Lakeside Country Golf Club Review
October 3, 2023
Our time in Hot Springs, Arkansas went way too fast. We were here for the Luxe and Ambition Owners Rally, which filled up a great deal of our time. We were hoping to squeeze in one more round of golf before we headed out. A couple of our friends at Catherine’s Landing RV park recommended we try Lakeside Country Golf Club.
Which is exactly what we did!
Lakeside Country Golf Club is a beautiful public, 9 hole course, nestled around a gorgeous natural environment that sits on the banks of Lake Catherine. This family-owned picturesque golf course really offered us a challenging experience. The track has three par 3’s, four par 4’s and two par 5’s with a total yardage of 2756 when playing 9 holes. The course rating is 32.0 and it has a slope rating of 101 on bermuda grass.
The first thing I noticed was the southern hospitality and the friendly labrador retriever.
In the Pro-Shop we were greeted by Chris. Chris made us feel welcome and comfortable…..and I don’t want to forget the ton of “insider info” he shared to ensure we enjoyed our round.
The next thing that caught my attention were the green fees! For this area – the prices just can’t be beat.
After we were all checked in and ready to go, we were greeted by Dave – Lakeside Country Golf Club’s Marshal. Dave is a retired Coasty who did a wonderful job of showing us to hole #2 and keeping us moving along during our round. He even shared a joke or two in between holes.
Our tee time was an early one. It’s always calming and beautiful seeing the morning sun and dew rise off of the water hazards along a course. And this morning we experienced both.
As we continued to play, the mist slowly disappeared and there was no one in front of us – hence no one to slow us down.
Water came into play on three of the holes. The first hole with water was hole #2. With an elevated green and a couple of distinct shelves along the short fairway, my tee shot from the forward tees demanded precision.
Although only a 9-hole course, the track layout really does offer plenty of difficulty, including small greens which are very tricky….especially hole #8!
Fortunately I did not find myself in the bunkers very often during this particular outing, but when I did, I noticed the sand was hard and could use some tending.
I also noticed brown spots in the fairways in a few locations. With the dry and hot summer we just had, I am not too surprised.
Overall, the course had plenty of character and I really delighted in the course layout – it was about right for my skill level. I was able to handle every trial, twist and turn it offered. Rather than snaking us back and forth across the course with one straight-shot hole after another, we were treated to a mix of designs, including some doglegs and even a few blind shots….which Marc thoroughly enjoyed!
The challenges created in the design of Lakeside Country Golf Club balanced with the difficulty and playability of the track, and the great price, is why I rate this a Birdie Course.
If you are in the Hot Springs area and are looking to play some golf – give Lakeside Country Golf Club a try.
Tell them 18 Holes and Counting sent you!
Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting
Written By Kathy Festa
COURSE REVIEW SCORE CARD
Course: Lakeside Country Golf Club
Type: Public Course
Date Played: 29 September 2023
| HOLE | PAR | SCORE | COMMENTS |
| 1 – Tee Time Availability | 4 | 4 | We were able to get the tee time we requested. |
| 2 – Cost of Green Fees | 4 | 3 | For this area – the prices just can’t be beat. Weekly rate: $25.00 to play 9 holes & $35.00 to play 18 holes. |
| 3 – Condition of Tee Boxes | 4 | 4 | Good condition. |
| 4 – Condition of Fairways | 5 | 5 | Good condition. |
| 5 – Condition of Greens | 4 | 4 | Well maintained. Did have some long grass patches on some greens, but nothing that really impacted our putting. |
| 6 – Length of Course | 5 | 5 | Back tees – 5488 yards; Front tees – 4192 yards for a round of 18. |
| 7 – Hazards | 4 | 4 | No real problems. |
| 8 – Starter/Marshal | 3 | 2 | The Starter Chris and the Marshal Dave were outstanding and provided us with tons of insider information on the course to help in our round. |
| 9 – High Handicap Friendly | 3 | 3 | Four tees to choose from. |
| OUT | 36 | 34 | |
| 10 – Practice Area | 5 | 5 | The club has a putting green and driving range. |
| 11 – Locker Rooms | 3 | 3 | Bathrooms with changing area. |
| 12 – Pro Shop | 4 | 4 | All the things you need. |
| 13 – Location | 4 | 4 | Very close to Hot Springs. |
| 14 – Rental Equipment | 4 | 4 | Available. |
| 15 – Restaurant/Food Cart | 4 | 4 | Small snack bar available. |
| 16 – Club House | 4 | 4 | Spacious with nice outside patio area. |
| 17 – Parking | 3 | 3 | Plenty fo parking. |
| 18 – Customer Service | 5 | 4 | OUTSTANDING! |
| IN | 36 | 35 | |
| TOTAL | 72 | 69 | PLAYER: Kathy F. ATTESTED BY: Marc F. |
Marc & Kathy! Thank you for playing Lakeside Country Golf Club while visiting Hot Springs, Arkansas. I am so disappointed I wasn’t able to make your acquaintance but I am so thrilled and proud at the glowing review you all wrote about our beautiful 9-hole course and the southern hospitality you experienced from my staff! I wish you all more fabulous discoveries & adventures on your golf journey around the US. ⛳️⛳️💕💕My Best, Amy
Amy….the pleasure was ours! Fairways and Greens….XoXo….Kathy
Marc and Kathy: I have played the course and found it a lot of fun. There are 3 more nice courses on the South side of the lake, I suggest you check them out
Don….thanks for the recommendations. Sadly it will have to be on our next visit. We are now in Kansas looking for a course to play so we can add another sticker to our Golf-Bucket-List map! Fairways and Greens….XoXo….Kathy