front of the green which Ron says was trucked in to create the look of the hole. It’s as beautiful as it is challenging.

This is just one of the thirteen golf courses that are part of the Kentucky State Parks. They are all beautiful, well maintained, and staffed by friendly, knowledgeable staff. Most offer overnight accommodations as well as restaurants that serve great food in abundant portions.