Sure, it has arguably the best signature hole in Eastern Iowa, a multi-yardage par-3 featuring not one, but TWO island greens. Every colored tee has two yardages listed by it, the longer of which comes into play if the pin location is on the green to the back and right. From any set of tees, though, it’s hard as heck to save par.

The fairways and rough at Finkbine are one of the very few other redeeming qualities. The fairways are interesting to describe. They are soft and spongy enough for players to easily hit under the ball and take a proper divot, yet hard enough that a golf ball will roll for several yards after hitting the ground, thus allowing for good amount of extra distance off the tee. These areas are superbly manicured and there are very few spots under repair. There are also three distinct cuts of rough, all of which make finding stray balls much easier.

Apart from these positive aspects, however, there is really nothing that good or fun about playing at Finkbine. The layout is downright boring and there are far too many bunkers for average golfers and hackers to be able to navigate around safely. Also, the greens here are entirely too sloped and pin locations are ridiculous. It is nearly impossible to hold a putt on all but two or three holes. The amenities here are decent. There are a few bathrooms on course with running water and the food area is housed in a circular loft area with windows overlooking the 9th and 18th greens. The food is a tad on the expensive side, but decent nonetheless.

The main clubhouse is a bit crowded, yet organized well. It feels and looks outdated and the merchandise that isn’t currently on sale is way overpriced. It would benefit Finkbine to offer some type of discount other than your normal twilights and weekday rates, especially considering their strong local competition.

”They seem to think they can charge more because they are U of I’s home course,” says a local golfer who plays Finkbine a couple times per year. “I’d play here a lot more if it wasn’t so expensive.”

Latest Update: 7/12/2011