Students, faculty members and local residents with an interest in golf can find a pleasant experience and an array of options at Forrest Creason Golf Course.

The clubhouse is located at 1616 E. Poe Road and much of the course runs along Mercer Road, Interstate 75 and Poe Road.

“It’s a nice course, really well maintained,” course regular Bob McGeein said.

Offering 18 holes and a driving range across the road, the University auxiliary course is open seven days a week for the majority of the year. The course opens in early March and closes in late November or early December depending on the weather, course director Kurt Thomas said.

“Play really drops off after October,” Thomas said. “We will stay open as long as we can.”

While many students go home for the summer, the golf course offers year-round incentives for students to play, providing reduced greens fees for faculty and staff, but the best deals are for students, according to the University website.

“Students get a break, which is nice,” pro shop employee and University student Nick Schuessler said. “Realistically, it’s a cheap golf course to just stay fit.”

Fitness is a top priority at the golf course, as it is part of the Recreation and Wellness program.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to go out and have some physical activity,” Thomas said. “It’s a nice benefit on campus.”

Course Pro/Assistant Course Director Lindy Powers believes the game of golf provides a useful benefit for the campus and surrounding community.

“It’s a sport that people can use their entire lives to enjoy and stay in shape,” Powers said.

Thomas said that many universities do not have golf courses, and those with courses do not have them located near the campus.

“It’s a great asset to the University, and the University is a great asset to us,” Thomas said.

An example of this mutually beneficial relationship is the hiring practices at the pro shop, where Schuessler said only University students are hired through the Recreation and Wellness program. In exchange for his services in the shop, Schuessler has gained several social benefits by recognizing and getting to know various faces from the community and University alike– something that can allow students from out of town to make connections.

“You’re not just that person that works at the golf course anymore,” Schuessler said.

Community members also find the course to be an appealing place to work. Course starter Neil Smith enjoys the atmosphere provided by the course and the students, praising the students as “very knowledgeable.”

“[Forrest Creason] has some great, great kids here,” Smith said. “Each one of them brings a different aspect of golf and also life, which is always interesting.”

In keeping with the University’s academic atmosphere, Schuessler believes the course is a great place to learn the game, crediting the course design along with Powers’ sessions at the driving range. Powers offers clinics and private lessons, along with free group lessons on certain weeks, which Schuessler said can provide incentives for people who do not see golf as just a hobby.

“Golf is a hard sport. You’re not just going to become good at it,” Schuessler said. “[Powers] really helps get beginners going.”

While the course is a good place to learn the game, it also tends to bring back veteran players week after week. McGeein said that holes three and 10 are particularly difficult, while Smith said hole six is “the most challenging to make par.”

“The wind here is always a factor,” Smith said.

Thomas added that although student business drops during the summer, the course maintains good business through most of the year because of the high community involvement.

Some of the good business can be attributed to the opportunity for outings on the course, as reservations can be made for social and corporate rounds of golf among on-campus and off-campus organizations, according to the University website. Thomas said that various on-campus and off-campus organizations can hold fundraisers as well.

Another source of business is golf leagues, which are played during the evenings on Monday through Thursday. Thomas noted that corporations such as Cooper Tire hold league play at the course, along with a women’s league on Monday night.

“In general, we’re a very good public golf course,” Thomas said. “Pace of play is excellent.”

The efficient manner of the course is a big draw. Course starter Jim Treeger praised the relatively short tee times. Thomas added that people can call in tee times seven days in advance and can generally count on playing two hours for nine holes and four for 18.

“You can generally get a tee time any time you want, and the price is right,” said Treeger.

The course design contributes to the level of enjoyment, with several holes cited as favorites.

“The most fun could be [hole] 13 because you could play anything from a six iron to a driver.” Treeger said.

Schuessler enjoys hole 12, which sits on the hill that he and Thomas believe most people know the course for while driving on Interstate 75.

“[It] provides a pretty nice view of the course,” Schuessler said, emphasizing sunset as the best time to play the hole.

Smith is also highly impressed with the visual splendor the course offers, adding further incentive for people to take up the sport.