Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Mahomet, Illinois

MAHOMET, Ill. - As part of the Forest Preserves of Champaign County, the municipal Lake of the Woods Golf Course, a Robert B. Harris design, can still be played for well less than $30 plus cart even on peak-season weekends.

But don't let the low rates and relatively benign length of 6,578 yards deceive you: The golf course is not only an excellent challenge, it's also emerged from a set of major improvements that have improved the facilities tremendously.

Beginning in 2007, Lake of the Woods Golf Course began rebuilding all the tee boxes, the driving range, and the bag-drop and practice green areas. This meant a somewhat painful year of playing from temporary tees and no practice range for the course's loyal members, but by all accounts, it was worth it.

The improvements have made a good golf course even better. Despite the relative shortness of the layout, Huber is eager to point out a perplexing fact.

Says Huber, "In the 20-plus years I've been here, the tournament record is still only 67."

Huber cannot quite explain the relatively high score, which, as he notes, is made all the more curious given that, "a lot of these high school kids who play out here are so long that they can drive many of the par-4s, and can reach all the par-5s in two. Guys have told me that they've shot or seen lower, and I tell them to bring in the scorecards. I've never seen any lower scores, though, at least not in competition play."

"It must be the greens," Huber speculates with a wry grin. "There are a bunch of putts out here I still can't figure out."

Lake of the Woods Golf Course - hole 10

The downhill 330-yard 10th hole at at Lake of the Woods G.C. is drivable, but getting up and down is not easy from anywhere around this green.

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Lake of the Woods G.C. - hole 12

The approach to the 513-yard 12th hole at Lake of the Woods Golf Course isn't bad, but the tee shot that must land in a 20-yard strip between water and OB is a test for any golfer.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course - hole 14

The newly rebuilt tees make the bucolic 173-yard 14th hole at Lake of the Woods Golf Course even more pleasant to play.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course - hole 15

The approach to Lake of the Woods Golf Course's 534-yard 15th is the most player friendly of any of the par 5s.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course - Mahomet, Illinois

Lake of the Woods Golf Course's mature trees, a nice up-and-down flow, and enough water to keep players honest add up to one of the best deals in central Illinois golf.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Illinois - hole 16

The tee shot at Lake of the Woods Golf Course's 370-yard 16th is typical of Lake of the Woods: lots of trees, fairway bunker to avoid, and pretty much straight away.

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Lake of the Woods G.C. - hole 2

Lake of the Woods Golf Course's second hole is 405 yards from the tips, but only 358 from the middle tees. All the way back, it is a true test.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Mahomet

The fairway pinches into a very narrow throat between two ponds on Lake of the Woods Golf Course's 530-yard third hole.

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Lake of the Woods G.C. in Mahomet - hole 4

The 176-yard 4th vexes golfers with pin positions that can cause even regulars to three-putt from five feet.

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Lake of the Woods Golf Course - hole 6

Lake of the Woods Golf Course's 490-yard, par-5 sixth hole is reachable in two, but only perfectly struck second shots are going to hold this little, turtle-back green.

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Lake of the Woods G.C. - hole 9

The ninth green at Lake of the Woods Golf Course is typical of the putting surfaces here: It'll break, but not as much as you think.

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