Solitude Links Golf Course & Banquet Center

I’ve been coming to this course for a few years now, back when it was fore lakes. It’s a drive for my friends and I, but it was always worth it a couple times a year.
Unlike some reviews, I enjoy a difficult course that is challenging. I always see people working and keeping the course conditions above average for the area. That was always enough to keep us coming back, until my last experience.
There was a mix up with our tee time on the first 70 degree day of spring. The course was packed, as expected. Made a tee time the previous Monday for a Sunday afternoon round. Email confirmation comes and I tell my buddies we are good to go.
Most of us drove an hour to the course to be greeted by only one worker. Before I rant, he was overwhelmed. That still doesn’t excuses his attitude. When I checked in his first word to me was «Nope!?» My blood already started to boil. After a half hour, we figured out that the tee time was accidentally booked 2 weeks prior to our expected tee time. (Course mistake)
We are now 20 minutes past our tee time. After taking our money, we were told we would be fit in somewhere. Waiting… Waiting…Waiting…now we are an hour past the tee time. I guessed enough time had past, so we went to the tee box. Honestly, if you’re going to fit us in, just do it.
Guy didn’t like this approach. Either did I, the customer. He came and started arguing, telling us that if it was any other day this wouldn’t be acceptable. If it was any other day this wouldn’t be happening. After his rant we still tee’d off. Upset, and an hour and 20 minutes late. Thank you for making us feel unwelcome and unwanted.
.
The next day I called — the manager was very professional and already knew the situation. She saved the day in a way. But if I come back with the vouchers that are being mailed to me and see this individual, that will be the last time I come. And that’s a shame, because the course is something you can’t find anywhere else.
Edit: Never received vouchers that the manager promised. Thank you for confirming our business means nothing

Once again a very good course. Glad they did away with the large cups. A fun round was had with some good friends on a great fall day! Groupon helped pay for the gas for the 1 hour drive.

Solitude, formerly Fore Lakes Golf is everything which is wrong with today’s «modern» courses. First off, I don’t have sour grapes about playing a «hard» course. In fact, never seeing this course before I put up a 78 in some pretty good wind on aerated greens. Didn’t lose any balls with water all around.
But take a typical 90 – 100 shooter. They are going to lose probably 6 – 10 balls on this ridiculous course.
Take the first hole, a par 5 if you play the green to the right. This hole is a straight away tee shot, with water on both sides, and a green way to the right. The problem is, if you pipe one down the middle, you’re going to have about 220 over water to the green. Not only that, if you «lay up» for your 2^nd shot, there really is no layup area, and at best you’re going to have about 170 remaining over water.
So tell me, how is a 90 – 100 shooter, who sprays it all over the place, or a lady golfer or a senior who can carry it maybe 120 – 160 supposed to play this hole?
Ah, you say, play the hole to the left and make it a par 4! Well, that’s all well and good, except that the are at least 3 more holes with a significant forced carry over water. Throw in a 10 – 20 mph wind like we had today, and the 170 over water is playing 200.
Now let’s go to hole 11. 410 yard par 4 from the blue tees with a creek crossing off the tee. Oh, there’s also junk to the left and right. 410 is a pretty long hole for a tee box which measures only about 6300. But that’s ok, nice to have a few longer holes scattered in. But the problem is that the creek absolutely forces a 200 yard shot off the tee (well, unless you can carry it the 290 required! But I’d be on tour if I could do that), else you run the risk of running it through the fairway and into the creek.
So you hit one maybe 200 – 210 off the tee, and you’re left with another 200 yard shot… with a narrow green and water to the left of it. Absolutely ridiculous. No average golfer should have to put up with a design like this.
Ah, but you say, then you should be playing the white tees! Well guess what, if you play the white tees because you’re a short knocker, you’re definitely not carrying your drive over the creek, so you’re still left with a 200+ 2^nd shot.
Now let’s talk about the par 3s. Again, if you’re playing the blue tees, (which by the way, are rated way too low at a sub 70 rating and 124 slope), you’re resigned to 4 of the 5 par 5s playing 190+, and 3 of them are over 200. It makes ZERO sense for par 3s to be this long on a tee box which only measures 6300 yards, and on top of that, 3 of them are forced carries over water.
I call this kind of design a «lazy design». There’s zero risk-​reward on this course. It’s all risk. None of the holes have any bailout, and there’s never a choice on how to play a hole when there’s water on all sides. Reminds me completely of the «Golden Tee» video game. Just goofy golf all around. I hit driver a whopping 3 times.
A well designed course doesn’t take clubs out of your hand and out of the decision making. A well designed course INTRODUCES options to a player, tempting him to bomb a driver to increase the chances of birdie, or to play it more conservatively off the tee.
Condition wise, the fairways were in decent shape. The greens weren’t good, but looks like they aerated them a couple of weeks ago and they were still sanded, (at least they do maintenance on the course) so fair assessment of how they would be prime time isn’t available.

Discovered this place when a friend got married here. The place is beautiful! Saying that, I’m not a golfer, my review is mainly on the restaurant. The restaurant closes for winter and opens up again in the spring/​summer. I use to really like going here for fish tacos. My husband loved their BBQ ribs. We ended up going last night only to be disappointed! The restaurant has changed their menu completely! They went from good quality food to crappy bar food. Don’t plan on going back.

Coarse is beautiful with lots of water to hit over and around. The grass on fairways and greens are well taken care of. The clubhouse and restaurants are magnificent. But parts of the paths and bridges are in disrepair. And the driving range is really atrocious. This place got lowered marks mostly because the starter was a complete dick. He rushed us off because he had groups waiting. We were actually 5 minutes early but he insisted we were supposed to tee off with another group of people that he had already sent off that we did not know nor were we asked to go with them. Golfer from the waiting group already had his ball teed up in the box. The starter stood on the edge of the tee box with that golfer from the big group and made comments as we teed off. It was really disturbing and uncomfortable. Too many of these retirees who work at golf courses just don’t give a damn and have no manners.
Listen up… People make all the difference in a service experience!

What a hidden gem! I’ve lived in this area for a long time and was never aware that something this gorgeous what available in the area. I went to a wedding here and it was so elegant and the whole thing just felt like it was out of a book or something. It is a great, large space for weddings. The room is so ornate with a woodsy theme that has grand open doors that lead onto a large, open balcony. The balcony was by far my favorite place. It was so beautiful at night with the lights they had up and it looked onto a beautiful gazebo and waterfall. it had the perfect atmosphere for that ‘fairytale’ wedding. I love this place and will reccomend it to people and talk about the beautiful event there for a long time!

Who needs to drive up north when Fore Lakes is only 25 minutes away from the D? With water on all but 3 holes be prepared to lose some balls, especially hole #1. A par 4 or 5, if you do the par 5 be prepped to make your 3 shot over 100 yds of water. The most intimidating hole of golf I’ve ever seen.

The place wasnt busy and Im not sure why. The food and service were both very good. The choices were simple but well prepared. I would recommend the Nacho Supreme and the sliders.

I love this golf course… but I love the food here even better… I am a big fan of the big mr. T burger… nachos are huge and fantastic. Mini sliders too are very big meal… sometimes can be slow but worth it… one of the best places to go around here in the summer when they are open…

While I’m not a golfer myself, I appreciate a lovely course with impeccably maintained grounds and a great 19^th hole.
Which is why my family decided to book my recent wedding at their reception venue (that and they’ve probably spent a wedding’s worth of $ in greens fees there over the many years).
Kathy is a rock when it comes to wedding planning. She has lists, schedules and budgets for just about everything — exactly what you want when you want one very expensive party to go off without a hitch.
By booking on a Friday night, we were able to have the entire top floor of the restaurant, featuring panoramic views of the golf course and the lovely sunset right after a family-​style dinner so good I was surprised it was wedding fare.
Lovely venue with extremely attentive staff who know exactly how large scale events run, and can anticipate any possible problem.